Gamestop stores will not exist as a physical location by 2017-2018

[Pig Of The Hut]

It's rumored that Gamestop will not have a physical store come 2017 because all future consoles are pushing heavily for all games to be downloadable which

• Makes the developers more money
• Makes pre orders more organized (automatic downloads while you sleep it'll download at 12:01am)
• No need for receipt for warrenty
• No more scratched disks and game is saved on your profile
• More money made for Sony and Microsoft as well

Face the facts. Gamestop stock has dropped tremendously and the rumor of no backwards compatibility is becoming more true by the day with announcement of new systems. Who will this benefit?

Benfits:

• Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Cost Co, Amazon because thats where you will end up going for ALL your system's accesories and systems being bought themselves. Gamespot and other video game only stores will cease to exist giving revenue bump in that department to those compaines.

• Developers
• Consumers

Who will be hurt by this?

Gamestop employees

What are your thoughts on this guys? Lets face it MUSIC CDs and Gaming CDs are becoming a lot a like.

 

[Tim Static]

You mean Gamestop, right?

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

You mean Gamestop, right?

If he said Gamespot, would he be wrong?

 

[Compbros]

You mean Gamestop, right?

I assume so. I don't see this happening, there are still music stores even though CDs are practically obsolete.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

You mean Gamestop, right?

edit title please.....
i iz stoopid

no actually i hate how similar those names are

I really do

 

[Tim Static]

If he said Gamespot, would he be wrong?

well, yea since Gamespot is video game website, like a magazine type of site. Not a retail store lol

 

[NB Semi Evil Ryu]

edit title please.....
i iz stoopid

no actually i hate how similar those names are

I really do

I usually goof it up when I want to go to Gamespot.com, or vice versa.

And I've been doing this Internet thing for about 15 years now.....

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

well, yea since Gamespot is video game website, like a magazine type of site. Not a retail store lol

I know, it was a joke.

I was implying that he wouldn't be wrong if he meant gamespot because gamespot never had any to begin with.



Just assume that everything I say is a bad joke.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

I assume so. I don't see this happening, there are still music stores even the CDs are practically obsolete.

hmm ok

You will find this article below MANY times man. You have to be able to see the future in things like this in business
We can get an idea of what the majority thinks by looking at the short interest levels. Some of the most heavily shorted stocks are the ones expected to become obsolete in the near future. GameStop (GME -1.38%), for example, is often compared to Blockbuster; the question -- can a retail brick-and-mortar video-game store survive in an age when a larger and larger percentage of video games are now downloaded to a console? Gamestop has done a good job of managing its situation, shifting into online gaming and turning many stores into Apple/Android(GOOG +0.18%) tablet resellers. But it remains to be seen if the company can fight what appears to be a long-term shift away from its core business of physical video games.

 

[NB Semi Evil Ryu]

On-topic: I would not be the least bit surprised if this ended up happening. I really like the idea of buying / downloading all game purchases.

Kind of takes the social fun out of midnight releases, but I suppose that it was bound to happen SOMETIME.

 

[Tim Static]

edit title please.....
i iz stoopid

no actually i hate how similar those names are

I really do

haha no worries.

and i think you're being way too generous with the 2017-18 guess. I thnk its much sooner, like 2015 at the latest.

BEFORE all this, GS was having big time issues, with a planned 500 some stores closing in 2013 alone. Why? the mobile/download generations that already exist. Now the future is making them absolutely obsolete, even if the PS4 (and MS's next console) support used games.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

I assume so. I don't see this happening, there are still music stores even though CDs are practically obsolete.

10. GameStop

• Rating: 2.7
• Number of reviews: 416
• CEO approval rating: 32% for J. Paul Raines
• One-year price change: down 21%
• Employees: 17,000

GameStop Corp. has 6,683 company-operated stores in 15 countries around the world. The company primarily sells used video game hardware and software. But its business model has come under pressure as more and more of these products are delivered over broadband or fast wireless. Like Blockbuster before it, GameStop has a huge number of bricks-and-mortar locations to maintain in an industry that has moved substantially to digital platforms. And GameStop's own digital game distribution platform is small compared to the balance of its operations.

Employees appear to regularly complain that the company privileges sales above customer service. According to one review, "Priority is placed on sales instead of games and customers, pushing people to pre-order games can place them in a situation where they spend good money on a bad game with no possibility of a refund, business' models place customers at a disadvantage." It may also be the reason why the video game retailer made the Consumer Report's annual "naughty" list for bad customer service in 2011. Likely adding to poor customer service, reviews point to high turnover.

Do some research on it man, Its falling in 100% same footsteps as blockbuster did and i called that years ago on MKO

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

haha no worries.

and i think you're being way too generous with the 2017-18 guess. I thnk its much sooner, like 2015 at the latest.

BEFORE all this, GS was having big time issues, with a planned 500 some stores closing in 2013 alone. Why? the mobile/download generations that already exist. Now the future is making them absolutely obsolete, even if the PS4 (and MS's next console) support used games.

100% agree but didnt want to say it

 

[Compbros]

- snip -

The difference there being a movie is between 700megs and 4 gigs more often than not. Games can easily triple that and until internet is good enough and there are no caps then I don't see this happening. I just downloaded Vanquish and it was 12 damn gigs, I had to clear up space so I deleted Bioshock 2, which was almost 10gigs.

 

[Euphoric]

I agree with this change, also people need to realize when they say "Amg, I can't buy used games, I am not rich!", umm, going digital for the industry means companies and developers can offer more price models for their game. Get the thought out of your head that digital games will cost $60 flat.

No they won't, going digital offers more freedom, and varying price models will arise ranging from $20-40, etc, depending on the game. Developers and indie games can also possibly release games at their own will, freeing themselves from the need of a publisher, making games even more budget friendly.

You already see it happening, PSN/XBL have titles digitally on their consoles, game manuals are almost non-existent, they have went almost digital.

No, I am not pulling this out of my ass, of course there might be some rebuttals and issues that need to be worked out and "that one dude" against it, but overall IMO, I see this as a positive change for the industry.

How much are you buying used games for that's not like a bajillion years old that the price depreciated to $5 overtime, and how much are you saving? Average is 20-40 for a fairly new used game, yup, that's what new games will most likely cost in the near future if you go digital.

Also, I am well aware of issues such as, "How do I bring it over to a friends house", "I like my collection", you can call the company and ask for them to ship a box.

$0.02.

 

[Tim Static]

The only thing Lamestop has going for it are exclusives, from stuff like the Battle Edition (stick bundle) of IGAU to preorder stuff featuring special DLC (like King Leonidas skins for the new God of War)

 

[THTB]

Kind of takes the social fun out of midnight releases

social fun out of midnight releases

midnight releases

...

 

[CrimsonShadow]

I think that Gamestop may go out of business altogether before then. If people can download all of their content online, then the system manufacturers or game publishers can distribute the games themselves, which makes small secondary retailers like Gamestop obsolete.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with this whole physical media situation.

All I know is, we all better have SUPER reliable internet connections by 2016.. Or the majority of devices we own might not work.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

The difference there being a movie is between 700megs and 4 gigs more often than not. Games can easily triple that and until internet is good enough and there are no caps then I don't see this happening. I just downloaded Vanquish and it was 12 damn gigs, I had to clear up space so I deleted Bioshock 2, which was almost 10gigs.

not to sound like a know it all or anything but whether people like it or not its happening

GOOGLE around some on the topic and legitimate business sites and consumer electronic sites

Also Have you guys heard that games are starting to DISALLOW wireless connections on most modes on their upcoming products?

 

[GodsLonelyman]

Hey , I still prefer CD's when listening to music. Even have portable CD players which I still listen to with headphones. I get funny looks sometimes. Call me archaic but when I spend money on something I like to physically own it. The only upside I see that benefits us gamers is that they cut out the middle man and the whole disk process so the prices for games will drop. That is, unless they get greedy.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

I think that Gamestop may go out of business altogether before then. If people can download all of their content online, then the system manufacturers or game publishers can distribute the games themselves, which makes small secondary retailers like Gamestop obsolete.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with this whole physical media situation.

All I know is, we all better have SUPER reliable internet connections by 2016.. Or the majority of devices we own might now work.

completely correct imo

 

[Lulzlou]

We might see PS4 sell better because you don't have to pay to play online.

UNLESS Sony decides to make it like Microsoft's Silver Memberships and/or Silver Memberships gets more features like the ability to play online for free.

This is coming from an ex-xbox fanboy. I haven't touched my xbox in almost a year.

 

[Tim Static]

I agree with this change, also people need to realize when they say "Amg, I can't buy used games, I am not rich!", umm, going digital for the industry means companies and developers can offer more price models for their game. Get the thought out of your head that digital games will cost $60 flat.

No they won't, going digital offers more freedom, and varying price models will arise ranging from $20-40, etc, depending on the game. Developers and indie games can also possibly release games at their own will, freeing themselves from the need of a publisher, making games even more budget friendly.

You already see it happening, PSN/XBL have titles digitally on their consoles, game manuals are almost non-existent, they have went almost digital.

No, I am not pulling this out of my ass, of course there might be some rebuttals and issues that need to be worked out and "that one dude" against it, but overall IMO, I see this as a positive change for the industry.

How much are you buying used game for that's not like a bajillion years old, and how much are you saving? Average is 20-40 for a fairly new used game, yup, that's what new games will most likely cost in the near future if you go digital.

$0.02.

I don't see new titles being cheaper because you download them instead of buy them. Think about it. NES games were $50 brand new in the mid 1980's. People have always paid about that price (nevermind the price gouging bullshit on N64 games after the console first released....i paid $80 for MK Trilogy!!) and I don't see that price range changing for new releases. Sure older titles will always come down in price, but the structure used now will still be the structure used over the course of at least the next generation of consoles.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

Hey , I still prefer CD's when listening to music. Even have portable CD players which I still listen to with headphones. I get funny looks sometimes. Call me archaic but when I spend money on something I like to physically own it. The only upside I see that benefits us gamers is that they cut out the middle man and the whole disk process so the prices for games will drop. That is, unless they get greedy.

i agree w the CDs being better cause we grew up on it, I have over 350 CDs and a guitar student asked me honestly and almost in an offended way...."Whats the purpose of having that shit" she owned me bad cause i realized i had no good answer in 2012

Times always be a changing

 

[NB Semi Evil Ryu]

...

Dude, organized midnight releases are the best. Hanging out with people with similar interests as yourself, discussing the game that you're going to pick up.

Just look at this video that I took, a few years ago, for a midnight release that I went to for Halo Reach.

That entire night was so much fun.