Be Excellent To Each Other

CEX seems to be more about DVDs and stolen phones these days. Their preowned game prices are outrageous, especially considering how dirty they are from prolonged exposure to the interior of a typical CEX shop and its pierced, sweating staff (and token girl, "Pixie" usually).

Forbes asked me for my take on the situation GAME are in:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegr ... -group-uk/

Quality stuff. The sub-editing on that piece is terrible though - I saw four mistakes while I was glancing through to find your bit.

A report in yesterday’s edition of The Express has claimed that the directors of struggling retailer GAME are considering “pulling the plug” on the entire business.

This is because many at the highest levels of the chain now fear that “insolvency has become inevitable” as it continues to negotiate deals with major publishers on a title-by-title basis.

And should further big releases follow Mass Effect 3’s lead in skipping the retailer, lenders might lose patience completely.

“There is a real risk that Game’s directors will pull the plug because they can’t be sure that the company can survive through the next trading season, and then insolvency becomes inevitable,” a source ‘close to the situation’ is quoted as saying.

“They are in discussions with their legal advisers about whether to shut up shop rather than rack up more losses.

“The immediate response from RBS will be to push for more store closures, but the tipping point for the directors and the lending banks will come when the stores don’t have products to sell,” said an industry source.

“This could happen if more suppliers follow suit.”

With a proposed buyout at the hands of GameStop seemingly in the balance thanks to a disagreement about the purchase of GAME’s Australian stores, it is perfectly possible that a pre-pack administration deal with GameStop positioned as the buyer is in the works.

“Suppliers pulling their products is a stepping stone to administration, but the problem for RBS pulling the plug is that it will be an expensive and complex administration because GAME has 1,274 stores across Europe and Australia,” a further source added.

“Lending banks will only want to consider a pre-pack administration, where there is a pre-arranged buyer, but who would want to buy GAME?”

GAME not stocking Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath

Capcom's Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath will not be available from GAME or Gamestation.

Both were scheduled for release this Friday on March 9th.

It is the latest in a string of blockbusters not stocked by the High Street chain, including Mass Effect 3, Mario Party 9, The Last Story and FIFA Street.

GAME has lost credit insurance with suppliers following a poor Christmas.

It has been given some support by its banks, but has had to negotiate better credit deals with its suppliers.

The company has failed to secure better terms with Nintendo, EA and now Capcom.

Both Street Fighter and Asura's Wrath will be available at HMV, Play.com, Amazon.co.uk, Shopto.net, The Hut, leading independent retailers and supermarkets.

No decision has yet been made on Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, which launches on March 23rd.

"Unfortunately Capcom must confirm that Street Fighter x Tekken for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and Asura’s Wrath, both scheduled for release on Friday March 9, will not be stocked by GAME or gamestation either in their retail outlets or on their online stores operating in the UK and Ireland," a Capcom spokesperson told MCV.

"Capcom wants to reassure its consumers that both these titles, including the Special Edition of Street Fighter X Tekken, will be available at a wide variety of retailers across the UK and Ireland. For those consumers who have already placed a deposit for a pre-order for any of these titles then a full refund will be available – please contact your local GAME or Gamestation shop or visit the online stores."

Street Fighter X Tekken

THE WHAT NOW?

The guy at Gamestation yesterday asked me if I had a reward card, to which I said no. He asked if I wanted one, and I shook my head a bit sheepishly. He gave me a wan, knowing smile.

Yesterday, I watched a guy trade in several games for store credit, and ask after Mass Effect 3. He was told that EA asked for too much money and that Game would have had to charge £55 a copy, so had told EA to sod off for being greedy, but it should all be resolved soon. I reckon Game will go into administration soon and his store credit will be worthless. I nearly told him, but he ran off quickly and I couldn't catch him after finishing my own purchase.

Yesterday, I watched a guy trade in several games for store credit, and ask after Mass Effect 3. He was told that EA asked for too much money and that Game would have had to charge £55 a copy, so had told EA to sod off for being greedy, but it should all be resolved soon. I reckon Game will go into administration soon and his store credit will be worthless. I nearly told him, but he ran off quickly and I couldn't catch him after finishing my own purchase.

I saw that Game were offering £35 trade in for SSX and Tekken Vs Streetfighter this weekend. That's a lot isn't it? What would they sell them on for? In my eyes, that's a pretty small profit margin right there.

Yesterday, I watched a guy trade in several games for store credit, and ask after Mass Effect 3. He was told that EA asked for too much money and that Game would have had to charge £55 a copy, so had told EA to sod off for being greedy, but it should all be resolved soon. I reckon Game will go into administration soon and his store credit will be worthless. I nearly told him, but he ran off quickly and I couldn't catch him after finishing my own purchase.

Has the theory of GAME going under been posted anywhere else other that gaming sites?

Has the theory of GAME going under been posted anywhere else other that gaming sites?

That's a good point that.. Obviously we don't know what goes on behind the scenes, but what could they have done differently?

If their in-store prices weren't so ridiculously high, especially compared to their own website, I would have shopped there more often.

I'm not so sure they'll go under. What's to stop them becoming like CEX and going second hand only?

I'm not so sure they'll go under. What's to stop them becoming like CEX and going second hand only?

CEX has, what, less than 50 stores? And trades in all sorts of electronics that Game knows nothing about. Whereas Game has more than 1200 stores. They are completely different businesses.

That surprises me too, I thought they were in every large size town, much like GAME. Certainly I wouldn't have thought that there would be such a huge difference.