Game Stop will modify its stores to adapt to the new times

Game Stop, the great North American video game chain will change the way it operates its stores. Could the same happen with Game stores in Spain?

The GameStop chain of stores passed through Spain without pain or glory. Faced with the near monopoly of the Game chain stores, he could not do much and they were acquired. But the opposite happened in the United States, where they have a monopoly. Their shares have long been declining in the face of constant attempts by companies to implement the digital future, but the chain of stores will not give up and they have a plan to adapt to the new times.

Simplify and change stores, the GameStop plan

The North American chain has joined the R/GA group to work out a drastic change of the chain, which according to them, "will introduce new ways for buyers to experience games before purchasing«Some stores will become specialized in gaming accessories and will have their own eSports leagues, others will sell retro games…

This change responds to the fact that the value of the company's shares is at historical lows. For years Game Stop has survived the second-hand market, which they pushed so hard that they penalized sellers who didn't have a sufficient percentage of second-hand game sales or pre-orders. Now with Google Stadia and the increasingly present subscription services like Uplay+ with all Ubisoft games, EA Access or GamePass, its large second-hand market is going to be affected.

For years they have experienced notable changes in their stores such as introducing gaming merchandising, with their own Thinkgeek brand. Now they want the stores to be more of a meeting place as well as being more specialized and less generic to face the adversities that have been presented to them in recent years. Now… Here we have talked entirely about the American chain, but, could something happen with the Spanish chain Game? They have changed a lot and where before you only went for video games, it has become a geek outlet with walls full of Funko Pops, comics and mangas, lots of stuffed animals, and walls full of accessories for PC and mobile gaming that have taken up space for new video games. The European chain has also been undergoing changes like those suffered by the American one and it is possible that we will see in our territory this turn to making stores as experiences and specialized in various markets. As the saying goes "When you see your neighbor's beard cut, put yours to soak«.

Source: GameSpot