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 forces with the R/GA group to develop a drastic change for the chain, which, according to them, will " introduce new ways for shoppers to experience games before buying them ." Some stores will become specialized in gaming accessories and will have their own esports leagues, while 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've undergone notable changes in their stores, such as introducing game merchandise under their own ThinkGeek brand. Now, they want their stores to be more of a meeting place, as well as more specialized and less generic, to face the challenges they've encountered in recent years. Now… We've talked entirely about the American chain, but could something similar happen with the Spanish chain, Game? They've changed a lot, and where you used to go just for video games, it's become a geek outlet with walls full of Funko Pops, comics and manga, tons of plush toys, and walls full of PC and mobile gaming accessories that have taken up space from new games. The European chain has also been undergoing changes similar to those of the American one, and it's possible we'll see this shift in our territory towards creating stores that are more experiential and specialized in various markets. As the saying goes, " When you see your neighbor's beard being shaved, wet your own ."
Source: GameSpot