Video games have changed over the years, we’ve seen new technical and graphical enhances as each console platform hits the market. However, the biggest change up this generation that’s leading up to the next generation is digital releases. There are more video game titles launching that never see a physical release and now there’s a push to get players into a premium streaming service such as Google Stadia and the Apple Arcade.
As a result, the old brick-and-mortar store locations of GameStop have been receiving a steady decline. While GameStop has been on a decline for a while now, a new statement has come out from an earnings call alerting the world that the chain of gaming shops will be seeing a number of closures.
Years ago, GameStop was one of the key locations to get your video game titles both new and used. However, today there’s a few locations that I’ve personally seen which seems to offer less video game titles and instead prove a plethora of trinkets and toys. Again, as we mentioned earlier, the store has been hit with some issues lately. With the digital age being more prominent with gamers and the fact that there are several other sources where you can purchase video game titles, GameStop has plenty of competition.
During a conference call this month, it was alerted that GameStop has plans of shutting down 200 hundred poor performing store locations this year. More will likely follow afterward that may make a dent from the nearly 6,000 stores established today.
This is not the only loss recently from GameStop as the lack of business and sales even caused several staff writers from their magazine division, Game Informer, to be fired off. All of this seems to be a move to make GameStop a more profitable company once again, but only time will tell if this will have a positive effect or not.
Source: Gamesindustry.biz