Current Events > Will gamestop ever fall? Will we ever only have digital games instead of discs?

(+) Yeah! (+)

It seems the push for download is increasing more and more.
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I think gamestop will fail before we stop having physical games.
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You can't actually believe that.
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I can, especially after knowing tons of people that work at Gamestop hating the company itself and their terrible practices. I don't think stores selling games in general will ever fail, But I think Gamestop itself will.
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Hating a company has never caused it to fall...
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I haven't set foot in a gamestop in years.

Besides the fact they still take their design cues from RadioShack, it seems like it's a requirement for all employees there to act like complete fucking morons. I'm not even talking about pushing the used games on you or the protection plans, that part I get. I mean the attempts engage you in conversations of blatant made up lies and misinformation they'll tell you about games, companies etc.

I'd much rather walk into Best Buy, if necessary talk to an employee who blatantly doesn't give up a fuck to deal with me other than hand me what I want and save 20% with GCU

I dunno man. Last time I went into a Gamestop, at least 1/3 of the floor space was dedicated to toys and stuff.
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Gamestop is not having a good year
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TheDarkCircle posted...

Besides the fact they still take their design cues from RadioShack

What do you mean by this?
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movies and tv went digital because you're able to pick from a large selection from a relatively low price.

unless nintendo, sony, and microsoft all come out with an over-the-top system that says "download all our console's newest games for $20" i don't see physical discs going out of style.
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Zanzenburger posted...

TheDarkCircle posted...

Besides the fact they still take their design cues from RadioShack

What do you mean by this?

The stores are grey hellholes with nothing but ugly beat up cardboard display boxes, wire racks and shit. Not saying the need to be a colorful, neon drenched nightmare but they should update the look of the stores to make them more inviting.

Currently the stores look like exactly who they still cater to, disgusting neckbeards and CEmen.

PrinceDBF posted...

unless nintendo, sony, and microsoft all come out with an over-the-top system that says "download all our console's newest games for $20" i don't see physical discs going out of style.

You are able to download games at a low price, just not with Nintendo, Sony or MS (which is why their share of the gaming industry is declining).

Let's hope not, publishers dream of an all digital future where they have full control over almost every aspect of the gaming industry

That would be disastrous for consumers
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I can't speak for Nintendo or Sony, but MS has had some pretty great sales over the past year or so. Some of these have been so cheap that I re-bought games digitally that I already own on disc.
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I'm not here to defend GameStop, but I've never really had any of these awkward runins with pushy/lying employees I always hear about.

On topic, I think as long as they stay partnered with ThinkGeek, they'll be able to just stay afloat.
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im honestly surprised that gamestop is still open. it made more sense when gaming was still kind of a niche thing, but now you can go into any walmart, best buy, target, etc and buy just about any of the latest retail games in stores. you can get day 1 shipping off sites like Amazon and play the game at release without ever leaving your masterbatorium.

also now digital is becoming a big thing on consoles and a lot of them are having sales (xbox just had a spring sale, i just got an email about a playstation tom clancy game sale, etc), so it makes used games less lucrative, because games aren't going out of print anymore due to digital and you can get them for the same price digitally too during a sale.

so i dont really get what gamestop's place is anymore. it's a niche hobby shop that does not cater to a niche hobby anymore. who goes there frequently?
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BadderHare posted...

PrinceDBF posted...

unless nintendo, sony, and microsoft all come out with an over-the-top system that says "download all our console's newest games for $20" i don't see physical discs going out of style.

You are able to download games at a low price, just not with Nintendo, Sony or MS (which is why their share of the gaming industry is declining).

none of the big three seem willing to provide a digital distribution platform that's nearly as excellent as steam is. nintendo isn't competent enough to do it. sony's tried with ps now and the playstation go years ago but keeps doing it wrong.
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green butter posted...

so i dont really get what gamestop's place is anymore. it's a niche hobby shop that does not cater to a niche hobby anymore. who goes there frequently?

I think mostly little kids and their parents. I figure most young adults that play video games now just buy them from Amazon or Best Buy.
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ForestLogic posted...

I figure most young adults that play video games now just buy them from Amazon or Best Buy.

Nope, they're downloading them. Consoles only have ~30% of the gaming market share these days and that number is declining.

Megaman50100 posted...

I think gamestop will fail before we stop having physical games.

This. Physical will exist even after GS is shuttered, or reduced to an internet only store at least.
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scoobydoobydont posted...

Megaman50100 posted...

I think gamestop will fail before we stop having physical games.

This. Physical will exist even after GS is shuttered, or reduced to an internet only store at least.

Krystal109 posted...

scoobydoobydont posted...

Megaman50100 posted...

I think gamestop will fail before we stop having physical games.

This. Physical will exist even after GS is shuttered, or reduced to an internet only store at least.

Agreed. Even PC games, which have been largely digital for years, still make physical copies to sell in stores.

BadderHare posted...

ForestLogic posted...

I figure most young adults that play video games now just buy them from Amazon or Best Buy.

Nope, they're downloading them. Consoles only have ~30% of the gaming market share these days and that number is declining.

My bad, I should've said young adults, that buy physical, get them from Amazon/Best Buy.
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garan posted...

Agreed. Even PC games, which have been largely digital for years, still make physical copies to sell in stores.

As long as there is a customer base, they will keep selling physical games. They aren't going to alienate a portion of the customer base to try and force an all digital agenda, when smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

Of course some people in this topic have issues with a few minutes interaction with people. It makes total sense why people have issues connecting with others. I'm honestly not a fan of gamestop but I will miss going into a physical store rather than downloading them.
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Krystal109 posted...

smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

other way around

BadderHare posted...

Krystal109 posted...

smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

other way around

digital buy to refuse and industry the over control much too companies gives this that understand consumers smart?
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green butter posted...

BadderHare posted...

Krystal109 posted...

smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

other way around

digital buy to refuse and industry the over control much too companies gives this that understand consumers smart?

10/10
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BadderHare posted...

Krystal109 posted...

smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

other way around

Um, no. If companies go all digital without any competitive pricing at other outlets, it's NOT good for the consumer and allows companies to start charging whatever they want, as it will be the ONLY format that you can purchase said game on.

ChromaticAngel posted...

green butter posted...

BadderHare posted...

Krystal109 posted...

smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

other way around

digital buy to refuse and industry the over control much too companies gives this that understand consumers smart?

10/10

LOL.

Krystal109 posted...

BadderHare posted...

Krystal109 posted...

smart consumers understand that this gives companies too much control over the industry and refuse to buy digital.

other way around

Um, no. If companies go all digital without any competitive pricing at other outlets, it's NOT good for the consumer and allows companies to start charging whatever they want, as it will be the ONLY format that you can purchase said game on.

Hence PC gaming where you have multiple digital outlets for the same platform and the games are all super cheap and it rakes in tons of money.
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ChromaticAngel posted...

Hence PC gaming where you have multiple digital outlets for the same platform and the games are all super cheap and it rakes in tons of money.

That's not how console digital works tho. You can only buy PlayStation games on PSN or Xbox games on Xbox Live. At most, you can buy wallet cash at outlets, but the prices are still maintained by one "outlet" that can continue to charge full price even when a physical release can be bought at 40-60% of that cost.

Krystal109 posted...

. If companies go all digital without any competitive pricing at other outlets

This is a console problem not a digital problem. You have the same problem with physical media driving up cost for consumers (and developers).

Physical gaming will never go away but it will die down and down and down and down and down

It'll become like Vinyl records are. Something collectors and people stuck in the past.
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Megaman50100 posted...

I can, especially after knowing tons of people that work at Gamestop hating the company itself and their terrible practices. I don't think stores selling games in general will ever fail, But I think Gamestop itself will.

It's following the Radioshack trajectory a little too closely.

eston posted...

Gamestop is not having a good year

they made a billion in profit to round out Q4

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=130125&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2256191

it's not growing ridiculously like it was, since that was unsustainable growth, but it's still doing pretty fucking great.
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don't think gaming will ever be only digital

it will be more trouble than it's worth

DAT hard drive space tho
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i think gamestop isn't going anywhere. they've spent the years investing in other businesses for a reason. they're not stupid, they've seen the market change coming for a long time and have been working to adapt to it.
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You can still buy music CD's. Dedicated music stores have had to adapt to survive though. It remains to be seen if Gamestop can manage the same.

Physical game sales will continue to go down though yeah. Which would be a worry for Gamestop.
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Video game companies would certainly love it if there was no more sharing of games or second hand sales.
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Yeah my big problem with digital is the drive space.
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That's the biggest problem?
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Gamestop will be gone within 3 years
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That's the biggest problem?

Do you have a bigger problem? I can't even think of another meaningful downside at all, let alone a bigger problem than having the world's largest drive and still only being able to install 4 or 5 games on it.

I guess not having a cool box to look at might be a downside but like I said, meaningful downside.
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