These are tough times as a gaming retailer, shares of some of the prominent retailers have gone down. “GameStop”, a videogame seller was down by 66% in 2018. This is the lowest GameStop has been since 2003. The problem is way beyond than just a retailer.
GameStop used to be a big-time player, both domestic and internationally. Now it is a victim of digitization. When Gamers used to go to a store to buy hardware and games, GameStop was the store to buy from. But with online gaming platforms like a stream and places like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy shipping things for less. GameStop store has closed around the world.
This has made casual gaming even more popular than before. With Apple and Google launching its own subscription-based gaming platform, Gaming is even more accessible than before. However, GameStop isn’t giving up just yet, they are making changes and selling goodies to stay open.
With one Gaming Vendor in crisis, videogame publishers like Electronic Arts (EA) and Activision (ATVI) are seeing growth. But even their offline stores are losing money. This could change for the next month as with the coming E3, Sony and Microsoft are expected to launch their next-gen console. This could boost some sales at GameStop, but it won’t last for long with digital distribution and cloud-based gaming.
However, if the store makes changes and converts it into a place where gamers can hang out with friends and have fun. Then there is a chance they can draw many people into their stores. But GameStop needs to be innovative in its approach.
However, the odds are against GameStop, and it would be exciting to see their future. If they can make a miracle or fall into the past with the likes of Borders and Blockbuster.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
