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Regulators Approve EB/Gamestop Merger

Posted by Zonk on from the more-store-for-your-dollar dept.

Gamasutra is reporting that the U.S. SEC has approved the merger of Gamestop and EBGames, which was proposed earlier this year. From the article: "If completed, the merger between GameStop and EB would create a single company representing 20 to 30 percent of the overall market for video game products in the United States, and practically the entire market for used games. It's currently unknown whether EB and GameStop stores would keep their current monikers, or unite under one central name for branding purposes."

6 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. bad deal on used games... by beowulfy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I just have to say here that I hate how little these stores give you in store credit for good used games. You can sell them back any popular, good condition game for store credit, and they will give you about 5 bucks for it. Then they turn around and sell the used game for $45, only $5 off the retail price. So they screw you at both ends. I wouldn't mind if they charged this much for the used games if they gave you a more fair trade in value and vice verca. I stopped shopping there years ago because I didn't like supporting such a greedy company.

    --
    "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" -Hunter S. Thompson
    1. Re:bad deal on used games... by slashrogue · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's because they make so little profit on new games. Reselling used games is how they make their money.

  2. Entire market for used games? by LordNimon · · Score: 4, Insightful
    practically the entire market for used games.

    They must mean just brick-and-mortar stores, because used games are definitely a lot cheaper on eBay or Amazon.com, even if you include shipping. Frankly, I don't know why anyone would buy a used game from these stores. After all, you have to have a computer or console to play the games, so chances are you have Internet access, too.

    --
    And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
    To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
  3. Re:Very little competition, especially online. by frederec · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I like the principle of Steam getting rid of the publishing middleman, but I absolutely hate the requirement of being online even after buying the game. Call me old fashioned, but I've always prefered being able to buy a game, play it, then a few years later bust it out and play it again. If I wanted, I could go home right now and bust out my nintendo and start playing some games. Steam requires that the company still exist and have the same setup a few years later. Technology changes so quickly that I don't have a whole lot of confidence that it will retain a similar form, if it still exists. This is something (aside from the price) that has traditionally kept me away from MMOGs. The impermanence of it being so built in. If that changes I'll give it another look.

    As for the revolution. That's all speculation right now, but I can only hope it will do all that people hope it can. If old things aren't so available, at least they can still be playable.

  4. Confused by HunterZ · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If EB and GameStop account for only 20-30% of U.S. video game sales, where does the other 70-80% come from? Wal-Mart? Internet retailers? Independent game stores?

    GameStop is about the only brick-and-mortar game retailer I know of in my town (3 locations too) that even pretends to be devoted to video games, and even they're so bad now that their own employees have been known to answer the phone with "thanks for calling EAStop!" And of course their selection of PC titles has dwindled to a state of near non-existence.

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  5. EB Managers can kiss their jobs goodbye. by Nikkos · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I used to manage a couple Funcoland stores a few years ago. Our company (over 400 stores) was bought out and a then the drama ensued.

    We were flown to the big company pow-wow and private trade-show and given lots of freebies. While there we were told we're all ok, and that there would be a place for us within the Barnes & Nobel megaconglomerate,

    Unfortunately our district manager (awesome guy) was gone within a week. A few long-time managers left soon after (stock options) but most of us tried to fit in.

    After the Playstation 2 release and the Christmas season, District, Area, and Store Managers were removed one by one for the vaugest of reasons.

    I was one of the last to go in my area, and while I happily took full unemployment and went back to college. I look back and still feel bitter about a promising management career cut short.