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GameStop Swoops In To Buy ThinkGeek For $140 Million

Posted by Soulskill on from the will-pay-you-8-cents-for-used-annoy-a-trons dept.

Lirodon writes: Remember a few days ago, when Slashdot's former parent company was the subject of a $122 million takeover bid by Hot Topic? Well, another geeky retailer entered the fray in the battle for ThinkGeek, and won. GameStop will be acquiring Geeknet for $140 million. The video game retailer has promised synergies, such as in-store pickup and integration with its rewards program.

8 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. RIP Think Geek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Game Stop sucks. How are they even still in business?

  2. Eh ... by ninjagin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think it's a better buyer, personally. Hot Topic just seemed like an organization that would not appreciate all of the little, goofy, technical-fun bits of TG that I like. GameStop is closer, I think, to knowing the TG target customer.

    --
    .. pa-ra-bo-la, pa-ra-bo-la, 2 pi R, 2 pi R, where's your latus rectum, where's your latus rectum, 2 pi R
    1. Re:Eh ... by bhcompy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Have you been on ThinkGeek lately? It's basically the modern Hot Topic in internet form. The front page of both websites contains Doctor Who, Marvel, Minecraft, Star Wars, and a number of other primary properties. The days of USB rocket launchers are in the past. Hot Topic was a great buyer for ThinkGeek(and awful for all of the other properties). Much better than GameStop from that perspective

  3. Thank you Gamestop by freeze128 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think this is a good move. Gamestop can certainly use the power that thinkgeek has. Last year I redeemed some points that I earned from Gamestop to purchase something from their rewards store. Most of the things there are stupid Nintendo lanyards or bracelets - completely useless and hardly noteworthy. I opted for a Skyrim Daedric sword letter opener. It was cool, but badly made. If they offered a coupon for something in thinkgeek's catalog, I would have been much happier.

  4. Online competition by phorm · · Score: 2, Insightful

    They're probably looking at competing against other eTailers and minimizing floorspace (similar to BestBuy) by allowing such items to be ordered in-store. Hopefully they keep some of the new/popular stuff in stock though and don't underestimate the power of a shiny toy at eye-height.

  5. Not to be the different guy, but... by hawkbug · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Everybody seems to think this is a bad idea. However, I think it's awesome. There are gamestops everywhere around my house. Probably 5 within 10 miles in any direction. Imagine if those places carried more than used games and consoles. Imagine for a moment that they also carry the same cool stuff that you would normally want to buy, but the shipping costs might have turned you away.

    Personally, I think this is great news. My T-shirt collection will probably double in size over the next year.

  6. There goes the neighborhood by grasshoppa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Can't wait to see how these "synergies" torpedo thinkgeek.

    Of course we'll act shocked that it ruins thinkgeek.

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  7. Re:You're doing it wrong by NotDrWho · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The average Gamestop barely has room for their requisite 3 neckbeards and 40 copies of Gears of War 2 as it is.

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