GAME Closing Gameplay.co.uk

Dan Lee 34 Comments

MCV have revealed that GAME is to close Gameplay.co.uk, who they acquired back in 2004. Those who use Gameplay are to be directed to Gamestation’s website as of March 1st.

The report also mentions that 35 GAME stores are to close, to bring the total number down to 550 outlets by Christmas 2013. The company hasn’t had the best month, not stocking certain titles, including the Ubisoft Vita launch line-up.

Source: MCV

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34 Comments

  1. I don’t think i’ve ever seen the Game Group advertise Gameplay. :o I think this is the begining of the end for them. First, Ubi dumps them then this. I have a feeling that they won’t change their tatics.

    Hmm, i wonder if more stores will end up getting closed down over the next few months and if they will start closing down some Gamestation stores as well.(i can’t remember if they have closed any GS stores)

    • A gamestation closed here in Cardiff late last year. Two GAME’s now, and only one is needed.

      • I didn’t even notice that they closed. As much as I think they should have closed one of the Game stores instead, I think the location and lease of the Gamestation store made it more sense to choose.

        Their whole high street strategy, pricing and all is a bit mad.

  2. I think Game went a little bit mad opening stores too close together. There’s two in the Metrocentre only a few minutes walking distance apart.

    • There’s 3 GAME’s all in Eldon Square/Fenwicks and 1 Gamestation a few streets away in Newcastle. I don’t get why they can’t shut the 3 GAME stores and merge them into one big store

      • At one point in Glasgow there were two stores in the same shopping centre. I think it was Braehead shopping centre. One in the middle and one about 20 shops away. Absolute madness.

      • Down in Plymouth we got 2 game stores and a gamestation all within a few minutes walk, there used to be 3 game stores!

  3. Game lost me as a customer today. they could have had 30 quid off me for a vita memory card. i only went in for a 4gb and while i was in a queue i convinced myself to go for an 8gb….until they tried to charge me £33.99. I asked why they were charging an extra 4 quid but they couldnt answer with anything other than ‘we dont set the prices’. I even said, you can have my 30 quid for an 8gb card or i can pay hmv. So i spent all of ten seconds walking to the hmv directly opposite and gave them my £30. Fuck em

    • That’s shocking. Exactly the same as that here in Cardiff too, HMV prices are high but not as high as GAME’s.

    • …and Game isn’t doing the 16gig it seems; so I guess they’ve went and upped the price of the 8GB I’m sure it was around £24 not like in the 30s.

  4. I got a Vita and some bits from Game today – gift vouchers and trade-in/reward card points that needed to be used – all vita’s and vita games had stickers on saying the following :
    “Property of Sony Computer Entertainment UK Ltd (followed by their address)
    Not to be removed until point of purchase by Consumer”
    which sounds like a big ‘hands off, this doesn’t belong to Game” by Sony in case the administrators are called in to the Game group
    I don’t think it’s going to be too long before administration happens; it’s a handy way of getting out of stupidly long shop leases, which I guess is why there are multiple Game/Gamestations in many towns. Hopefully a much slimmer version of the group will come out of the other side if someone’s willing to take a chance on it.

  5. That is bad news, I’ve been a customer at Gameplay for years, and back in the PS2 days, they were the only online retailer that I would use to buy games and accessories; I always highly recommended them to colleagues and friends.
    I do hope that Game and Gamestation take note of how an online retailer website could look from Gameplay, because at the moment Gamestation and Game look like something that some Rodney conjured up with a “Make your own Website in an hour utility program”….a bit tacky looking which I find unappealing and first impressions fail them miserably!
    I’d much rather see Gamestation close and Gameplay remain open any day of the week/month/year!!!

  6. Wow this makes me feel old lol. I used to buy all my games from Gameplay as a kid, just over the phone instead of using my 56k modem. To mirror what most people are saying here though, Game group are terrible when it comes to pricing and have only ever really been interested in selling games pre-owned so its hardly surprising to see them struggling now.
    I would imagine I will use the last of my reward points/store credit on the Vita and will stick to Amazon from then on.

    • Gameplay should have sent you a £5 voucher code to redeem at Gamestation by way of a thankyou for your custom over the years, I got mine yesterday….would rather not have though!!

      • Oh really? Nice I’ll keep a look out :)

  7. my local gamestation is closing, despite the manager hitting his targets, finnishing top 5 KPI performace in the company. he said he had loads of stores ring him saying they cant belive it and what message has it sent out to the other teams. do everything the company asks of you and we will still shut you down.
    Shame.

    • Never a good sign when the “top brass” are completely out of touch with ground level!

  8. Never even heard of this site and surprised to see it owned by GAME. They are over priced now and try force pre-owned games on you for like £2 less. It’s not a surprise to see them closing stores. Still two GAMEs and 1 gamestation in my town only a few minutes walk from each other.

  9. shame i like gameplay had some bargains from them in the past…

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