GAME, the UK’s largest video game retail chain, has confirmed that it is winding down its second-hand video game business. According to the brand’s parent company, Frasers Group, the service will be phased out over the coming months. This change, initially reported by EurogamerMarks the end of the possibility of buying second-hand games, which is obviously much appreciated by many players.
From games to toys
Sales of physical video games have declined significantly since GAME’s heyday in the early 2000s. According to 2023 figures from the Entertainment Retail Association (ERA), digital sales now account for almost nine out of ten video games sold in the UK. At the same time, many consumers are turning to monthly subscription services, such as Sony’s PlayStation Plus or Microsoft’s Game Pass, both of which offer access to vast libraries of downloadable or streaming games.
Voices in the English video game industry, such as No More Robots studio production director Sophie Smart, lamented the decision. She said the development reflects a general movement in the industry away from physical products. She points out that, despite the high cost of new AAA titles, the increased demand for used games is still present.
Cex, GAME’s great English rival, has built an empire of 600 stores worldwide, including 385 in the UK. Success based on a business model around second-hand electronic products. While Cex offers cash for used games, GAME only offers credit for future purchases.
GAME, formerly known as Sports Direct International, was bought by Frasers Group in 2019 for £52 million. The brand has experienced ups and downs: store closures, but also openings in sales space associated with Frasers Group. The channel has also branched out into other forms of entertainment, devoting space to plush toys, board games and Pokémon cards.
The firm’s managing director, Nick Arran, predicted that in 2023 the game would be ” A toy company that sells all year round ”, and emphasized an approach to entertainment that included games, toys, board games and technology. A strategy to ensure the company’s future in a constantly changing market. For players looking to resell or buy games, it is always possible to go through online classified ads sites…
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