Xbox and its Game Pass initiative have quite a digital focus these days, especially when you factor in the all-digital Xbox Series S console this generation. However, today's new report from Eurogamer is interesting nonetheless - apparently, retailer GAME will stop accepting physical game trade-ins as soon as February 2024, including Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S titles.
For those who don't know, GAME is a UK video game retailer and has been around for decades - they're basically the region's Gamestop equivalent. Aside from CEX, which is a media retailer that deals purely in second-hand goods, GAME is just about the only high street chain store you can buy video games from in the UK. If this report is true, GAME stores may only stock new titles very soon.
This is quite a big move and marks a huge change for how the retailer functions on the UK high street. At the moment, most standalone GAME stores are packed with used video games, although the retailer has pivoted to focus more on toys and merchandise in recent years.
For us this isn't a huge deal — we usually buy digital or find our disc-based games online these days — but it marks yet another move towards a digital-focused future. We'll keep our eyes peeled on whether this actually happens next month (and maybe go bargain hunting in the meantime), but according to the report, February 16th is the big day when GAME stops accepting trade-ins here in the UK.
Anyone here still shop at GAME on the regular? What will you make of this if it happens? Tell us down below.
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[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 33
I still pop into game now and again to have a look at the high prices they charge for games.
It’s more like half a toy shop now anyway.
I find game very good and reliable if you preorder a new console for day of release. They never let me down over decades and even midnight launches.
My day one Switch, PS5 and Series x all ordered from game and delivered on day of release by that very good delivery firm DPD.
The 2nd hand prices are normally daft, in the sense of for an extra £10 more, you can buy new
@OldGamer999 I got my Series X from Game
Most of them have a tiny section in sports direct nowadays and almost not worth visiting.
I find Smyths toys and Curry’s have the best deals for day of release physical games and cheaper and free delivery or reserve in store.
Argos are even better than game inside sainsburys.
Game has become an overpriced joke of a shop inside a shop.
@Vipor007
That’s good to hear, will still probably preorder my Switch 2 from game for delivery, as like I said they seem to be very good at that process.
Wonder if Game will take all their second hand games down CEX for cash trade in 😂
@OldGamer999 and get about £3.50 for the lot.
This says more about the state of GAME than the state of the second hand market, or physical games in the UK. CEX are still going strong.
And while I know this is an Xbox site, and Xbox is more digital focused, it's worth mentioning that Sony's investors briefing showed a THIRD of all games bought on PlayStation last financial year were physical (67% to 33%). I'd love to see Xbox figures for comparison.
But even those Sony figures are skewed towards digital as many games ONLY release digitally and it doesn't take into account this second hand market. In reality physical is much stronger than even those figures suggest.
In Canada there is Gamestop, which has largely become ToyStop, and carries largely new games with a small handful of pre owned games at 5 -10 off the price of new games. Gamestop always wants to sell preorders rather the sell the limited selection of games at inflated prices. Gamestop was everywhere but in recent years they have closed stores and only have a handful of locations anymore. Gamestop does still buy games, but you only get a small amount of store credit which isn't worth much. Gamestop had a rewards program around used games that they recently scrapped.
@OldGamer999 they’re worth checking in on every now and again as you get the odd bargain(I get Resi 4 steelbook for £20 a while back). But I must say I’d completely forgotten they did pre-owned!
@Jey887
As much as that 😂
Well that will leave CEX as the only trade in option, bet they are delighted.
But with no competition, could be bad for prices.
It's dying physical disc games just like CDs for music nobody buys them no more games are going the same way no need anymore
@BowsersBuddy Gamestation was good and Our Price for music
@eire-shabba our household buys CDs, Blu Rays and Disc/Cartridge games all the time. My son literally bought season 6 of My Hero Academia in HMV today. As long as there's physical media we want, we'll buy it.
@Vipor007 I hated it when Game bought out Gamestation.
@OldGamer999
I legitimately cackled when I read that 😂
@Markatron84
Someone else replied they will probably get £3.50 for the lot.
I visited CeX for the first time a few weeks back and sold a bunch of handhelds, games, etc I haven't looked at in over 20 years, and got about £700, so as somebody who can't be bothered with e-bay, they're fine for me!!
I used to use GAME a lot but they neutered the reward points so Amazon, Smyths, and even Argos became cheaper, then the local store closed and the website got more expensive and slower deliveries.
Not accepting trade-ins is one of the final spins of it's death spiral.
@OldGamer999 DpD are awful and game are overpriced
Used games was one of my best hustles in the 90s
@BowsersBuddy
Cheers will have a look.
Physical copies bye bye
Next Gen is definitely going to be all digital. If the new switch is all digital then it's 100% an industry standard. It sucks but it's been heading that way for all media for a while now.
They still think the market is shrinking, but they never once even tried out a fair pricing policy. People in the UK all know GAME are robbing you on prices.
When had a indy game shop (ps1/ps2) era, we charged £35 for brand new day 1 game. If it came straight back via trade, we'd sell it for £25 or £22 (depending on what it was).
Platinum ps games were £18 new £12 preowned.
Nowadays in game, you find a recent release prowled and it's nearly full price.
That's a shame, I do mostly use cex to sell dvds and other bits of tech but in my local town there was three shops but now there is only one, it is the smallest still standing, I can imagine them closing down in the future.
Cex always offered better trade-in prices then Game so I'm not surprised.
Yeah leave used to cex and game just focus on the new releases probably makes sense
Really dislike GAME tbh. They charge £4.99 for store pick up if you reserve a game online! Same price as delivery in a world where Smyths, Currys and Argos do it all for free. They also charge more for the game than most competitors and often can have 2nd hand games costing more than new ones. Only CEX charge crazier prices!
I buy physical for the big games I want. Like Bombrush cyberfunk, MGS Master Collection, Sonic Frontiers and Street Fighter 6. If I finish it, I can then get money back in the secondhand market.
Seeing stores go out of business gives us all less options. I recently purchased Pillars of Eternity 2 brand new in Game for £7. So it's not all bad. They also occasionally have super random and weird offers on. I grabbed Creed champions new for a tenner a couple of years ago and loved it.
@Swirly That's all good but it's still dying Hmv hasn't existed I'm my country for about 10 years now just like video rental shops physical games are dying out
I've had an email from GAME today confirming they're stopping taking trade ins and selling used consoles and games from 16th Feb.
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