Gamestop - The Beginning

flogen

Im not sure how long this has been, but today I saw the first step of GameStop, the american computer games outlet into the Irish market since its aquisition of Gamesworld afew months back.

In Donaghmeade Shopping centre I was stopped in my tracks by the presence of a Gamestop store. looked kinda nice too. Im pretty sure this wasnt previously a gamesworld, so obviously theyre opening up elsewhere in Dublin. Last time I looked Gamesworld in Town and Omni were still gamesworld (however the omni branch look considerably run-down for a new shop, perhaps something to do with the fact that its going to be a new brand soon, so they didnt bother finishing the original job).
Purely out of curiousity, I went to www.gamestop.ie and look what happens..... no new site, but the first step towards a change over. the fact that they have a .ie domain means to me that the re-branding is only a short while away.
Sadly I didnt get much of a chance to browse the shop, but It looks like they have pretty normal prices, the same as GAME from what I saw. Id say their best bet is to focus on Retro, special offers (subsidised by their huge US cashflow) and perhaps even Imports if they want to catch up on GAME, because they'll have to do something to save themselves from being cursed into second or third place like what happened to gamesworld a while back.

Anyone else seen any gamestops spring up yet?

Flogen

honru

Wow, cool. I didn't know it would be this quick.

I really, really hope that Gamestop Ireland is similar to its US branches rather than being just a place with no incentive (like Gamesworld). Anyone who has been to a US Gamestop would know, its a really good store.

Imports are possible (unless Ireland/Europe has some law). In the Christmas of 2001 I was over in the US and Gamestop were selling copies of the European version of Dreamcast's Shenmue II and the DCX (think Gamecube's Freeloader) together for a reasonable $60. As some of you may recall, the game was cancelled for the US due to a Microsoft exclusive deal, but it still made it over to Europe (suprisingly, I may add).

monument

They name both Gamesworld and Gamestop on their Today FM adverts – it’s very likely that they’re going to do a full re-branding to Gamestop soon.

DrEvil

I heard it being advertised on the radio today. It was on SPIN103.8 and only metioned the Donaghmede store and nothing about gamesworld or any other store. It did say there's some comp. to win a XBOX!

CombatCow

This is great news....i was in a gamestop in NY this summer and i havt to say it's really cool,they have lots of game memrobilia and such,cant wait till gamesworld pi$$es off.

Good $hit - www.gamestop.com



CombatCow

Davexirl

I was in Gamesworld on Liffey Street today and Max Payne 2 was only 40 euro compared to 50 in Game and Pro Evolution Soccer was 50 aswell.

Hopefully this a sign of things to come lower prices.

Stephen

They opened a new store in the Fairgreen shopping centre in Carlow a few weeks ago as well. Looks just like every other gamesworld inside - but thankfully they have a wider selection of PC games. The only mention of gamesworld in the place is the blue gamesworld tape they seal boxes with!

monument

[Gamesworld still has "100% SERVICE . 100% IRISH" on their website.]

Gummy Panda

Gamesworld website is rarely updated and its online store is a joke.

PiE

Full page advert in one of those vaguely-Irish tabloid newspapers... "Gamesworld is now GameStop! - largest blah blah in the world blah..."

BLITZ_Molloy

I can't see retro gaming becoming a big part of the Irish branch of Gamestop. The UK can only support a handful of classic gaming shops and the prices aren't very good.

If I see a bit of a drop in prices, more variety and a decent PC section I'll be delighted. At the moment all you can get are EA games. Not that there aren't good EA games but I think letting them purchase half the floor space does nobody any favours.

Quigs Snr

Gamesworld in Waterford is now Gamestop.

Didn't see any real changes in prices. About 3 pre-owned PS2 titles came down from 20 to 15 Euro (MGS, Pro Evo 2, Devil may cry).

Pretty much everything else in the store is the same price.

flogen

saw that ad in the paper too....

Id say we'll have to wait until all the stores are GameStop before theres any real price change.....
I think the main thing will be better service (trained staff who actually try... maybe cos of incentives, one thing missing from GAME, should be a comission!!) and sales will be pivotal.... what kind of once off reductions can they manage..

Flogen

MadsL

Anyone know if Gamestop still buy games. Not that they were worth selling in Gamesworld. they used to offer six euro for brand new releases which they would then put on the shelf at 44. Bye Gamesworld - we won't miss you.

Quigs Snr

They still buy games all right, it's on their ad's and windows. Nothing will change I expect except the name. They have probably bought up gameworld because of the huge markups, not because they are going to bring prices down. Gameworld in fairness were not that bad anyway, I recently paid 39.99 for Hidden and Dangerous 2 there, not too bad.

shinzon

Was in games Cough(Stop world), whatever its called yesterday, and to say i was disgusted was an understatement, prices have not only not come down but theyve gone up on some games considerably

1) Road to rome expannsion pack is now 55 Euro

2) Halo (PC) was 49.99 euro last week, its now gone up to 60 euro

absolute robbery in my opinion, in fact i might open up a thread in rip-off ireland

Shin

rainbow kirby

Road to rome expannsion pack is now 55 Euro

road to rome is €30 in the branch of game where i work!

Jim

Originally posted by shinzon
1) Road to rome expannsion pack is now 55 Euro

wa? surely there must be some type of mistake. its not even worth €30 in game.

must investigate.

shinzon

And i bought road to rome in gamesworld when it was out for 29:99 originally

But you go in there now and tis 55 euo staring at you in the face

Shin

flogen

just as an update, it looks like things are going to get interesting (possibly). Maybe not very quickly, but over time.

I saw Gamestop advertising on RTE during the premiership. it was an ad for fifa 2003 (nicely planned placement) and it was 53.99 on ps2, €6 less than Game... they also seem to be bringing in a lowest price guarentee, so things will start to hot up (especially if Gamestop or Game start a 'if its lower elsewhere we give you x amount off)
also their ps2 bundles seem pretty good, cant remember them exactly but you got a game, mem card, controller and vouchers with it with a pretty impressive saving

heres hoping Gamestop actually spark even a small pricewar, its really what we need.

for example, theres a company in the UK that specialises in setting up next to Game stores and selling the same items for afew pound less, and theres supposed to be trouncing them!! lovely cut-throat marketing

Flogen

Dooom

Originally posted by shinzon

1) Road to rome expannsion pack is now 55 Euro

2) Halo (PC) was 49.99 euro last week, its now gone up to 60 euro


Shin

er? in the kilkenny branch (i noticed that all the tags on the game now say gamestop and the staff were wearing gamestops t-shirts amongst other things) halo was 45.99 and road to rome was 27.99...

personally im looking forward to the gamestop takeover. i bought a game in there on friday that was 34.99 and a coupla (units of time - however long it was since they changed to gamestop) ago when it was still gamesworld the game was 47.99

sound_wave

Of the three down here in cork i have been into two and can say i havent seen much difference in the pricing of items. cant really see game prices falling in this country for a long long while.

honru

Any update on the Dublin store?