Is GAME (Eglinton St.) still open?

Viral Vector · 21-03-2012 3:31pm #1

Hi Galwegians,

With all the talk of GAME going under and certain stores closing is the one in Galway still around? Is it going to close down?

(I haven't been in Galway for a few weeks and i'd check myself if I was there!)

shot2go · 21-03-2012 3:36pm

it was still open when i was in there the 11th off this month

ben.schlomo · 21-03-2012 4:47pm

Its still open.

xflyer · 21-03-2012 5:31pm

They' all remain open for now. The company is not in receivership but adminstration. However there is a real chance all the Irish stores will be closed next week depending on what decisions are made.

Viral Vector · 22-03-2012 4:01pm

Thanks guys! Any good deals in there at the moment?

Hopefully i'll get to it before it closes!

Asmodean · 22-03-2012 4:51pm

Ive hard that theres nothing huge on offer yet but apparently some of the bulkier stock such as the ps move lightguns have been reduced substantially. Definitely worth checking out anyway. Must pop in myself for a mooch.

GekkePrutser · 26-03-2012 12:40pm

It's a shame, it's a very nice store with good deals and midnight openings for most major releases. Very friendly staff too. I really hope for their sake that they can stay open.

But I have to say I had already given up on them when they cancelled all preorders of Mass Effect 3 a few days before launch... I'm not going to trust them with preorders again even though they sent me excuses by email and post.

Asmodean · 26-03-2012 3:21pm

Just heard there its gone. Dunno if its permanent. Theyre officialy in administration now. All strong shops are getting a refit and remaining open while all the weaker shops are shutting up doors. Personally i havent bought anything in game for a whilw. A number of bad experiences from them and the high prices turned me off.

Viral Vector · 26-03-2012 4:18pm

Asmodean wrote: »

Just heard there its gone. Dunno if its permanent. Theyre officialy in administration now. All strong shops are getting a refit and remaining open while all the weaker shops are shutting up doors. Personally i havent bought anything in game for a whilw. A number of bad experiences from them and the high prices turned me off.

I came into town there earlier and it was closed for business!

A sad day for gamers in Galway!

bensweeney · 26-03-2012 4:45pm

Viral Vector wrote: »

I came into town there earlier and it was closed for business!

A sad day for gamers in Galway!

Not really, Game was never really any good.

PhantomShrimp · 26-03-2012 4:47pm

This list is still being updated and has started to include the Irish stores:

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/store-closures-begin-at-game-and-gamestation/093365

aperture_nuig · 26-03-2012 4:48pm

bensweeney wrote: »

Not really, Game was never really any good.

I always thought it was a damn sight better than gamestop. Nice staff that really knew their stuff. I went in to ask gamestop about the PS move a couple of days before it launched and they looked at me like I had 2 heads!

Sad to see it go, hope it's temporary.

xflyer · 26-03-2012 5:05pm

As I predicted but I did think it might get through Monday at least.

Asmodean · 26-03-2012 5:08pm

Im only sad to see it go because it was one of the last brick and mortar stores to have an anyway decent pc section. Their prices were never good though and myself and people i know have had bad experience with staff in there. Still sad to see jobs lost though.

Krieg · 26-03-2012 5:20pm

I agree with aperture, GAME had much better staff than gamestop, id prefer if it was gamestop that was gone.

According to RTE news the staff in Ireland aren't going to receive their full redundancy and a staff sit in is being planned.

Lockstep · 26-03-2012 5:47pm

Passed it today and it was still open, went in for a nose around.

Sad to see it go, once I got an Xbox it was an awesome place. Plus it was competing with Gamestop which kept prices decent in both.

Viral Vector · 27-03-2012 12:23am

Lockstep wrote: »

Passed it today and it was still open, went in for a nose around.

Sad to see it go, once I got an Xbox it was an awesome place. Plus it was competing with Gamestop which kept prices decent in both.

Yeah I got mine there too back in 2008!

GAME always had better deals than Gamestop! Now Gamestop practically owns the game market in Galway!

Happy Monday · 27-03-2012 12:28am

Viral Vector wrote: »

Yeah I got mine there too back in 2008!

GAME always had better deals than Gamestop! Now Gamestop practically owns the game market in Galway!

Remember HMV and Xtravision as well.

Asmodean · 27-03-2012 12:30am

And Smyths!
HMV can do no wrong in my book lately. It's where I'm buying virtually all of my console games. They're almost always cheaper than gamestop too.

pleasant Co. · 27-03-2012 8:55am

HMV would be my preferred game shop in galway, but online (amazon uk, gamesnash ie) is usually cheaper so if I'm not in a rush that's where I'd buy.

deltakilo · 27-03-2012 9:55am

I passed there this morning and there was a sign up "Closed for Business". Pity, usually had some good offers.

zero19 · 27-03-2012 12:29pm

Closed today anyway, what a shame.

biko · 27-03-2012 2:06pm

It's official - Game closes all shops in Republic

RETAILER GAME has closed all of its stores in the State with the loss of 121 jobs after the group went into administration. Administrators appointed yesterday also closed most of its stores in Northern Ireland, cutting 110 jobs.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0327/1224313952400.html

Sponge Bob · 27-03-2012 2:07pm

The ones in Cork are now being occupied by their staff.

Raging_Ninja · 27-03-2012 3:36pm

Asmodean wrote: »

And Smyths!
HMV can do no wrong in my book lately. It's where I'm buying virtually all of my console games. They're almost always cheaper than gamestop too.

The prices are only lower because HMV still has competition in the area, so they undercut the competition in order to take the business away from them. Since HMV is so huge, they can take the hit in profits.

Just you wait and see what happens to the deals if gamestop goes under.

Asmodean · 27-03-2012 4:01pm

Well It's good for me as a consumer now to be able to have some sort of shop I can get good deals in. If it's a case of all brick and mortar shops raising their prices I'll just buy my games online. I wouldn't see Gamestop going anywhere soon. Game are gone under because they didn't pass on price cuts to consumers and have built up a bad reputation for themselves in the last few years. Over in the games section on here it's the same thing over and over. People are all saying that they haven't made big spends in Game over the last number of years. I used to pop in there from time to time but never parted with my cash.

c_man · 27-03-2012 4:05pm

Sad to hear but are there many people still buying games in bricks-and-mortar shops?

Asmodean · 27-03-2012 5:00pm

Theres always going to be a big market in bricks n mortar shops for more casual gamers and kids and of course pre owned, which is a big section of the market but i guess thats an argument for another day. Pc gaming has seen the biggest shift in terms of digital distribution with clients like steam etc but pc gaming would probably hold the smallest share of this generations market. Peripherals and impulse buys like guides would probably sway more people into actual stores too.

TerrorFirmer · 27-03-2012 9:14pm

Game had consistently better prices on pre-owned than Gamestop, and they ran weekly or monthly offers on certain games, which Gamestop never do either. Virtually every of about 20 games I've bought in the last six months came from Game, as each one was more expensive in Gamestop.

HMV is pretty good too, but to be honest they haven't the range that either Game had or Gamestop have, in fairness.

FouxDaFaFa · 27-03-2012 10:10pm

I always found the staff in Game unusually helpful. I hope they aren't unemployed too long.

Surrealean · 28-03-2012 8:02am

I've sent their customer support off an email but I imagine they're inundated with calls - does anyone know how they're handling warranties? Bought a PS3 last week and, wouldn't you know it, it's not working. Got a year's warranty on it and suddenly nowhere to return it.

dmcg90 · 28-03-2012 8:36am

Shutters were up this morning, looks like they are stocktaking today.

Surrealean · 28-03-2012 8:39am

Gave them a quick ring there, they suggested there are three stores left open in the North, or otherwise it'll be the UK.

tenacious-me · 28-03-2012 12:42pm

I hope the staff get sorted with proper payment and find new jobs!

As an aside, selfishly, I have a €100 voucher for there unspent, any idea what I can do with that if anything than use it as a coaster?

celty · 28-03-2012 12:55pm

tenacious-me wrote: »

I hope the staff get sorted with proper payment and find new jobs!

As an aside, selfishly, I have a €100 voucher for there unspent, any idea what I can do with that if anything than use it as a coaster?

All you can do is visit one of the five shops in Northern Ireland which have escaped the chop.

Galway shop was closed this morning when I went by. Manager said no sit-in taking place there.

28-03-2012 1:43pm

tenacious-me wrote: »

I hope the staff get sorted with proper payment and find new jobs!

As an aside, selfishly, I have a €100 voucher for there unspent, any idea what I can do with that if anything than use it as a coaster?

http://pwc.blogs.com/midlands/2012/03/-the-game-group-plc-game-stores-group-limited-gameplay-gb-limited-game-stores-limited-games-station-.html
You are a creditor of the company - you can lodge a claim for your €100.

If there is any money left after the secured creditors are paid back you might get a few euros back.