Game (Retail Store)

JackoWacko18 · 28-01-2021 8:29pm #1

Curious question, know the UK retail store Game, does anyone remember how long they had locations in Ireland for? Looking through Google Maps and saw that in Cork, from at least June 2009-September 2011, there was a Game store in the area (it was gone by 2014).

dreamers75 · 28-01-2021 8:40pm

JackoWacko18 wrote: »

Curious question, know the UK retail store Game, does anyone remember how long they had locations in Ireland for? Looking through Google Maps and saw that in Cork, from at least June 2009-September 2011, there was a Game store in the area (it was gone by 2014).

Before Game they were called Electronics Boutique.

Used to buy N64 games there :eek::o

RobertFoster · 28-01-2021 8:43pm

I don't remember exactly, but according to Wikipedia Electronics Boutique was rebranded Game in 2002. They closed in 2012 when they went into administration.

Now, when did Gamesworld become GameStop...

Drexel_3 · 28-01-2021 9:44pm

I always thought game just changed its name to GameStop. Was only I'm the last year or two I realised they were separate.

L1011 · 28-01-2021 9:48pm

dreamers75 wrote: »

Before Game they were called Electronics Boutique.

Used to buy N64 games there :eek::o

Both GAME and EB existed in Ireland on their own originally. I believe, but am probably wrong, that GAME on Dawson Street was the only one in Dublin City whereas there were multiple EBs around the city.

EB UK bought GAME and dropped the EB franchise which cost money.

johnny_ultimate · 28-01-2021 9:51pm

There were definitely more Game outlets than Dawson Street. Back in the day there was an excellent one on Grafton Street, which had a second floor full of various trading cards and bits & pieces. Fondly remember it as the best of the Dublin gaming stores as a kid. This was way back in the early-mid 90s.

There was also one in the Ilac centre as well for quite some time, in the years before the whole thing shuttered. Don’t recall the exact timelines, mind.

L1011 · 28-01-2021 9:59pm

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

There were definitely more Game outlets than Dawson Street. Back in the day there was an excellent one on Grafton Street, which had a second floor full of various trading cards and bits & pieces. Fondly remember it as the best of the Dublin gaming stores as a kid. This was way back in the early-mid 90s.

There was also one in the Ilac centre as well for quite some time, in the years before the whole thing shuttered. Don’t recall the exact timelines, mind.

Those are the ex-EB ones that rebranded, though. Well, Ilac definitely is, not 100% on Grafton Street as I could have it and Dawson backwards.

johnny_ultimate · 28-01-2021 10:02pm

I don’t remember Game on Grafton Street ever not being a Game - certainly recall buying MegaDrive and PS1 games there as a kid. Definitely was a Game well before 2002 anyway

Atlantic Dawn · 28-01-2021 10:02pm

Blanchardstown Shopping Centre had one, think they came as a brand to Ireland in late 1990's.

brianomc · 28-01-2021 10:05pm

Pretty sure the Game on Dawson Street was an EB first, and still an EB around the launch of the XBOX 360.

Game on Grafton Street was awesome alright. Picked up the Doom shareware there on floppy disc, so 1993ish.

Gamesworld inside Chapters on Westmoreland Street on the non-Arnotts side (it moved a lot) was where I remember seeing Mario 64 playing for the first time. So it was after that that it rebranded anyway. Pretty sure it was still Games World when it moved to Liffey Street

Zero-Cool · 28-01-2021 10:06pm

Miss Game, loved calling into the Limerick branch anytime i was in town. I remember when they had to ask if you read the recommended specs of a game as there was no come back, too many people installing the game, downloading cracks and returning the game.

The place is also etched into my brain from the time they setup a display showing off Resident Evil 1. Couldn't believe what i was seeing. Good times.

Gunmonkey · 28-01-2021 10:38pm

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

There were definitely more Game outlets than Dawson Street. Back in the day there was an excellent one on Grafton Street, which had a second floor full of various trading cards and bits & pieces. Fondly remember it as the best of the Dublin gaming stores as a kid. This was way back in the early-mid 90s.

I remember being in there in the early 90's, they had the MegaDrive games upstairs and me having Soleil in me left hand and Shining Force 2 in the other and trying to decide over which to buy.

dreamers75 · 28-01-2021 10:57pm

I thought the Game on dawson street was an Indie consumed by the other Game in the late 90s?

You all prolly too young to remember renting C64 and Amiga games in Computer City ??? In Palmerstown and buying a pack of blank tapes also, oh Turrican is out this week.

Sarn · 28-01-2021 11:00pm

It was definitely an EB before it became Game on Dawson St. I think it was briefly a Virgin megastore before that.

Edit: I knew that wasn’t quite right, it was a Virgin Games Centre.

brianomc · 28-01-2021 11:19pm

dreamers75 wrote: »

I thought the Game on dawson street was an Indie consumed by the other Game in the late 90s?

You all prolly too young to remember renting C64 and Amiga games in Computer City ??? In Palmerstown and buying a pack of blank tapes also, oh Turrican is out this week.

Up by the bowling alley? The Peats on Parnell street (where Intreo is now) was my favourite for C64 games, I would have to walk around the downstairs looking at tvs/vcrs/radios with my dad, while the treasure chest that was the upstairs section was calling out to me. Eventually he would give in. Glass cabinets everywhere, and cassette boxes in rotating display cases?

Skerries · 29-01-2021 12:56am

Sarn wrote: »

It was definitely an EB before it became Game on Dawson St. I think it was briefly a Virgin megastore before that.

Edit: I knew that wasn’t quite right, it was a Virgin Games Centre.

yes, Virgin then EB and finally Game

I remember Dominic Diamond opening it

Skerries · 29-01-2021 12:58am

dreamers75 wrote: »

You all prolly too young to remember renting C64 and Amiga games in Computer City ??? In Palmerstown and buying a pack of blank tapes also, oh Turrican is out this week.

I used to rent games from Computer City on Cathal Brugha st

Rob2D · 29-01-2021 1:41am

Zero-Cool wrote: »

Miss Game, loved calling into the Limerick branch anytime i was in town.

Limerick GAME had the biggest TV I had ever seen set up in the middle of the store for years. It was absolutely colossal. I remember watching GoldenEye on it from across the street.
They used to have that small checkout counter down the back surrounded by strategy guides. And the lads working there back in the 90's were sound too. Although I do remember one lady manager who was kinda mean to them :pac:

IMO Smyth's Toys gaming section was better. They had more set ups and the guys would always plug whatever you wanted into the TV on the counter. Used to visit every Friday to see the MegaDrive my Mom had on layaway for me.

Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to step back in time and walk into those places just once more. No worries, all wonder.

I dunno, when the whole 360&PS3 era came around, the soul of game stores seemed to die out.

Jordan 199 · 29-01-2021 1:56am

JackoWacko18 wrote: »

Curious question, know the UK retail store Game, does anyone remember how long they had locations in Ireland for? Looking through Google Maps and saw that in Cork, from at least June 2009-September 2011, there was a Game store in the area (it was gone by 2014).

They had a shop at 66 Patrick Street in Cork. I found out from receipts of my purchases there.

My receipts go back from 1996 to 2002.

My last purchase there was F1 2002 for PC which cost €49.99 or £39.37 punts. Exchange rate: €1 = £0.787564.

And at the bottom of the receipt, it says: GameCube Out Now, Have you got yours yet?

Lewis_Benson · 29-01-2021 2:04am

Nostalgic.
I remember getting the train upto dublin in the late 90s and going into GAME for the first time....

McFly85 · 29-01-2021 8:32am

The Grafton Street GAME was amazing. I remember the first time going in there to get sonic 3 for my birthday and couldn’t believe the amount of games there, my parents couldn’t get me out of the shop!

A few years later I remember they had this massive TV near the entrance and seeing Resident Evil on it. There was no sound and I had no idea what was going on, I just knew I had to get it! Good times.

dreamers75 · 29-01-2021 11:36am

brianomc wrote: »

Up by the bowling alley? The Peats on Parnell street (where Intreo is now) was my favourite for C64 games, I would have to walk around the downstairs looking at tvs/vcrs/radios with my dad, while the treasure chest that was the upstairs section was calling out to me. Eventually he would give in. Glass cabinets everywhere, and cassette boxes in rotating display cases?

Used to get Atari 2600 games in Peats :pac::pac:

McFly85 · 29-01-2021 11:58am

Actually remember now as well there was a hardware shop on Dundrum main St, Mulveys, that for some reason used to sell games upstairs(C64 and amiga games mostly, shovelware types for about a fiver) - there was definitely a few times I was dragged there and my da would be harassed into getting me something.

Some of them ended up being great - there was one called Menace, similar to R-Type. I remember coming home from school one day to see my ma at the computer just as she was finishing off the last boss. I dont think I ever made it past the third level. It remains the only game to this day that my ma is better than me at:pac:

Skerries · 29-01-2021 12:02pm

which end was Game on Grafton St again as I'm blanking?

Sarn · 29-01-2021 12:05pm

Down the bottom near McDonalds.

29-01-2021 12:06pm

Skerries wrote: »

which end was Game on Grafton St again as I'm blanking?

Up near the green, towards the top. Near where the Disney Store is now, I think.

Sarn · 29-01-2021 12:07pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Up near the green, towards the top. Near where the Disney Store is now, I think.

You’re thinking of HMV.

Skerries · 29-01-2021 12:20pm

ah that's right! I think it would be where Office is now

I was getting confused because people were mentioning going upstairs but I think they were getting confused with HMV

Hurrache · 29-01-2021 12:31pm

dreamers75 wrote: »

You all prolly too young to remember renting C64 and Amiga games in Computer City ??? In Palmerstown and buying a pack of blank tapes also, oh Turrican is out this week.

Every Saturday, onto the bus into the city and hung around the counter in Cathal Brugha Street waiting to see if anyone brought back a game I wanted that wasn't on the shelves in order to nab it before it was put back out again!

It was a pisser when you got a game that didn't load and pretty much had to hang onto it for a week, but was a good way to get cartridges as they were usually too expensive to justify buying them over a cassette.

Got most of my Atari games in Peats but you'd often find them in random places. At the time a lot of the stores selling TVs, record players etc would have a stash of them.

Irish Halo · 29-01-2021 2:23pm

Sarn wrote: »

Down the bottom near McDonalds.

Deleted User wrote: »

Up near the green, towards the top. Near where the Disney Store is now, I think.

I think it moved, it was beside the McDonalds (now a Body Shop) and then moved up to beside the Burger King (now a Champion Sports)

The move could have been the other way around but I do vaguely remember there being a game store (brand unknown) in both those locations

Rx713B · 29-01-2021 2:27pm

Was one i9n Blanch shopping centre bought my gamecube there

Game (Retail Store)

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