Gamestop Has Bought Eb Games!?
<div class="IPBDescription">This just in</div> I got a call today from one of my Gamestop coworkers to tell me that he just got an automated call from corporate headquarters to tell us that we bought EB Games. Good news for us, terrible news for consumers.
Pretty much this means that Gamestop/EB now has a stranglehold on the video game industry, and the used game trade in particular, which is huge.
Also kind of makes me wonder how many jobs will be lost due to having Gamestops and EBs in the same mall... I really don't like this. I hope it turns out to either be wrong, or have less impact than I think it will.
Pretty much this means that Gamestop/EB now has a stranglehold on the video game industry, and the used game trade in particular, which is huge.
Also kind of makes me wonder how many jobs will be lost due to having Gamestops and EBs in the same mall... I really don't like this. I hope it turns out to either be wrong, or have less impact than I think it will.
Comments
...Now that's the second time that store area where Gamestop is our mall is going to change probably.
Oh well. Barnes and Noble > Gamestop/EB <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Under the terms of the agreement, Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. (Electronics Boutique) shareholders will receive $38.15 in cash, plus the equivalent of 0.78795 shares of GameStop Corp. (GameStop) Class A common stock for each share of Electronics Boutique. Based on the closing price of GameStop's Class A common stock of $21.61 on Friday, April 15, 2005, the stock component of the per share merger consideration is $17.03. The total merger consideration per share of $55.18 represents a 34.2% premium to the closing price of Electronics Boutique's stock as of Friday, April 15, 2005. The total transaction value is approximately $1.44 billion with consideration consisting of approximately 70% cash and 30% common stock. GameStop intends to fund the cash portion of the transaction through the issuance of $950 million in senior bonds and excess cash.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I too find this horribly disturbing. I'm also concerned about the legality of such a move. Gamestop now has an effective monopoly over the entire game distribution industry. Of course no courts will ever hear this because you can still get Deer Hunter at Wal-Mart. But if you're looking for a game that didn't come out within the last 6 months you are now ****ed when prices for old games are raised astronomically...
Even if both stores remain open as 6john6doe6 suggests this is still completely horrible for consumers who want choice.
As an aside; I kinda like the fact that we can hear the news from someone on the inside, e.g. Gadzuko.
Anyone, on the matter at hand, I doubt any court will acknowledge this as a monopoly, but I agree it most certainly is. The most I can hope for is for more companies to follow in Valve's footsteps and to create an online utility to purchase the game through.
Except for when 2 or 3 years down the road the company decides its no longer profitable to leave that game as a download option (perhaps to force you to buy the newer, more expensive sequel) and then you are SOL.
Except for when 2 or 3 years down the road the company decides its no longer profitable to leave that game as a download option (perhaps to force you to buy the newer, more expensive sequel) and then you are SOL. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's a direct download option, it may be relatively inexpensive to maintain that though?
Please tell me GAME isn't the name for Gamestop in the UK....
Game did the same thing in the United Kingdom: EB was owned by Game for years before they consolidated into one brand.
Amen to that... <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
If they try anything price-related: Best Buy. still excellent selection and often times better prices, particularly when it comes time for sales.
In case you don't know what EA stands for it's:
-Publishing terrible games
-Publishing big name terrible games
-Buying the sports game market
-Annoying the hell out of you with those "Challenge Everything" start movies; I challenge you to SUYF
-Buying the good publishers
-Buying the little devlopers
-Bidding for the big developers against Micro$oft
Zing! Take that copyright laws!
So it was only the UK/EU branches of EB that were bought out when game did the takeover and now gamestop is grabbing the US ones? Wondered why the american/canadian folk still had EBs :3
Damn straight. Funcoland was awesome, way better then Gamestop. I mean, Funcoland actually carried unpopular stuff, like Saturn stuff.
Wouldn't that be the reason for it going down...?
Wouldn't that be the reason for it going down...? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Good grief, I could be wrong but Funcoland was pricey. Unless it was just our location. I dunno. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
In case you don't know what EA stands for it's:
-Publishing terrible games
-Publishing big name terrible games
-Buying the sports game market
-Annoying the hell out of you with those "Challenge Everything" start movies; I challenge you to SUYF
-Buying the good publishers
-Buying the little devlopers
-Bidding for the big developers against Micro$oft <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
If EA bought GameStop then GG video games. Which, it's only a matter of time really.
But we will always keep our good ol' steam games at least...