UK High Street chain Game has
confirmed that it plans to end its pre-owned video game business. The company will phase out trade-ins over the
coming months, according to parent company Frasers Group.
But pre-owned games will still be
sold in the company's standalone stores while stocks remain. The decision, first reported by Eurogamer,
signals the end of a cheaper way to purchase titles valued by many gamers.
"As part of the integration of
Game, we will be phasing out the trade-in, pre-owned and Game Elite offerings
in the UK over the coming months," a spokesperson for Frasers Group
said.
"Pre-owned will still be
available in our standalone stores across the UK while stock lasts, and Game
Elite will still be available until the end of summer."
According to Game's website, the
store accepts trade-ins for "most consoles, games, and gaming
accessories", but does not take titles from older consoles such as PlayStation
2.
It is in contrast to High Street
rival Cex, which has built an empire of 600 stores worldwide, and 385 in the
UK, based entirely on a business model dealing in pre-owned electronics.
As well as stocking pre-owned gaming
and computing accessories, the floorspace of most Cex stores is taken up by
thousands of video games including those for old consoles that Game does not
deal in.
Cex offers cash for pre-owned games,
but Game offers credit against future purchases instead.
On X, formerly Twitter, one user
reacting to the reports of the end of trade-ins wrote: "They've just
handed their biggest rival (CEX) the entire pre-owned market." Sophie Smart, production director at UK game
studio No More Robots, said the decision was "a real shame".
"I think so many of us can
remember not being able to afford the cost of a full-price game when it
launched, and waiting a couple of months and saving up pocket money to go and
get the game pre-owned".
She said across the industry there
was a move away from physical products.
"However, with new AAA titles
costing as much as £70 when new, and presumably, physical versions dropping in
price fairly quickly after launch, I would have expected a greater demand for
pre-owned titles and Game making a large mark-up on these in
particular".
Game was bought in 2019 for £52m by
Mike Ashley's Frasers Group, formerly known as Sports Direct
International.
The takeover has led to the closure
of some stores, as well as others opening inside retail spaces already owned by
Frasers Group.
There has also been a shift towards
other forms of entertainment, with Game stores devoting floorspace to plush
toys, board games and Pokemon cards.
The firm's managing director, Nick
Arran, told gamesindustry.biz last year that he wanted Game to be "a toy
business that sells all year round".
"We do need to protect the future of the business," he said.
"That's why we've gone with this general entertainment approach across gaming, toys, board games and tech as well."
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