GAME in trouble?

Steve · Feb 01, 2012, 17:58:07

Looks like another company's running out of credit?

http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/889062-game-denies-stock-problems-as-finance-crisis-deepens

.Griff. · Feb 01, 2012, 18:13:35

I know Paypal stopped processing payments for them at least six months ago which seemed odd but perhaps it was an early sign of the trouble ahead.

pctech · Feb 01, 2012, 18:14:40

Not really that surprised.

Titles tend to be more expensive there than the likes of Amazon or Play.com

Niall · Feb 01, 2012, 19:16:08

Hardly a surprise considering the insane pricing policy they have. In fact to try and ensure sales on the high street, they bought gamestation who were constantly undercutting them. Now you can get 2nd hand games from them for the price of a new game. It's ace

Personally I do hope they go under. They're as bad as HMV with their disgusting pricing and dodgy adverts in the windows on the high streets (Game that is).

.Griff. · Feb 01, 2012, 19:24:23

I have to agree it's far from a surprise and while I don't enjoy the prospect of people losing jobs part of me is glad at the prospect of Game disappearing.

I mentioned in my earlier post about Paypal refusing to process payments for them. Until very recently Game still had the Paypal logo on their homepage as a payment method but if you tried to pay using it nothing happened and you had to call their helpline at however much it is per minute only to be told they don't accept Paypal anymore. For months after I was told this they left the Paypal logo on the homepage and no doubt made a small fortune from other people calling them about payment problems. It's not like it takes long to remove an image from the website.

pctech · Feb 01, 2012, 19:52:17

Personally I think the future of gaming at least is online distribution and Valve has pretty much cornered that market in terms of the PC, with the excpetion of Activision Blizzard.

Niall · Feb 03, 2012, 10:33:54

Online is certainly the way to go for better value, but I'm hoping that this will actually trigger smaller companies offering better services. Places like HMV and Game are so large and over extended due to awful management that seemed to dictate that they charge £24 for a DVD in the late 90s when other shops charged £10 (one example of this was Virgin in Chester, next door to HMV!). I was stunned and still am that they didn't go under 10 years ago.

Just keep the shops simple with dedication to the product they sell. I miss those shops, as it used to be enjoyable toddling around the high street in the 80s and to a lesser degree the 90s, when everything started going downhill in shops. Burtons for example started stocking awful style clothes and overpriced cheap suits. It seems clear to me that stores losing their identity is where they start to lose sales. I wouldn't and don't mind paying a couple of pound more for something like a cd or bluray in a store, but when HMV or Game are seen to be charging £18 for a Bluray that's £12 in Tesco and £10 online, and when you look around the store in HMV they ALWAYS have things priced differently. You will find a product with 2 or 3 different prices. If that doesn't come across as underhanded nothing will. It's not like it's not listed on a database to price the items!

Simon · Feb 03, 2012, 12:10:30

I agree about toddling round the shops in the 80's. I had many enjoyable afternoons wandering round the lanes in Brighton, poking about in all the little record shops, seeing what gems I could pick up. Now, most of them are gone, and there's nothing much left in those that remain, as I've bought everything I want online.

pctech · Feb 03, 2012, 16:00:22

Virgin was better than HMV for wandering through and the staff were more helpful though not so good on the specialist markets

When I was trying to buy a couple of releases from a German trance label I went into HMV and looked around, couldn't find what I was looking for on the shelf so went to the counter to be confronted by a couple of 16 year olds that couldn't string a sentence together.

Gave them the compilation name which was Trancemaster, one put it into the computer and said 'yeah found it but we 'avent got it n stock, we can order it for ya"

I explained I worked shifts and had just popped up on my day off and was wondering whether they could order it and have it sent to me, "nah, can't do that"

I thanked them for their errr help and said I would order it online.

zappaDPJ · Feb 03, 2012, 20:01:31

I've spent many tens of thousands of pounds on CDs, DVDs and software. I don't recall ever spending a penny in either Game of HMV because of their greedy pricing policy. Before Internet shopping I'd always buy from small independents because they were better priced. The only thing that surprises me is that both chains are still in business.

mervl · Feb 04, 2012, 01:02:26

Blame private equity. Has a single business benefited? (I mean the customers, not the shareholders).

Niall · Feb 04, 2012, 03:02:58

Quote from: pctech on Feb 03, 2012, 16:00:22
Virgin was better than HMV for wandering through and the staff were more helpful though not so good on the specialist markets

When I was trying to buy a couple of releases from a German trance label I went into HMV and looked around, couldn't find what I was looking for on the shelf so went to the counter to be confronted by a couple of 16 year olds that couldn't string a sentence together.

Gave them the compilation name which was Trancemaster, one put it into the computer and said 'yeah found it but we 'avent got it n stock, we can order it for ya"

I explained I worked shifts and had just popped up on my day off and was wondering whether they could order it and have it sent to me, "nah, can't do that"

I thanked them for their errr help and said I would order it online.

I wouldn't sell that cr*p to anyone either

And yes I can't sleep

(can we please amend the forum so :p is the same as

, just so I don't have to re-edit my post every time

)

pctech · Feb 04, 2012, 15:34:35

I could say the same about Male Voice Choirs and Amy Winehouse

pctech · Mar 12, 2012, 16:05:51

Game's shares fell to under a penny this morning

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/03/12/game_stock_drops_to_less_than_a_penny/

Looking only slightly healthier now http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary.html?fourWayKey=GB0007360158GBGBXSSMM

zappaDPJ · Mar 12, 2012, 16:57:57

I'd say it's GAME over

But more seriously there's not chance in hell they will survive. Aside from their high prices and failure to stock games people actually want to buy, the days of selling a physical product in that kind of market are all but dead. The only down side is the rather large number of employees that are about to be made redundant.

Simon · Mar 12, 2012, 17:03:12

And the effect another empty shop space will have on the high street.

zappaDPJ · Mar 12, 2012, 17:14:06

Quote from: Simon on Mar 12, 2012, 17:03:12
And the effect another empty shop space will have on the high street.

That's actually something of a problem around these parts. The local GAME shop is part of what used to be a thriving high street. Some 10 years ago the council introduced residents parking only on the surrounding streets and no stopping on the high street. It wasn't a huge issue because there are a number of council car parks charging 20p an hour. Roll on 10 years and it's now £5 an hour and you have to phone the council to park (no meters). Because of the high cost and the fact that it's almost impossible to get through on the phone, the high street is losing shops hand over fist. I fear it won't be long before the entire area becomes a ghost town.

pctech · Mar 12, 2012, 17:19:32

When you can buy stuff online and/or download it instantly there's not much need for traditional shops.

I don't fancy getting a beef joint from a replicator though

zappaDPJ · Mar 12, 2012, 17:24:10

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to mention Donald Russell

Glenn · Mar 12, 2012, 17:29:35

You just did

Simon · Mar 12, 2012, 17:29:47

Not till he gets better.

It's the same here, Zap. Very few decent shops left. In fact, we have four carpet shops in one high street, and one massive unit, which used to be Sainsbury's at one time, is now being turned into a 99p shop!

pctech · Mar 12, 2012, 19:44:58

When I was a lad there was a couple of nice little independent shops in CMK, one was a handmade chocolate shop which made and sold the most wonderful chocoate orange truffles (among other flavours) and the other specialised in coffees from around the world.

Both disappeared in the early 90s which I think is a dreadful shame.

Technical Ben · Mar 13, 2012, 11:57:55

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Mar 12, 2012, 16:57:57
I'd say it's GAME over

But more seriously there's not chance in hell they will survive. Aside from their high prices and failure to stock games people actually want to buy, the days of selling a physical product in that kind of market are all but dead. The only down side is the rather large number of employees that are about to be made redundant.

They needed to do something "different" a little while, or long while ago, to save themselves. Like Apple that use physical stores that supplement their online presence. Game needed something to supplement their online presence. A bit like how even Tescos has a "shopping app" or tries new forms of service (home delivery, self serve checkout). Game needed to change their stores, as people now browsed online, purchased online etc. But just as Apple stores and Tescos are not loosing their bricks and mortar just yet, Game could have held on if they though a bit more clever I guess.

mervl · Mar 13, 2012, 14:13:23

Where's that woman: Mary P, Q S ... whats'ername, the Jesus of the High Street?

oops, sorry for the blasphemy. [sdited for legal reasons]

pctech · Mar 13, 2012, 20:54:30

I've watched a couple of her programmes and she doesn't strike me as a gamer.

mervl · Mar 14, 2012, 09:22:09

Quote from: pctech on Mar 13, 2012, 20:54:30
I've watched a couple of her programmes and she doesn't strike me as a gamer.

Oh you do disappoint me.

pctech · Mar 14, 2012, 10:51:04

I forgot to mention I was half asleep at the time....

Simon · Mar 14, 2012, 10:57:29

She doesn't look too game to me either...

.Griff. · Mar 14, 2012, 11:16:42

Quote from: pctech on Mar 13, 2012, 20:54:30
I've watched a couple of her programmes and she doesn't strike me as a gamer.

She doesn't like joysticks I know that much.

Simon · Mar 14, 2012, 11:21:19

pctech · Mar 14, 2012, 12:43:34

Step away from the thread!

Glenn · Mar 15, 2012, 08:21:23

Walmart are looking at buying Game, the share price is in overdrive, rising from 0.5p on Monday to a high of 3.95p now.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/339993/walmart-in-talks-to-buy-game-rumour/

Simon · Mar 15, 2012, 09:17:20

That would have been a shrewd investment.

pctech · Mar 15, 2012, 09:19:18

I'd buy some if the execution fee wasn't so damn expensive.

Glenn · Mar 15, 2012, 09:28:20

I bought 14,000+ Oxus Gold shares on Tuesday at 3.4p, today they are trading at 5.2p. They are locked in a court case with the Uzbekistan government over, but have just agreed a deal with a litigation firm on a no win no fee basis.

http://online.hemscottir.com/servlet/HsPublic?context=ir.access&ir_option=RNS_NEWS&item=766580795384857&ir_client_id=4252

Simon · Mar 15, 2012, 11:17:17

So, am I right in thinking that, roughly, if I'd bought £500 of Game shares at 0.5p, they would have been worth about £2k now?

pctech · Mar 15, 2012, 11:54:44

Ker-ching!

Glenn · Mar 15, 2012, 12:46:24

Quote from: Simon on Mar 15, 2012, 11:17:17
So, am I right in thinking that, roughly, if I'd bought £500 of Game shares at 0.5p, they would have been worth about £2k now?

They are trading at 3.45p at the moment, so you would see just short of a 700% profit.

Simon · Mar 15, 2012, 12:47:10

Sh*t!!

Glenn · Mar 15, 2012, 12:51:19

That would 600% not 700%, as you would still have your original stake

Simon · Mar 15, 2012, 12:58:19

Still not bad for a few days!

Technical Ben · Mar 15, 2012, 13:08:18

Huh? Oh wait.
I read it as £3.45! As in much more than 600% return!

If you ever followed RBS shares, you could have made a killing on those too (via buying low, not when they were high!

). However, they could have also gone down the Northern Rock route. So hindsight and all that...

Simon · Mar 15, 2012, 13:18:46

Indeed, you'd have to see it as a gamble, and be prepared to lose. For those sorts or rewards, though, I can see why the professionals do it.

pctech · Mar 15, 2012, 16:28:05

Telecitygroup (my purchase of a few weeks ago) are slowly rising.

Glenn · Mar 15, 2012, 16:39:22

Xcite's oil rig is now on station in the North sea and should start drilling a production well next week, the share price is down 10-15% on the week

Simon · Mar 15, 2012, 17:04:03

The time to do it seems to be when a company is on its arse, then all you have to do is hope that another big name takes them over.

pctech · Mar 15, 2012, 19:08:21

I'm going to hold onto shares I buy for a good long while, I also need to top up my holding in Tesco as it also acts as a good cash reserve.

Glenn · Mar 15, 2012, 19:12:55

If you want a long term hold Parkmead Group with Tom Cross at the helm would be a good bet. He took Dana from nothing to a £1.87bn sale to Korea National Oil Corp http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/07c79278-c7c3-11df-8683-00144feab49a.html#axzz1pDLfbK00

Technical Ben · Mar 16, 2012, 11:20:57

Quote from: Simon on Mar 15, 2012, 13:18:46
Indeed, you'd have to see it as a gamble, and be prepared to lose. For those sorts or rewards, though, I can see why the professionals do it.

Some one in the business (but when there was no limit/restriction on buying/selling) got £10ks worth of shares when they were 10p each. The next day sold them for 20p each.

PS, you don't have to buy shares from a failing company Simon... you could of invested in a successful one like Apple and their £500 a share price point!

Simon · Mar 16, 2012, 11:26:09

Investing £10K in Game when it was at its lowest would have reaped about £600K!!

Simon · Mar 16, 2012, 11:37:21

Or should that be £60K?

pctech · Mar 21, 2012, 11:34:17

Game's board have requested its shares be suspended from the LSE

http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2012/03/21/game_shares_suspended/

Board has said there is 'no equity' left in the business.

Glenn · Mar 21, 2012, 11:56:53

There are a lot of people that have lost a lot of money, thankfully I'm not one of them.

pctech · Mar 21, 2012, 11:58:53

Yep me neither, did think about sinking some dosh in, glad I didn't now.

Technical Ben · Mar 21, 2012, 16:09:27

Quote from: Glenn on Mar 21, 2012, 11:56:53
There are a lot of people that have lost a lot of money, thankfully I'm not one of them.

Hence my scare story on if this would go down the route of other companies! (banks etc)

Glenn · Apr 01, 2012, 18:26:52

3200 jobs at Game have been saved, after OpCapita, a private investment firm bought part of the company.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17578451

pctech · Apr 02, 2012, 22:17:34

I'm really pleased to hear that for the people that work there provided the ulterior motive of the private equity firm isn't asset stripping.

zappaDPJ · Apr 02, 2012, 23:40:21

It'll certainly be interesting to see how they plan to turn it around as I don't think it's viable to maintain their current business model. The days of boxed computer games are all but gone so they will need to diversify to return to profit.

Technical Ben · Apr 03, 2012, 09:20:48

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Apr 02, 2012, 23:40:21
It'll certainly be interesting to see how they plan to turn it around as I don't think it's viable to maintain their current business model. The days of boxed computer games are all but gone so they will need to diversify to return to profit.

Sell every brick and chair, work the staff to the bone, "monetise" a "managed investment vehicle" and complain when it goes wrong?

pctech · Apr 03, 2012, 09:32:47

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Apr 02, 2012, 23:40:21
It'll certainly be interesting to see how they plan to turn it around as I don't think it's viable to maintain their current business model. The days of boxed computer games are all but gone so they will need to diversify to return to profit.

Not if you are using a console they aren't and I hope that MS don't stop producing Xbox 360 games on DVD

Technical Ben · Apr 03, 2012, 11:13:15

There is a possible way. Make it an internet cafe style shop? A cross between Apple stores and Starbucks? Advertise and sell apps in store. Provide a download service (buy now, download while you shop, ready for when you get home) or a usb memory card for "in store downloads".

zappaDPJ · Apr 03, 2012, 14:29:05

Quote from: pctech on Apr 03, 2012, 09:32:47
Not if you are using a console they aren't and I hope that MS don't stop producing Xbox 360 games on DVD

There's already a lot of speculation within the console industry that the next generation of consoles may well rely on digital downloads to external and internal flash based solid state storage devices.

Technical Ben · Apr 03, 2012, 16:55:06

If the Vita is anything to go by... I'm glad I'm getting to old for it all.

pctech · Apr 03, 2012, 18:56:24

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Apr 03, 2012, 14:29:05
There's already a lot of speculation within the console industry that the next generation of consoles may well rely on digital downloads to external and internal flash based solid state storage devices.

That's one way of killing off the second hand market they hate so much