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GameStop Stock Plummets After A 27.5% Decrease In Holiday Sales

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pzeke:

--- Quote from: shawndude82 on January 15, 2020, 06:40:15 pm ---I wouldn't say physical media is declining.  I predict digital is going to collapse eventually.  People want to own what they buy, digital games don't work that way.  You can pay a lot of money for something digital, and it's only yours until the company behind it decides to cancel it's availability (ex: Scott Pilgrim, TMNT: Turtles in Time Reshelled, P.T.).  Physical copies will always be preferable.
--- End quote ---

sworddude:
Does it truly matter though

tons of people only complain about gamestop for it being bad as hell. to top it off as a physical story it is usually a bit more pricy than online. why would you still got to gamestop if online is cheaper and if the stores are bad anyway.

hoshichiri:

--- Quote from: shawndude82 on January 15, 2020, 06:40:15 pm ---I wouldn't say physical media is declining.  I predict digital is going to collapse eventually.  People want to own what they buy, digital games don't work that way.  You can pay a lot of money for something digital, and it's only yours until the company behind it decides to cancel it's availability (ex: Scott Pilgrim, TMNT: Turtles in Time Reshelled, P.T.).  Physical copies will always be preferable.

--- End quote ---

I'm less sure about that. People will trade quality for convenience, and many youth are moving away from the idea of owning too much stuff to begin with. Even with the issues of digital, having all your games available with a couple buttons & nothing but the system to keep on your shelf is enticing.

I don't think digital will take over anytime soon, though- the high-speed internet needed to download these games simply isn't available everywhere (or at least not affordably.) The internet infrastructure in the US can't support an all-digital media structure.

I think this stat plays more on the state of Gamestop than anything else. Think about it: Walmart offers many major titles at $10 off on release. Target has regular sales, including B2G1 sales with preorder titles included. And of course, Amazon will drop darn near any title you want on your doorstep within 2 days. There isn't a huge reason to bother with Gamestop these days. Maybe if you prefer to save buying used games... but they just screwed that up by changing their Pro program, so I fully expect that customer base to start moving toward Amazon & Ebay.

I've been a supporter of Gamestop for some time, I've even defended a lot of the things they do that other people hate. But even I have to admit, they really aren't competing anymore. The new generation might give them a little more time, but without a serious shakeup, they aren't gonna see another one.

bikingjahuty:
Whether we want it too or not, physical media is dying on all fronts. Physical music is nearly all dead, at least CDs, and vinyl is very niche. DVDs/Blurays have rapidly been vanishing while streaming and on demand has become the new norm, and now gaming is starting to become more and more digital over time. I say this not as someone who wants physical media to die, quite the contrary, but viewing this objectively this is what's happening.


Ownership is far less important to the masses than convenience, and that's why physical media is dying. The same is true with gaming as well, as digital only platforms like Steam are very attractive to millions, especially younger crowds that aren't as accustomed to physical ownership like those born in the early 90s and before. This trend will only continue over time. I know many disagree with me on this, but I think the Model X, PS5, and maybe Nintendo's next console will be the last game consoles to use physical media. After this next gen, it will be digital or nothing.


It amazes me how much ground digital has gained in the 2010s, and by the end of the 2020s I think we'll all be even more surprised by how little physical media truly matters to most people. I hate the idea of this, and even though I told myself I'd be done with video games when this happens, I don't think I could ever say goodbye to games entirely. It will however, change my purchasing habits for buying games since I already have major reservations about buying digital games for more than $10 each. I think the most I've ever spent on a digital game was $30, and doing so took a lot of self convincing to do. I'm under no illusion that I own anything digital in my Steam or GOG library, and that's why I'm way more hesitant to drop a lot of money on purchasing from these outlets. Unless my attitudes change on this, I pretty much won't be buying new AAA, full priced games around launch, and instead I'll gladly wait until they come down in price.

bunnybear:

--- Quote from: shawndude82 on January 15, 2020, 06:40:15 pm ---I wouldn't say physical media is declining.  I predict digital is going to collapse eventually.  People want to own what they buy, digital games don't work that way.  You can pay a lot of money for something digital, and it's only yours until the company behind it decides to cancel it's availability (ex: Scott Pilgrim, TMNT: Turtles in Time Reshelled, P.T.).  Physical copies will always be preferable.

--- End quote ---
Preferable to whom, exactly? To us, diehard collectors? Sure. To the mainstream consumers who have helped bring about the death of Blockbuster and music stores? Not a chance. That ship has sailed. Physical may exist in some form for some time, but the general consumer has spoken, and for them physical is dead and it’s not coming back.

Having said that, I don’t necessarily think the change in distribution is the driving force behind Gamestop’s demise. Their disrespect for their own customers (selling opened copies as new), for their main products, and over expansion all played significant roles in their current predicament.

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