You got to feel for stores like GAME nowadays with so many people now choosing to buy their games online and companies like EA aren’t exactly helping their chances with their current business practices. Due to all of this GAME is now the only store left in the UK that only sales video games but now GAME are fighting back with their new and exclusive deal with Nintendo.
The new deal means that GAME is now the only store where players can purchase digital games which will be on your till receipt if you’re buying in-store or in an e-mail if you’re buying online. Once bought the player can then redeem the code on the Nintendo eShop to download their game.
This deal with Nintendo means that players all over Europe will be able to purchase them online using credit/debit cards or PayPal so even people how don’t live near the store will be able to benefit from this deal. This new deal will affect all games that have just been released like Luigi’s Mansion 2 and as the following quote from GAME’s category director points out Fire Emblem Awakening.
Speaking of that quote the category director Charlotte Knight has said that
“We’re really excited about this partnership with Nintendo, as it makes it so much easier for gamers to access Nintendo digital content, not just in the UK but across Europe. We’re thrilled to be able to offer brand new Nintendo Wii U and 3DS releases as digital download from day one of release, and that starts today with Fire Emblem Awakening on 3DS.”
The idea of sales digital games in-stores does make a certain degree of sense and it does show that GAME is willing to move with the times and don’t be surprised if after a little while certain other games companies start doing the same thing so this could see the death of games coming in boxes which is a shame because some games have had some pretty cool box art.
Now that’s all well and good but there’s also the matter of an exclusive offer currently happening at GAME in the UK only. For anyone interested GAME are currently offering all gamers 25% extra on selected games against eShop purchases. Obviously this will only happen in-store but if there’s a new release that you’ve been wanting to get and you don’t mind trading in certain games than now’s a good time to take advantage of this deal.
So that’s the latest news from GAME and I have to ask what are your views on the deal? Do you think that it’s a good idea for them to switch to digital sales or is it too late? Oh and would you miss the box art even a little?
