UK retailer GAME is on the brink of administration according to reports, as its presence continues to dwindle on the high street.
GAME was once the leading retailer for video games in the UK, but over the past decade its prominence has fallen considerably.
The company was taken over by Frasers Group in 2019, who also own stores like Sports Direct and House Of Fraser. Since that acquisition, the majority of GAME stores are now housed within other shops under the brand’s umbrella, particuarly Sports Direct.
This transition led to a slimming down of services within stores in recent years, with the retailer no longer selling pre-owned games or offering reward points.
According to The Business Desk, GAME has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators through law firm RPC. This gives the retailer a 10-day period of protection from creditor action as it decides what to do next.
If appointed, this would be the second time GAME has entered adminstration. The first time happened in 2012, resulting in the closure of 277 stores and over 2,000 job losses. They were subsequently rescued by OpCapita the following week.
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In 2020, Frasers Group announced plans to shut 40 stores across the UK, including shops in Mansfield, Leicester, and Glasgow Fort.
There are still around 300 GAME stores across the UK in 240 locations. While they still sell games, the firm’s managing director, Nick Arran, told Gamesindustry.biz in 2023 how they wanted to pivot to a ‘general entertainment approach across gaming, toys, board games and tech’.
The biggest UK games retailer on the high street today is CeX, which has around 390 stores throughout the UK, and over 600 worldwide. Last year, CeX expanded its operations to delivery app Just Eat.
It remains to be seen what will become of GAME, but at a time when digital game sales are trumping physical, and with CeX taking over the pre-owned market, it’s hard to see what purpose the retailer serves in 2026.
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