EB Games Closing down??

Forums › Gaming › EB Games Closing down??

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meow
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#3453314 15-Jan-2026 13:41

nunasdream:

My two minute wait in the queue has been ten so I guess all the decent stuff is gone.

Yes.

And I had stuff in the cart and as it turns out the cart doesn't reserve stock and so...

Don't bother waiting. There's nothing there on the online store worth waiting for.

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alavaliant

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#3453315 15-Jan-2026 13:44

I imagine it will be sad when we finally get in. Just a few items left that nobody wants even under 50% off....

jamesrt

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#3453316 15-Jan-2026 13:46

I started off at 3 hours 20 minutes in the queue for the website; and then it jumped to "over 4 hours".

Madness.

invisibleman18

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#3453317 15-Jan-2026 13:46

Changed to 2 hours 31 minutes now. I'm at work so I'll just leave it open on my phone and see what happens. Nothing I desperately want anyway. Have seen photos of some of the queues at stores. Can't imagine there will be much on the shelve by the time people get in.

Rushmere

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#3453318 15-Jan-2026 13:51

My estimated 1 minute wait at 1pm took 45 minutes to get in.

There was nothing I wanted when I finally got there.

LostBoyNZ

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#3453321 15-Jan-2026 13:56

There wasn't a lot on the website just after 1pm. In controllers for example there were a few third party controllers but mostly the Sonic toy stands to hold your controllers on. In PS5 games, there was a new Call of Duty or similar, but it was listed as $80, normally $160 :o

I've seen videos of the lines too, and I really hope everyone behaves themselves. I think they'll be surprised how little is in store when they reach the end of the line. The poor staff members are already going to lose their jobs in two weeks, they don't need an angry mob to make their days worse.

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alavaliant

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#3453326 15-Jan-2026 14:04

Got in and pretty much everything I can see listed is 'purchase in store only'. So not much point looking at the website...

quickymart

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#3453333 15-Jan-2026 14:12

One of my boys visited the Glenfield shop this morning, said it was about an hour's wait to get in. He did pick up a couple of bargains but said they charged him incorrectly for a pre-owned game (half price instead of $3, apparently?).

Pity they're closing down, it was one of his favourite shops.

Qazzy03

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#3453340 15-Jan-2026 14:36

$3 Games were only "retro" games, whatever EB classifys as retro.

invisibleman18

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#3453344 15-Jan-2026 14:39

Eventually got in and everything I can see listed is purchase in store only anyway.

michaelmurfy

meow
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#3453346 15-Jan-2026 14:42

invisibleman18:

Eventually got in and everything I can see listed is purchase in store only anyway.

Really tried saving you :) - https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=64&topicid=323724&page_no=4#3453314

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quickymart

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#3453356 15-Jan-2026 15:38

Qazzy03:

$3 Games were only "retro" games, whatever EB classifys as retro.

Fair enough, except he was specifically told it would only cost $3 by one of the staff. When he got to the checkout (they were quite rushed, he tells me) they charged him 50% instead.

xpd

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#3453406 15-Jan-2026 18:31

Someone in a group Im in....

============================

Open Letter to EB: Misleading “50% Store-Wide” Sale Announcement

To whom it may concern at EB Games New Zealand,
This is an open letter regarding your widely advertised “50% STORE-WIDE” sale associated with the closure of your New Zealand stores.
Your company made a very clear and deliberate public announcement promoting a store-wide 50% discount. That wording created a reasonable and justified expectation that all in-store items would be included unless clearly stated otherwise.
However, just hours before the sale went live, customers were met with handwritten signs outside stores excluding major product categories including consoles, brand-new games, accessories, keyboards, and headsets. These exclusions were not clearly disclosed at the time of the announcement and fundamentally contradict the meaning of “store-wide.”
This is misleading.
Making a high-profile announcement to drive foot traffic, then quietly introducing sweeping exclusions at the last minute, is not transparent retail practice. It places customers in a position where they have already committed time and effort based on information that was incomplete or inaccurate.
If significant exclusions were always intended, they should have been communicated clearly, prominently, and at the same time as the original announcement not hastily written on signage just before doors opened.
This situation reflects poorly on how your company is choosing to exit the New Zealand market. Many customers have supported EB Games for years. Ending that relationship with messaging that feels deceptive and poorly handled is disappointing.
At minimum, you owe customers:

A public clarification acknowledging the discrepancy
An explanation for why exclusions were not disclosed upfront
More honest and accurate advertising during the remainder of your closure period

I hope you reconsider how this sale is being represented and take responsibility for the confusion and frustration it has caused.
Sincerely,

A long-time customer

=====================

I was in Whangarei today, and was a queue going around the corner at EB there.

XPD / Gavin

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t0ny

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#3453421 15-Jan-2026 19:52

Went to the botany store but didnt feel like queuing after seeing the lines. I had a peek through the windows and could see most consoles and other high value items were off the shelfs so did not expect to find anything of value. I found the Miniso closing down sale more of a better experience and picked up some stuff for my kid

quickymart

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#3453598 16-Jan-2026 13:22

Qazzy03:

$3 Games were only "retro" games, whatever EB classifys as retro.

Followup, he went back today and they refunded him the difference of what he paid for the $3 game, so he's happy 🙂

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