EB Games Closing down??

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ZL2DanF

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#323724 6-Jan-2026 18:39

Hi all

During my usual doom-scrolling I swear I saw a notification from one of the news sites that EB Games proposing closure of their stores...In my haste, have dismissed the notification and for life of me couldn't relocate the article (assuming I didn't imagine it)

Not sure if NZ or overseas

Either way, no tears shed here if they do close...all it seems to be is an over priced merch/branded junk store when I last wandered into one of their stores under supervised during Xmas shopping..

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#3450436 6-Jan-2026 18:56

Type “ebgames” in google then click news and you will find this…

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/583322/eb-games-proposes-closing-all-new-zealand-stores

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/360921333/eb-games-proposes-closure-all-nz-stores

everettpsycho

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#3450437 6-Jan-2026 18:57

Tip story on stuff

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/360921333/eb-games-proposes-closure-all-nz-stores

Not surprised at all, their 49% off storewide must have been a clearing the decks sale. Been in a few stores to get some cheap games since Christmas and have to say it's depressing in there now, they have almost no product to sell anymore relying on paraphernalia instead of games.

EviLClouD

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#3450444 6-Jan-2026 19:40

When was the 49% off? Would have definitely made some purchases had i known!

everettpsycho

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#3450454 6-Jan-2026 20:26

EviLClouD:

When was the 49% off? Would have definitely made some purchases had i known!

Sorry that was a typing error, I meant 30% that's still ongoing. As they ran out of stock on the previous 20% sale they didn't get anything new coming in at all over the break. I picked up a about 5 switch 2 games as $84 instead of $120 was a great deal and cheaper than the switch 1 versions elsewhere, also got an sd express card for a good price in the sale too.

The few visits I've done though the switch game selection is now down to one small rack of games displayed facing forward then 2 shelve of a section of cases showing their spines. PS was about the same and Xbox might as well have not been there. Their pre owned rack that used to be huge is also now one small basket. After the first visit I came home and said how awful it was and that surely they are going to shut up shop soon, they can't have been making money with that amount of stock in the run up to Christmas.

I haven't understood their stores for a while, digital purchases have driven sales down but their pre-owned games are just too expensive to bother buying, and trade in values are too low compared to just selling yourself. They never really gave you a reason to bother going to the store.

Dunnersfella

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#3450457 6-Jan-2026 20:54

Oh yeah there's a host of retail stores that will be in a similar space as EB Games.

It's tough out there for retail stores, online has eaten their lunch and the recession taken their dessert.

There have been so many moves in the gaming industry that have attacked retail stores (subscriptions / online only retailers and more) that they were always going to be on a knife-edge, especially with such an expensive business model... you know, like operating out of Westfield Mall).

I wonder where I'll wonder around while I'm in the mall now?

LostBoyNZ

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#3450466 6-Jan-2026 21:21

That'd be a shame, and it's quite a number of jobs :(

Does anyone else remember before they were bought out, that many of the locations were Gamesman back in the late 90s? Back then we had Central Park Interactive stores in the mall too. Unless I'm wrong, EB Games are the last of the 'game stores' in NZ these days.

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wellygary

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#3450467 6-Jan-2026 21:46

EB is owned by GameStop US, They've been closing over a thousand stores around the world, so its not really a surprise that 38 stores here are also on the chopping block...

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/26/business/gamestop-closures-bitcoin

Stu1

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#3450468 6-Jan-2026 21:53

It’s been on the cards for awhile they are mainly pop culture than games for the last few months. I thought it was just NZ but gold coast EB is just as bad hardly any new or preowned games mainly pop culture items

marpada

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#3450476 6-Jan-2026 23:54

Stu1:

It’s been on the cards for awhile they are mainly pop culture than games for the last few months. I thought it was just NZ but gold coast EB is just as bad hardly any new or preowned games mainly pop culture items

In Australia they have two brands, EB Games for video games and Zing Pop Culture for merch. Most stores I know have the two brands, but the video games area is getting smaller and smaller. Gamers are not even a loss leader, as used games are frequently priced as the new game, and digital game is frequently cheaper than the physical copy.

CokemonZ

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#3450488 7-Jan-2026 08:35

They did have some cool merch, and always seemed to get the exclusive/limited edition controllers and such.

Retail dying is going to be sad, I like looking and choosing.

alavaliant

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#3450498 7-Jan-2026 09:23

I'm going to miss going in there and looking at the merch. I often found things in there that I didn't know existed.

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#3450499 7-Jan-2026 09:27

alavaliant:

I'm going to miss going in there and looking at the merch. I often found things in there that I didn't know existed.

… i.e. things you didn’t know you needed. 😀

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

everettpsycho

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#3450506 7-Jan-2026 09:38

Out of interest if you were running eb games what would you do to save it from disappearing?

I find it strange that in an age where digital and I like is stealing all their sales they only carried on being a retailer. Their staff has always been gamers who generally know their stuff, can't help but think of they had leaned more and more in to in person gatherings that online and digital can't do, things like a release day session in the day time of something like Mario kart when it released to get people in, playing it and maybe buying stuff. A pre order nets you a ticket or you get the ticket price off the game or a themed item if you buy it there and then. Just something to get people through and buying stuff.

A pre-owned meet with them taking a small commission might have attracted people if they knew others were bringing in a selection, increase the payout and mark down the prices a little for those attending to make it worth bothering.

alavaliant

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#3450524 7-Jan-2026 10:47

How to save the store is a hard question. I can't really answer other than which would/did work for me. Given the reduction in interest in physical games, I think the move towards merch was a good choice. As it's been the thing that has been bringing me into the store for some time.

I did like what I saw one EB games store do in a special day; They brought out an original Mega Drive with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 plugged in. So people browsing through the store could play it and share gaming memories from the past. I think more things that celebrate people gaming together in person would have brought people in. As that's something you don't have playing at home/online. Of course that potentially runs into problem with taking up space/less space for retail etc. And I don't know how many other people that would draw in.

Kookoo

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#3450529 7-Jan-2026 10:56

That's a real shame. It's a bit of a rarity - a specialist shop where you can safely shop without looking out of place or feeling you have no idea what you're doing. It's a great place to casually look for ideas. Some of it is honestly dumb - an Xbox-themed mini fridge is one. But if you aren't part of the gaming scene and just pop in from time to time to see what's available, grab some merch for birthday presents, pick up a cool accessory that you didn't even know existed and is actually pretty useful - it's a super friendly environment for that. I guess it's just not enough to sustain a business though.

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