For those of you who have pre-ordered from GAME or Gamestation, you're gonna have to look somewhere else for your space faring (And future EA game) endeavors.

 

UPDATE: GAME has issued a statement to Eurogamer in response to the retailer's decision not to stock Mass Effect 3, blaming it on a "supply issue".

 

"We currently have a supply issue with regards to Mass Effect 3, which means that GAME and gamestation will not be able to fulfil orders for Mass Effect 3 at this time. We want to give customers as much notice about this as possible and provide them with a range of options ahead of launch.

 

"We appreciate that this is disappointing for our customers, and we apologise sincerely for the inconvenience that this will cause. We value the loyalty of our customers very highly and as a gesture of goodwill we are providing the following:

 

Customers who have pre-ordered in store, will have the opportunity to add £5 worth of Reward points to their card if they visit us from today through to 16 March 2012.

Customers who have placed a deposit for the title will receive refund as well as the £5 worth of Reward points between 1 and 16 March 2012.

Customers who have pre-ordered online, will be provided with an online voucher to the value of £5 to be spent on any purchase on our sites.

 

Eurogamer was told by GAME staff that customers will receive their refunds in store credit, not cash.

 

ORIGINAL STORY: GAME Group will not be stocking any EA games past SSX in March, including Mass Effect 3, Eurogamer has discovered. This encompasses all GAME and Gamestation stores.

 

Various GAME and Gamestation staff alerted Eurogamer to this situation after a company-wide memo was sent out at around 10.30am this morning.

 

Eurogamer has secured an image of this memo, which also reveals that FIFA Street 3, Tiger Woods 13 and Sims 3 Showtime will also not be stocked by GAME Group.

 

Eurogamer has corroborated this information with individual GAME Group stores. The last stocked EA game will be SSX, we were told.

 

If you have a pre-order, GAME will refund you via in-store credit, rather than with cash.

 

EA responded to Eurogamer's request for comment by directing us to a Mass Effect 3 Launch Update website. GAME's absence from the list of retailers speaks volumes.

 

This worrying text followed: "For customers who have pre-ordered the N7 Collector's Edition please re-order your copies through these retailers."

 

These are Amazon, Play, Zavvi and ShopTo.

 

"For further information regarding the Mass Effect 3 Standard Edition with the N7 Warfare Gear in-game weapons pack, please check this page later today," the blurb continued.

 

"If you have placed a deposit for a pre-order or are uncertain that your existing pre-order will be guaranteed, please contact your local retailer."

 

"Your local retailer is doing everything possible to make this process as smooth as possible to ensure you get your copy on launch day."

 

HMV told Eurogamer it couldn't comment on a competitor's situation, but confirmed it would be stocking Mass Effect 3 and the rest of EA's titles.

 

GAME Group hasn't responded to Eurogamer's request for comment.

 

Source: Eurogamer

Thanks for this, Matt.

 

Day just gets better and better.

GAME Group are generally in a spot of bother. They can't secure a bank credit note for the money to buy in their games for release, I expect this is the issue with EA and that EA wanted complete assurances of their money upfront and GAME can't give it them.

 

Wouldn't suprise me to see GAME go under and HMV and Supermarkets become the main points of sale for boxed video games.

I've seen a whole string of stories about "GAME won't be stocking <title>"

 

Their days are numbered if you ask me. I'd better cash in my reward card points :)

GAME Group are generally in a spot of bother. They can't secure a bank credit note for the money to buy in their games for release, I expect this is the issue with EA and that EA wanted complete assurances of their money upfront and GAME can't give it them.

 

Wouldn't suprise me to see GAME go under and HMV and Supermarkets become the main points of sale for boxed video games.

 

 

Doesn't surprise me, they bought Gamestation and then sold it off. Be a shame as I used to work for them and a lot of my friends still do. Blockbuster will see a boost in sales I would imagine, but really I can see maybe three years maximum left for buying games out of a box. The future is downloadable games.

GAME Group still own Gamestation.

 

A lot of Blockbusters have already closed.

 

Downloadable will never be the norm as long as pre-owned games are around. Boxed games will be around until the entire world is running on fast broadband

GAME Group still own Gamestation.

 

A lot of Blockbusters have already closed.

 

Downloadable will never be the norm as long as pre-owned games are around. Boxed games will be around until the entire world is running on fast broadband

 

Do they? I received duff information then :)

According to the manager of my local, the EA drought is only for March. Could be bullshit to ease customers minds though.

There's a few reports of it getting worse:

 

GAME suffered yet another blow today after Capcom confirmed that two of its high-profile releases will not be stocked by the struggling high street store.

You won't be able to buy Street Fighter x Tekken or Asura's Wrath, both out in the UK this Friday, from GAME, Gamestation or any of GAME Group's associated websites.

"Unfortunately Capcom must confirm that Street Fighter x Tekken for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and Asura's Wrath, both scheduled for release on Friday March 9, will not be stocked by GAME or Gamestation either in their retail outlets or on their online stores operating in the UK and Ireland," Capcom told Eurogamer in a statement issued this evening.

The UK arm of the Japanese company referred its fans to other shops, including HMV and Play.com.

"Capcom wants to reassure its consumers that both these titles, including the Special Edition of Street Fighter X Tekken, will be available at a wide variety of retailers across the UK and Ireland," the statement continued.

"For those consumers who have already placed a deposit for a pre-order for any of these titles then a full refund will be available - please contact your local GAME or Gamestation shop or visit the online stores.

"All these titles listed above are available for pre-order or to purchase on day of release from the following outlets: HMV, Play.com, Amazon.co.uk, Shopto.net, The Hut and leading independent stockists as well as supermarket chains."

Capcom's next high-profile release, Resident Evil spin-off Operation Raccoon City, is due out on 23rd March - and it is unclear whether it will also be affected by GAME's current struggle to stock new titles.

Capcom said: "At present no decision has been made as to whether Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City, scheduled for release on PS3 & Xbox 360 on March 23 and PC on May 18 will be available to purchase from GAME/Gamestation.

"As soon as a decision is made we will communicate it."

This latest news means GAME has failed to secure new titles from three high-profile publishers: Nintendo, EA and Capcom.

Its problems stem from the loss of credit insurance, which has led publishers to ask for cash up front for stock - something GAME is struggling to do.

It is now working with suppliers on a title-by-title basis as it faces questions over its ability to continue trading. US giant GameStop is thought to be waiting in the wings.

Last week Capcom insisted GAME's financial troubles wouldn't impact sales of RE:ORC.

Speaking in an interview with MCV, UK product manager Karl Reader insisted that pre-order numbers were encouraging and the strength of the Resi brand should shield it from adverse market conditions.

 

Source: Eurogamer

Ah, that sucks, GAME was such a big part of my childhood. That said, I haven't bought anything there for f*cking years, so I can't exactly complain, but it'll be an end of an era.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/express-game-directors-might-pull-the-plug/092227

 

Looking worse for GAME

Hopefully they go into administration and have to sell off their remaining stock for cheap, meaning we get cheap games :)

 

Hey, it's dog eat dog out there man, and if I can take advantage of their misfortune, I damn well will!

Vita's for a fiver!

Not looking too clever, is it? Mind you, places like Amazon and Play have taken the need to physically shop for games, away, and but for preowned titles (and supermarkets are now doing those too) Game might have been in deeper trouble. It's really looking like the endgame for them (if you excuse the expression)

If Game group do go down the shitter, so will pre-owned gaming. For pre-owned games, the supermarket are atrocious. Overcharging like a mofo.

Yeah, you'll be down to the last couple of independents standing, and maybe the odd CEX or Cash Converters.

CEX is better for pre-owned games than Game and Gamestation anyway, thats where most people go that I know.

CEX is king for pre-owned, since that's their entire business model, they don't sell anything new

I mean their prices are lower than GAME and Gamestation's pre-owned stuff.

Generally yeah, I've had some better stuff from Gamestation pre-owned, but that was offers (2 for £10).

 

Plus usually if I want a new game I've got old ones to get rid of so I'll use my CEX account and trade em in, even if I buy elsewhere, I trade my games into CEX for cash

I popped in both Game and Gamestation today, they are giving away boxed Wii's with Wii Sports for £39.99, PS3's for £99, all the range of Nintendo Ds' (except 3DS) dirt cheap.