[quote name='MSUHitman']Mergers, same difference. They did buy out Software, Etc. first, then Funcoland, which is how they acquired Game Informer. Then they bought EB Games, and Rhino Games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamestop
And welcome to my ignore list.[/QUOTE]
Holy shit? I got put on your ignore list for what? Saying you were wrong? WOW. Does anyone see this? It's like accepting being wrong but not having the balls to actually admit it.
Whether you see this or not, I'll break it down for everyone.
1.) B. Dalton, a bookstore, created Software Etc in 1987
2.) Software Etc. Merged with competitor Babbages in 1994 = Gamestop nonexistent, so how did they buy Software etc.. out?
3.) The newly formed merger was called Babbages etc.
4.) Babbages etc.. was now owned by a company called Neostar.
5.) Due to financial woes, the merger, under NeoStar's control filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996
6.) Babbage's etc.. changed their name to Gamestop in 1999 to attract buyers= Gamestop Did not Buy out the company that created them, they
were that company.
7.) Gamestop was bought by Barnes and Noble in 1999 = Gamestop did not buy out Babbage's, BN did.
8.) Barnes and Noble bought Funcoland in 2000 = Gamestop itself did not buy Funcoland, B&N did. Where's the BN hate over this? Why is it directed at GS? GS != BN last I heard.
9.) Funco under B&N's control merged with what was left Babbage's and later changed all remaining store names to Gamestop
10.) Gamestop became its own company, independent of Barnes and Noble in 2004
11.) Gamestop merged with EB Games in 2005
12.) Gamestop bought out Rhino Games from Blockbuster in 2007
The only two retailers that Gamestop themselves acquired or merged with was EB Games, and Rhino Games. That is it. The EB games merger was in the best interest of both companies, as I imagine was the case for Rhino Games. People want to accuse GS of being this big evil empire buying out all competitors, but that's completely false.