WTF! My EB Games is gone . . . what happened?

The Racine WI EB Games has been closed.

Granted I haven't been in for several weeks . . . GS really ing killed it.

I just hit the mall intending to go in and BAM . . . totally empty store. Anyone know about this particular store closing?

I got some really, really good deals through this location.

It is a stupid move . . . there were 2 GSs and 1 EB . . . why not keep the EB and close one of the GSs.

That's harsh. They're both pretty much the same as far as product is concerned, but I've never liked GS's layout compared with EB.

It's probably an issue with mall management. Perhaps the rent to stay in that mall was too expensive compared to what that store is pulling in. I believe EB/GS are generally moving away from malls just for that reason.

Don't forget that GS bought EB, and since you said there were three in your area they simply closed the least performing store.

GS is starting to cut stores and employees like crazy.. one of my friends got cut yesterday.. expect more closings in the near future.

God... I hope they do not close our EB. All the employees there are ing awesome whenever I go in for a deal or anything. Both of our GSes are full of douchebags!x

I can imagine the local EB closing because it's only 5 minutes from both of our GSes. And the EB is much better, I've gotten some nice ass DS games from them, all in perfect shape.(

By the end of the year, if not by the end of the summer, all remaining EBs will have their name changed to GS and your experience may vary.

At least in my area, all EBs are essentially GS, same internal store sinage, GS branded accesories, GS return policy etc......

[quote name='Logical Dolphin']At least in my area, all EBs are essentially GS, same internal store sinage, GS branded accesories, GS return policy etc......[/QUOTE]Yeah, it might as well be GS already.

[quote name='TimPV3']Yeah, it might as well be GS already.[/quote]

But GameStop is set up like a junk shop compared to EB.

[quote name='Scorch']GS is starting to cut stores and employees like crazy.. one of my friends got cut yesterday.. expect more closings in the near future.[/quote]

Yaeh. Many of my friends have already been cut while upper management is getting big fat raises instead of cutting back for themselves. GS/EB is going to be in some rough times soon and in a huge shake up through the corporation I believe.

And just for the record, I hate GS.

[quote name='Logical Dolphin']By the end of the year, if not by the end of the summer, all remaining EBs will have their name changed to GS and your experience may vary.

At least in my area, all EBs are essentially GS, same internal store sinage, GS branded accesories, GS return policy etc......[/QUOTE]

What happens to Edge cards (with or without stickers - I'm just talking the credit here) with balances once that happens? I have a few $100 on two different cards. And I've been putting all my credit from the trade-in deals on those cards just recently. I certainly haven't been told anything or warned about those... I was saving all this credit for PS3/Wii system and game preorders so I don't really want to spend it this summer.

[quote name='Rozz']But GameStop is set up like a junk shop compared to EB.[/QUOTE]I would normally agree, but my EB is now identical to the Gamestop I usually go to. Not the counter setup with the glass cases, but the floor layout is more or less the same. I liked EB better before when they had all the shelf space above the games instead of having all of the accessories like arcade sticks and beatmania boxes stacked on shelves on the floor. Makes it seem very cramped.

Just a few points to make.

1. They don't close down a store just because it is an EB concept or GS concept. They close them down based on how much they are underperforming in sales or trending in that direction when a lease renewal is due. (Translation: Losing money or going to be in the near future.)

2. Edge cards will be able to have their credit pulled at a GS when all stores are converted to the new system, probably in late August.

The GS here is much better than EB. EB is pretty rancid in comparision really. Its like the difference between Macy's and a dollar store. EB is kind of smelly, disorganized, and it is VERY difficult to find new games. 90% of their stock is old games and DVDs while GS has a nice selection of new games and is clean and orderly. I do miss all the action figure and video game novelties the stores used to have. None of them carry that kind of thing anymore for whatever reason.

They just switched around the one EB in our local mall(Viewmont Mall in Dickson City, PA). They used to have the desk on the right when you walked in, followed by a huge wall of games going around the store.

Now, the desk is right in front when you come in but the game displays are pretty much all around the store. It's more like a maze though to get in and out of.

Also, has anyone else noticed that flippin' Manhunt for PS2 or Xbox is STILL like $13 USED???? I can't find this game ANYPLACE for cheaper than $10 it seems, even tried the CC list to no avail.

We're on the verge of losing the old Gamestop in Blaine here that was formerly Funcoland back in the day. Its lease ends at the end of July but I wouldn't be surprised if they close it much sooner. The new Gamestop is MUCH nicer in comparison and the staff for the most part (with exceptions of one douchebag) is actually pretty decent.

[quote name='kittycatgirl2k']The GS here is much better than EB. EB is pretty rancid in comparision really. Its like the difference between Macy's and a dollar store. EB is kind of smelly, disorganized, and it is VERY difficult to find new games. 90% of their stock is old games and DVDs while GS has a nice selection of new games and is clean and orderly. I do miss all the action figure and video game novelties the stores used to have. None of them carry that kind of thing anymore for whatever reason.[/QUOTE]

Yeah my experience too. EB had slightly better prices in my area, but gawd they were like walking into a particularly bad Wal*Mart.

[quote name='Villy']Just a few points to make.


2. Edge cards will be able to have their credit pulled at a GS when all stores are converted to the new system, probably in late August.[/QUOTE]

This sucks. So they are going to do away with the excellent and modern idea of portable credit (on a card) in exchange for the stone-age credit slip crap at GS?? That is utterly boneheaded. Or is GS coming up with a new type of card for storing credit?

[quote name='io']This sucks. So they are going to do away with the excellent and modern idea of portable credit (on a card) in exchange for the stone-age credit slip crap at GS?? That is utterly boneheaded. Or is GS coming up with a new type of card for storing credit?[/QUOTE]

Hey, it could be worse, and they could do away with the whole credit on a card thing to begin with.

The local GS here, and others I've been to, make you spend the credit immediately in the store, you don't get ANY of it put on a card. I've seen people have 50 cents or a dollar left over in credit, and they either have to spend it on something or just forfeit it.

I'm not particularly fond of that, so I trade just enough to get myself whatever I want.

[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']
Also, has anyone else noticed that flippin' Manhunt for PS2 or Xbox is STILL like $13 USED???? I can't find this game ANYPLACE for cheaper than $10 it seems, even tried the CC list to no avail.[/QUOTE]

Try Ebay... lots of copies end anywhere from $2 to $5.

GS is takin over...spoke with the manager of the local one pretty candidly about the whole issue, from what he was told its totally dependant on the area, there's still an EB and gamestop in the same mall in many locations, with most of the general public unaware of the merge...hell they still have seperate websites but my friend who works at an EB has been doin box ups, and they're shipping portions of their inventory to other locations (we're not talkin a bin, we're talkin a walls worth of inventory) So I dont know what to expect from the merger...I always thought GS had better inventory on the hard to finds, and EB was hardly ever sold out of the new stuff....but somehow I have a feeling the price competition and freedom to walk around the corner of the mall if either wasn't coming through in a clutch is dwindling fast...

A few notes:

From what I can tell, GS is "helping" at least some of the EBs fail by not sending them as much new product as they need for customers. Casual buyers who are turned away for a hot title are less likely to buy anything or come back.

Roufuss is right . . . many games can be had for less online (ebay, half. amazon).

Overall, there has not been much that has separated GS and EB and so it is likely that GS happens to be a better store in some locations.

I'm going to write a longer explanation of my EB/GS feelings below.

It sucks because there are less and less places to buy games now. It seems most of the big boxes are just carrying Madden and the big selling games. I hope that GS/EB continues to get the niche RPGs and other games that don't sell well but hardcore gamers love. I guess it just shows how the business aspect has really taken over all aspects of my favorite hobby.

I hope they close the one and only EB closest to me. It absolutely sucks. And it is a brand new one too, just opened about a year ago.

I have ALWAYS hated GS (going back to Funcoland). When I lived in NYC (1992-95) there were a number of small gameshops and that is where I started buying used games (for the SNES). Most of these shops were run on reasonable principles. Used games came with a good discount (a $60 new game was, say, $40 used) but if it were cart-only, then it was much less (say, 20-25).

Likewise, these places gave you decent money for a used game . . . a game that sold for $40 used would get you $25 back. So, you could pick up a $40 game . . . play it for a few weeks and trade it back in for $25 in credit.

When I moved back to Wisconsin, I went to my first Funcoland . . . I was horrified by: 1) the prices 2) the condition (all cart only) and 3) the trade-in values. I still blame Funcoland for the loss of millions of boxes and instructions over the years. If they had given even $1 more for complete games, then people would have taken more care. Once people learned that all they needed were carts, then that's what they brought in. Don't give me any crap about "inventory" problems to do this . . . Games were the only ing thing that Funcoland/GS did/does . . . DO IT RIGHT!

Fast forward to 2004 and when I started to learn about EB (through CAG!). EB made sure current gen games were complete (esp. in trade-in deals) GS still dosen't ing care. At least 4 things separated EB from GS:

1) Trade-in deals . . . EB would run deals were you could get $10-12.50 for (non-POX) many titles. Buy a $5 game, play it for awhile, and get $12.50 credit for it. If you could swing it, (YMMV) you could return the sealed game you got in the trade for store credit.

2) Online deals (sometimes instore). EB would run great clearance deals where you could get some good games for cheap. GS never (almost never?) does this.

3) Morning update. Here is where EB really shined. Rather than the ing crap that GS does . . . listing tons of old school games as back ordered. EB would only list games in-stock. If you could manage to be online when they updated their site (about 7am EST) one could often scoop up cool games . . . but you had to order very quickly. It was very, very cool.

4) Stackable codes . . . used stuff could be ordered for 25% off with free shipping. So, newer games that might be $40 used were actually shipped out at $30 with free shipping. Add to this the fact that they came complete . . . GS sucks so badly in comparison.

Add it all up: one could (at least) double their money on cheap games (get $10 credit (or more) for a $5 (or less) game) . . . then take that credit online to buy complete games (or cool old-school stuff) for 25% off with free shipping.

Damn, I miss EB.

[quote name='b3b0p']I hope they close the one and only EB closest to me. It absolutely sucks. And it is a brand new one too, just opened about a year ago.[/QUOTE]

The GS purchase of EB happened last fall and the good things about EB began to vanish about 9 months ago--first the trade-in deals and last the morning update--about 4 months ago.

The morning update was the greatest example of cooperation and competition that I've seen on CAG. People selflessly would list cool stuff that they saw instock (links for FFVII or Earthworm Jim) but also there would be a race among everyone interested to get a order through for those titles.

[quote name='schultzed']The GS purchase of EB happened last fall and the good things about EB began to vanish about 9 months ago--first the trade-in deals and last the morning update--about 4 months ago.

The morning update was the greatest example of cooperation and competition that I've seen on CAG. People selflessly would list cool stuff that they saw instock (links for FFVII or Earthworm Jim) but also there would be a race among everyone interested to get a order through for those titles.[/quote]

Damn, I got some good games that I thought I would never be able to find all thanks to the Morning Update. I got a complete Motor Toon Grand Prix for $1.30 or something, A mint Power Stone for DC (looks like it has never been played - the dics, manual, and case were all new-looking), another Marvel vs Capcom 2 cheap after something happend to my first game (if it wasent for EB I would have had to shell out the big bucks on Amazon or elsewhere), among other things. Best of all, it was pretty fun going through it all - except when someone would steal some game from your cart that you really didnt need anyway

[quote name='Rozz']Damn, I got some good games that I thought I would never be able to find all thanks to the Morning Update. I got a complete Motor Toon Grand Prix for $1.30 or something, A mint Power Stone for DC (looks like it has never been played - the dics, manual, and case were all new-looking), another Marvel vs Capcom 2 cheap after something happend to my first game (if it wasent for EB I would have had to shell out the big bucks on Amazon or elsewhere), among other things. Best of all, it was pretty fun going through it all - except when someone would steal some game from your cart that you really didnt need anyway [/QUOTE]

Yeah, I think you stole that Motor Toon out of my cart That was one I never managed to grab (

[quote name='schultzed']Yeah, I think you stole that Motor Toon out of my cart That was one I never managed to grab ([/quote]

I dont know... I bought it during Black Friday when everyone missed the good PSX games because they were out shopping

If I ever see an extra I'll pick one up, but I doubt I will at this point, especially with Gamestops/EBgames phasing out anything PSX as of late.

Yeah, I remembered the morning update. I use to check EB Games every morning, and check their inventory for rare games. I remember purchasing Mega Man X2, Breath of Fire II (SNES), Secret of Mana, etc. and getting a great deal on them. I remember EB always had the deal where I could save 20% off of a used game, which I'd always use.

I've been pissed about EB merging with Gamestop since the beginning, due to many bad experiences at Gamestop, while most of my EB experiences have been good. I'll talk about two Gamestop stories (although the store was Babbages, it was basically Gamestop). One day, I go to buy Onimusha used on PS2. I saw online that the store had 4+ copies in, so I knew they had plenty. They handed me an really messed up case, with Blockbuster stickers all over it. I asked kindly if I could just have the display case (because it was better looking) and the employee threw a huge fit at me, wondering why I didn't want the other case, and eventually gave it to me. Another time, I went to buy R-Type Final, for PS2. I saw they had two copies in the glass case. One had the factory packaging removed while the other had the factory packing. They handed me the one without the factory packaging. I asked them if I could have the other copy, the employee gave me an extremely disgusted look, then handed it to me. The other bad thing was, I saw around 40 different employees and several different managers at that Babbaes, within a few years.

I can tell Gamestop has taken over because they got rid of most of the cool staff, at an EB close by me (in West Layatte, IN), and now it might be going downhill.

oh yea, almost forgot about the Morning update. That was awesome! $12 wavebirds was great, wish I would have gotten 2 more.

my EB at oakridge mall in san jose closed down too. last week they were up and running, with the employee giving me the stupid "GIVE US UR USED GAMES AND EVEN BROKEN SYSTEMS FOR CREDIT" speech. it was weird to see them gone all of a sudden the next week

I hope my EB doesn't shut down... they're the only guys worth talking shop with. Employees at the GameStop a mile away from them (along with the other GS and EB stores within 10 miles) don't care about their jobs or make me feel like I'm wasting their time if I'm not buying.

[quote name='botticus']I hope my EB doesn't shut down... they're the only guys worth talking shop with. Employees at the GameStop a mile away from them (along with the other GS and EB stores within 10 miles) don't care about their jobs or make me feel like I'm wasting their time if I'm not buying.[/QUOTE]

This is a good point, in my experience, the EB guys (and girl) were just cooler about games . . . they know a lot but don't lord it over people--you could just talk games with them. Most every GS employee I've known has acted like a walking encyclopedia--yet most of the things they say are wrong. GS has seemed to attract more a "nerd" crowd . . . who blurt out obvious facts like they are great insights.

When the merger hit (from what I heard) all the EB employees were given wage cuts, so they seemed to stop caring.

One of my last EB experiences was returning two copies of Guitar Hero (to separate stores). Both had been purchased online for $30 each (complete with free shipping). And both had broken guitars. At the first EB, the employees just switched out the guitar with a brand new one. At the next EB, they just gave my a brand new sealed one.

I have a GS and an EB in the mall nearest me. I remember the days when EB was the only thing there. The place looked like a dark cave 12 years ago, but the place was awesome. Then a couple of years later, a Babbages moved into the other end of the mall. Honestly, I prefered it when they were Babbages and Software Etc. I just have a feeling that the EB is gonna get closed down. Now get this, in addition to those stores in the mall, there is a GS across the street in a shopping center. Now get this, theres another GS not even a mile that just opened up very early this year. Though that new one doesn't have any traffic, but yet the employees there are the dumbest I've ever encountered