As can be seen with the closure of Blockbuster, HMV and many other retail stores, sales of DVD’s and CD’s have decreased substantially, and it looks like video games are following suit. As more people opt to purchase video games digitally, there’s less and less demand for physical copies.
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Over the past few years, purchasing video games online has become more and more common, especially with the release of new game consoles such as the Wii U, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, which allow consumers to purchase games digitally, from the comfort of their own home. This has forced video game retailers like EB Games and Game Stop to adapt to a rapidly changing market. They have attempted to do this in various ways including offering customers the ability to purchase digital content in-store, giving consumers who don’t have access to a credit card the opportunity to get their hands on downloadable content and digital downloadable versions of games, as well as by selling Steam cards and season pass packs. So far, it seems that these changes have been successful and very receptive. Additionally, EB Games’ primary advantage lies with their trade-in service, as well as the customers’ ability to come into a store and ask employees for information and game recommendations.
The question remains, will these few benefits be enough to keep EB Games and other similar retail stores in business, or are they fighting a losing battle?