The GAME retail chain is definitely not experiencing its best moments. This is something that generally refers to a regular business dedicated solely or predominantly to the sale of software and games, two sister markets that have seen digital distribution wreak havoc on physical software distribution. Something that was not helped by the almost complete elimination of optical drives in PCs.

Some of these businesses have completely reshaped themselves and others, such as GAME, have strengthened part of their commercial proposition directly related to gaming, but with a greater focus on physical products (from consoles and accessories to collectibles, of course including console antiques), a movement that has obviously contributed to its survival so far, but still raises doubts about its sustainability going forward.

We saw the most recent example of the consequences of this situation in Spain two months ago, at the beginning of April, when there was a dispute over changing the point program of the chain, a decision that we understand was difficult and which will certainly be justified by accounts, but GAME handled it terribly badly, resulting in many customers, many of whom were particularly loyal to the chain, losing a large part of their points balance. And with them, GAME lost some of these customers.

Nostalgic nod, image of the old post office in La Vaguada shopping center (Madrid). Picture from Thursday the 13th

The situation is worse for the chain in the UK, where there were also layoffs and strange adjustments to workers’ working hours to zero hours in early April. Well, once again we get worrying news from Albion about the chain’s health, and that’s it GAME is closing its points program in the UK and is urging its users to use the ones they have until July 31. And what happens if they don’t? Well, you probably already assumed that, they will lose them irretrievably.

In this case, yes, the chain has informed its users of more time, providing roughly two months to avoid a similar situation as in Spain in April. Which of course makes me wonder if, as they say, we should act preventively to see the neighbor cutting his beard. At the moment, there are no signals that would confirm that a similar measure is being prepared in our country, but given the background, one no longer knows what to think.

More information / Opening image: Miramar shopping center