With GAME’s business looking increasingly unsustainable, is the writing finally on the wall for brick and mortar retail in video games? Maybe not entirely, but GAME’s time is up, says Patrick Garratt.

GAME is in serious trouble, and it’s likely it will cease to exist in the near future. It may have negotiated stock for releases this week, but what about next week? And the week after that? It will be difficult for GAME to be able to navigate these problems quickly enough to survive.

Don’t pretend you’re shocked. In the past two days, a report of GAME’s difficulty in maintaining credit insurance has been backed up by a statement confirming the UK retailer is in talks to secure lending. The well-known high street chain has also said it may sell off overseas concerns.

Questions are now being raised as to whether GAME has a future at all. If a retailer’s credit insurance fails, it will ultimately mean it’s unable to stock new products. This would have a serious affect on GAME being able to operate in any way.

Speaking to MCV yesterday, GAME moved to assure that it’s working with separate publishers to ensure flow of stock. But while Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection, Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Soul Calibur V will be sold in GAME stores tomorrow – the games vanished from the firm’s website yesterday – there can be no doubting the company is facing a serious test of its ability to remain viable.

To illustrate the ...

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