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In a sense, this rings true in this pandemic, right? Many people are relying on video games for entertainment while confined to their homes. ------- Edit to r

In a sense, this rings true in this pandemic, right? Many people are relying on video games for entertainment while confined to their homes. ------- Edit to reply to the comments below: A lot of good replies, thank you. I've largely been on the "doom and gloom" side of this COVID-19 debate, so I'm surprised by the other angrier replies, but here's my thinking: - People that download games aren't going to GameStop anyway. - As some comments pointed out, you can't download consoles. You also can't have anything shipped to you if you don't have a credit card. - GameStop transactions don't require close personal contact (unlike e.g. tattoos or massages). - GameStop must discourage congregation of groups in their stores. I imagine very low foot traffic. - GameStop must provide staff with appropriate cleaning tools. If they can't, then they should not remain open. - I do really like the idea to transform the store into a local delivery service, or to offer pick up only. - I have no connection to GameStop nor have I been to one in over a decade.

keymone 7y ago
Only if you live in previous century.
ssully 7y ago
In no sense is this true.
pwthornton 7y ago
You can download digital games. There aren’t many people who buy modern consoles and PC games who need physical copies. And then other retailers like Target will remain open because they sell medicine and food — and physical video games. There is no reason for GameStop to remain open.
- ceejayoz 7y ago
  Hell, I can get any game I want off Amazon, too. It'll just show up on my doorstep a few days later.
bootlooped 7y ago
Entertainment is not really essential though.
- leetcrew 7y ago
  as much as we'd like to think everyone is a reasonable person who will stay home and do their part to prevent the spread of coronavirus, there are always selfish/foolish people who will not be inclined to heed the advice. you gotta throw them some kind of bone to keep them more or less occupied while they (hopefully) stay inside. it's absolutely not necessary for a physical store that sells games to stay open when you can download them or have them shipped, but it might be essential for people to have access to an indoor pastime they enjoy.
leetcrew 7y ago
I dunno what the state of affairs for consoles is, but on PC, I can't think of a single game where you actually need a physical copy. if it exists, it's probably too obscure to be stocked at gamestop anyway.
- throwawaysea 7y ago
  What if the person playing the game doesn’t have a strong internet connection?
  - leetcrew 7y ago
    if you have even a 5mbps connection, you can download most modern games in a day or less. if you have less than that, two-day shipping from amazon and other retailers still exists. I do actually think entertainment is pretty important in a time like this, just to keep people sane in general, but also as a carrot to incentivize people to actually stay in their houses. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to wait for it to be delivered though.
ozfive 7y ago
This is wreckless toward human life. You can buy games online through different means including the system stores and platforms like steam. If you need to by a system you can still order one online. It's not a critical function of society since there are other forms of entertainment as well including books, movies, writing and various other hobbies. This is reprehensible behavior and will backfire on GameStop in the sense of PR. Even if they stay open, the fact that they are asking their employees to clean the stores with no cleaning supplies and to buy cleaning supplies from their own money to be reimbursed later is deplorable. If GameStop is shut down tomorrow do you think those employees will still be reimbursed? No. So they will be out of a job and out of any cash they spent on cleaning supplies. GameStop can rot in hell with this PR disaster written on their tombstone.
- commandlinefan 7y ago
  > This is wreckless You mean reckless.
catalogia 7y ago
Times are not yet hard enough for people to know the true meaning of 'essential'. Gods willing, we won't have to learn.
mrits 7y ago
For $10.month you could get hundreds of games for consoles right now. So if being able to purchase used affordable games was their angle that just isn't the case. And of course all major titles can be safely purchased online in physical or digital form.
kraig 7y ago
ok gamer
minimaxir 7y ago
GameStop is explicitly not making that argument, surprisingly. > GameStop's essential items include webcams, microphones, mice, keyboard, monitors, chargers, audio equipment, and more. https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1240797972427874304 https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1240797972427874304
braythwayt 7y ago
Even if we think video games are essential, and even if we think physical video games are essential, they could close and only do delivery, much as many restaurants are only doing drive-through and delivery orders. There is no good reason to think that the social benefit of having a physical retail store open where customers are cheek-to-jowl with each other and with staff somehow outweighs the community transmission we will certainly experience.

keymone 7y ago

Only if you live in previous century.

ssully 7y ago

In no sense is this true.

pwthornton 7y ago

You can download digital games. There aren’t many people who buy modern consoles and PC games who need physical copies. And then other retailers like Target will remain open because they sell medicine and food — and physical video games. There is no reason for GameStop to remain open.

ceejayoz 7y ago
Hell, I can get any game I want off Amazon, too. It'll just show up on my doorstep a few days later.

bootlooped 7y ago

Entertainment is not really essential though.

leetcrew 7y ago
as much as we'd like to think everyone is a reasonable person who will stay home and do their part to prevent the spread of coronavirus, there are always selfish/foolish people who will not be inclined to heed the advice. you gotta throw them some kind of bone to keep them more or less occupied while they (hopefully) stay inside. it's absolutely not necessary for a physical store that sells games to stay open when you can download them or have them shipped, but it might be essential for people to have access to an indoor pastime they enjoy.

leetcrew 7y ago

I dunno what the state of affairs for consoles is, but on PC, I can't think of a single game where you actually need a physical copy. if it exists, it's probably too obscure to be stocked at gamestop anyway.

throwawaysea 7y ago
What if the person playing the game doesn’t have a strong internet connection?
- leetcrew 7y ago
  if you have even a 5mbps connection, you can download most modern games in a day or less. if you have less than that, two-day shipping from amazon and other retailers still exists. I do actually think entertainment is pretty important in a time like this, just to keep people sane in general, but also as a carrot to incentivize people to actually stay in their houses. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to wait for it to be delivered though.

ozfive 7y ago

This is wreckless toward human life. You can buy games online through different means including the system stores and platforms like steam. If you need to by a system you can still order one online. It's not a critical function of society since there are other forms of entertainment as well including books, movies, writing and various other hobbies. This is reprehensible behavior and will backfire on GameStop in the sense of PR. Even if they stay open, the fact that they are asking their employees to clean the stores with no cleaning supplies and to buy cleaning supplies from their own money to be reimbursed later is deplorable. If GameStop is shut down tomorrow do you think those employees will still be reimbursed? No. So they will be out of a job and out of any cash they spent on cleaning supplies. GameStop can rot in hell with this PR disaster written on their tombstone.

commandlinefan 7y ago
> This is wreckless You mean reckless.

catalogia 7y ago

Times are not yet hard enough for people to know the true meaning of 'essential'. Gods willing, we won't have to learn.

mrits 7y ago

For $10.month you could get hundreds of games for consoles right now. So if being able to purchase used affordable games was their angle that just isn't the case. And of course all major titles can be safely purchased online in physical or digital form.

kraig 7y ago

ok gamer

minimaxir 7y ago

GameStop is explicitly not making that argument, surprisingly. > GameStop's essential items include webcams, microphones, mice, keyboard, monitors, chargers, audio equipment, and more. https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1240797972427874304 https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1240797972427874304

braythwayt 7y ago

Even if we think video games are essential, and even if we think physical video games are essential, they could close and only do delivery, much as many restaurants are only doing drive-through and delivery orders. There is no good reason to think that the social benefit of having a physical retail store open where customers are cheek-to-jowl with each other and with staff somehow outweighs the community transmission we will certainly experience.