EB Games will close 19 branches across Australia by the end of this month.
Customers at stores in the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia said they woke up to notices that their stores were closing. The company reports that staff affected by the closure will be offered work in surrounding stores “to the extent possible.”
In a press statement to Kotaku, the company explained, “Like all companies, we constantly evaluate our real estate portfolio to ensure our store mix is aligned with the ever-changing retail landscape.” . “After careful consideration, we have decided to close 19 unprofitable stores at the end of January. Where possible, staff have been offered the opportunity to work in surrounding stores.”
Interestingly, the company still operates more than 300 stores across Australia, but said it would continue to open more “big box stores” later this year.
“The exciting news is that EB Games will continue to open more big-box stores in 2020, combining the power of both EB Games and Zing Pop Culture,” the statement continues. These hybrid stores, combined with our strong omnichannel offering, 6 million loyalty members and over 300 locations across Australia, ensure EB Games remains one of Australia’s largest specialty retailers. Probably. ”
Affected stores are reportedly selling in-stock items at deep discounts, with Kotaku reporting that products are discounted by between 20% and 60%.
Back in the UK, specialist video game retailer GAME recently announced a new console hire-purchase scheme that gives players an Xbox and a monthly Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for a monthly fee. The scheme, called Xbox All Access, works like a phone contract, allowing players to spread the cost of purchasing hardware over two years of monthly payments. This is believed to be the first such scheme available in the UK.
There are three Xbox All Access tiers available. The Xbox One Each bundle includes 24 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes Xbox’s game library and online multiplayer with Xbox Live Gold. Prices are £25, £20 and £18 per month respectively.
“It’s the most affordable way to buy a console and play all the latest games,” GAME Digital CEO Martyn Gibbs said at the time.
