UK Retailer Game to Stop Selling Physical Games In-Store

UK retailer Game will soon stop selling physical games in its stores, according to reports.

According to a report by Gfinity Esports, sources claim that the retail chain plans to discontinue selling boxed software in its physical locations.

Instead, players will only be able to purchase hardware and physical software by pre-ordering in-store or buying from the Game website, where they can have the items shipped to their home or the nearest Game store.

Currently, a significant portion of physical Game stores is occupied by gaming merchandise and non-gaming toys, including Lego, Barbie, and Funko Pops.

If the report about stopping physical game sales is true, this would be the latest setback for Game, which was reported in April to be cutting an unspecified number of jobs.

Speaking to Eurogamer at the time, multiple employees said workers had been informed to expect redundancies as the company was moving most non-managers to zero-hours contracts.

In January, Game confirmed plans to stop buying and selling pre-owned games, with the trade-in service ending on February 16.

Earlier this month, it was also confirmed that Game will end its Game Reward and Game Elite reward schemes soon.

Players will no longer be able to earn reward points from July 15 and will not be able to redeem their existing balance after July 31. If players still have an existing balance after this date, it will be removed, and they will effectively lose that money.

Game’s UK retail operations include over 320 standalone stores and concessions within Sports Direct and House of Fraser, according to Frasers Group, which acquired the company for £52 million in 2019.