We’ve just had confirmation that GAME Australia has gone into administration.
Earlier this morning staff members informed Kotaku Australia that GAME wouldn’t be receiving copies of Diablo III due to payment issues with its shipping companies, and many reported issues with GAME’s website.
However, final confirmation came this morning when all GAME stores were sent an email stating GAME had gone into administration. GAME’s Marketing Manager also confirmed this to Kotaku Australia, but declined to give further details.
The UK arm of GAME went into administration in March this year closing 609 of its stores. Back then GAME Managing Director Paul Yardley stated he was looking for a buyer for the Australian division, but could not rule out the possibility of redundancies and store closures.
At the moment we’re not aware of the impact this news will have on stores locally. We will update this story as and when more information comes to light.
Lifehacker has some information on whether or not it’s safe to buy from GAME in its current state.
Damnit I got aboard the "extra shipment" of pre order D3 Collectors Edition from them, They better not keep my 10 dollars
Just got a call from my local store, my 10$ for d3 CE will not be able to be refunded at this point in time.
I think me and my girlfriend have about $40 worth of store credit, better get using it asap!!!
My D3 CE from game online is now listed as shipping so hopefully the preorders are still ok
agreed. Have been waiting years for this and to find out that theres an admin error :S
and yeah, my mate has said that the CE's are ok, but the standard editions may have some problems with stock.
how could you order a CE and all have been allocated?
also, I've called up my local GAME store and they told me D3 STD wont be in stock but my CE preorder will in for pick up. Im not sure what will happen to online orders.
As a soon to be former staff memeber, I have to appologise to all our customers. We were not informed by the Upper Management of what was happening, even though it is clear now that they knew well in advance.
Although you can all strike with safety from behind your keyboards, please be kind. We will all be out of jobs soon (if things continue this way) and if any of you are currently imployed I put it to you that if you were in the same position, you would wish to be treated with a little compassion as well.
Once again, I appologise for what has happened, by there was no deception on the part of your local Game staff.
Good luck with everything mate.
Sucks to hear all this, and hopefully the company gets bailed out by someone and continues to operate. I hate hearing about tonnes of gamers losing their jobs.
^ this. The first time you guys heard about GAME going into admin is the first time the staff have heard, too...not nice to go to work every day wondering if you'll have a job at the end of it.
There's still physical game stores ? haven't bought from one in years...
The only reason to go is for stuff like Diablo 3 and Starcraft II, where the online price is really similar to local stores and you can get the game cheaper by trading in old games. For everything else, there's Steam or OzGameShop.
Update: MY CE shipped on Firday and it has an AUS post tracking number attached, so looks promising so far.
Yeah pretty sad that people gloat. These employees (should they close the stores) will have to find ways to feed their families. Must be tough
Just called GAME Broadway (Sydney) and they will have their Diablo 3 Collectors editions. No word on standard edition though.
To be honest I'm not holding my breath so I may be forced to duck in early to make sure they haven't over committed or something else hasn't gone wrong.
I managed to spend all of my GAME credit about two weeks ago. I feel like I timed it well
I feel for the staff who might lose their jobs, hopefully they can land on their feet soon.
Also I hope there is a decent sale.
Sale time, I want to pick at the bloated corpse.
What does this mean for preorders? I literally just ordered a red PS3 yesterday.
Hope you kept your receipt, duder.
GAME weren't planning on stocking the red PS3
Folks, if you have "store credit" then kiss that goodbye. If they go bankrupt then you're not a secured creditor. If a scheme of administration is lodged to continue trading then they scheme will almost certainly either devalue or vacate store credits and gift cards.
The reality of administration is that the shutters come down and nothing moves at all until the administrators have audited the assets, including stock. The priorities of administration don't go to fufilling customer orders -- rather than money you gave them is now an asset, those goods you thought you paid for are now an asset, and you are an unsecured creditor. The priority of administration is to pay the secured creditors, not ship your order, not refund your money.
If you had the good fortune to pay by credit card for a item you have yet to receive then today is the day to phone your credit card company to cancel that transaction. Because the cash the company does have is in a bank. Banks aren't stupid, they'll remove the money they are owed before handing it over. So the only way you'll see your money is for the bank to get it for you.
That sucks. I rarely buy retail anymore but when I do I prefer to give my money to Game, because they offer relativly ok prices and their staff actually knows what they're doing, than to a place like EB or JB.
Thanks guys for celebrating my inevitable loss of employment <3
I'm not, screw everyone buying online, Australia still needs a retail presence for games...
screw everyone buying online? how dare people buy digital media through means which are efficient, convenient and legal! damn high tech witchery is what that is.
I don't believe I specifically referenced digital products...
fair enough. but being melodramatic on the internet is great fun.
Why? Not being facetious, but I legitimately ask - do we. Or more specifically, do we need dedicated games retailers like EB and GAME, or will JB suffice?
There are retail stores that are dedicated to phone covers nowdays, surely that is a store that isn't really required, but first and foremost, a retail presences provides jobs for 1000's of people and should never be under estimated.
JB have been okay in the past, as they have picked up some games as exclusives seeing as EB or GAME felt they weren't popular enough (eg: El Shaddai, Sin & Punishment 2) but they are partly a specialist retailer also focusing on entertainment mediums.
Yes, there is Big W, Target and some other store, but it's tough enough to find Day 1 releases with those stores in the first place, so you are still stuck with JB, I also like the option of actually walking into s specialist store and actually talking to the employees about games (I find I can't actually do this with a JB and/or department stores).
If trends continue (AU game studios closing, now we have retail stores), it's pretty sad to think that one of the biggest entertainment mediums in the world, we don't have any local presence and we are bound to import only.
As no-one else has said it yet...
"Game over, man. Game over."
I watched Aliens over the weekend...
Big shout out and thanks to Scott and Jade at the Penrith Game store. They were extremely helpful with my Gears 3 issue (Exchanged the disc for a brand new sealed game, it ended up being an issue with my Xbox that was fixed by the next update) and would always remember me, even if I only visited once every 2 months. Hopefully the EB or JB at Penrith can pick them up.
+1 to this, was always a pleasure shopping at the penrith store
I have to third this. I bought a PS3 there at christmas for my son, and the staff there were so helpful and friendly.
quick use your gift cards before they dishonour them.
Technically, if their are under administration, they are already dishonored.
Like we didn't see this coming. from now on I buy only at jb I refuse to shop at EB.
Such a shame. My thoughts are with all the employees who rely on Game as a source of income.
If these guys go then Australian retail can kiss me goodbye, hello cheap imports! Mostly because EB are terrible and other department stores too clueless / unreliable.
Lets hope they are not cock suckers like WOW and do the whole not pay staff holidays for a long time and then put "Online Entertainment SuperStore
Launching in" on their website to piss off employess LOL.
EB Games are probably rubbing their hands together with glee, not realising that most of us will still refuse to step foot in their store, even if they were the last ones standing. Internet retail has just received an increase in customer traffic.
I feel sorry for my younger brother, I managed to secure him a copy of the CE for Diablo III from GAME, but now it looks like he won't be able to get the CE for his B'Day.
My thoughts also go out to all the employees of GAME who will be facing a very uncertain future :(
I'm indifferent as to how this affects the company itself, but I know some really great people who work for it. I'm hoping GAME gets its shit together for their sake.