Yesterday when it was announced that all 35 GameStop stores in Puerto Rico would be closing, I died inside a little bit for all those gamers who were affected. A mixture of business challenges and high taxes caused the company to pull the plug. They will continue to operate until March 31st of this year.
At their attempt to ease the pain, they are giving 25% off of everything in the store except:
1. Brand New Consoles
2. Prepaid Cards
3. Gift Cards
4. DLC
5. Digital Games
But even in spite of this consolation, how is this shutdown being received in the gaming community — by those in Puerto Rico and elsewhere? Not very well, as anyone would have guessed. Some people were glad to see them go, but those were few and far between.
Below are the thoughts and feeback from some of the people I came across.
As you saw for yourself, this has dramatically impacted how gamers will stay connected to all of their favorite games, consoles, and swag. There are a few other options for them to buy video game merchandise — mainly Best Buy and Walmart. But it’s not going to be the same — not even close. Having the freedom to play a demo, browse games, trade in old games/consoles, or just pick up a game guide will not be possible at those other two stores.
This situation is a major hit to the company’s slogan: “Power To The Players”.
Let us know how you would feel if your neighborhood GameStop shut down.
