The last chapter of a once-dominant British games retailer is coming to a close. [GAME](https://game.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lLuAQ/[p_id:1011l437428]) will shut its remaining standalone stores after entering administration last month, effectively ending its presence as an independent high-street chain.
The move will see the closure of GAME’s final three standalone locations, according to reports from The Game Business. While the brand itself will not disappear entirely, the decision marks the end of a physical retail format that defined video game shopping in the UK for decades.
Alongside the store closures, longtime managing director Nick Arran is also leaving the company after nearly nine years in the role.
GAME filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators last week, alerting creditors for the second time in just over ten years. The retailer previously entered administration in 2012, when it closed nearly 300 stores across the UK.
This time, the outcome looks quieter but no less final. Rather than a dramatic collapse, GAME’s retreat has been gradual, reflecting years of contraction and restructuring.
Owned by Frasers Group, the business will continue to trade online through its website. It will also remain present through concessions inside Sports Direct and House of Fraser, where it currently operates in more than 200 locations.
GAME has been shrinking for years. Stores have steadily closed as leases expired, and in 2023, the company shut its headquarters in Basingstoke. In April this year, most remaining staff were moved onto zero-hour contracts, followed by management cutbacks.
Since Frasers Group acquired the chain in 2019 for £51.9 million, many of GAME’s traditional retail pillars have been scaled back or removed altogether. Pre-order incentives, trade-in schemes, and loyalty rewards have all been wound down, changing how customers interact with the brand.
Founded in 1992, GAME was once one of the UK’s most influential video game retailers. Its expansion through the 1990s and 2000s included high-profile acquisitions such as Virgin Games, Electronics Boutique, and Gamestation. For years, it was the default destination for console launches, midnight openings, and boxed games.
As the industry shifted toward digital distribution, rising rents, and online competition, GAME struggled to adapt at scale. The decline mirrored broader changes in physical media retail, where fewer consumers visit stores specifically to buy games.
As recently as 2023, Arran pushed back against the idea that GAME was moving away from video games toward toys and collectables. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, he insisted physical gaming still mattered.
“Gaming is our core business, and we will be the last man standing selling physical video games,” Arran said.
He compared boxed games and collector’s editions to vinyl records, arguing there would always be an audience for tangible products, especially for gifts.
“But we need to be realistic,” he added. “We have a business to run, and the expectation is this will decline. So we need to fill that gap.”
That realism now appears to have caught up with the brand. While GAME will live on as a website and a shop-in-shop concept, the familiar standalone stores that once anchored UK gaming culture are about to disappear for good.
The move will see the closure of GAME’s final three standalone locations, according to reports from The Game Business. While the brand itself will not disappear entirely, the decision marks the end of a physical retail format that defined video game shopping in the UK for decades.
Alongside the store closures, longtime managing director Nick Arran is also leaving the company after nearly nine years in the role.
Administration, again
GAME filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators last week, alerting creditors for the second time in just over ten years. The retailer previously entered administration in 2012, when it closed nearly 300 stores across the UK.
This time, the outcome looks quieter but no less final. Rather than a dramatic collapse, GAME’s retreat has been gradual, reflecting years of contraction and restructuring.
Owned by Frasers Group, the business will continue to trade online through its website. It will also remain present through concessions inside Sports Direct and House of Fraser, where it currently operates in more than 200 locations.
A slow winding down
GAME has been shrinking for years. Stores have steadily closed as leases expired, and in 2023, the company shut its headquarters in Basingstoke. In April this year, most remaining staff were moved onto zero-hour contracts, followed by management cutbacks.
Since Frasers Group acquired the chain in 2019 for £51.9 million, many of GAME’s traditional retail pillars have been scaled back or removed altogether. Pre-order incentives, trade-in schemes, and loyalty rewards have all been wound down, changing how customers interact with the brand.
From industry giant to concession brand
Founded in 1992, GAME was once one of the UK’s most influential video game retailers. Its expansion through the 1990s and 2000s included high-profile acquisitions such as Virgin Games, Electronics Boutique, and Gamestation. For years, it was the default destination for console launches, midnight openings, and boxed games.
As the industry shifted toward digital distribution, rising rents, and online competition, GAME struggled to adapt at scale. The decline mirrored broader changes in physical media retail, where fewer consumers visit stores specifically to buy games.
“Last man standing” — but only just
As recently as 2023, Arran pushed back against the idea that GAME was moving away from video games toward toys and collectables. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, he insisted physical gaming still mattered.
“Gaming is our core business, and we will be the last man standing selling physical video games,” Arran said.
He compared boxed games and collector’s editions to vinyl records, arguing there would always be an audience for tangible products, especially for gifts.
“But we need to be realistic,” he added. “We have a business to run, and the expectation is this will decline. So we need to fill that gap.”
That realism now appears to have caught up with the brand. While GAME will live on as a website and a shop-in-shop concept, the familiar standalone stores that once anchored UK gaming culture are about to disappear for good.