GameStop buys Electronic Boutique for $1.4 billion
 

Saw this while watching CNN's Headline News. I've always prefered Electronic Boutique to Gamestop. Then again I only buy computer games and don't own a console system. I'm sure there will be quite a few store closings. Just about everywhere there is one Electronic Boutique you can find a Gamestop.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/18/tech...reut/index.htm

I prefer to buy my games online, but now that I have some console games I may want to trade in, this may affect me if some stores close.

Here's to hoping this may lead to price drops (yeah, right).

We just got GameStop in Wichita in the last maybe 2-3 years, and that's the only place I go for games ever since I found out about them (plus they seem to give the best price when buying games from the consumer). I used to look around at EB, but their stores here are in the mall, and tiny.

This is good news as far as I'm concerned.

interesting... i guess that's the reason why there's a post at the local one announcing it's closing at the end of the month.

While Gamestop is typically better then EB IMO, I have an inherent distrust in any and all coporate consolidation. Lack of competition is never good for the consumer. Have ya checked your cable bill lately?

Holy fucking shit! Sorry, I work at a GameStop, and actually this is huge news to me.

GameStop and EB both have their advantages and disadvantages but with the two game stores merging, it should be the best of both worlds. Since my store is in the mall, I doubt that our shop will be closing...

Nikilidstrom, that's why I switched to saltelite. Yea, rain makes it go down, but I'm saving a ton of money.

Also, I buy most of my games at Walmart anymore. Cause Walmart never tries to sell me an opened games with scratches on the disc as "New". Or if they don't have it I try Best Buy. I really can't stand Game Stop anymore though if I need to preorder that's where I'll go and only begrudgingly.

lately I have been buying games at www.gogamer.com.

Many years ago, I used to work at a Software-Etc store. In the same mall as a Babbages. In 1995 or 96 the two stores combined to form a parrent company called Neostar. With the combined purchasing power of both stores, Neostar began spending money like mad. Unfortunately for them, revenue was not great enough to offset the expenses. Neostar began bankruptcy procedings (if I remember correctly). At this time, Barnes & Noble (who originally owned Software-Etc before they grew up to spin off on their own) purchased Neostar. Barnes and Noble renamed a bunch of the stores Gamestop. Aparrently some stores retained their Software-Etc and Babbages names. In November of 2004, Barnes & Noble spun off Gamestop into their own entity. It seems they are now buying EB.

I wonder how long it will be before the new Gamestop/EB company overextend themselves and Barnes & Noble steps back in to pick them back up.

i prefer buying my games in the stores in case its terrible or something is wrong that way i can exchange it