Game Crazy owner facing massive financial problems
Bad news for fans of video game retailers that don't have a "Stop" or "EB" in their name. Movie Gallery, owner of over 600 Game Crazy stores nationwide, is having trouble paying off massive debts accrued from its purchase of Hollywood Video and Game Crazy in 2005. The company posted massive losses in the second quarter of this year and creditors just granted a final extension on the company's loan payment obligations to Aug. 27.
The company will stay open "without interruption as we work through this challenging period," according to a press release, but rumblings around the industry are that they might have to sell off assets before too long. If that happens, you can bet that other video game retailer will be ready to swoop in with a bid to increase its market share. Hooray for monopolies!
[Thanks Chuck]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jlobes @ Aug 17th 2007 11:51AM
Crap. I've never stepped foot into a Game Crazy, I suppose they don' have stores in North NJ, but I'm sure they can't be worse than GameStop. Just what we need, MORE GameStops...
Judd @ Aug 17th 2007 2:59PM
My brother works at the Game Crazy in Stanhope. It's in Sussex County.
aggrocrag @ Aug 17th 2007 11:51AM
I had a pretty bad experience at my local Game Crazy. At this point I feel really good about this.
Heres to looking forward to a out of business sale.
Gina Cornelius @ Oct 10th 2007 3:52PM
As someone that currently runs a game crazy store I can safely say that yes, the company did close some stores.. all of which were unprofitable stores. Now they're done doing that and it's business as usual. I take pride in my store and can't believe what I've read about how some of the other Game Crazy's are ran. Frankly it just makes me all the more proud of my store and of my team.
Sure, it's like any other sales driven corporation. The company wants to make money and it can't do it by just selling video games. But the way I look at it..I"m saving that person the extra trip in my store by asking them right there if they need a memory card or extra controller. Yes, there are a lot of things to ask guests in our stores.. like about pre-ordering, our MVP program, or game guarding their game; but if executed properly it's doing those things over the whole time they are in our stores.. not all at the register. The company goal is mainly customer service and I will, in my store, continue to drive the brand name of Game Crazy and hope to see you all!
Syko360 @ Aug 17th 2007 11:51AM
These stores are annoying to go into 90% of the time simply due to the employees thinking they are "1337" because they work at a video game store. Yet you ask them a question and they will just give you a fanboy drenched answer with little to no facts to back it up. I always walk out thinking "This store is full of dumbasses" No matter which store it is.
dvnt @ Aug 17th 2007 11:53AM
Does anyone actually shop at Game Crazy? I only did once because it was the only place I ever found with a brand new copy of Steel Batallion.
Jose @ Aug 17th 2007 11:59AM
Game Crazy is the only video game store that has shops open in the ghetto's too. I don't have to drive out of the city to whitesville to pick up a game, it's really nice not to have to step foot in suburbia.
xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Aug 17th 2007 12:18PM
Haha true! Its called Crackerland not Whitesville thankyou very much! lol!
Jose @ Aug 17th 2007 12:25PM
I don't want to be insulting, so Whitesville will do. They moved into the sprawl to get away from us ethnics, I don't want to violate their space.
I understand completely, I forgot to turn my car alarm on last night and when I got to my car, my amp and sub were missing. They didn't take my box of motor oil or my jack, so I only kicked my car and screamed for like a minute. They also didn't take my two mids, which are probably worth more than either of the items they took.
Alex K. @ Aug 17th 2007 1:01PM
uhh, okay, if you want to be racist against white folks, that's fine, but doesn't that make what you call "ethnics" what I call "hypocritical"?
It's also quite racist to imply that white people don't have any ethnicity and that only colored people are "ethnic". I'm quite "ethnic", my parents were from Poland and Greece, my family has had plenty of racial hate from Nazi Germany. I think we've had our fair share.
White people are trying so hard to be politically correct and accepting and this is the s**t we get? "whiteville" and "crackerland"? I do technology seminars for predominantly foreign graduate students and this is what I get?
If I came on these boards saying the city was n****rland, I would be banned immediately. Why aren't you being banned? Why aren't you growing up?
Of course Game Crazy is the only city game store around. Suburbia requires video games - there isn't much going on there. Cities have a lot of things to do besides playing games.
This is the United States here. We are all here for the same reason - to blend and become one strong national "race". To share the best of our cultures with one another. I think your comments are just taking us all a step backwards.
Alex K. @ Aug 17th 2007 1:03PM
uhh, okay, if you want to be racist against white folks, that's fine, but doesn't that make what you call "ethnics" what I call "hypocritical"?
It's also quite racist to imply that white people don't have any ethnicity and that only colored people are "ethnic". I'm quite "ethnic", my parents were from Poland and Greece, my family has had plenty of racial hate from Nazi Germany. I think we've had our fair share.
White people are trying so hard to be politically correct and accepting and this is the s**t we get? "whiteville" and "crackerland"? I do technology seminars for predominantly foreign graduate students and this is what I get?
If I came on these boards saying the city was n****rland, I would be banned immediately. Why aren't you being banned? Why aren't you growing up?
Of course Game Crazy is the only city game store around. Suburbia requires video games - there isn't much going on there. Cities have a lot of things to do besides playing games.
This is the United States here. We are all here for the same reason - to blend and become one strong national "race". To share the best of our cultures with one another. I think your comments are just taking us all a step backwards.
Alex K. @ Aug 17th 2007 1:04PM
sorry for the double post
Abscissa @ Aug 17th 2007 2:57PM
Do black people REALLY think white people find "cracker" insulting? Many types of crackers are very very tasty, and most white people aren't even aware of the term being used in a racial sense anyway. And for that matter, "honky" isn't very insulting either: "227" was way too funny to take anything that came from it harshly.
And besides that, if we went around calling ourselves "my whitey" or "my cracker" or "my honky", we still wouldn't be racist enough to suddenly start bitching whenever a black person said it.
And don't even try to play the "slavery" card, for two reasons: 1. Northerners like me and my ancestors didn't have slaves. In fact, we went to war to help free you. and 2. If you look into the history of Europe, you'll see there's been plenty of white-on-white slavery.
Sheesh, I'm really damn tired of having to tiptoe around just so some nut on a short fuse doesn't scream "racist".
GRANTED @ Aug 17th 2007 12:04PM
i live outside of DC and there are a few hollywood videos around here. one has a gamecrazy and it's a pretty budget-looking place, but they gave me 70 bucks trade in for my old ps2. So I ended up paying 430 for a 60 gig ps3, plus i got 12 free rentals (one per month for 12 months). the free rentals thing comes with the purchase of a new console. so since i don't have time to play much, free rentals are pretty sweet (i don't buy many games).
So yea, gamecrazy was OK because of the decent trade-in, and 12 rentals free. basically, it was cheaper than anywhere else. i hope they don't close so I can keep getting my rentals haha.
bearattack79 @ Aug 17th 2007 12:08PM
What are you going to do with a PS3 and 12 free game rentals?
OK Ok Im just kidding, sorry.
GRANTED @ Aug 17th 2007 12:13PM
haha yea u gotta rent the same game a couple of times rite now. im happy i played resistance, and didnt buy it.
bearattack79 @ Aug 17th 2007 12:05PM
Freakin zitty nerds working at these places are idiots. They review games based on the box art. Walmart works fine for me, and the return policy... well you know:)
Chuck Whitby @ Aug 17th 2007 12:08PM
Woot! My tip was posted! 8*)
Seriously tho', I did at one time like Game Crazy. It was lower pressure sales than EB/GS was. Now it's just a clone, non-stop pushing for preorders and MVPs.
Spend your store credit soon, no telling how long it's going to last.
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 12:11PM
I'm going to take advantage to express my deep hate towards Eb/gamestop, I don’t how is the owner of EB/Gamestop but stop hiring assholes.
Really I want to buy a Videogame without some idiot clerk giving me his opinion or saying shit like "Hey are you going to buy something" when I’m checking all the new releases because if I go to a Videogame store obviously is because I'm going to buy something gosh retards.
Also I found sometimes better prices at Best Buy so the only way I'm going to a Eb/gamestop again is if the fire all their employees and hire girls or people with good attitude.
Service at EB and Gamestop is shit.
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 12:14PM
I meant "who is the owner" damn you spellcheck button damn,you.
I had it I'm using babel fish.
AgentESPIO7 @ Aug 17th 2007 4:10PM
Agreed. EB and Gamestop have HORRIBLE employees around where I live, so I just go to Game Crazy now. That way I can actually get a factory packaged game, without it being opened and having the cd in plastic wrap at EB and Gamestop.
Ligiod @ Aug 17th 2007 12:11PM
I've stepped foot inside one Game Crazy, just to check it out...the store was about twice as big as it should be (looked like it had no games), and the employees were talking to their friends about another friend who took cocaine and passed out. I promptly left. Good riddance!
DarthDavid @ Aug 17th 2007 12:12PM
The Game Crazy in my area (Hackensack NJ), also sells classic games/some consoles, (32x's, Saturn games, NES, SNES, Genesis, and Dreamcast). I hope it stays open, but if they go out of business I'll be first in line to get great deals on the classic stuff. =)
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 12:17PM
Seriously,I have been looking for a Dreamcast long ago,hell also the Saturn.
Segata Sanshiro FTW.
OnimushaSoki @ Aug 17th 2007 12:18PM
Luckily, the game shops on Ventnor Avenue and Marvin Gardens (near the B&O railroad) are still around; because heaven knows it's too easy to monopolize the ones on Baltic and Mediterranean avenues.
horf, horf. :B
Jerk Face @ Aug 17th 2007 12:26PM
Ha ha ha.. that's a plus!
DjDATZ @ Aug 17th 2007 12:20PM
I like the logo...too bad we dont have any of these in canada...EB has pretty much a monopoly...
Rich @ Aug 17th 2007 12:21PM
"Service at EB and Gamestop is shit."
I simply tried to buy a Game Informer magazine at Gamestop, only to be told I couldn't buy it separately, but only with a subscription/game purchase! I guess a shoulda known, since they own/publish it...
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 12:28PM
Seriously?.
I didn't know that since I dont buy Magazines not named "Shonen Jump" anymore.
Ben @ Aug 21st 2007 1:59AM
They used to sell the magzines indiviually. Now if you want one, you have to subscribe.
Erik Novak @ Aug 17th 2007 12:27PM
Maybe I'm just weird, but all my GameCrazy experiences have been extremely positive, especially in contrast to EB. I'd hate to see it go.
jorojoserojas @ Aug 17th 2007 1:43PM
I totally agree! I have a GameCrazy right across the street from where I live, and man, they've always helped me out. I love that they even hold stuff for me without pre-ordering, and I like their service so much I ended up getting the whole MVP thing just to help them out.
Plus, anyone who sells me a 360 Premium for about $230 is awesome!
RoboChamp @ Aug 17th 2007 12:27PM
I've probably seen more FYEs than Game Crazies.
If they're having finacial trouble, why not inflate the prices of Xbox peripherals, it's all the rage nowadays ;)
Knoxximus @ Aug 17th 2007 12:33PM
I used to work at Game Crazy while in college in '99-2000....it was really cool back then. The store by my house has the coolest, most knowledgeable crew I've ever seen in a game store. When I'm absolutely bored, I go down there and shoot the shit with those guys for a coupla hours, having the types of conversations you would only otherwise have here or at E3.
My girlfriend calls the place Cheers, cause everybody know my name haha!
jorojoserojas @ Aug 17th 2007 1:54PM
And they're always glad you came. =)
I get the same reaction. Game Crazy is awesome...really hope they pick up out of this mess...
...or have a MASSIVE clearance sale...y'know, whatever.
brad77 @ Aug 17th 2007 12:38PM
There's Game Crazy nearby where I live, and I used to shop there. In fact, I'd drive a few blocks past a GameStop to get there. I got sick of their high pressure sales approach and ended up back at GameStop.
I can only hear "You should really get a guide with that game" and "Are you sure you don't want to preorder XYZ?" so many times.
GameStop's not much better, but it's local and it'll do for those times when you you've gotta have it in your hands now. For the rest of those times, I'll shop on the 'net thank you very much.
Ska Mike @ Aug 17th 2007 1:33PM
Look, that was our job. We have to say that. If we didn't you could have lost your job. Just politely say no and buy your stuff. Sometimes people do want to.
In my opinion if you're planning on getting a game why not pre-order? I mean shit, it doesn't cost you any more and you get something free.
Actually you're right, screw them! Lets tell them off when they offer you a something they're required to do. ESPECIALLY when it's something that helps me from complaining why they're out of stock of something!
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 2:14PM
Sky mile is right,Is their Job.I respect that,In fact I like when they ask me that stuff since I'm interested in games.
Sometimes I like to Pre-order games like Medal of honor for the PSP and stuff like that.
The thing is when well,look at my post below,they treat you like crap for no good reason.
I wish I stepped into a gamecrazy instead of that crappy EB games store.Sounds like a cool place.
brad77 @ Aug 17th 2007 2:35PM
I'm not suggesting that anybody tell them off. I can appreciate that it's their job. I don't fault their employees for their behavior. Quite the contrary, I fault whoever wrote the training manual instructing them to act this way.
I've got nothing against pre-ordering games, btw. I've pre-ordered a few games from them. That wasn't my point at all.
I'm not just nit-picking over getting asked a single question. It's their high-pressure sales approach that I find pretty annoying.
Put simply, it's something I prefer not to deal with. I'm not attacking any employees, but I'll take my business elsewhere nonetheless.
Abscissa @ Aug 17th 2007 6:38PM
I have no sympathy for the people saying "But I was just doing it because my boss told me to!"
Know why? Because if nobody was enough of a tool to be willing to harass customers like that, then there would be absolutely jack-shit the managers could do about it. The managers would be forced to either knock-off their asinine orders, or go out of business from an inability to find any sheep to hire.
So it's exactly people like that who give asinine managers the power to make asinine demands in the first place. So don't expect any sympathy from me.
And besides, if a boss wants to fire you, they don't need a good reason like insubordination. Crap, I've been fired for things that flat-out weren't even true. So don't be fooled into thinking blind obedience gives you any more job security than following your own good sense, because it doesn't.
exit stencil @ Aug 17th 2007 1:07PM
this place sucks a lot less than EB/Gamestop. a lot.
Ginko @ Aug 17th 2007 1:11PM
I always, ALWAYS, go to a Game Crazy before I step foot inside of an E.B. or a Game Stop. When I walk in to Game Stop, easily 90% of the time I end up with a staff member who is a) currently playing the Guitar Hero demo stand, b) currently telling someone else how great madden is, c) saying hello, and asking me to preorder XYZ game, or d) trying to tell me how great madden is.
The Game Crazy's I've been to have had decent service, or they've quite simply not served me at all. That's a blessing! A simple, "Need help finding anything?" and a nice "Nope. I'll find my way around." is great. I don't get that at a gamestop or e.b.
Leave me alone, if I want the game, you'll know. Because I'll call it by name. Not the dude in front of you that says, "You know the one with fire where you're shooting and there's like army dudes but not quite army dudes because they're evil? That shit is tight, you guys have a copy?"
Tight, indeed.
Jeremy @ Aug 17th 2007 1:14PM
I'm glad to hear about this. The Store Manager at the local GameCrazy is a complete tool. Not only is he a total Sony fanboy (he does everything in his power to get cutsomers to NOT purchase a Wii or a 360... He has even started to tell customers that the 360 is being phazed out and Halo 3 will be the last game ever made for it)), but also, after a customer has left, he will take their left over store credit and reserve games for them to pad his numbers.
Jeremy @ Aug 17th 2007 1:16PM
He has also trained his employees to trick customers into buying the MVP cards by selling them promotional items sent to the store that just so happen to include a year renewal on their MVP card.
llamapalooza87 @ Aug 17th 2007 1:16PM
Yeah, I absolutely love GameCrazy and would be really disappointed if they went out of business or (worse!) got bought out by GiantStop corp.
They've been dropping like flies around here, and I only know of 2 still open, about 30-45min away. Even so, I make the effort to drive out there when there's something I want that nobody else has (i.e. DS lite on day one, SNES games, Dreamcast games, etc.) or when they have one of their AMAZING 3 for $15 sales on their entire retro library. It's really one of the few places (if not the only place) around here to get classic games, even if the rarer RPGs and AAA games aren't in that often. We have one local retro games store, but they don't get shipments of new games, and they overprice like hell since GameCrazys and other classic stores are so few and far between. GC gives great trade-in values-- I got a DS lite for $60 with my DS fatty. They often take MORE than $5 off of used games, their prices drop more quickly than GS or Target, and they're one of the few places that actually competes with GS for the gamer crowd. Some people think the atmosphere is ghetto, but I like it-- it's a refreshing change from EB/GS's drab, boring, corporate crap. The people have been nothing but friendly, and I love love LOVE that they'll let you try ANY open game if they have the system for it working (which is most of them). Basically, I'd go there all the time if there was one nearby... though, no gamestores are within 25 minutes of my house, anyway...
Lunaclown @ Aug 17th 2007 1:19PM
Why don't you people support small local videogame stores? That's one thing I'll never understand. People always bitch about the corporate stores but then constantly frequent them.
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 1:46PM
Sadly they have more games at decent prices.
Small Videogame stores have a small amount of games and sometimes higher prices. For example there is a store called Games world but they sell games at outrageous prices.(Metal Gear Solid DGN for the PSP in 60$)
Sometimes they get stuff from Japan like the special Metal gear PSP but at 400$ and so.
Also some of the games were on a bad condition; they could be selling you a used game at the price of a new one.
The good things about small stores are the attention, sometimes they got old games for the PSone and other systems and sometimes you can trade videogames there.
They also got stuff that is really hard to find like Wiis but at high prices.
Word of the street. @ Aug 17th 2007 1:51PM
I forgot something,Also people rather go to a gamestop/Eb and be treated like crap by the morons that work there than paying 10$ to 20$ extra bucks in a small store with a good coustumer attention.
Well some of those stores are also creepy.
Abscissa @ Aug 17th 2007 11:55PM
I always go to my small local ones before the big ones. (Unfortunately, about half of them have closed down in the last few years.)
sectionz @ Aug 17th 2007 1:20PM
employees selected by machines = people who know shit about gaming .. and i mean shit .. 4 out of the 6 that work at my local game crazy still dont know what Playstation Home is .. not to mention it was corporate policy to not display that they SOLD the ps3 for 6 months after launch .. they also have a bad habit of buying ANYTHING, including RROD'd xboxs which not one but 3 friends of mine bought .. i will be glad to see these chumps go out of business .. we need a TRUE specialty game store to compete with EBSTOP ..