Game Group has moved to assure investors that its credit dispute with EA, which will leave the UK's largest specialist retailer without stock of one of the biggest releases of the year so far in Mass Effect 3, is only temporary.
Game admitted yesterday that it had decided not to stock EA titles following the release this week of SSX because the publisher was unwilling to relax its credit terms, and the company's share price fell 15 per cent during trading yesterday. In a statement, the retailer says it is still in discussions with EA about future launches.
"Today the group confirmed that it will not be stocking a small number of titles from one supplier, Electronic Arts, during March and notes that this has caused speculation in the market," reads the statement, which was released yesterday. "This situation, which is a result of ongoing discussions between the group and EA, is a temporary one and indeed both businesses are already engaged in discussions about future launches together.
"It is always a matter of regret when customers are inconvenienced, and both the group and EA are committed to ensuring that this situation does not occur again."
It's welcome news, but there's no indication that the situation will be resolved any time soon. The reported loss of Game's credit insurance has also left it unable to stock Nintendo-published titles Tekken 3D Prime Edition, The Last Story and Mario Party 9. It also had no stock of Ubisoft's PS Vita launch titles, though that apparent credit dispute was resolved earlier this week.
Comments
5It's only temporary because Game group are temporary.
GAME will soon be gone thank god.
I feel a little sorry for the less-than-useless GAME staff that will out of Jobs, but at the end of the day, thats capitalist life for you. GAME staff are cole miners - about to become extinct.
You do realise it's spelled coal and coal miners still exist. I think you should be more worried about yourself getting a job given your level of intelligence.
The fact that people are WANTING Game Group to go under is an absolute disgrace.
It's the last retail shop on the high street dedicated to selling you the thing you're clearly a fan of (otherwise why are you here???) Without shops like Game core audiences and Mums and Dads that don't know sh** about games would have nowhere to go but Asda and HMV...
Why would you actually want people to lose their jobs because of some dispute with a MULTI MILLION £ COMPANY like EA?
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
"GAME will soon be gone thank god." "GAME staff are cole miners - about to become extinct" -
You absolute ****.
I'm boycotting Mass Effect 3 until Game sell it* It's the least I can do for the last retail shop left that sells what I consider myself to be a fan of.
*I know I'm probably the ONLY one in the world who is going to do this
I think you misunderstand business. Do I want loads of people employed at a company that only knows how to lose money? Essentially doing something as productive as queuing at the jobcentre.
How many GAME stores are on your highstreet? In Southampton, there are about 3 within 200m of each other. In Croydon, there are 2 within 100m of each other. In Scarborough, there are 2 directly facing each other ON THE SAME STREET.
This is why they should go into administration. It would allow GAME to offload their ridiculous amounts of retail space. So they, or someone more competent can take over a business that makes sense.