http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17455742

game has debts of about £160 million which, allthough it may have repayed, now cant as there banks cancelled there credit and big companys like ea refused to give them new stock.

As a result game has filed for administration, aka, they are bankrupt.

They have 1,300 stores worldwide, 600 in the uk.

Unfortunately, they happen to own gamestation too so if they close down thats pretty bad news.

Since they are by far THE bigest games sellers in the uk getting the games you want here may get a whole lot more difficult.

On the plus side, if they do go bust we'll get a month of massively discounted stock like when superstore woolworths went down, but after that going to get a game could become a real pain =(

Hopefully someone will buy them out, many companies are interested, like walmart, gamestop, and opcapita

"Unfortunately, they happen to own gamestop too so if they close down thats pretty bad news."

"Hopefully someone will buy them out, many companies are interested, like walmart, gamestop, and opcapita"

Dude, you just derpped. Just for clarification the article says that Game owns Gamestation, not Gamestop. So this may not affect us U.S. customers unless this bankruptcy has a ripple effect. Regardless, the worst this will be for you UK gamers is less competition between companies. I am curious as to what can happen if any of the companies you listed do buy-out Game.

I don't like Walmart's policy for video games. I don't think they will buy back from anyone. Since I've never heard of Opcapita, I can't say anything there. Gamestop is fair at least. It is ridiculous how quickly a game's trade-in value plummets when selling back to them, but it is better than nothing --I now know how cautious I should be when buy any games.

Is there still the ability to buy games online and have them mailed to you? That could be an alternative, but then selling them is going to be a hassle --assuming you do sell your games back.

AuraBlaze : i didnt mean to write that, i mixed the 2 names, i meant gamestation, thanks for pointing that out though.
It wont affect the us, GAME and its affiliates are major operators in europe and australia, its those that suffer.
If gamestop buy it out though, and fail at paying the debts, then they could go down too.
Opcapita is a retail corporation, they bought out comet(a major electical company, pcs, dishwashers etc) a while back.
Walmart(asda in the uk) are a major reason for games demise, theyve been deliberately selling games at loss to put the pressure on, underhanded, game couldnt compete, also walmart are evil gits.
GAME wasnt great for trade in prices either, theyre all the same on that.
Well i personaly dont sell my games, but you cant do that online i think.
Both the store and online still operate, but it depends what happens now.
Basicaly, when you file for administration, the people you owe money to appoint a new managing board, and the priority shifts to getting there money out.
When they get the companys finance records theyl decide what to do
1: allow a buyout, opcapita attempted this a while back, ea and others owed money by GAME backed the move but for some reason games creditors (royal bank of scotland, loyds etc) blocked the sale. Things may change now.
2: liquidate the company, they may just chop the chain up, sell there stock in bulk to the highest bidders(typicaly other companys) or at reduced rates within stores, and sell of individual shops etc.
3.break the chain up, maybe keep online sales and parts of chain, remove rest.
4. They may decide to attempt making the chain profitable again and run it till theyre paid off.

Normaly companys with so much debt wont be touched by buyers but they are so dominant accross europe that any company that buys them gets a major foothold in europe, i assume thats why such big companys are eyeing them up.
I hopd they dont opt to break it up, asda are my next nearest and there game section SUCKS.
Oh, and 6000 people in the uk alone could lose there jobs.
Damn recession

And now theyve gone into administration and closed half the stores in the uk =(
Dosent help that thousands lost there jobs either.