Best Buy game sales slipping

Big-box retailer acknowledges modest declines in its gaming business during its 2008 holiday season.

Earlier this week, GameStop posted more than $2.8 billion in sales during the holiday season, a 22 percent jump over the previous year. That announcement provided an increasingly rare bit of good news in a retail sector battered by the down economy. Unfortunately, that improvement in game sales has not been reflected across the board.

Best Buy released today a sales summary for its fiscal month ended January 3, and it showed slipping game sales. Best Buy's same-store gaming sales for the year dropped "by the mid-single digits" on average. Among the explanations for the drop were strong results from December of 2007 and declining sales of "large-ticket consoles."

Although the NPD Group reports accelerating sales of console games at US retailers, the gaming-revenues slide for Best Buy has been going on for months. According to Best Buy's last quarterly report, gaming was also down in the mid-single digits for the three months ended November 29. That decrease was attributed only to the previous year's strong sales performance.

328 Comments

  • JerWroten

    Posted Jan 24, 2009 7:22 pm PT

    The reason why Best Buy's game sales are slipping is because their prices aren't competitive. I go into Target and see Bioshock for $19.99 and it's selling for $30 or $40 at Best Buy. Obviously they have no used games, so they're not going to get any used business, and they offer no incentives, no sales on games, what do they expect?

  • lannyboy334

    Posted Jan 14, 2009 7:26 pm PT

    I agree with you HairyBeast, I worked at Best Buy and most of those people are some of the biggest jerks (every other word gets censored) you will ever meet. They also know only a small portion of whatever department they cover, picking up the rest by word of mouth. The guys in Best Buy Mobile tried to tell us that Sprint was going out of business in my town at the beginning of the new year when i was out doing Black Friday shopping. Needless to say he was totally full of crap. Best Buy has some serious issues.

  • HairyBeast87

    Posted Jan 14, 2009 6:14 pm PT

    Personally, I hate the people that work in my Best Buy because I went to school with most of them and they are all ********. So I either get my games from Amazon.com or GameStop. The only thing I don't like about GameStop is that they open up their new games and put the discs in sleeves. But, sometimes, you can get a sealed copy if it just came in.

  • Kal_Thull

    Posted Jan 14, 2009 5:36 pm PT

    Who cares if it's new or used? At GameStop you buy a used game and anything wrong with it or beat it or whatever keep the game and receipt up to a week then exchange it back at full price. It's cheaper and I'll spend money on a used game play it for a week and get another one it's all in the contract and plus you get it cheaper and when a new game comes out to pre-order. Return your game and use the money for that. Pretty much like Gamefly, except you can not keep the games as long as you want. Again if the game works I'm fine with used.

  • djdna514

    Posted Jan 14, 2009 9:22 am PT

    thats because Gamestop is a video game store. Best Buy also sells appliances and CD's. At GameStop most employees know what the consoles do, own them, play them. Best Buy employees still say that the PS3 plays PS2 and PSX games when asked 80% of the time.
    Credibility goes a long way, plus you can trade stuff in at GameStop and bring down the price of a new game. No matter how much or little I get for trades (I average 40% of purchase value most the time) its more than Best Buy gives..(nothing)..no matter what thier sale is. I don't mind if a box has been opened, per the discussion below, as long as I get to play the game. i see all the paranoid geeks when I go to GameStop screaming about an open new copy of a game, lol. They don't get stuff stolen that way, It's easy to figure out.
    The last time I bought a game at Best Buy was Vampire: Bloodlines. I got a defective disk, they wouldn't exchange it for me. I explained this to a GameStop employee he made the swap for a working copy for me. Nice dude, good company, Best Buy can burn

  • Mr_Manikin52

    Posted Jan 13, 2009 5:31 pm PT

    I go to Fry's Electronics if I want "New" game.

  • readyss

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 6:19 pm PT

    Thats probably because they didn't have much of anything To buy....Went there to try and find COD5 and they didn't have and they still don't have it in stock at my Best buy

  • Media_Mind

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 6:12 pm PT

    yup

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 2:33 pm PT

    If a higher percentage of games are now released in the last quarter of the year, sales are going to be more concentrated in that last quarter, and therefore make that quarter look really good on it's own. The other three quarters though, having less releases due to more titles waiting for the last quarter, are much lower. I expect we will see three bad quarters in game sales and a last quarter 2009 that will be, at best, level. At worse it could be way down.

    Let's not forget we don't get a Bethesda RPG every year, but every 3-5 years. Fallout 4 is supposedly late 2010 with the next Elder Scrolls later still. It is generally accepted that the hype surrounding 2009 gaming is not what it was for 2008. When you add the fact that retro gaming via Sony Live, XBox Arcade and DOSBox are continuing to grow phenomenally, and simpler gaming with the Wii and DS leading over the more hardcore 360 and PS3, you can see a revolution taking place in gaming of modern, shallow, expensive AAA titles being replaced in gamers mind by those classic games of old with their undeniable concentration in gameplay versus graphics like modern games.

    All the above is going to lead to a very interesting 2009. This article is just the first!

  • Phantom_J

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 1:22 pm PT

    Ninja Gaiden II is on sale at Best Buy for $10 this week I think.

  • mvlbr

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 12:53 pm PT

    Best Buy doesn't have any good deals on new releases only on old @ss games so most people will go to either other retailers or online instead.

  • dmish82

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 11:30 am PT

    @armyofrobots

    I'm simply saying that an opened copy is not the same as a new copy. I don't care about shrink/etc. Sure, it's not on the same scale as a TV for example, but if I tried to sell you a TV with a box that's been opened, I bet you'd pitch a fit.

    Sorry but if I'm spending $60 on a video game and I have a choice of buying an opened or an unopened copy, I'm buying the unopened copy every time.

  • armyofrobots

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 11:16 am PT

    OMG, it's not NEW it's been opened!!! this isn't a new car, it's been on a test drive!


    do you guys know how much shrink best buy goes through because they keep the discs in their cases? Gamestop takes the disc out of the box to prevent theft. Gamesto has some of the lowest shrink in the country because of this.

    Guys...it's not that complicated.

  • NicAgent

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 11:13 am PT

    Khala - good points but note that gas is gonna be below $2/gallon for the next few months or so. Plus, maybe you don't live in a good area - note that no two GameStops can't be exactly alike. As much as I love the information age I actually prefer to buy products in store... I will never forget the hassle of returning some joke VHS-digital converter box I got from J&R last March. Anyways, imagine if BestBuy released a game console... say the Insignia Scorpion... maybe what the Phantom should have been (never was released).

  • dmish82

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 11:12 am PT

    @cdx00

    How are we idiots when we receive a "new" copy of a game at Gamestop that has been already opened? Sorry, but 'new' to me does not equate to 'opened packaging and/or that copy being played'.

  • Khalathwyr

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:46 am PT

    Slowly losing any faith in buying games at retail stores. One of my Gamestops, well, their staff are just pitiful. The other, the guys are ok, but both stores have one small pushcart rack of PC games. My best buy by far has a bigger selection of PC games, but as someone else said they are older games that don't interest me or I have already played. I see myself moving to buying any games I get in the future online. It's easier to find what you want, when you want and it saves gas and phone minutes.

  • Joystick_n_hand

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:45 am PT

    Uhhh...wouldn't the logical rational be that Gamespot is taking a large chunk of Best Buy"s gaming customers...?

  • zaphod_b

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:43 am PT

    From the couple of locations around me, it seems like their variety has gone down severely on PS3 and 360, but they have a giant Nintendo section. Just because everyone and their mother is clamoring for a Wii doesn't mean they're spending much on software. Look to the PS3, 360, and PC gamers for that. Scale back on Wii software and build the PS3 and 360 sections back up, and I bet sales will improve.

  • ZeRo2545

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:28 am PT

    BestBuy in Canada isn't bad at all. Customer service is fine and the games are always in good condition.

  • spank_my_bottom

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:14 am PT

    Fracture at B.B. for $20!!!

  • mezro01

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:04 am PT

    I'm not surprised at all. Checked out my local bestbuy this weekend and there were no serious gamers checking out the games. It seems like the company has neglected the gaming portion of their business. Every time I go there, the gaming section looks empty and unorganized. It almost feels like they're purposely selling games that no one buys. And don't even get me started at the PC games section, that part is completely deserted with old games selling at premium price. Reasons for their game sales plummeting = lack of selection + old games with premium price. Also, their sales staff are very ignorant when it comes to games. I'd go to Gamestop, but they always try to sell you the "open package" first telling you that its the last one they have, when they really have +30 copies in the back. And I don't like companies/employees treating customers like that. So screw them both.

  • briph24

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 10:01 am PT

    I can't stand gamestop, they are criminals for trying to sell used games as new. I cant wait to jump in on a class action lawsuit against them for doing this. As of Best Buy, I just bought Ninja Gaiden 2, Condemned 2, and Bad Company for $40.00. They had awesome game deals this week in their add.

  • Denveraic

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 9:48 am PT

    You people are funny. You won't shop at Best Buy, but you will shop at Gamestop? Or vice versa? Both of these places are complete TRASH. Both are complete rip offs. I agree with the comment I read, Gamestop won't even give you a sealed game, it comes open in a sleeve behind the counter, that is kind of bull **** in my book. That always bothers me. I also hate how they put stickers all over the case. For a new game it is really annoying. The also RAPE you on trades, CHARGE way to much on a used game. NO THANK YOU, 55 bucks for a used game? I'll spend 60 and get it new. Especially when you just gave someone a whole 30 bucks in trade, and now you are selling it again for 55? RAPE! Then you have Best Buy, the store that treats everyone like **** and has high prices. Getting service in Best Buy is next to impossible. I am not a fan of either. For used games or trades, I got to Game Crazy, they are much cheaper, and have the MVP card. For new I usually just go to Target.

  • Denveraic

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 9:48 am PT

    You people are funny. You won't shop at Best Buy, but you will shop at Gamestop? Or vice versa? Both of these places are complete TRASH. Both are complete rip offs. I agree with the comment I read, Gamestop won't even give you a sealed game, it comes open in a sleeve behind the counter, that is kind of bull **** in my book. That always bothers me. I also hate how they put stickers all over the case. For a new game it is really annoying. The also RAPE you on trades, CHARGE way to much on a used game. NO THANK YOU, 55 bucks for a used game? I'll spend 60 and get it new. Especially when you just gave someone a whole 30 bucks in trade, and now you are selling it again for 55? RAPE! Then you have Best Buy, the store that treats everyone like **** and has high prices. Getting service in Best Buy is next to impossible. I am not a fan of either. For used games or trades, I got to Game Crazy, they are much cheaper, and have the MVP card. For new I usually just go to Target.

  • dmish82

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 9:19 am PT

    @sieg6529

    I buy mine at Best Buy for a few reasons. The first is that I won't shop at Gamestop. The last time I went there was when the Prince of Persia game came out on the Wii. I asked for a new copy (as it was launch day for the game) and I received an open version that was behind the counter in a sleeve. I said "This obviously isn't new. You took the disc out of a sleeve and put it in a case". The employee responded "Yes, it's new. We have to open a copy to put on display and this is that copy." I then responded "That's fine but it's still not new b/c it's open." Sorry, but I'm not paying full price for a game that's been opened (and prolly already played by the employees). The second reason I shop at BB is that they have a Gamer's Reward Card that gives you a $10 certificate for every $150 you spend on games. I don't know about you guys but I spend $150 on games in no time so it works out well for me.

  • MavericK99966

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 9:11 am PT

    It's no wonder, really, since Gamestop sells even new games for a lot less than Best Buy much of the time, not to mention the option to buy used games. Best Buy doesn't update their prices on old games very often, so you end up with older games that should be $20-$30 still costing $50-$60 at BB.

  • Old_Captaini

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 8:04 am PT

    My two cents on why their sales are slipping......my local best buy used to have the video game section at the FRONT of the store. It was a real attention getter. Even if you went in there with no intention of looking at games you couldn't help but look. Now they have moved it to the back of the store and have movies up front. Is there a cause/effect releationship here? Hmmmmmm......

  • bishopphoto

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 8:00 am PT

    I only read the first 10 or 20 comments, but I got to say I am surprised. I saw ZERO mentions of buying games online. I buy games from Amazon, Ebay, Half.com, and plently of other places. I also refuse to purchase (with few exceptions, Fallout3 being one of them, and TOTALLY worth it, btw) brand new 60 dollar games. I will wait 3 months and get it for 40, bo problem.

    Also, as far as reselling and who gets what money. The reselling of games is an ENTIRE industry all its own. Developers make deals with whomenever, BB, Sony, whoever to get their money. If they need more, get a better agent, make better games. Dont pass that blame onto saavy/poor consumers.

  • sieg6529

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 7:44 am PT

    Why would anyone buy games at BB now? There are GameStops everywhere, and they have a far greater selection and you aren't forced to buy a new game.

  • MrUnSavory1

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 7:38 am PT

    I quit going to BestBuy for computers products quiet awhile back. they just don't seemt to care about computer users as they once they did. Now they want to sell TV's, Appliances and Guitars. I now go to MicroCenter for all my computer stuff including Games.

  • yakkosmurf

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 7:32 am PT

    I too have followed the trend of not buying games at Best Buy. Their selection is usually poor. Nothing is organized very well, and the games are priced higher than other places. If I'm in the market for something that's been out for a while, I go to GameStop. New games are always at Fry's, and Fry's has a better selection that's very well organized.

  • gshell

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 7:17 am PT

    i mean my god when you're charging full price for games that are 3 years old of course no one is going to buy them.....they need to bring back the 5 dollar coupons.

  • dmish82

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 6:48 am PT

    @Autolycus

    Me and you both. I usually kill my lunch breaks at Best Buy just browsing around.

  • Andy9Beans

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 6:20 am PT

    Used games may not feed profit through to developers, but for some it's the only way to experience games without shelling out the exorbitant RRP's. Maybe if the industry was more open to used games then developers of games and systems would be better able to capitalise.

    For example, maybe if Sony had launched ALL PS3's with backwards compatibility then maybe they'd have covered their R&D costs by now.

    I reckon developers should be producing more online add-ons and releasing platinum versions earlier. This would reduce production overheads and allow developers to capitalise upon extending the life of their own games.

  • Autolycus

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 5:52 am PT

    If used games were the only ones sold(or start to take off) you can say goodbye to a very large portion of quality video games. ALL OF THAT PROFIT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE RESELLER, NOT THE DEVELOPER, PUBLISHER, ADVERTISER, etc.



    Buying used games is extremely bad for the future of ALL video games... but im guessing that wont stop you...

  • Autolycus

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 5:51 am PT

    price the determining factor, however a LOT less people are going into best buy to look around (which generated probably a couple million dollars of sales a year). I go already knowing I wont be spending anything. If americans actually started to feel guilty for using their money, (like I do buying food, because my bills are more important, sadly enough) then maybe this wouldnt happen.

  • metaljeff

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 5:34 am PT

    Wally World has the best return policy(90 days)...Best Buy only gives you 30 days to return a defective game and get a new one that works

  • Fatslick911

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 12:52 am PT

    No sales? I just got Madden for $35 last week. I like best buy better. They are def more reliable than Circuit City and Walmart.

    Personally I think Gamecrazy is better than Gamestop. Face it many stores don't have sales on video games because they're trying to make money.

  • the_greenzero

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 12:27 am PT

    Damn considering so many games came out that's weird.

  • mad_krips

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 11:16 pm PT

    Well all you Gamestop cheapskates can hate on best buy all you want, I am never buy any game that is not last gen from them ever again. If any of you gamestoppers can show me ONE deal on a NEW GAME, please do so. Just one. Cause I'm not buying any piece of crap used games from them. Even the new games from them are used because they open them and play them before they sell it to you.
    I want my games brand new factory sealed with that 'new game smell' emanating from it when I tear the plastic because I am the first person to place my fingertips on it since it shipped from the factory. Best Buy gives me deals on these games every week. Plus they give me reward zone points and possibly an extra $10 gift card too. Gamestop only has deals on used games, and the preorder incentives from them are total BS. A Ryu headband.. oh wow like a piece of red cloth is that hard to come by, give me a break.

    Anyways all you people saying Best Buy has no deals and Gamestop does, please, look on Best Buy's weekly ad, then find me a deal at Gamestop on a NEW game. Then we can know you're not bulls***in

  • stories84

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 10:07 pm PT

    The reason we should buy games at Best Buy is because they have Reward Zone. Gamers in particular get bonus Reward Zone points! (Spend $150 gaming dollars, get $12 back in certificates)

  • fathed102

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 9:47 pm PT

    Please buy your games at Best Buy! Im so annoyed by the people at Gamestop trying to get me to pre-order games I dont care about!

  • Korruption50

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 7:43 pm PT

    mmalloy: Totally agree with you on that. I dont mind spending a little more money for something I can get immediatly. Plus I like to get my games from an organized store with a pretty large selection of games (Bestbuy).

    billbradsky: Overspending got us into a recession? *facepalm* Improper spending is more like it. Wars and a housing crisis got us here. If you think saving money will save us then you are sadly mistaken. Saving is the one thing we shouldnt do. We need to SPEND to get ourselves out of this situation. If you own a business like Best Buy and everyone stops buying there items what happens? They go bankrupt and go out of business. Look at the Great Depression and see what happened there and how people got scared and went from spending to selling and saving. Anyways go buy games so that they can continue to make them for us.

  • Zidaneski

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 7:33 pm PT

    I would go to Best Buy but I'm starting to get used to Gamestop. I guess its kinda cool to have so many games in such a small place. Hope Best Buy hangs in there though.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 7:25 pm PT

    I haven't boughten a game from Best Buy in a while, but I live in the city and we've two GameStops like 3 blocks from each other, and all the Best Buys are in rural areas, the only time I buy games at Best Buy is when my mom gets me a Best Buy gift card for my birthday or Christmas... well, sometimes I do end up going there, like if a new game in high demand comes out and none of the local stores near home have any I'll get a ride out to go to Best Buy or Target if they have copies

  • white_jaguar

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 7:12 pm PT

    I like amazon. cuz i don't mind waiting a few days. I love walking around best buy and checking out stuff, but I really haven't bought games from them. plus hey, a few dollars cheaper, no tax and free shipping makes amazon more worthwhile for me. plus the price difference is sometimes great. I mean $40 vs $60 plus tax, makes a huge difference to me.

  • mmallory

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 6:50 pm PT

    I buy games at Best Buy, mainly because I'm not concerned with spending more time to find a game for a couple of bucks cheaper. Plus I'd rather go somewhere and walk out with the game, go home and immediately play than order it online and wait a couple of days to get it.

  • veggie530

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 6:36 pm PT

    Madkrips...yeah, agreed with that. I just hate the hassle of eBay and Amazon, lol. Gamestop IS a ripoff, that's undoubtedly true... but it has given me an avenue for getting rid of games I don't really want anymore.

    I might give eBay and Amazon a try, though. I tried doing stuff like that before and it always just seemed like a hassle.

    More on topic, though... Best Buy is a little consumer-unfriendly. Their shipping is way too expensive, imo. The actual in-store experience is better, though.

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