So I went to buy a 3ds and zelda at my favorite local game store. When I pulled up I noticed that it was replaced by a different store. Dejected, I went accross the street to Gamestop. It was a very hard thing for me to do because I don't care for how Gamestop treats gamers when it comes to selling back games.

Anyways, I have noticed this trend in the two cities that I live in. Many of the popular local game stores are going out of business. I don't like this trend because it is opening up the way for big box chains to corner the market. I was wondering if others have noticed this trend as well? Is there something that we can do to stop this from happening?

I actually don't know any independent gaming shops, which is a shame as I would use one if I had the chance. The closest I know of is a comic book store near my Grandma's house in Richmond that until about 2 years ago sold a very limited number of games. They stopped doing so due to competition from Supermarkets and the internet.

The sooner the world goes totally online for music, game and film the better.
Use the space from these retail stores productively.

Disagree. These retail spaces will be left unused, leading to further property value loss and blight.

It sucks. Local game stores have traditionally provided something more important than the newest games, or silly preorder bonuses. They have provided "community" which is something, no matter how fun sites like this are, cannot truly be replaced.

I don't think they will. Once housing picks up for example, many retail stores could be developed into housing. And I don't think there would be much job loss, since more online jobs would be created my such a move.

Maybe you're right with the 'community' thing. But when I've entered gamestop (In UK) on a few occassions, mostly what I see is overweight, sweaty males wearing 3/4 length trousers and a metallica t-shirt. I never judge people, but this isn't a community I personally want to be around. 

It's a long way off anyhow (everything moving online that is, the decline of independent/small games stores is already well underway).

If local gaming stores go out of business where I live I'd feel happy for the gamers living around me. The smaller gaming stores scam people by charging them $10 more on new games then what the marked price should be. Which is actually not allowed where I live. If that happens to you and you know about it they have to give you 5% or 10% off the real price of the game. But most people don't know that. For old games I've seen them charge up to $50 more then what the marked price is suppose to be.

The bigger gaming stores like GameStop and EBGames are horrible places to go to get your games. They have 3 people at the front where you can pay and only one them is actually ringing peoples stuff in and the one person ringing stuff in is only doing that 50% of the time. When I have to wait a half hour in line to buy a game, that's just ridiculous. I've actually been the only one in the entire store waiting in line to pay and the guy ignores me and just keeps working on marking the used games, then 10 minutes later allows me to pay. Another time I went to EBGames two parents were trying to find a game for their child and the guy working there got mad at them and treated them like they were idiots because they didn't understand something. The same guy always give me attitude when I buy a fighting game for the Xbox 360 (he sighs at me) and talks back to me when I ask for a product that isn't opening because I'm paying the NEW price. I bought another new EA Sports Active 2 game box so my mom could exercise with me and the guy got snippy at me because I came back to the store wanting a box that wasn't opened because the one he originally sold me had salt marks on the bands with the sensors, which means someone was sweating in it.

Now I only go to these stores if I have no other choice. I've found Blockbuster and big market places like Super Store and Walmart much nicer places to go and they are very helpful. Actually a lady working at electronics department in Super Store was the one that told me about the 5% or 10% off the item if it isn't marked correctly.

there is no way those stores can keep up. There are so many $20 pre-order bonuses and deals online that the mom and pop game stores can't keep up. The only independent game stores that I know of left in town are the ones that sell newer games along with games dating back to NES and Atari days. Some of those stores wheel and deal online in place like ebay to boost their profit.

Going Digital would be the Best choice for everybody.

Instead of medium to small developers like tri-Ace, Atlus and Gust having to split the difference between retailer and publisher they can publish there own and get full return for there games by going digital

I'm just saying, I can drive you down the 3 or 4 block stretch of road where my store is, and show you where 2 local game stores were, and have been empty for years.

and yeah, some communities I don't want to belong to either, but at least there is that choice available with the local shops. Ever tried just striking up a conversation with your local Gamestop? Every once in a while you find one guy who works there who's cool, but still, it's a retail shop 1st and as a company they do nothing to encourage gamers to hang out  there. They want you in, preorder something, out.

Trust me, I'm actually way less harsh on Gamestop and big box retail than most gamers, but the loss of independant, local game shops is a damn shame and something we will probably NEVER get back again. (along with record, comic and book stores)

yea but thats business, people are cheap and wont pay a little extra for the same product. it sucks, but think about that next time you go walmart to save a few pennies.