The demise of local gaming stores?

[S____M____C____C]

Tizona said:

S____M____C____C said:
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).