The demise of local gaming stores?

[Tizona]

S____M____C____C said:

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).

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)