http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/gamestop-shares-plunge-15-percent-on-weak-sales

Shares in US specialist retailer GameStop have fallen by almost 15 per cent following its revelation earlier this week of poor Holiday sales.

The company reported revenues down by 8.6 per cent for the nine-week period ending January 2 at USD 2.86 billion, significantly lower than most analysts had predicted.

As a result trading in GameStop stock opened yesterday sharply down, before rallying slightly to end the day at USD 20.46, a fall of 14.9 per cent.

The company also slashed its Q4 forecast to an estimate of a 8.5-9.5 per cent decline, compared to previous guidance of a 4-7 per cent decline.

However, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter believes that the firm can regain some of its market share throughout this year, ahead of another tough challenge next Holiday.

"We believe that industry sales will rebound in 2010 and that GameStop is well positioned to gain share the first half of the year," he wrote in a note to investors. "The company has high exposure to the hardcore software releases, which we expect to drive market growth in 2010, and comparatively low exposure to hardware, which we expect to decline.

"The company's appeal to hardcore gamers will become increasingly important as Wii sales stagnate and Q1's long-awaited slate of games comes to market."

Sometimes I wish Gamestop would burn to the ground. Problem is, people would still buy their smoldering piles of games for $3 to $5 less than most retail games.

What about the Wii HD?

It's Wii-bashing time, I guess.

I don't think it's really Wii bashing. The article barely touches on the Wii - but what I can gather is that all he's really saying is the typical Wii consumer might be more likely to go to a more general entertainment store then a specific game retailer, for whatever reason.

I'm not sure where he even blames the Wii?

So what Pachter is saying is that the Wii artificially kept Gamestop shares afloat thanks to its amazing sales, while "hardcore" games/systems didn't do shit to help Gamestop. Yet he still believes the future is those "hardcore" games/systems? What an ass.

He probably said that because the Wii is pretty much carrying most of the industry on its back, so if sales drop for the Wii then places like Game stop, Best buy, and Walmart will feel it.

why do you people say hardcore its called HD console games. so then when comparing PC.

Half the time I goto gamestop they don't have the wii game I am looking for in stock. Walmart almost always has it in.  From what I can tell, they don't even make a note that someone came in asking for a specific game they were lacking.

What do they mean Wii sales stagnate, when it outsold 360 and PS3 combined 4th quarter?

Pachter is right approximately 0% of the time. Don't know why he'd be right now.