
GameStop: We Can Stay Open During Lockdowns Because We're 'Essential Retail' - unionpivo
https://kotaku.com/gamestop-we-can-stay-open-during-lockdowns-because-wer-1842415962
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madhadron
GameStop is going out of business. This is a last ditch attempt to fend that
off. And I would hope that any cop in an area with lockdowns in place would
simply say, "Nice piece of paper. You're closing."

~~~
benatkin
I have no love for GameStop, but I really liked Thinkgeek, which got bought by
GameStop. GameStop already ruined it AFAICT so I don't mind if GameStop goes
out of business...

~~~
mywittyname
ThinkGeek will be the asset to emerge from the ashes of GameStop.

It was a smart acquisition by GS executives. Unfortunately, they weren't smart
enough to manage the brand as well as they should have. The parent company
should have inverted to become ThinkGeek immediately after the acquisition
because it's pretty obvious to even layman that the retail market for video
games is dead within a generation or so, while the market for pop-culture
tchotchkes is evergreen.

~~~
rideontime
What even remains of ThinkGeek, apart from name recognition? At least before
the GameStop acquisition they sold some unique products. Now, as far as I can
tell, they just sell the same fandom merch you can get anywhere.

~~~
zentiggr
Had GameStop management not neutered it, there would still be lots of unique
things going on.

Turning an already online platform for truly cool items, into a side counter
in only a few core stores, just goes to show how truly clueless GS management
really is.

Yeah, I'm bitter. Wife and I gifted each other lots of TG stuff over the
years.

~~~
toomuchtodo
Let’s band together and buy it in liquidation :)

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sschueller
These executives are showing their true selves in this crisis and it is
absolutely disgusting. From Elon Musk to Jeff Bezos, these are not idols, they
are parasites on our society.

~~~
uxcolumbo
I probably missed a few news cycles, but what Musk and Bezos do you would
class as disgusting during this crisis?

I heard Tesla is going to produce ventilators?

~~~
TeMPOraL
I used to be Elon's fanboy until very recently, but I can't really explain his
recent coronavirus tweets, saying that the panic is dumb, children don't get
it, or that it'll all be over by April. He's the last person on the planet I'd
suspect of not getting the basic math behind the infection, or the basic facts
of it.

~~~
ardy42
> I used to be Elon's fanboy until very recently, but I can't really explain
> his recent coronavirus tweets, saying that the panic is dumb, children don't
> get it, or that it'll all be over by April. He's the last person on the
> planet I'd suspect of not getting the basic math behind the infection, or
> the basic facts of it.

Hasn't he always been overconfident in his opinions and often acts like those
who disagree with him are wrong (and sometimes even bad), even those who
arguably know better than him?

~~~
TeMPOraL
In the past, he was usually right.

~~~
ardy42
He's wrong a lot, in big ways. For instance, here's an article I quickly
googled:

[https://analyticsindiamag.com/the-many-failed-predictions-
pr...](https://analyticsindiamag.com/the-many-failed-predictions-promises-by-
elon-musk/)

I think Musk is more often wrong than not, but a lot of people focus so much
on when he's been right that they forget all the rest and form a false
impression.

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ceilingcorner
And modern people wonder how the witch-hunts happened in the Middle Ages and
Renaissance. The mob-like response to this is sad and deranged...

Many companies will go out of business as a direct response to these closings.
Millions of people will lose jobs. Before throwing out insults, consider that
GameStop probably _has_ to try and stay open, or they'll go extinct.

Considering that a retail employee that sells video games isn't exactly an in-
demand profession, you're also looking at the livelihoods of 16,000 full-time
and 23-45,000 part-time people. Corporations aren't just faceless bogeymen.

~~~
braythwayt
Excuse me, but let's stop this line of thinking right now.

No business has a right to do whatever it thinks it must to survive. Tobacco
companies don't get to do whatever they think they must to survive.

If a restaurant is in trouble, it doesn't get to tell its employees to speed
up service by not washing their hands, nor does it get to hire employees under
the table for cash to avoid payroll taxes or minimum wage, nor does it get to
serve slaughtered horse to save money on beef.

Companies do not have an inalienable right to existence. If they cannot make
money while being good members of society, they must close or be forcibly
closed.

~~~
throwawaysea
“While being good members of society” is an argument often used to justify
suppression of free speech and other authoritarian tactics.

~~~
kazagistar
I'm pretty sure free speech being used the justify making society worse is the
bigger more real danger we experience in the present day.

~~~
throwawaysea
I strongly disagree. Free speech is fundamental to any society that respects
individuals, their freedoms/agency, and letting ideas compete. If anything,
the most alarming trend is people railing against free speech without any
understanding of what it's like to live in suppressed societies.

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RegnisGnaw
Tin-Foil-Theory: They are trying to keep open to today for the release of DOOM
Eternal and Animal Crossing.

~~~
XaspR8d
That's my foil-free theory; those are two _very_ large releases! Regardless of
sales, not being able to fulfill all the customer preorders would probably
tank their remaining brand confidence irrevocably.

~~~
SAI_Peregrinus
And with a shared fanbase. Somehow DOOM and Animal Crossing go together.

~~~
RegnisGnaw
I got Doom Eternal for myself, Animal Crossing for my wife. All online though.

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KingMachiavelli
At least working at a GameStop in 2020 is pretty close self isolating.

TBH I don't quite understand the outlash against some business deciding to
stay open. A GameStop doesn't take more than 1 or 2 people to run, especially
right now, and transactions are pretty simple and inovlve minimal contact. And
they have a point about selling products people may want during this time.

As far as I know, Walmart will still sell video games despite only being
exempted because they sell food & essential supplies. It's probably more
dangerous to have to go to a Walmart either food or video games compared to
going to a GameStop given the # of people typically at Wallmart.

~~~
mikestew
Since things started shutting down here in WA, and I’m kind of house-bound due
to recent surgery, I’ve managed to not only buy video games but an entire
console (finally bought that Switch), all without leaving my house. And, no,
of course I didn’t buy it from GameStop. They’re still in business?

Frankly, this comes off as pathetic regardless, they can do what they want.
But essential? I can’t download groceries, but name me a game platform that
requires physical media.

~~~
KingMachiavelli
I mean having stuff shipped to your house just shifts the exposure from you to
workers. Is Amazon essential? Amazon suspended some non-essential shipments
(to them not customers) but they could get by with even fewer employees should
they decide to only ship essential goods.

While of course I don't think GameStop _really_ needs to be open. - I am more
curious if people's attitudes will change in 2-4 weeks of self isolating. I
think there's a certain excitement/anxiety to this at first especially among
those where self isolating means working from home to semi-vaction.
Eventually, I think a lot of people's commitment to self isolating/distancing
will waver.

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dantillberg
In a sense, this rings true in this pandemic, right? Many people are relying
on video games for entertainment while confined to their homes.

\-------

Edit to reply to the comments below: A lot of good replies, thank you. I've
largely been on the "doom and gloom" side of this COVID-19 debate, so I'm
surprised by the other angrier replies, but here's my thinking:

\- People that download games aren't going to GameStop anyway.

\- As some comments pointed out, you can't download consoles. You also can't
have anything shipped to you if you don't have a credit card.

\- GameStop transactions don't require close personal contact (unlike e.g.
tattoos or massages).

\- GameStop must discourage congregation of groups in their stores. I imagine
very low foot traffic.

\- GameStop must provide staff with appropriate cleaning tools. If they can't,
then they should not remain open.

\- I do really like the idea to transform the store into a local delivery
service, or to offer pick up only.

\- I have no connection to GameStop nor have I been to one in over a decade.

~~~
pwthornton
You can download digital games. There aren’t many people who buy modern
consoles and PC games who need physical copies.

And then other retailers like Target will remain open because they sell
medicine and food — and physical video games.

There is no reason for GameStop to remain open.

~~~
ceejayoz
Hell, I can get any game I want off Amazon, too. It'll just show up on my
doorstep a few days later.

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Pfhreak
This is reprehensible. Under no reasonable definition are they essential
retail, and they are putting human lives in danger.

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Vysero
Wait... GameStop stays open but my local library has to close? This really is
the end times.

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ComputerGuru
Apparently from their corporate call they’re concerned that closing now would
be permanent for them.

~~~
urthen
Good. Failing businesses should fail. That's Capitalism. And that's exactly
why we need social safety nets for their employees.

~~~
Noos
The problem is that failing now empowers Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Steam. There
are no small chains that can seize the opportunity to fill the void. We're
going to end up with defacto monopolies I think; maybe only Walmart for people
to get new physical games.

~~~
Karunamon
I don't think Gamestop really qualifies as a small chain. Besides, the retail
market for games will be dead here before too long, everything's going
digital. It won't be Steam and Amazon, it'll be Steam and Sony and Microsoft
and Epic.

Actually I think at this point there are more competitors in the digital space
than physical...

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umvi
Here's a crazy idea:

In order to speed up this quarantine, we should ask for "herd immunity
volunteers" who basically volunteer to get infected (healthy young adults
only). They would go into their own quarantine until they are no longer
infected in which case they can be released into society, and since they are
now immune, may be suited for certain jobs that require contact with infected.

~~~
ativzzz
Yes, we should do this and send them to the essential jobs to keep society
afloat, like working at a GameStop store.

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throwawaysea
Different people will have different needs and circumstances. What’s essential
shouldn’t be dictated centrally - I think that’s too draconian. Instead focus
on the parameters - reduce max gathering size, require businesses to implement
max customer limits, cleaning procedures, and queueing procedures that include
distancing. We don’t need to be perfect about this, just good enough.

In the case of GameStop - mental health matters to people, and games are an
important outlet especially if they live alone. The alternative is that they
will violate guidance on gatherings. And GameStop also sells equipment you can
use to work from home. I don’t think it’s just groceries or healthcare that
should be allowed to operate. People who fear what’s coming next might want to
shop camping/outdoors stores, or maybe they need to get their car fixed up if
they need to leave, or whatever else. I understand the logic behind it, but I
feel a blanket rule banning most businesses from operating isn’t the right
move.

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gunshai
When does their stock hit a price of 0? Currently trading @ 3.95~

~~~
kmlx
when they close for covid19.

standard catch 22.

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AdmiralAsshat
Hopefully there's a class-action lawsuit on behalf of any employees who become
sick as a result of this decision.

But then, this company is clearly on its way out. I'd be very suspicious at
the moment that the execs are finding ways to funnel remaining funds to their
golden parachutes before they declare bankruptcy.

~~~
Exmoor
I'm assuming you meant, "against Gamestop by any employees who become sick.."
?

~~~
AdmiralAsshat
Edited to clarify. Thanks!

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ebrenes
Someone with a bit more knowledge, but isn't this basically correct, despite
how moronic it sounds. Yesterday I was looking at California's critical sector
list[1] and it seems stores like GameStop would be covered as critical
infrastructure at a first glance.

And it listed the following:

    
    
        Retail (e.g., retail centers and districts, shopping malls).[2]
    

[1] [https://www.cisa.gov/critical-infrastructure-
sectors](https://www.cisa.gov/critical-infrastructure-sectors)

[2] [https://www.cisa.gov/commercial-facilities-
sector](https://www.cisa.gov/commercial-facilities-sector)

~~~
barbecue_sauce
In PA, the governor published a spreadsheet that covers all infrastructure
sectors and sub-categories with a clear "Yes" or "No" cell to indicate whether
they were permitted to stay open. This is specific to COVID-19, however. The
CISA guidelines seem very general and not even cognizant of this type of
situation (even if you go to the section about COVID-19). California should
(if it doesn't) have its own plan that is possibly informed by CISA but
enacted by its governor.

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cmrdporcupine
Same crap from EBGames here in Canada:

[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/03/18/toronto-
employee...](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/03/18/toronto-employees-
are-being-told-to-work-in-the-face-of-covid-19-and-theyre-angry-and-
scared.html)

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asdfman123
False. There's always Steam and Xbox Live.

Otherwise, I would argue that video games are necessary for the lockdown.

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ihuman
HN post for vice's version of this story:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22631264](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22631264)

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Havoc
Considering shorting that stock...no way this ends well

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opwieurposiu
The government does not have the legal authority to quarantine people that
that are not sick. Thus they have no legal basis to shut down gamestop.
Gamestop is calling their bluff.

~~~
kazagistar
The government is legal authority.

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jacknews
gaming the system?

