EA: We Hope GAME Rises From the Ashes
"Very pleased" with Mass Effect 3 and FIFA Street sales numbers.
GAME looks like it's well and truly finished, but at this dark hour it seems that the specialist retailer has an unlikely friend in Electronic Arts - publisher of the 'not-stocked-at-GAME' space opera sequel, Mass Effect 3. In fact EA's UK Managing Director, Keith Ramsdale, hopes and believes that the company will rise from the ashes of administration.
"I do hope and believe there will be a phoenix rising from the flames," he said today at the Westminster Media Forum. "GAME is full of good people, it's a good store, I just think they need a different approach and I'll think they'll have one," he added, emphasising that a definitive change in management is required.
"GAME is one retailer out of many, albeit historically a very good retailer," said Ramsdale, before hinting that the publisher doesn't necessarily need the retailer. "Without talking numbers I can tell you that when we shipped Mass Effect and FIFA Street we were very pleased with our numbers in the UK and GAME were unable to buy them.
"Would I rather there is a GAME? Absolutely I would. I believe that a specialist retailer does a lot for this industry... If you look at the current retail base, HMV seem to be stepping up and seem to be more solid. Amazon have done a good job of picking up content, so yes, there's more than just GAME. The opportunity for video game retailers is think broader than just the shiny discs."
GAME Group is currently seeking administration, and was taken off the London Stock Exchange yesterday after enduring several months of financial trouble. Its failure to pay back creditors forced them to try to negotiate better terms with publishers and suppliers. As a result, it couldn't stock Mass Effect 3, Mario Party 9, a number of Capcom titles among others.
Source: GI
"I do hope and believe there will be a phoenix rising from the flames," he said today at the Westminster Media Forum. "GAME is full of good people, it's a good store, I just think they need a different approach and I'll think they'll have one," he added, emphasising that a definitive change in management is required.
"GAME is one retailer out of many, albeit historically a very good retailer," said Ramsdale, before hinting that the publisher doesn't necessarily need the retailer. "Without talking numbers I can tell you that when we shipped Mass Effect and FIFA Street we were very pleased with our numbers in the UK and GAME were unable to buy them.
"Would I rather there is a GAME? Absolutely I would. I believe that a specialist retailer does a lot for this industry... If you look at the current retail base, HMV seem to be stepping up and seem to be more solid. Amazon have done a good job of picking up content, so yes, there's more than just GAME. The opportunity for video game retailers is think broader than just the shiny discs."
GAME Group is currently seeking administration, and was taken off the London Stock Exchange yesterday after enduring several months of financial trouble. Its failure to pay back creditors forced them to try to negotiate better terms with publishers and suppliers. As a result, it couldn't stock Mass Effect 3, Mario Party 9, a number of Capcom titles among others.
Source: GI
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