GameStop Instructs Employees to Ignore Law Enforcement And Not Shut Down

[sixam]

"GameStop has informed employees that if local authorities attempt to shut down their store in states with orders to close establishments deemed “non-essential,” they are to inform law enforcement that the company believes they should be “classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time.” The instructions came with a flyer to hand over to law enforcement, and includes the phone number for GameStop’s corporate office."

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkew ... oronavirus

Gamestop stores were never known for their cleanliness, and they are ill prepared for this pandemic. The company has been unable to provide adequate cleaning supplies to employees, instead asking them to seek out such supplies at local stores. The company has not extended sick leave policies to employees, instead asking them to rely on their existing time off options. Currently, GameStop is advising that employees turn off their “interactive gaming stations” where customers can play games. However, if companies like Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony have bought space in the store, that setup must remain working because it’s been paid for.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4agp ... -employees

[VideoGameCritic]

Obviously Gamestop is non-essential, but I think it's unfair to call them out for being ill-prepared for the pandemic. No company was prepared for this or could even have expected to be. Heck even the CDC was not and that's their whole job.

That said, I'm thinking this could be the nail in the coffin for a lot of brick-and-mortar retailers. They've already been hemorrhaging badly since Amazon took over, and now people are pretty much FORCED to shop online. And we don't know how long the situation will last either.

[Retro STrife]

Yeah, Gamestop is clearly non-essential, and I suspect the bad publicity from this will force them to follow the shutdowns. Their position about staying open isn't just news among gamers - I've seen it on mainstream news sites too. So the pressure will catch up with them.

However, we all know GameStop has been on the cusp of bankruptcy for several years. I never like to defend GameStop, but I wonder if this was a well-intentioned "last gasp" that came from the top, knowing that any closure will spell the end of the company.

As I've said before, I could personally survive without GameStop, but I do think its existence does more good than bad for the industry. And I would really miss Game Informer magazine if it goes under with it, since its owned by GameStop. GI is still putting out great issues and would be a big loss.