Report: UK Retail Giant GAME to Cease Trade-Ins

Trading second-hand video games has been a tried and true method for many years, but the British retailer GAME may be about to end the practice. That's according to staff, who say it could end soon.

According to a recent report from Eurogamerseveral people working at many GAME branches claim that the trading of physical copies of games will stop on February 16.

At the time of writing, the FAQ section on the company's website it states that “consoles, games and gaming accessories” can still be exchanged. This suggests that there is no official announcement yet on the change if, indeed, it comes to fruition.

It's no secret that the video game industry has largely shifted towards digital technology over the years, so this development is perhaps no surprise. GAME moving away from buying used titles will likely leave room for other retailers, such as technology and media outlet CEX, to gain additional trade-in potential.

From 1992, GAME became the biggest name in video games in the UK market. Although the company went into administration in 2012, it was rescued by British private equity firm OpCapita. In 2019 it was bought by Fraser Group – owner of House of Fraser and Sports Direct.

However, standalone branches have struggled to stay open, and many now exist as concessions within other Fraser Group stores.

GAME has not yet indicated whether it will no longer allow its customers to trade software. If so, it will be another nail in the coffin for physical media.