GameStop has recently announced that it is currently in the process of conducting exploratory talks with prospective buyers. That’s according to a statement published by the company on its website earlier this week. However, the new and used game retailer was quick to point out that there is no guarantee of a deal resulting from the discussions and that no agreements are expected as of this writing. Moreover, none of the details about the talks can be expected until such time as the company deems fit to announce them.
The closed nature of the talks follows a general decline in the companies specific market segment over the past several years as more publishers move to digital content distribution models. The company itself previously underwent substantial downsizing, including the sale of approximately 150 retail locations although it still claims operation across 14 different countries in more than 7,200 stores. Meanwhile, it also ended a deal with AT&T which saw the company buying and selling Cricket Wireless devices in-store. The reason for those moves wasn’t very clearly cited by the company but appears to fall in with the previously mentioned decline in physical game sales. Namely, it appears as though the company intended to put more resources toward its primary business. However, if the decline in physical sales continues, with digital sales in some cases comprising at or above 50-percent of games sold, over-specialized retail locations such as GameStop may have effectively outlived their purpose.
The talks themselves, meanwhile, won’t automatically result in a sale. At the same time, a sale of the company won’t necessitate the closing of its retail locations or operations. For now, these appear to be mostly aimed at providing GameStop with a basis of understanding for its position and valuation in the more general technology and gaming market. That doesn’t mean it won’t ultimately sell if terms and a price are offered within a certain range. With that said, for the time being, the company’s loyal customers don’t necessarily have anything to worry about in terms of finding a new place to buy and sell their used games or gaming accessories.