U.S. video game retailer GameStop has seen its share value drop by almost 18% earlier this month. This drop came after a quarterly report in which the store chain admitted to failing to hit sales targets in both new hardware and new software.
GameStop have reported that even high-profile games such as Halo 5: Guardians and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate contributed to low profits by under-performing in sales, with a similar trend showing in the more recent Star Wars: Battlefront.
The company’s president Tony Bartel has said that some industry analysts believe the problem lies in digital downloads, for which GameStop doesn’t make any money. This statement is somewhat supported by Microsoft’s statement that Halo 5 was the biggest selling digital download ever through the Xbox store.
Despite this news, GameStop still reported an increase in pre-owned purchases and is certain that sales will pick up during the Black Friday sales. Though we may see better profits through the holiday period, it is worth wondering if this is another step toward an all-digital future.