GameStop Refuses to Close During Coronavirus Pandemic: It Believes It’s “Essential Retail”

[Tsing]

Image: GameStop



Businesses around the globe are shutting down due to COVID-19, but GameStop has decided to keep all of its stores open because it thinks video games are just as important as food and medicine.



Kotaku obtained the following memo, which was sent to staff this afternoon:



“Due to the products we carry that enable and enhance our customers’ experience in working from home, we believe GameStop is classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time.”“We have received reports of local authorities visiting stores in an attempt to enforce closure despite our classification. Store Managers are approved to provide the document linked below to law enforcement as needed.”



“The document in question encourages police officers to call GameStop’s corporate...

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[Brian_B]

Totally
Essential

 

[Grimlakin]

Microcenter.. sure, Best buy, ok, frys, if they have stock. But the freaking pawn shop for teenagers? Nope.

 

[Niner51]

Probably can't afford to be closed. Can think of way more essential places to be open.

 

[JosiahBradley]

I went to my local GameStop today, during lockdown. I only went in cause I was getting food next door (take out only allowed) Everyone outside by the Trader Joes was spaced out a nice 6 feet away and they were only letting 20 people into the store at a time. GameStop on the other hand had both doors wide open to the air and this location was closing actually.

Now to play devil's advocate. This is not GameStops fault. The local government actually gave them a permit to stay open during lockdown as essential. This is just Gamestop taking advantage of a corrupt broken system. You can literally apparently bribe your way out of a quarantine.

Then again I'm at fault for going into the store too, I just didn't purchase anything cause the shelves were pretty empty. But it is silly they were open, they even sent me an email inviting me to that particular location.

All in all I'm just going to accept my fate now that the World's gone mad.