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Supermarkets have overtaken specialist video game stores to become the UK’s highest-earning retailers in the video games sector.
The latest issue of MCV reports that “the likes of Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have edged past GAME and Amazon” and are now making more money from games sales “than any other retail sector”.
The magazine claims to have seen data supporting its report by consumer research company Kantar Worldpanel.
Supermarkets have tended to aggressively price promote new releases in recent years, often undercutting specialist retailers.
Just this week, Tesco and Sainsbury’s ran promotions on Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, allowing gamers to pick up a cut price copy of the game when purchased with other items.
“We are in an economic climate where money is tighter than ever,” Asda’s head of video games told the magazine.
“Customers demand the lowest price and this channel has always been focused on delivering this.”
Thirkell suggests that “the switch towards family and younger gamers” has also helped supermarkets grow their market share.
However, games retail is continuing to grow online. Game sales through online retailers continues to be the “fastest growing retail sector for games,” the magazine reports.
Earlier this year, GAME Group entered administration after its business was hit by competition. The chain was forced to close 277 of its high street stores, but was later rescued by Comet’s parent company OpCapita.
Source: MCV
