UK retailer plunges into administration – all shops closing down | UK | News
A popular high street retail store has gone into administration with all its stores closing. GAME is a UK-based retailer specializing in video games, consoles, accessories and gaming products, offering both new and second-hand items as well as trade-in options in its high street stores and online store.
The company has entered administration once again after previously going through this process in 2012. The retailer was rescued in a £52m deal by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct in 2019 and was later rebranded as Frasers Group the same year. It was also confirmed that chief executive Nick Arran would resign after nine years in charge; Arran is an established name in physical media retailing, with past roles at HMV, Blockbuster and ShopTo.
Reports indicate that the last three remaining brick-and-mortar stores will be closed in April 2026. This development triggered a 10-day period during which creditors were temporarily prevented from taking action after the company announced last week that it intended to appoint administrators.
Over the years GAME gradually reduced the number of high street stores as it continued to experience financial crisis. The brand will continue to operate through franchised outlets within Sports Direct and other Frasers Group businesses, including around 200 existing locations at House of Fraser.
At the beginning of 2024, the company pulled out of the pre-owned market and discontinued both the Xbox All Access offer and rewards program later that year.
*** Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us your Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***
As of July 2024, GAME had also stopped taking in-store pre-orders. In April the retailer made redundancies as most employees moved to zero-hour contracts, and by August the majority of staff at head office had been made redundant. In 2025, the company announced that it had to cancel “some” pre-orders for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
To talk Oyun Endüstrisi.bizManaging Director Nick Arran said: “Gaming is our core business and we will be the last to sell physical video games.
“We see our place in the market as proving that there is a place for physical, whether it’s collector’s editions of video games that we view as vinyl, or gift givers who don’t want to complete a download code for Christmas. But we have to be realistic. We have a business to run and we have an expectation that that will decrease. So we need to fill that gap.”
“Expect more locations from us. We are in ongoing discussions with Frasers Group about where we can open more franchises.”
