After insisting that their stores are “essential” retail once lockdowns started due to coronavirus concerns, GameStop CEO George Sherman has confirmed that storefronts will temporarily close. Beginning on Sunday, GameStop stores will close their doors to customer traffic, but will still be available for online order delivery and curbside pick-up at locations.
“This is an unprecedented time and each day brings new information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Our priority has been and continues to be on the well-being of our employees, customers and business partners. We have been steadfast in our adherence to CDC-guided safety and local government orders for retailers in each of our communities,” George Sherman, GameStop’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement.
This is a change of tone after defiantly staying open in cities and states that have enforced shelter-in-place orders, despite not being approved to do so. On Friday, police officers even visited a store location in Athens, Georgia, and ordered the employees to close up shop. According to CNN Business, the officers “showed GameStop employees an 11-page ordinance that included a list of essential businesses, which CNN Business viewed. GameStop was not listed as one of them.”
While employees have expressed to CNN Business that they are relieved over the news, the fear of layoffs and no leave pay is very real. One New Jersey employee said, “I think I’ve cried every day since Monday… I’m trying not to cry in front of my staff…I feel very much like a pawn. It doesn’t matter what the staff on the ground does. They’re just expendable.” While a California employee says that “he does not expect to be paid beyond using up his vacation days.”
With so many staying home during the pandemic, more and more are turning on the video games. This week saw the highly anticipated releases of DOOM Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and many game companies are offering steep discounts on already published content. Steam has recorded a record-breaking 22 million concurrent users on their service alone. There is no doubt that closing doors will drastically impact GameStop at this time. Only time will tell to what extent.
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