GameStop, one of the leading physical retailers for both new and used games, that usually has trade-in programs for games consoles as well, has reported a staggering $673 million loss in its 2018 performance.

All facets of GameStops' business have worsened: new hardware sales, new software sales, and pre-owned (which declined some 13.2% YoY) all lost money for the company, with no bright spot to be seen anywhere in the previously bright sheen of this particular part of the retail games and entertainment market. GameStop spoke of a "new cost savings and profit improvement initiative in place, we will focus our efforts on driving profitability", which justifies the company's positive outlook for 2019.
Personally I believe the company will eventually close its doors
 

GameStop is the Blockbuster Video of computer gaming. They're dead already and just don't know it yet. The sales paradigm has shifted elsewhere.

Diversified businesses without all their eggs in one basket (like walmart) will just scale back console games inventory to only the most popular games just like they did with PC games over the years. I remember 10 years ago their pc games isle was 30ft long. Today, it’s 5th wide with a couple of new popular titles and a bunch of almost freeware programs selling for $5.

Dukman
It might cause a minor hiccup in the console side of things, but I don't see anything more than that.


People are finally figuring out that Game Stop deals are not all that good and that some practices are downright shady.   Plus Amazon, WalMart, Target, ect are all hurting GS in the online market as well.  Then there is the fact that you can get most new console games on your console.  Including hardware.  (If you're willing to pay msrp)

The way I look at digital sales vs. going into a GameStop is that I would be paying a gallon of gas and spending an hour of my time. That is going to be at least worth 10% to 15% off the MSRP of a new release or a new controller to me. It also totally makes the value of trading in a used game pointless when you consider the cost to you to go in and sell it back to them.

Well it's about time Sears....I mean Gamestop got its act together!  Welcome to 2019.

Brad_Hawthorne
I picture the same people that own the CompUSA, TigerDirect and Circuit City IPs buying them too. 

Wow... those are names I haven't heard in a LONG time! Brings back memories :-) 
 
GameStop had plenty of opportunity to change their image, business plan, and beyond. They road that dead horse until the very end. As time goes on media changes, records, cassettes, CDs, etc. Everything is digital these days... I see the software market, going completely digital in the next 10yrs or so. Especially with fiber now being a viable option in many larger cities. No need to go out and buy a hard copy of anything anymore. 
 
Does put a downer on "Midnight Releases" though... no more hanging out at the store with other fans and talking about games; did that for two games in my lifetime... 1) Burning Crusade expansion, 2) Fallout
 
Too bad we don't have software and hard ware that make people better drivers...no patch for human stupidity I guess.