While the writing has been on the wall for games retail for ages as the industry (and it's customers) adapt, sky-high rents in UK high streets and shopping centres, thus forcing various chains out of the place where footfall is highest, is also to blame. There's just no profit when your overheads are that high and margins so slim. They've tried merchandise, have an online store, have tried every loyalty and events scheme under the sun, but it's just not going to work outside of the biggest cities and shopping centres where the passing trade justifies the rent. Even the central London one was priced out of Oxford Street.
One of the stores closing is Watford- they've been in that shopping centre for nearly 30 years, since it opened its doors. Seeing as they are still largely selling £40 games to parents and kids and young adults on the Saturday shop, I can't even begin to imagine how much their rent and staff overheads have changed in that time. I'm surprised they lasted this long.
I wonder which affected their bottom line the most- increased shift to digital, online retailers like Amazon, or the rent increases.