The tragic outbreak of the Coronavirus has seen the delay and cancellation of a number of major events. The release of films like F9, Black Widow, and No Time to Die have all had to be pushed back to accommodate for the virus, while events like E3, GDC, and the Overwatch League have all be canceled while the outbreak persists. It seems there’s been another unfortunate slate of cancellations on a much smaller level, however, with GameStop having to make a number of sacrifices due to concerns surrounding customer safety.
Announced by the major video game retailer, it appears GameStop will no longer hold several in-store events to prevent visitors from potentially contracting the virus. These include a number of major midnight releases for some of 2020’s biggest upcoming games as well as a handful of other popular activities often held in the store.
Naturally, this will come as a disappointment to GameStop shoppers looking forward to the upcoming midnight releases of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Doom Eternal, with a large number of fans now having to cancel their plans to come together at midnight to enjoy the two blockbuster titles. Of course, it’s essential to remember that these decisions have been made with the consumer’s safety in mind, especially as public events have been heavily cautioned against as the virus quickly spreads further and further across the world.
This does, however, come as yet another blow against GameStop, who has been having an increasingly tough time over the last few years. Recently, the store declared that it would be assembling a task force to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus in stores, however, mere days later it was revealed that employees were struggling to even find hand sanitizer in stores. It mounts atop even more issues surrounding the store’s financial woes and significant layoffs, with the store slowly but surely inching closer and closer to going under.
However, the popular video game retailer recently brought Reggie Fils-Aime onto its board of directors, with many seeing the former Nintendo of America president as a potential savior for the dying brand. Hopefully, the Coronavirus won’t be the final nail in the coffin for GameStop, and the chain of stores can use Reggie’s extensive experience to bring the retailer back to prominence after the outbreak has subsided. Until then, GameStop stores will supposedly remain open despite the pandemic quickly becoming more and more of a pressing issue.
