A country that carries a long game culture, nurturing countless players' love and passion, and as a United Kingdom game retail giant, GAME has always been an indispensable part of players' hearts, carrying their infinite expectations for the game world
You are a gamer full of expectations, pre-order the game you have been dreaming of for a long time, but on the day of the game's release, you have not received any shipping information for a long time, and the anxiety gradually spreads, you start to search on social media, only to find that there are not a few players like you, disappointed, angry, questioning, all kinds of emotions are intertwined, and the trust in the game has begun to waver
The pre-order delay incident, like a ripple on a calm lake, quickly spread among the player community, players have shared their experiences on social media, complaining that the order has not arrived for a long time, the customer service response is slow, and even cannot be contacted, some players have to cancel the GAME pre-order in order to be able to play the game on time, and choose other retailers instead, or even buy at a higher price
Looking back at the cause of the incident, it can be traced back to the GAME parent company FrasersGroup once, in order to integrate resources, FrasersGroup decided to upgrade the GAME order management system, but this was encountered unexpected difficulties in actual operation, after the new system was launched, various problems followed, order information was lost, logistics information was chaotic, customer service system was paralyzed, and the original orderly pre-order process fell into chaos
In the face of the sudden crisis, the GAME management was obviously a little caught off guard, they just issued a brief announcement on the official website, admitting the problem of delaying the deposit order, and said that it was actively solving, this lack of sincerity and transparency response, obviously could not calm the anger of the players, as the incident continued to ferment, more and more players began to lose patience with the GAME, and the good reputation that had been accumulated was also facing an unprecedented test
For GAME, this pre-order delay incident is undoubtedly a heavy blow, it not only damages the company's reputation, but also makes players' trust in GAME greatly reduced, and the increasingly competitive game retail market is becoming increasingly fierce, and any mistake may give competitors an opportunity
This incident also exposed some problems in the management and operation of GAME, the lack of adequate testing and preparation for system upgrades, and the insufficient ability of the customer service team to respond to emergencies, all of which reflect the loopholes in the internal management of GAME
For players, this incident is also a wake-up call for them, when choosing a game retailer, in addition to price and discounts, we should pay more attention to the reputation and service quality of the merchant, only by choosing a trustworthy merchant, can we enjoy a safe and pleasant shopping experience
We should also note that GAME, as a game retail giant with many years of history, is also actively seeking solutions in the face of the crisis, increasing their customer service staff, working hard to solve the backlog of orders, and promising to compensate the affected players
Rebuilding trust will not happen overnight, and GAME needs to take more practical actions to win back players' hearts, deal with order delays openly and transparently, communicate with players in a timely manner, and compensate affected players reasonably
GAME also needs to fundamentally improve its own management level and service quality, strengthen internal management, improve system functions, and improve customer service efficiency, all of which GAME needs to work hard to avoid similar incidents from happening again and regain the trust of players
For GAME, this is a profound lesson, but also an opportunity to start anew, for players, this is a rights protection experience, but also an opportunity for growth, GAME can regain its glory, and bring players a better game experience
In the face of the new market environment, game retailers must actively seek change in order to remain invincible in the fierce competition, improve service quality, and optimize the shopping experience, which has become the key for game retailers to win players
When players walk into a game store, they are greeted no longer by cold shelves and perfunctory clerks, but by enthusiastic gaming enthusiasts who can provide professional advice, answer questions, and even discuss game ideas with players
Perhaps this is the future of the game retail industry, where game retailers are no longer just game sellers, but also become gamer partners, creating a fun and belonging community for players
Game retailers still have a long way to go to achieve this goal, and they need to continuously improve their professionalism, strengthen their communication with players, and create a more human, personalized service experience
For GAME, this pre-order delay event may be an opportunity for them to re-examine themselves and find their way forward
In addition to improving its own service level, GAME can also try to establish closer cooperation with game developers and publishers, and can cooperate with game developers to hold game trial activities in the store, invite well-known game producers to the store to interact with players, and even try to participate in the game development process to create exclusive customized game content for players
GAME can also use its own brand advantages to develop peripheral product business, such as launching limited-edition game peripherals, cooperating with well-known brands to launch co-branded products, and even trying to build its own e-sports team to participate in e-sports events and enhance brand influence
The future development path of GAME is full of opportunities and challenges, as long as they can face up to the problems, I believe they will be able to overcome the immediate difficulties.
This turmoil has also caused players to think about the game pre-order model, which was originally intended to be the first time to experience their favorite games, but with the development of the game industry, the pre-order model has also exposed some problems
In order to maximize profits, some game developers open pre-orders early before the game is developed, and induce players to pre-order through various marketing methods, but the quality of the final game is often unsatisfactory, and even "bounces" and "shrinks" occur, making players feel disappointed and angry
The pre-order model also poses risks for players, who often struggle to defend themselves if there is a problem with the game developer, or if the quality of the game is poor
When players pre-order games, they should be more rational, not be confused by the merchant's publicity, choose reputable game developers and retailers, read the pre-order agreement carefully, and understand the relevant refund policies to avoid damage to their rights and interests
Game developers and retailers should also be more disciplined, not to the detriment of players in pursuit of short-term profits, but to be player-centric, to do a good job in games, and to improve service quality, in order to win the trust and support of players
The GAME pre-order delay incident reflects that the game retail industry is in the throes of transformation, and in the face of the new market environment and player demand, game retailers need to continue to innovate and change in order to stand out from the fierce competition
For players, they should also look at the game pre-order model more rationally, choose reputable merchants, and protect their legitimate rights and interests
The game retail industry will become more mature and standardized, and players will be able to enjoy a better gaming experience