Author Topic: GameStop Acquires Rhino Video Games (Read 5426 times)

WindyMan · « **on:** January 06, 2007, 11:37:29 AM »

Blockbuster sells off its regional video game retailer to focus more on the movie rental business.

Blockbuster Reaches Agreement to Sell Rhino Video Games to GameStop

DALLAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI)(NYSE:BBI.B) today announced it has reached a definitive agreement for the sale of its Rhino Video Games chain to GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME)(NYSE:GME.B) for an undisclosed price. The sale is expected to close by the end of January.

Rhino Video Games is a regional retail chain specializing in buying, selling and trading video games. Rhino currently has 72 stores located in the Southeastern U.S. including Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

John Antioco, Blockbuster Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Today's announcement is in line with our goal to maintain focus on our Blockbuster-branded assets. We wish the Rhino concept ongoing success under its new ownership, and while games remain an integral part of our Blockbuster business, we will continue to focus on growing our overall share of the video rental market both through our stores and through BLOCKBUSTER Total Access™, which gives our online subscribers the option of returning their DVDs through the mail or exchanging them at a participating BLOCKBUSTER® store for free in-store movie rentals."

R. Richard Fontaine, GameStop Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "The integration of the Rhino group into the growing portfolio of GameStop stores will result in operating synergies while being accretive to earnings. The location of most Rhino stores do not overlap existing GameStop sites, and primarily serve secondary and tertiary markets where we have been very successful. Furthermore, the Rhino business model, and a very game oriented management team, will fit seamlessly into the GameStop culture."

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2007, 11:44:33 AM »

I live in Miami, and I've NEVER heard of Rhino Video Games.

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2007, 11:57:59 AM »

Even though no one has ever heard of Rhino, it's still a damn shame that Gamestop continues to do this. It's a marvel how such a terrible company can succeed like this.

MysticGohan · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2007, 12:00:55 PM »

I have, it's been around for years, most of that chain is in the south. Quite sad really. They were really good. Nothing but gaming merchandise with kiosks set up all over. And they never try to sell you something you didn't want *Cough*EB*cough*

Shecky · « **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2007, 01:14:20 PM »

Does this include GameRush?

Nick DiMola · « **Reply #5 on:** January 06, 2007, 01:18:03 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: ViewtifulGamer
I live in Miami, and I've NEVER heard of Rhino Video Games.

I used to live in Tampa Bay and I hadn't heard about them until all my friends went to UF for college. Apparantly it is a pretty good chain of stores. As a matter of fact, one of my best friends got his Wii at the one in Gainesville.

Sir_Stabbalot · « **Reply #6 on:** January 06, 2007, 01:38:43 PM »

Exactly how many stores have GameStop bought out so far? It's to the point there's no dedicated video game store around where I live except GameStop.

TJ Spyke · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2007, 01:44:54 PM »

I had never heard of Rhino Video Games either until I read this news the other day.

GameStop isn't that bad, it's better than EB (which is weird since they are basically the same store, but I have a better experience in GS). The only time they piss me off is when they try and sell me a display copy, i'm not paying full price for a game that has already been opened.

Mario323 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 06, 2007, 02:12:06 PM »

I agree. Gamestop isn't so bad. They botched my 360 console preorder, but who didn't? And I haven't heard of Rhino Games either, but I live in New Mexico.

Viewtiful mario · « **Reply #9 on:** January 06, 2007, 02:12:41 PM »

What's so bad about gamestop? They never tried selling me anything, maby all of your just have bad clerks.

Nemo · « **Reply #10 on:** January 06, 2007, 05:48:12 PM »

Anytime I ask about a game, they ask me if I want to pre-order it. If you go there looking for a game the day it comes out and you didn't pre-order it, they probably won't have it. However, walk into Best Buy and you'll find plenty of copies sitting on a shelf. That's what pisses me off about GameStop. Also, when they bought out FuncoLand, (I'm not sure how local they were... I live in Massachusetts), that meant they stopped carrying NES, SNES, Genesis, Dreamcast, N64.... That pissed me off a lot.

MysticGohan · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2007, 07:39:49 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Mr. Jack
Quote
Originally posted by: ViewtifulGamer
I live in Miami, and I've NEVER heard of Rhino Video Games.

I used to live in Tampa Bay and I hadn't heard about them until all my friends went to UF for college. Apparantly it is a pretty good chain of stores. As a matter of fact, one of my best friends got his Wii at the one in Gainesville.

Gainesville, eh? I was born there.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #12 on:** January 06, 2007, 08:42:25 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KnowsNothing
It's a marvel how such a terrible company can succeed like this.

Easy: Kill off all competitors in an area so people have nowhere else to go, do everything in your power to fester awful but profitable warranties, strategy guides and accessories on people.

Sir_Stabbalot · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2007, 04:09:28 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
Quote
Originally posted by: KnowsNothing
It's a marvel how such a terrible company can succeed like this.

Easy: Kill off all competitors in an area so people have nowhere else to go, do everything in your power to fester awful but profitable warranties, strategy guides and accessories on people.

It's a shame there's no way to nail them with an antitrust suit.

Arbok · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2007, 07:05:40 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
Easy: Kill off all competitors in an area so people have nowhere else to go...

If you have a GameStop or EB in your area, I assume one also has a big box store, like Best Buy. So the alternative is there. If you want used or older games, though, then the dedicated stores are your only option.

that Baby guy · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2007, 07:29:33 AM »

Ug. This was the last good game retailer that existed. Rhino would start in towns that don't have a major outlet to buy games besides maybe a wal-mart. They only hire people that actually know about games, and they based their opinions on what they knew, and were usually very unbiased toward sales. The employees didn't have a quota of things to sell, and their performance was based on what their managers saw. They sell games for every major platform starting from the NES, and some stores even have Saturn games. They don't carry the any atari systems or games though, but it is a great place to get your fix on SNES, NES, GB, or Genesis games, which contradicts with GameStop's current policy of trying to go only one generation back, or two if there was a recent console release. They will give good gaming advice, and so far in all my experience with them, they haven't biased any of their opinions. They try to match up what games and systems are right for their customers. They weren't affiliated with any one gaming magazine, and didn't hardly stock any in stores. Heck, they don't even have a dedicated pre-order system. They might have 50-100 total games available for pre-order, and never ask you about them, only having a sign saying you could pre-order certain games. Despite the number of older games they have in-store, there is a ton of walking room, in contrast to the EB's and GS's I've been in. I just hope that they keep this chain the same, and don't adjust things from what they were.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2007, 08:52:00 AM »

If you have a GameStop or EB in your area, I assume one also has a big box store, like Best Buy. So the alternative is there.

I think most people run to GS before a big retailer because they expect a dedicated games store to be better for buying games. Kinda like how all people in my university town ran to Media Markt on the 360 launch while Karstadt had 360s sitting around unclaimed.

Djunknown · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2007, 10:05:17 AM »

Quote
Also, when they bought out FuncoLand, (I'm not sure how local they were... I live in Massachusetts), that meant they stopped carrying NES, SNES, Genesis, Dreamcast, N64.... That pissed me off a lot. Also, when they bought out FuncoLand, (I'm not sure how local they were... I live in Massachusetts), that meant they stopped carrying NES, SNES, Genesis, Dreamcast, N64.... That pissed me off a lot.

Ahh Funcoland. They went as far as Michigan as I can personally attest to that. I remember as a kid begging my parents to take me there whenever we went shopping. They had all the major systems with full versions of games. Some stores even had the clandestine Neo-Geo. Ahh the good old days...

When Gamestop bought EB, there was no real change, since they were basically identical. But with the anectodes about Rhino, I can only fear the worst. Not all GS/EB's are bad, but they their reputation is not unfounded.

Quote
...Karstadt had 360s sitting around unclaimed.

Is that like Circuit City/Future Shop or the Canadian Zellers?

Smoke39 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2007, 11:40:11 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Arbok
If you want used or older games, though, then the dedicated stores are your only option.

Or the internets. I use the Amazon.com marketplace to find old/used games fairly often.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2007, 08:15:18 PM »

Is that like Circuit City/Future Shop or the Canadian Zellers?

Wikipedia says both Karstadt and Zellers count as department stores (Karstadt usually has 3-4 stories and is located downtown). Media Markt is closer to Circuit City. Gamestops are rare, uncomfortable and more expensive than Media Markt and Saturn (and regularly Karstadt, although that's less well known) here, never mind MM is much older and has more brand awareness. Both Karstadt and MM have games departments as large or larger than a Gamestop. I suppose GS only appears to have a big selection if you buy your games at hypermarkets (e.g. Wal-Mart).

Nick DiMola · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2007, 08:25:16 PM »

Funcoland was the BEST. I remember going into the store and just looking around for hours. I used to beg my mom to take me there when I was a kid. I'd save up and buy used NES/SNES/Gameboy games. I'd check their little flyer with all the prices of the used games and then buy pretty much anything I could afford. I remember one time I tricked my mom into letting me buy Wolfenstein for the SNES by telling her it wasn't anything bad and it was ok for me to play. Needless to say, she saw me playing the game a few hours after we got home and flipped out. It wound up going back to the store and I got stuck with The Jungle Book game instead. Damn Gamestop eating up every videogame retailer that exists out there.

I wish I could start my own game store chain to compete but I'm guessing it is a tough industry to break into. Maybe if you can get your footing in a mall with one store, you can start expanding to other malls in a local area and then go regional and eventually national. I'm sure you'd get eaten up by Gamestop before that happened anyway, just like Rhino.

Out here in Rochester there are a bunch of little videogame stores that bound together under the name "Game Craze." Each store is owned by someone different and I guess all the different owners decided to share a name just to compete against Gamestop/EBGames. Pretty smart idea on their part. They make a great stop for classic stuff that Gamestop can't be bothered with.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2007, 10:04:37 PM »

Games just aren't that profitable, either you sell used games or you sell other goods.

Dirk Temporo · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2007, 09:13:57 AM »

So how long until Gamestop gets in trouble for violating monopoly laws? XD

KDR_11k · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2007, 07:06:00 PM »

When they start doing something that violates antitrust laws. Just being a monopoly isn't illegal, behaving like one is.

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Author Topic: GameStop Acquires Rhino Video Games (Read 5426 times)