How Will the GameStop Closure Plan Affect New England?

As a gamer, and the father of gamers, I have always been a big fan of GameStop.

For decades, the stores have made getting your hands on the latest video games really convenient. In addition to selling game systems, accessories, and the games for those systems, the stores frequently did special launch events. They would open at midnight on the day when systems or games came out so that their customers could be the first to play.

I was in college with the Playstation 2 came out and I can remember that several of my classmates waiting in line for a midnight release of the game system. In fact, one of my game-obsessed classmates brought his new PS2 to class as a show-and-tell item. Yes, when I was in college we did show-and-tell.

Even though many of the games that my daughters now get are downloads they still love going to GameStop to get V-Bucks so they can purchase stuff on Fortnite.

Of course, the fact that so many gamers are relying on game downloads, instead of buying games discs, has brought on some problems for stores like GameStop.

The Sudden Closure of GameStop Stores Across the United States

According to a January 2025 article on the GameRant website, it appears that GameStop is in the process of closing many of its stores. The closing stores, which are from all corners of the United States, are often closed with little or no notice.

According to the article, GameStop has made no official announcement about the closures, but it does appear that the number of closures is ramping up.

According to a blog dedicated to the closure of GameStop locations, which appears to be incredibly accurate, several North Carolina, Alaska, Kentucky, Louisiana, and New Jersey locations are slated to be closed this month.

Additionally, several Massachusetts locations were slated for closure this month. These locations include locations in Methuen, Hyannis, Peabody, and Mashpee.

In New Hampshire, locations closing in January 2025 include the Fox Run Mall, Seabrook, and Bedford.

At this time, it does not look like any of the Maine GameStop stores are slated for closure. GameStop locations in Maine include Bangor, Scarborough, Biddeford, Topsham, Augusta, and Auburn.

GameStop got its start in Texas in 1980. In 1999, the company changed its name to GameStop. As of February 2024, the chain had just over 4,000 locations.