EB Games Closing Down: NZ Shutdown & 2026 Store Closures

For thousands of New Zealand gamers, the ritual of browsing physical game shelves is coming to an end. EB Games, the bright orange retail chain that has been a fixture of shopping malls for more than two decades, is shutting every single one of its 38 New Zealand stores by January 31, 2026. This full-market exit signals more than just the end of a brand — it’s a preview of how the video game retail landscape is being reshaped by digital downloads and high street pressures.

EB Games stores closing in New Zealand: All locations by January 31, 2026 ·
Australian stores closed since 2020: 20 outlets ·
Parent company: GameStop Corp. ·
UK high street closures confirmed for 2026: Over 2,000 stores ·
EB Games global footprint: Primarily Australia, New Zealand

Six key data points that tell the story of EB Games’ decline and the wider retail shift in 2026.

Why are EB Games closing down?

Financial struggles in 2025 fiscal year

EB Games’ New Zealand management cited a “rough 2025 financial year” as the catalyst for the full-market withdrawal. According to reporting from PC Gamer (gaming publication), the business suffered multimillion-dollar losses during the 2024 fiscal year that continued into 2025. The company said this made the New Zealand operation no longer viable after consultation.

Shift to digital game sales

The broader trend of digital game downloads has eroded foot traffic for physical retailers globally. A commentator in The Post (NZ newspaper) described EB Games’ situation as a “Kodak moment” — a business that failed to adapt its model before the market shifted. Console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft now push digital-only editions, and PC game sales have been overwhelmingly digital for years.

Parent company GameStop restructuring

GameStop Corp., the US parent company, has been under pressure from investors and a changing retail environment. The company closed 20 EB Games stores in Australia in 2020 as part of earlier restructuring. VICE (editorial publication) reported that GameStop viewed the New Zealand operation as too small and geographically isolated to justify continued investment, given the logistics costs of maintaining supply chains.

The implication: EB Games’ collapse in New Zealand wasn’t a surprise event — it was the predictable end of a retail model that had been losing ground to digital for a decade.

Is EB Games in trouble?

Declining foot traffic and revenue

Data from 1News (NZ news outlet) showed that when EB Games announced nationwide closing-down sales in mid-January 2026, stores were flooded with customers — but that surge was a liquidity event, not sustainable revenue. The business had been operating on thinner margins as digital alternatives and second-hand marketplaces (like Facebook Marketplace and Trade Me) absorbed its core customer base.

Comparison to GameStop US struggles

GameStop’s US operations have been in turmoil since the 2021 meme stock frenzy, which temporarily inflated its valuation but didn’t fix underlying business issues. The company’s share price has since declined, and its attempts to pivot to e-commerce and collectibles have not reversed the decline in game sales. GamesIndustry.biz (games trade publication) noted that EB Games’ New Zealand closure is the most decisive exit GameStop has made from any market since its acquisition of the EB brand in 2005.

Australian store closures since 2020

Australia has already absorbed 20 store closures in 2020, and the remaining EB Games outlets there operate under a separate structure from the New Zealand business. Industry observers at rova (NZ radio platform) have questioned whether the Australian stores will eventually follow the same path, especially given the similar digital shift and the higher costs of physical retail in both markets.

The pattern: EB Games’ trouble is structural, not cyclical — digital distribution has permanently altered the economics of video game retail.

What shops are closing down in 2026?

UK high street closures exceeding 2,000

Business Insider reports that more than 2,000 retail stores are scheduled to close across the UK in 2026, across multiple sectors including fashion, home goods, and electronics. The trend is being driven by rising operating costs, the shift to online shopping, and changing consumer habits post-pandemic. Time Out (lifestyle publication) has published partial lists of confirmed closures, noting that chains like Boots, Wilko (which collapsed in 2023 but saw store closures continuing into 2026), and others are shrinking their physical footprints.

Retail chains announcing closures for 2026

Beyond video games, the 2026 closures include department stores, budget retailers, and specialty chains. The common thread is that retailers are exiting smaller or less profitable locations, with many moving to online-only or reduced store networks. EB Games’ New Zealand exit fits this pattern — it was a full-market withdrawal, not a pruning of underperforming locations.

Broader economic trends affecting physical stores

Rising rent, wage costs, and the ongoing digitisation of retail are squeezing physical stores in most developed markets. New Zealand’s retail sector has been particularly vulnerable due to its small population and high logistics costs. The RNZ (national public broadcaster) has reported that the closure of EB Games is part of a wider trend of international retailers reassessing their New Zealand presence.

Why this matters: EB Games isn’t an isolated case — it’s one data point in a global retail contraction that is hitting small, specialised chains hardest.

Who is EB Games owned by?

GameStop Corp. as parent company

EB Games is owned by GameStop Corp., a US-based video game retailer headquartered in Grapevine, Texas. GameStop acquired the EB Games brand in 2005 and has since operated it as a subsidiary in Australia, New Zealand, and (historically) the US, Canada, and Europe. The US stores were rebranded to GameStop years ago, but the EB Games name was retained in Australia and New Zealand due to strong brand recognition.

History of the EB Games brand

EB Games originally stood for “Electronics Boutique,” founded in the 1970s in the US. It was a pioneer of specialised video game retail, but by the 2000s, the brand had been absorbed by GameStop. In New Zealand, EB Games had operated for over two decades before the 2026 closure announcement, as confirmed by 1News (NZ news outlet).

Relationship between GameStop and EB Games Australia/NZ

While both are under the GameStop umbrella, the Australian and New Zealand operations have historically been managed separately. The New Zealand division had its own supply chain with a central distribution centre. GamesIndustry.biz (games trade publication) reported that the New Zealand operations were smaller and geographically isolated, making them easier to wind down than Australian stores.

What this means: The New Zealand exit was a strategic decision by GameStop to cut a loss-making division, not a sign of imminent collapse for the parent company — but it does reveal how little tolerance GameStop has for underperforming physical retail.

What is the future of EB Games?

Impact on Australian stores

As of January 2026, EB Games Australia remains operational. However, the company has not provided official guidance about whether Australian stores face similar risks. rova (NZ radio platform) reported that staff and customers alike are uncertain about the brand’s long-term future in Australia. The Australian market is larger and more profitable, but the same digital pressures apply.

Potential for further closures

Analysts quoted by Operation Sports (gaming site) have pointed out that GameStop has not committed publicly to preserving the Australian store network. The company has been quietly closing underperforming locations globally, and the New Zealand exit sets a precedent for how it handles small-market operations.

Online sales and liquidation events

For New Zealand shoppers, EB Games has already begun the transition to online-only via the Australian website. PC Gamer (gaming publication) reported that New Zealand customers should be able to shop on the Australian site by the end of March 2026. In the meantime, closing-down sales have been aggressive: retro software marked down to as low as $3, and storewide discounts of around 50%.

The trade-off: EB Games may survive as an online storefront for New Zealanders, but the loss of physical stores ends the tactile, community-based experience that many gamers valued — the browsing, the trade-in deals, the midnight launches.

Timeline: EB Games closures and the 2026 retail wave

• 2020: EB Games closes 20 stores in Australia as part of GameStop’s early restructuring. (GamesIndustry.biz)
• 2024: EB Games New Zealand reportedly suffers multimillion-dollar losses. (PC Gamer)
• 2025: Rough financial year for EB Games New Zealand; viability questioned internally. (rova)
• Mid-January 2026: EB Games announces all New Zealand stores will close; nationwide closing-down sales begin immediately. (1News)
• Late January 2026: More than 20 stores close earlier as part of a staged shutdown. (1News)
• January 31, 2026: Final closure date for remaining New Zealand stores. (RNZ)
• February 28, 2026: New Zealand distribution centre closes. (GamesIndustry.biz)
• By end of March 2026: NZ customers redirected to Australian EB Games website. (PC Gamer)
• 2026 (ongoing): More than 2,000 UK stores scheduled to close; broader retail contraction continues. (Business Insider)

What we know — and what remains unclear

“It was a difficult decision made after careful consideration and consultation. The business was no longer viable.”

— EB Games New Zealand spokesperson, as reported by VICE (editorial publication)

“This is a digital shift — it’s the Kodak moment for video game retail. The model of buying physical discs at a dedicated store is disappearing.”

— Industry commentator in The Post (NZ newspaper)

“More than 2,000 stores are set to close in 2026 across the UK alone. EB Games is just one example of a wave hitting high streets worldwide.”

— Business Insider (business news publisher)

“The clearance sale has been massive — queues around the block, retro games for $3, 50% off everything. But it’s a fire sale, not a turnaround.”

— Staff member at a New Zealand EB Games store, speaking to rova (NZ radio platform)

Summary

EB Games’ departure from New Zealand is a textbook case of digital disruption meeting high street economics. The chain lasted two decades in a small market but couldn’t survive the double blow of rising operational costs and a customer base that increasingly buys games online. For New Zealand gamers, the loss of physical EB Games stores means the end of an era — but also a clear choice: embrace online retailers like Mighty Ape and direct digital storefronts, or watch the few remaining specialty game shops follow the same path. For Australian shoppers watching closely, the question isn’t if GameStop will trim more stores — it’s when.

The New Zealand shutdown is part of EB Games broader closure plans that also affect Australian stores.

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