EB Games Closing Down: Why NZ Stores Are Shutting & Global Impact

There’s a special kind of sadness when a store that defined your teenage years suddenly isn’t there anymore. For generations of New Zealand gamers, EB Games was that place — the fluorescent-lit sanctuary where you’d trade in old titles for the next big release. Now, that chapter is ending: all EB Games stores in New Zealand will close by January 31, 2026, marking the end of more than two decades of trading and sounding an alarm for physical game retail worldwide.

Stores closing in NZ: 38 retail locations ·
Closure date (NZ): January 31, 2026 ·
Owner: GameStop (US) ·
UK high street closures in 2026 (forecast): More than 2,000

Five key facts about the EB Games situation, one pattern: the numbers tell a story of a retailer caught between a fading business model and a parent company fighting for its own survival.

Why Are EB Games Closing Down?

The ‘Kodak moment’ for physical game retail

• EB Games’ New Zealand exit has been described by analysts as a “Kodak moment” — a failure to adapt to digital disruption that mirrors the photography giant’s collapse (Vice (culture and news publication)).
• The shift from physical discs to digital downloads has been accelerating for years, and specialty retailers that built their business on trade-ins and pre-owned sales have struggled to stay relevant.
• Console makers like Sony and Microsoft now sell digital-only versions of their hardware, further shrinking the market for physical games.

Financial performance of EB Games in 2025

• EB Games New Zealand reported a rough 2025 financial year, with PC Gamer noting that the exit followed a multimillion-dollar loss during the 2024 fiscal year (PC Gamer (gaming news outlet)).
• Managing director Shane Stockwell confirmed that the company entered a formal consultation process regarding the potential closure, saying “no decision had been made” at that stage and that staff were the “number one priority” (1News (New Zealand news broadcaster)).
• The closure proposal covered all 38 stores and the distribution centre, with GameDeveloper reporting that the proposal was “not final until consultation with affected team members was completed” (Game Developer (game industry trade publication)).

The implication: financial losses forced a decision that consultation could only delay, not prevent.

Is EB Games in Trouble?

Specifics of the New Zealand closure

• Yes — EB Games in New Zealand is exiting the market entirely. All 38 stores across the country will close by January 31, 2026 (GamesIndustry.biz (gaming trade publication)).
• The distribution centre will follow with a February 2026 shutdown (GamesIndustry.biz).
• 1News reported that the closure confirmed the end of more than two decades of trading in New Zealand, with massive queues forming as the nationwide closing-down sale began (1News (New Zealand news broadcaster)).
• The sale offered 50% off many items, with Press Start reporting that pre-owned retro games were priced at $3 each (Press Start (Australian gaming news site)).

Status of EB Games in Australia

• EB Games Australia is not closing immediately, but its future is under review by parent company GameStop (Vice (culture and news publication)).
• PC Gamer reported that New Zealand customers would be redirected to the Australian online store by the end of March 2026 (PC Gamer (gaming news outlet)).
• Reddit threads and community forums have reported stock liquidations in some Australian locations, though nothing officially confirmed.

The implication: EB Games is in serious trouble in the markets where it operates. The NZ closure is a canary in the coal mine — if the Australian business can’t demonstrate profitability, it may face a similar fate.

Who Is EB Games Owned By?

GameStop’s role in the closure decision

• EB Games is owned by GameStop Corp., the US-based video game retailer that has been fighting its own survival battle for years (GamesIndustry.biz (gaming trade publication)).
• GameStop’s struggles with the digital transition are well documented — its stock price, which soared during the 2021 meme stock frenzy, has since declined as the underlying business fundamentals remained weak.
• The decision to close EB Games New Zealand was made at the corporate level, with managing director Shane Stockwell confirming the consultation process was driven by the parent company’s assessment of the market (1News (New Zealand news broadcaster)).

Corporate history of EB Games

• EB Games (Electronics Boutique) was founded in the US in 1977 and was acquired by GameStop in 2005 for $1.44 billion.
• The brand survived in Australia and New Zealand long after being phased out in other markets, becoming a nostalgic fixture for gamers in the region.
• The closure marks the end of the EB Games brand in New Zealand entirely, though the name may persist in Australia depending on GameStop’s strategic decisions.

The pattern: GameStop’s retreat from New Zealand mirrors its broader strategy of cutting losses rather than investing in physical retail turnaround.

What Shops Are Closing Down in 2026?

UK high street closures confirmed for 2026

• More than 2,000 stores are expected to close on UK high streets in 2026, according to forecasts cited by Business Insider (Business Insider (business news publication)).
• The closures span multiple retail sectors including fashion, electronics, and gaming — reflecting a broad structural shift rather than any single industry crisis.
• Rising business rates, changing consumer habits, and the continued growth of online shopping are all contributing factors.

Global retail trends leading to store closures

• The EB Games closure is part of a larger pattern: specialty retailers that rely on discretionary spending and physical inventory are being squeezed from both ends.
• On one side, digital delivery eliminates the need for physical stores. On the other, rising rents and wage costs make it harder to maintain profitable locations.
• The 2026 forecast of 2,000+ UK closures follows a trend that has already seen major chains like Wilko, Debenhams, and Game close hundreds of locations in previous years.

The pattern: what’s happening to EB Games in New Zealand is happening to retail everywhere, just at different speeds. The UK’s 2,000-store forecast is the same story playing out on a larger scale.

EB Games Global Closures: What It Means for Australia

Ripple effects on the Australian market

• Australian EB Games stores are not closing immediately, but the NZ shutdown puts them under scrutiny. If the same financial pressures exist in Australia, a similar decision is plausible (Vice (culture and news publication)).
• New Zealand customers will be redirected to the Australian EB Games online store from the end of March 2026, which could provide a temporary boost to Australian online sales (PC Gamer (gaming news outlet)).
• Industry observers note that the Australian market is larger and more resilient than New Zealand’s, but the underlying digital shift applies equally.

Consumer concerns and warranty issues

• Consumer NZ issued warnings for customers holding EB Games vouchers or pre-orders, advising them to use their credit as soon as possible (1News (New Zealand news broadcaster)).
• For Australian customers: gift cards and pre-orders are safe as long as the Australian operation continues, but the uncertainty makes it wise to redeem credit sooner rather than later.
• Warranty claims on items purchased before the closure may become complicated once the distribution centre shuts down in February 2026.

What this means: New Zealand’s closure creates a test case for whether GameStop sees Australia as a viable market or the next domino to fall.

For New Zealand gamers, the EB Games closure means losing a cultural touchstone — a place where you could trade in last year’s disappointment for something new, where the staff actually knew what they were talking about. For the retail industry, it’s a signal that the premium on physical space is getting too high for any specialty that can be delivered digitally. For GameStop’s investors, the question is no longer whether bricks-and-mortar game retail can survive, but how many markets the company will exit before it finds a model that works. For Australian shoppers watching from across the ditch, the decision is clear: use your gift cards now, keep an eye on pre-orders, and start getting comfortable with the idea that the EB Games down the road might not be there next year.