Gamers queue for final bargains as EB Games Whanganui starts closing sale

A large crowd gathered at EB Games at Trafalgar Square Shopping Centre for the opening day of the chain's closing down sale. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

A large queue formed at EB Games in Whanganui for the start of the national chain’s closing-down sale.

Nearly 100 people waited patiently yesterday afternoon for what might be their last EB Games purchase.

The Whanganui store, in Trafalgar Square Shopping Centre, was letting in small groups to browse, the Chronicle understands.

The gaming and pop culture retailer confirmed on Wednesday that its New Zealand network of 38 stores would shut down on January 31, with its distribution centre permanently closing on February 28.

Thursday was the first day of the half-price store-wide sale.

At the Whanganui store, William Beech, Caydn Howe and Keegan Fackney were walking out with their purchases when the Chronicle visited.

Whanganui teenagers William Beech, Caydn Howe and Keegan Fackney with their purchases from EB Games at Trafalgar Square Shopping Centre in the store's closing down sale. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

The Whanganui High School students were looking to kill time before school started back at the end of the month.

The teenagers waited more than an hour to get into the store.

Beech said he always shopped at EB Games because it was his “go-to game store”.

He had not thought about the possibility of the store closing, despite the shift to online gaming.

He said EB Games offered cheaper pre-owned video games that he did not want to buy at full price so he could play the campaign games.

“It’s kind of a shame because I feel like consoles are going to go down, not all over the world but in New Zealand.”

None of the teens thought there would be so many people queuing to get in.

Another customer in line, Ranginamu Lambert, said it would be “weird” not having the game store, especially around Christmas time.

“Because I’d normally come here and buy a mug or something for my siblings, but now I’ll have to go elsewhere.”

He was hoping to check out some magic cards that were on sale.

He said he used to be a more regular customer “back in the day” and was not surprised that the store had announced its closure.

“It was a matter of time, but it is a shame. Everything is cheaper online now, that’s the thing.”

A father and son, who did not want to give their names, were travelling home to New Plymouth from Wellington and stopped in, hoping to grab a deal.

The son said he would miss the excitement of going home with a new game and opening its case.

Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.