EB Games Canada is reborn from its ashes. The American retailer Gamestop sold the GameStop Canada boutique chain to the Montreal businessman Stephan Tétrault, who intends to give them back their original name and breathe new energy to establish himself as the reference in retail sales of video games and collecting items.
Posted at 3:48 p.m.
EB Games Canada changed its name in 2021 to become GameStop Canada. At that time, the American company Gamestop Holdings had seen its stock market exploding under the leadership of a viral movement to buy actions from declining companies. The short -term capital influx has enabled GameStop to reinvest in its businesses, but has done nothing to durable retail activities.
Gamesop has therefore decided to give up his Canadian subsidiary to the businessman Stephan Tétreault. The value of the transaction has not been revealed, but is major, both for the video game market and for the detail sector in Canada. 185 GAMESTOP Canada stores will have to replace their marquise to display their new name, EB Games. Their new owner does not provide any closure or launch. The company is profitable, he assures, and will be more by freeing himself from his American parent company.
Exclusives to retain
“It is an industry that is fine, because there are always new features,” explains in an interview with The press Stephan Tétrault. “I have 30 years of experience in the community, I can approach studios and make a request for certain exclusive products that will interest our customers. I have a great knowledge of the market of cards and collecting items, it will help us. »»
Stephan Tétrault is co -owner with the creator of Todd McFarlane comics from the McFarlane Toys figurines manufacturer, based in Arizona. Todd McFarlane is well known to lovers of comics Americans for having essentially relaunched the series of Superhero Spiderman, after having given life in the 1990s to its own series, Spawn, which established its notoriety in the world of comics, action films and, subsequently, figurines and other articles to collect.
McFarlane manufactures and sells all over the world of figurines and other articles under license for studios of video games, cinema and comics. The company has part of its activities in the Montreal region. This proximity to industries that mobilize millions of young consumers creates a unique opportunity for EB Games Canada, hopes for its new big boss.
“EB Games currently has more than a million active members, so who buy regularly from us, and nearly 4 million members all who hold an EB Games card,” says Stephan Tétrault. “We will invest in our online activities to retain these members. For example, we know who bought a copy of the Zelda game from us. If we have 1000 zelda sets exclusive to sell, we will target these people, we will work a lot on this. »»
The possibility of selling items that are not video games will certainly distinguish EB Games from online video game platforms, adds Mr. Tetrault.
New flagship shops in sight
EB Games could also add flagship shops to its chain of stores, which mostly occupy size spaces after all modest and which are concentrated in interior shopping centers.
These stores with a storefront will help the brand create meetings and events that will attract crowds, hopes its new owner.
“We can carry out special events. For example, a launch of the new Nintendo Switch 2 console will take place in our Toronto store. We can hold other events of the genre, which fall more in marketing than in retail. We’re going to watch to open one in Montreal soon. »»
Stephan Tétrault gives himself about a year to complete this transformation. An ambitious strategy for a retailer who, like a video game character, is suddenly entitled to a second life.
