GameStop's a shadow of the gaming staple it once was and is closing stores left and right, including?? 78 in 2024 alone. Times are so hard lately?? that the retailer is in the Funko Pop! business as much as gaming these days.

And the recently opened GameStop "Retro" stores aren't going to change that. Marred by poor execution and bad marketing, this new strategy is liable to run out of gas bef??ore it gains any ground.

Starting line slip-up

It's no secret GameStop continues to fall further and further from grace, flailing around with increasingly more desperate bids for relevance. On August 27, they announced the grand opening of their retro st??ores via X, formerly Twitter, claiming "THE CLASSICS ARE BACK."

The retailer advertised carrying games and consoles going all the way back to the third generation. But if you didn't know this happened, you're not alone. Even employees remained in the dark until just before launch. One told YouTuber Jacob R, "I actually found out from a customer. She told me a week before I?? actually found out from my district manager."

You'd think GameStop would want to market this business move with more than a handful of ??tweets, but you'd be wrong. And although the retro stores received a dedicated store locator, it's difficult to find?? it if you don't already know about it. It is buried deep within the website's sidebar along with its retro gaming catalog.

Adding insult to injury, the site heavily advertises that GameStop now buys and sells PSA-graded trading cards. It's jumping into a market it isn't? known for while it buries the new retro stores that deal in its bread and butter. The saddest part of this lackluster marketing is that there's no signage indicating w?hich GameStops are retro stores. The only ways to tell one apart from a regular shop are to go in or use the store locator online.

Unsurprisingly, content creators descended upon social media with overwhelmingly negative reviews in the weeks since GameStop Retro's launch, citing a thin selection of games and a lack of consoles alongside the nonexistent marketing. Jacob R said, ?"I reall?y want to emphasize how poorly they're selling the whole retro thing," and "I mean, it's bad man," referring to his experience with the store. Fellow YouTuber The Radical One mentioned, "but the retro selection was just like I thought it was gonna be," and "Um, they figure retro is more 7th generation type stuff." At this point, these developments cau?ght my eye, and I decided to see for myself if GameStop Retro was as bad as advertised.

GameStop Retro in the flesh

Using the retro store locator, I found the nearest one was a little over an hour south of me. Nothing wrong with a day trip. Upon reaching the store?, I confirmed that nothing outside signifies tha??t it's supposed to be different from other GameStops.

It's the same way inside. Funko, plushies, figurines, and pins dominated the area surrounding the front counter, while the other wall was lined up with PlayStation 5, Switch, and Xbox Series titles. It still had some issues of Game Informer, but I don't think that qualifies as retro just yet. Clearly??, the store's focus is still current-gen gaming and collectibles.

Making my? way to the back of the shop, I found what I?? made this trip for: the retro gaming section. One pitiful stretch of wall with eight shelves was the entire thing. I will give GameStop this: the shelving was very organized. They were divided into sections for Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo consoles, all alphabetized by game title.

I was hoping to see real "classics" as advertised. You know, some old Nintendo carts, a PlayStation light gun, a Sega Saturn controller, that kind of stuff. Instead, I saw GameStop's definition of retro, which is mostly limited to Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and Wii U. There were less than a d?ozen games for the PS2, PSX, Xbox, and GameCube altogether. The only console older than 8th-gen was a singular Wii. I mean, GameStop has sold 7th-gen games for years now. So, without adding something new to the formula, like carrying older consoles and peripherals, it's disingenuous to brand these shops as retro.

One shelf had some games from the 5th and 6th generations on it, but GameStop's pricing is above market value in most cases. For example, a copy of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, worth $18-19 according to pricecharting.com, went for over $30 there. Also, a GameCube copy of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle sold for over $60, w??hich is well over its going rate online and even surpasses the rate of a sealed copy?.

GameS??top Retro is such a missed opportunity on multiple fronts. With proper marketing, it could attract business from collectors, nostalgia-seeking casuals, and people looking to make a few bucks by trading in their old collections. It could help combat the slow decay of physical gaming, which would go a long way in repairing GameStop's reputation amongst customers. And it could prevent inflation in the second-hand market by stabilizing prices.

It seems like GameStop isn't sure what lane it wants to be in, as evidenced by?? the promotion of trading cards on its site. And with the lack of push for the retro shops, it either doesn't care or doesn't know how to capitalize on that market. Currently, it's sticking its fingers in all sorts of pies but won't commit to eating one.

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After getting back into LEGO this year, I learned that LEGO has been making some pretty good sets based on video games. From Minecraft, to Mario, to even the likes of Portal, LEGO has built some amazing looking sets.

There are even more amazing video game sets coming out this year too,? including the first Zelda set and the Fortnite Battle Bus. But we already have so many great ones to choose from, so without further ado here are some of the best.

10. Portal 2 Level Pack

Did you know LEGO made a Portal 2 set that was a tie-in with their short-lived video game Lego Dimensions??? Yup, and it even has a Chell minifigure and portal gun.

For the builds, you get a turret and companion cube. However, because of it being a toys-to-life product, it means they are small and not up to the usual standard of the typical LEGO builds you’re used to. But if you’re a LEGO and Portal fan, this one is a no-brainer.

9. D.Va and Reinhardt

I almost forgot LEGO partnered with Overwatch, but that partnership did give ?us a sweet LEGO D.Va and Reinhardt. The D.va mech build is incredibly accurate, while Reinhardt's is a bit too big for my li??king.

The mini figures included are so detailed and a reason alone to pick up this set. The mechs ??pose well and will look great on any shelf.

8. PAC-MANArcade

We haven’t gotten a full size LEGO arcade cabinet set yet, but the LEGO PAC-MAN Arcade is pretty close. It contains a nifty feature that lets you simulate a game of PAC-MAN with the turn of a crank.

The side builds are a nice add on, one having a fun?? mechanic that turns Pac-Man to chase the ghosts and another a small mini-figure scale arcade to play at. It’s a tad expensive but a neat display piece.

7. Piranha Plant

What is an adult-oriented LEGO Super Mario set that isn’t ??over 100 dollars? This silly little Piranha Plant!

It’ll go great with your LEGO botanical collection and is secretly a piggy bank ??too. It lacks possibility, but it more than makes up for it in charm. Just look at the smile.

6. Super Mario Bowser’s Airship

Bowser is riding in style in this huge airship set. ??At?? least, he would be if he was in this set.

It is both displayable and highly playable. If you have an electronic Mario figure, you can even do a huge boss fight on it by folding out the whole ship. I personally love the ??adorable Bowser face at the front of? the boat and hidden features, like defeating the huge mechanical hand

7. Nintendo Entertainment System

If you want a LEGO set to really impress any gamers who come to your place, this is the one. This set is not only impressive for an almost life-like looking replica for the original NES, but also has a mind-blowing play feature of replicating the original Super Mario Bros.

It even comes with a LEGO cartridge you can stick into the console and mimics the feeling of the real thing pretty well. Only one problem with this set: I could buy an actual NES and Super Mario Bros. for less.

4. Sonic the Hedgehog: Green Hill Zone

If you ever wanted to have Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog game sitting right on your desk, now you can with this retro-style set. It is almost like LEGO took a section of the first level right out of the game,?? with lives on the bottom corner and all.

The pixelated details on the grass are fun touches and the designs for the enemies are a plus. However, the same can’t be said about that freaky-looking Dr. Eggman. Beyond that, this?? is a nice throwback display.

3. Minecraft: The Crafting Table

I loved the Minecraft micro-build worlds b?ack in the day, but this feels like a fully realized version of those to me. It has so many biomes and mobs represented, from a little village to the ice spires.

There are many display options too, like turning it around and revealing a lovingly recreated crafting table. Also, if you take off all the mini bio??mes, you can spot a map of the build underneath. While this set looks awesome, it is a tad expensive which brings it down.

2. Animal Crossing Isabelle’s House Visit

If you are going to get any of the LEGO Animal Crossing sets, this is the one to get. Firstly, the two minifigures included, Isabelle and Fauna, and some of the cutest ever m?a?de.

Second, there are so many loveable details in this set. The house design is adorable (if a little underbuilt), there are coins and branches in the tree, and there’s even a K.K. Slider album LEGO tile included. It is an amazing package for Animal Crossing lovers.

1. Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck

This set is my personal favorite. The Tallneck build on its own is a beautiful robot build. You don't even need to be a Horizon fan to appreciate it.

The building techniques on this one are so impressive, with many sideways builds to get the angles perfect. Add in a perfect Aloy mini figure, a little Watcher machine, and a wonderful base that evokes the feeling of the game perfectly including the red reeds to sneak in, and you ??????????????????????????got yourself an incredible display.

The post Top 10 Best LEGO Video Game sets appeared first on Destructoid.

Even from a casual perspective, it's easy to see that the video game industry is worth a lot of money these days. You just need to look how much it costs to buy the average AAA release or Xbox increasing Game Pass prices again?? to see that. But how much is it worth in total?

Well, according to an analysis from management consulting firm Bain & Company (as reported by Financial Express), the global revenue of the video game industry will be over $300 billion globally? in the next few years. More ??specifically, it'll exceed $307 billion by the year 2027.

If the prediction is correct, this will represent a 9% increase on compound annual growth rate, or CAGR. For a bit of perspective, the industry in total was worth around $199 billion as of 20??22, Bain & company says.

All the video game industry buzzwords

It's no secret that gaming is currently in the midst of a "surge in deal activity," especially with the likes of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard for a jaw-melting $69 bi?llion. It's possible, according to the report, that there may be an increase in similar deals, which means "success will hinge on good franchise management, fan engagement, and the ability to attract and retain top talent."

The analysis also says that m?uch of this growth comes from younger games, adding that the industry is:

Being driven by the heavy engagement of younger gamers, particularly those aged 13 to 17, who spend about 40% more time in video game environments than on ??other forms of media, including social media, music, and TV.

Customer service is also an increasingly important factor. T??he nature of gaming, as many of us have come to know it, is changing at a rapid pac??e, with players "expecting seamless transitions between gameplay, [socializing], and commerce in both physical and virtual worlds."

As a result, video game companies are adapting to new trends and the shifting of the market in order to increase profits, which includes creati?ng "highly [personalized] journeys for consumers, moving seamlessly across devices and platforms."

I'll be the first to admit that I don't really understand how global economics works. However, many of us will not be surprised to see the video game industry be worth over $300 billion within the next few years??. Equally, people aren't blindsided by the fact that the way we consume games is changing. It's just a question of whether this is? a good thing in the long-run. I suppose it depends on who's financially benefitting from all this, and I think we all know the answer to that (hint: it's not you or me).

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It's tough to make a name for yourself in the video game world, especially on platforms like Steam. Countless stud?ios are vying fo?r your attention (and money), but recent data shows that if you use certain words in your game's title, you might have a bit of an edge.

That's according to the latest newsletter from GameDiscoverCo (as spotted by PCGamer), a website that chronicles "how people discover and buy video games." It seems as though there's a correlation between certain words used and revenue generated. For example: Steam games that feature the word "HD" or?? "manager" earn a median?? revenue of around $63,000 and $33,000, respectively.

[caption id="attachment_402213" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via GameDiscoverCo.[/caption]

Perhaps unsurprisingly in this era, "remastered" yields an average of £32,000 income, while "gold" and "pro" can earn your game a??round $11,000 and $16,000, re??spectively.

That explains why the Tycoon series is so popular

The study contains a list of over 200 words that are used in Steam game titles. A breakdown from GameDiscoverCo reveals some interesting facts about these findings. For example: the median average across the board is "worr??yingly low." However, this is almost certainly due to how popular and busy Steam is.

Adaptations tend to generate more revenue, so the aforeme??ntioned "HD," "remaster??ed," "pro," and "gold" seem more likely to do well than games that have words like "ball," "maze," or "jump" in them. This may be due to them being more simple or generic words.

The analysis also looked at how frequently words cropped up in games. What you'll see from the above graph is just how many studios want to put the word "dead" in??to their titles.

Something to think about if you're looking to release your next Steam game: Dead Manager: The Ultimate Tycoon Pro (HD, Remastered)

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So soon after GameStop pulled out of Ireland

A lot of people are more likely to opt for digital copies of games rather than physical ones these days. In fact, 70% of games sold in 2022 were digital downloads, and there's little reason to suggest this trend won't continue. As such, retailers may see less and less reason to stock actual ??physical stock, and that's what's currently happening in the United Kingdom.

According to a report from GamesIndustry.biz, Tesco - one of the UK's biggest supermarket chains?? - will stop selling physical copies of games across all 2,800 of its outlets. It seems as though the retail giant? is making the change due to the move "towards digital entertainment."

[caption id="attachment_392240" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via VGC.[/caption]

The company has said it will continue to sell digital store points, however, but physical copies will not be sold once current ??stocks have ??depleted.

Digital is king, it seems

This development comes not long after GameStop had to cease operating in Ireland, closing all 35 stores in the country, eight of which were in the capital city of Dublin. GameStop made the announcement on Instagram back in May. It seems physical copies are just becoming less and less prevalent in this modern gaming era. Another report says that 87% in the UK of sales of Diablo 4, Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy XVI, and F1 23 were through digital downloads.

That doesn't necessarily mean physical games won't still be around for some time. The current-gen release of The Witcher 3 launched physical copies at the start of 2023, and a bit further down the line, the hit indie game Stray also released a physical edition.

However, the fact that these were news stories shows just how ?rare it's becoming. Even though there may be some of you out there who want to retain physical media, digital gaming is now proving itself to be the dominant choice.

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Looking back over 25 years of the animation block's enduring reviews

Toonami celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. For many, it was a window into so many worlds; it was how you learned about Dragon Ball, Tenchi Muyo, and Outlaw Star. It was th??e after-school animation programming with hype and lights, battles and arcs. And Toonami also had video game reviews.

G??rowing up, those reviews were unknowingly forming my basis for learning about video games. My best means for learning wh??at games were cool was word of mouth and the occasional magazine or demo disc, but Toonami was a pipeline of video game information.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLwF_0Z2KHY

As I was nostalgically looking back on old Toonami promos today in light of the 25th anniversary, I stumbled across some of the reviews from my era of Too?nami viewing. Between the adventures of my fav?orite anime protagonists, I'd hear about some cool new PlayStation 2 game that might be worth looking into.

To its credit, Toonami covered a surprising breadth of games. The animation block's Wiki is a great repository for all the scores and games covered over the many, many years. Many of the reviews, according to the Wiki, are written by Jason DeMarco or Gill Austin. At one point, Toonami even had written reviews. Yes, the Web Archive contains a full written review of Grandia for the PlayStation from Toonami.

There are novelties and oddities to behold, sure. Blue Stinger for the Dreamcast is the lowest-scored review from the team, at a 1 out of 5. Games like Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, and Soulcalibur earn full marks, while some dip lower. Someone at Toonami clearly loves the Hot Shots Golf series, and honestly, that's relatable.

There's also the time The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind earned an 8/10. Don't watch it for the ??score, though; watch it the excellent line delivery f??rom TOM 2 voice actor Steve Blum.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad2gYL7iPOE

Jokes aside, I've been enthralled with revisiting these today. They really do mark the developing landscape of video game coverage, especially as it grew into video? formats. And the conversati??onal tone feels ahead of its time. It's tough to pitch the game, sum up its many parts, and assess it in the span of a minute and a half. Toonami manages it pretty darn well.

And it's also worth noting that while I've gone over the older legacy reviews, Toonami game reviews are—much like the block itself—still rolling on. Its most recent score, via the Wiki, was an 8/10 for A Short Hike. And it looks like the block has made an effort to cover independent games too, including lesser-known games like Golf Club Wasteland, Ender Lilies, and Gris alongside the likes of Animal Crossing and Assassin's Creed.

So here's to Toonami, a block that got me into anime and also got me thinking about games at a very young age. They're not the sole reason I'm putting words on a page today, but it's hard not to look back fondly on these as some early sparks. Plus, they gave Beetle Adventure Racing the same score as Final Fantasy VII. That's just fantastic.

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