GameStop CEO Abruptly Steps Down after Three Months on Job

Megalith

Megalith

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GameStop’s chief executive officer, Michael Mauler, has called it quits after three months on the job. Citing “personal reasons,” Mauler is abandoning his role immediately and handing it off to the company’s 70-year-old co-founder, Daniel DeMatteo, who will oversee things until a new leader is found.

The company, which is the largest independent retailer of video games, is struggling to adapt to a world where software is often delivered online. As part of its comeback efforts, GameStop has ramped up its e-commerce operations and added more toys and collectibles. It also acquired hundreds of AT&T wireless stores in 2016 to help reduce its dependence on video games.
 
Megalith said:
GameStop’s chief executive officer, Michael Mauler, has called it quits after three months on the job. Citing “personal reasons,” Mauler is abandoning his role immediately and handing it off to the company’s 70-year-old co-founder, Daniel DeMatteo, who will oversee things until a new leader is found.

The company, which is the largest independent retailer of video games, is struggling to adapt to a world where software is often delivered online. As part of its comeback efforts, GameStop has ramped up its e-commerce operations and added more toys and collectibles. It also acquired hundreds of AT&T wireless stores in 2016 to help reduce its dependence on video games.
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Maybe Michael Mauler realized their business model is past saving after getting an internal glimpse.

Ask Radio Shack how trying to subsidize an antiquated core business model with cell phone sales worked out?
 
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LOL!!! A coworker or mine used to work for GameStop and he would tell us of some of the stupid decisions that were being made. If GameStop was smart they would have developed an interface like Steam but they missed their chance and time to close.
 
AT&T wireless stores? There's no cross market between cell phones and video games. The only thing that makes the tiniest sense is if they partnered up with a company like NewEgg and stocked basic hardware. They'd do a lot better if they acquired hundreds of Subway Sandwich stores, that way they'd make enough money move their shit out of all the malls that are closing.


P.S. Also, when I went in I could say, "Don't have a copy of Far Cry 5, eh? Well, make me a sandwich, bitch."
 
seanreisk said:
AT&T wireless stores? There's no cross market between cell phones and video games. The only thing that makes the tiniest sense is if they partnered up with a company like NewEgg and stocked basic hardware. They'd do a lot better if they acquired hundreds of Subway Sandwich stores, that way they'd make enough money move their shit out of all the malls that are closing.


P.S. Also, when I went in I could say, "Don't have a copy of Far Cry 5, eh? Well, make me a sandwich, bitch."
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Yeah if anything cross market with pot dispensaries, but that wouldn’t go over to well with parents
 
seanreisk said:
AT&T wireless stores? There's no cross market between cell phones and video games. The only thing that makes the tiniest sense is if they partnered up with a company like NewEgg and stocked basic hardware.
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I think you haven't been to Gamestop in a while if you think there's much of a cross market between the PC gaming and Gamestop. Those days are LONG gone.
 
beemanit said:
LOL!!! A coworker or mine used to work for GameStop and he would tell us of some of the stupid decisions that were being made. If GameStop was smart they would have developed an interface like Steam but they missed their chance and time to close.
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They bought Impulse from Stardock, but it was already to late.
 
heatlesssun said:
GameStop is the gaming equivalent of Blockbuster.
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Indeed it is. No one wants its online services either. We already have Steam, Origin, U-Play and Blizzard's services. Gamestop would have to come up with something truly awesome to make anyone want to use their service over already established platforms. That seems highly unlikely.
 
"Personal Reasons" is often corporate speak for resign or be fired. For it to happen after 90 days either he was a totally bad fit or he realized just how bad things are and bailed before it became "His Fault."
 
GameStop?

Yeah they are a failed business model in today's environment.

But when they shut them down, my town will literally only have a Walmart to get the stuff they sell.

I generally only get the stuff they sell online. But every now and again you can't wait.
 
They're doing fine now because plenty of people still want to easily sell used games. They screw you over big time compared to ebay but a lot of people like the "simplicity" of trading in a game. When consoles stop allowing used games to be transferable and go mainly to downloads like MIcrosoft intended originally with the One, GameStop will die very quickly. The backlash among console gamers was huge when the One was announced but I think by 2020 enough people have been eased into downloads.

I am sure MS and Sony will get a clue and offer discounts off digital games up front during sales to make the jump more seamless. I don't imagine Steam sales like back in the heyday, but I can see $45-48 for relatively new titles being possible if you subscribe to LIVE or PSN, which practically all console gamers do. Once they get used to buying digital first (and therefore not being able to sell them like Steam) GameStop will be dead.
 
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sfsuphysics said:
Dispensary plus sandwich stop though...
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I agree, some good thinking, here. But to really refine this idea, I think I would retract my idea for the Subway Sandwich franchise. Instead, GameStop should acquire a pot dispensary, a Little Ceasars, and a Dollar Store. Maybe a Jack In The Box. Then you have total impact. Add delivery service, and PROFIT.
 
Archaea said:
Maybe Michael Mauler realized their business model is past saving after getting an internal glimpse.

Ask Radio Shack how trying to subsidize an antiquated core business model with cell phone sales worked out?
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I bet they would still be in business if they still sold electronic hobbiest stuff like hifi audio gear, electronic components updated with new stuff like drones, 3d printers etc..
 
seanreisk said:
I agree, some good thinking, here. But to really refine this idea, I think I would retract my idea for the Subway Sandwich franchise. Instead, GameStop should acquire a pot dispensary, a Little Ceasars, and a Dollar Store. Maybe a Jack In The Box. Then you have total impact. Add delivery service, and PROFIT.
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Toss in a stripper pole and dollar beers and you got a deal.
 
Chaos Machine said:
I bet they would still be in business if they still sold electronic hobbiest stuff like hifi audio gear, electronic components updated with new stuff like drones, 3d printers etc..
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No kidding. Went belly up due to corporate crap as usual preaching about leadership and other nonsense. Sure toys r us had same corporate stuff and now they are off to the woods with nice “retention” packages.
 
Mauler finally realized that he can't compete; 70 year-olds have their fingers on the pulse of gaming like no other age demographic.
 
I really prefer buying digital copies of games these days. I love to use my PS4 Pro for single player games (which Sony has been kicking ass in) that are not FPS or RTS, and the Sony’s PS Market has some great deals all the time.

And then of course you got Blizzard’s app, Steam, Origin, Good Ol Games...all services doing a pretty good job and fulfilling niches that I have no time to even explore because how many games can a working man really buy and play all the time anyways? And all these services have deals, and they are reliable and fast. Even Origin...who would have thought.

And every time I go into GameStop, I always get solicited for a magazine subscriptions, or some kind of service. Their used games are a joke and I’ve had problems in the past. Their stores sometimes are a mess.

Why go to Game Stop indeed.

There’s a non-zero percent chance that the new CEO saw the picture today as it really is and proposed some radical changes. The founder said no, and the CEO said “Clearly you don’t want me here to do the job you hired me to do” and said peace.

I’ve seen it before, and it’s not a great sign.
 
caddys83 said:
You would make a terrible CEO lol
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How would he be a terrible CEO? You tell people what to do, if it works you're a genius, if it doesn't you collect your golden parachute money and become an ex-CEO only to get hired by another company because apparently being a former CEO is more important than being a good one. Case in point Meg Whitman, she was in charge of eBay and gets all the credit for making that big even though ... the Internet ... and it probably would have grown just as well if that slow guy who drives the school bus was in charge. Left eBay and headed HP and proceeded to run it into the ground... but collected a fat paycheck on her departure.
 
Last time I bought something at Gamestop was the Xbox One S Special Edition Blue Console with Gears of War for a hella good price. ($250 I believe)

I had to return the first one because there was a random screw bouncing around in the chassis. Then returned the next one for a faulty/clicky fan.

They were real jerks about it even though I had them check 'em out to confirm I wasn't full of shit....

Still, an awful experience.... Like anyone would want to return a console twice in less than a week??

I'll never buy "Gamestop Exclusive" hardware EVER AGAIN!
 
sfsuphysics said:
How would he be a terrible CEO? You tell people what to do, if it works you're a genius, if it doesn't you collect your golden parachute money and become an ex-CEO only to get hired by another company because apparently being a former CEO is more important than being a good one. Case in point Meg Whitman, she was in charge of eBay and gets all the credit for making that big even though ... the Internet ... and it probably would have grown just as well if that slow guy who drives the school bus was in charge. Left eBay and headed HP and proceeded to run it into the ground... but collected a fat paycheck on her departure.
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drones and 3d printers popularity came long after radio shack downfall
 
I have been looking at GME's stock for about 2 years and still on the sideline.
Merrill Lynch has a $10 target price on it.
 
Wow.

Gamestop is actually worse than the place I work at even when you're the top brass?

This horrifies me to know that a company can really be so terrible, that being paid millions isn't enough of a reason to stick around.

I'm not sure if I should be grateful for where I work now, or if I should take this as a cautionary tale for when I move on.
 
If they'd quit fucking around with the archaic b&m methodology and make a digital download store, then maybe they'd have more than a snowball's chance in hell of pulling a profit.
 
DejaWiz said:
If they'd quit fucking around with the archaic b&m methodology and make a digital download store, then maybe they'd have more than a snowball's chance in hell of pulling a profit.
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But then who would they have left to treat like shit? Gamestop is so well known for treating its customers like garbage and its employees even worse. Taking away that personal interaction would be terrible. Gamestop feeds off it to live.
 
Chaos Machine said:
I bet they would still be in business if they still sold electronic hobbiest stuff like hifi audio gear, electronic components updated with new stuff like drones, 3d printers etc..
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They pissed off their core consumer base. There was another store around here that did the same thing with a name change Went from "GI. joes" to "Joes" Their consumer base didn't appreciate that at all.


Radio shack didn't adapt, so they died.
 
If I'm bored, and actually happen to be at the mall, I sometimes stop in. Don't know how they expect to get my money when they are selling used Wii (not Wii U) games for $20-$30.
 
DejaWiz said:
If they'd quit fucking around with the archaic b&m methodology and make a digital download store, then maybe they'd have more than a snowball's chance in hell of pulling a profit.
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To do that they would have to somehow be better than Steam, Origin, GOG, and Humble on day one of their service. That would be like telling a struggling physical auction house that they can make money by trying it online.
 
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