Big crowds have been spotted at EB Games stores across the country as the video game retailer launches a sale campaign before it closes down later this month.
According to local media reports, hundreds of people have lined up outside of the stores to snatch last-minute bargains.
Radio NZ quoted a security guard at Auckland’s St Luke’s mall that up to 500 people gathered around an EB Games store, as they waited for the sale to start at 1pm Thursday.
Several customers said they had waited for at least three hours to buy products such as Star Wars collectibles, Pokémon cards, Lego sets and gaming accessories.
A customer at Westfield Riccarton in Christchurch told 1News the line was “pretty slow”.
The company’s website also displayed a virtual queuing system, with customers waiting as long as three hours to access.
EB Games announced on Wednesday that it would shut down all 38 stores and its distribution centre in New Zealand on January 31.
The video game and pop culture merchandise retailer was founded in the US in 1977 and entered the New Zealand market in 2000.
In 2005, the company was acquired by the US-based GameStop. The parent company reported a loss of US$4.2 million for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025.
EB Games remains a presence in Australia, where it has operated since 1997. According to the EB Games NZ website, customers in New Zealand will have access to the brand’s Australian e-commerce site by the end of March.
