Summary
Tech retail chain PayMore is buying oldGameStoplocations as the once-popular gaming outlet closes them. The last few years have been rough forGameStop, which has been shutting down many of its brick-and-mortar stores at an increasing rate since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these closures are due to the rising prevalence of online shopping, which has caused GameStop to start looking into alternative revenue sources like NFTs and investing in Bitcoin.
These efforts have done little to quell the number of physical GameStop location closures over the past few years, with over 700 stores locking their doors for good since 2020. Not all of these closures were announced ahead of time either, asGameStop customers have reportedly been surprisedat the sight of their local game stores standing empty with a “closed” sign on their windows. This is a bitter development for those who prefer the experience of shopping for video games at a brick-and-mortar store like GameStop, but it seems like another company is looking to fill the void left behind.
PayMore, a growing chain of technology stores where customers can trade in their old electronics, is reportedlybuying closed GameStop locations. According to a statement from PayMore itself, the company aims to convert these stores into “vibrant, community-focused spaces that prioritize flexibility, fairness, and sustainability.” PayMore notes that it and GameStop utilize similar commercial footprints, and that customers have increasingly turned to PayMore for its console-trading needs in the wake of GameStop’s closures.
PayMore Aims to Replace GameStop
PayMore also claims that customers are finding a better experience where employees value their time, protect their data, and don’t short-change them for missing components. PayMore accepts all types of electronics,including old gaming consolesand other hardware that players might wish to trade in for cash, and reportedly focuses on reducing environmental waste and restoring electronics for a second life.
PayMore has also been expanding greatly over the past year, with 18 stores opening in March 2025 and a projected 150 by the end of the year. It seems that part of this expansionincludes old GameStop locations, which are getting a second life of their own in the wake of PayMore’s ongoing buyouts. While more and more customers are instead doing their video game shopping online, PayMore is looking to fill the trading void left by GameStop’s increasing closures and provide an outlet for gamers to turn in their old consoles for money.
