GameStop to Reopen Closed Stores Sequentially From September 11

GameStop will resume operations at some of its closed stores. The company said in a post on social media that select closed stores will reopen nationwide starting September 11. It did not disclose how many stores will reopen or details on their locations. Reporting by Kunal Khullar of Tom’s Hardware described the move as a course correction after large-scale closures.

The reopening announcement was brief, describing the targets as “select closed stores.” It gave no specific number, stressing only that the reopenings would be on a national scale. For customers of the affected stores, whether a nearby location will return is the biggest question. The company has suggested further updates will follow, with the release of a store list as the key focus.

Your local GameStop is back. Select closed stores are now reopening nationwide starting September 11.

The above is a quote from a post published by the company on September 10. The image used a store exterior to directly appeal to a comeback. Notably, it limited its communications channel to social media. The approach can be seen as aimed at engaging with brick-and-mortar customers.

Some Closed Stores to Resume Operations Nationwide

GameStop has not formally disclosed how many stores will reopen. In response to inquiries from IGN, a spokesperson reportedly said “at least one” as of September 11, meaning at least one store would reopen. Additional store information is expected to become clear in the future.

The explanation suggests a phased reopening. Rather than reopening all at once, stores will return as properties and staffing are secured. Restoring closed sites will require refitting interiors and rearranging inventory. It is natural that the number of short-term reopenings will be limited.

The choice of September 11 as the reopening date is also notable. It allows time to prepare assortments and staffing for the year-end shopping season. Sourcing collectibles and pre-owned products also takes time. A reopening in early autumn aligns with inventory planning.

It is also important that the reopenings are limited to “recently closed stores.” Rather than long-closed locations, the company may have selected properties where fixtures and lease terms remain. Rent negotiations and returns under short-term contracts are also conceivable. It can be interpreted as a low-cost approach to reopening.

Shift in Course After 470-Store Closures

The reopenings come immediately after a major downsizing of the store network. A closure list compiled in January 2026 put about 470 stores across the U.S. as closed or set to close. The figure is based on a tally by a blog tracking closure trends. The targets spanned a wide area across states.

The company had also closed several hundred stores in the previous fiscal year. The 470 stores were not a one-off, but part of a continuing contraction. The aim was reportedly to cut costs and improve profitability. It proceeded with整理 unprofitable stores and withdrawing from unprofitable regions.

Reducing store numbers directly compresses fixed costs. The savings in rent, labor, and logistics costs are large. At the same time, it entails lost sales opportunities and fewer customer touchpoints. The back-and-forth of closures and reopenings is a move to find that balance.

The fact that the reopenings are limited to “select” locations shows this is not a full reversal. It has not withdrawn its closure policy, but has reconsidered stores worth keeping. It may have reevaluated them based on trade areas and earnings prospects. It can also be read as a shift to evidence-based store operations.

Move Away From Physical Media and Changing

Business Structure

Game sales have shifted from physical media to digital downloads. Opportunities to buy packaged products continue to shrink. Even among home consoles, models without disc drives have increased. The role of physical stores in selling new software has declined.

Sony has indicated plans to end production of new physical PlayStation software by January 2028. It explained that additional orders for existing titles can continue, and that production will not disappear immediately. After the announcement, backlash arose, centered on enthusiasts. Concerns over preservation and ownership were behind it.

Under these conditions, the meaning of maintaining physical stores has changed. Profitability cannot be measured by new software sales volume alone. Pre-owned products, pre-order pickups, and sales of related goods carry greater weight. Stores are becoming hubs for logistics and experiences.

GameStop’s business has already moved away from dependence on software. Chief Executive Officer Ryan Cohen said in July that the software ratio was below 12%. Meanwhile, filings for fiscal 2025 showed software, including physical software and download codes, accounted for 20.1% of net sales. The difference in figures appears to stem from different scopes of aggregation.

Collectibles grew in its place. They reached 29.2% of net sales in fiscal 2025. The year-on-year growth rate was 47.7%. The category includes trading cards, toys, apparel, and others. It has increased its presence both in terms of profit margins and as a reason to visit stores.

What the Limited Reopenings Mean and What to

Watch Next

It is appropriate to position this announcement as a limited reopening. It is not a return to expanding the store network. While preserving the cost structure gained through closures, it is a selection of only those stores expected to be profitable. It is a fine-tuning, not a revision of the overall strategy.

The focus is on the product assortment at reopened stores. If the mix has a low software ratio, collectibles will be the star of the sales floor. Pre-owned consoles, accessories, and pickup services will also matter. The assessment will vary depending on where stores derive revenue.

How locations are chosen will also be a focus. Reusing closed stores can hold down initial investment. Foot traffic within shopping facilities and the presence of competitors will be deciding factors. Breaking even in a short period could be a condition. The store list to be disclosed will provide clues.

Its stance on disclosure will also be questioned. If the number of reopenings, regions, and employment scale are shown, the seriousness of the strategy can be measured. Same-store sales and category breakdowns in quarterly reports will also be material. Year-end holiday results will influence the next decision.

The contraction of game retail is not unrelated to Japan either. Alongside the expansion of download sales, the role of storefronts is shifting to pickups, pre-owned products, and merchandise sales. GameStop’s selective reopenings will serve as a leading example. It also has reference value for Japanese distributors and mass retailers.

Editorial Opinion

In the short term, we see the sales mix at reopened stores as the focal point. If reopened stores lean toward collectibles, pre-owned products, and trading cards, it could directly improve the profitability of existing stores. Without a demonstrated balance between closure costs and reopening costs, it will be difficult to judge whether this is a strategic shift or a tactical adjustment. Overlaps in trade areas and changes in customer traffic should be testable in three to six months.

In the long term, we assess that declining dependence on physical software will change the role of retail. A mix with software down to around 20% and collectibles accounting for nearly 30% points to a shift from game shops to hobby shops. If discless consoles continue to expand, stores will strengthen their function as experience and pickup hubs. In one to three years, site-selection criteria could change from trade-area population to the density of enthusiast communities.

The question from our editors is where the yardstick for reopenings lies. The evaluation will differ depending on whether it is sales or profit, store visits or membership. Will disclosure of the number, locations, and assortments of reopened stores be sufficient? As physical media shrinks, what unique value physical stores retain is being called into question.

References

• “ GameStop is reopening recently closed stores despite massive retail cuts — select locations return nationwide starting September 11 “, by Kunal Khullar — Tom’s Hardware, 2026-09-11T12:50:35.000Z (ARR)
• Source URL: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/gamestop-is-reopening-recently-closed-stores-despite-massive-retail-cuts-select-locations-return-nationwide-starting-september-11