GameStop Buys Micromania for $700 Mln

By Geoff Duncan Published October 1, 2008

GameStop Buys Micromania for $700 Mln — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Video game seller GameStop has announced it is buying French gaming retailer Micromania for some $700 million. Micromania is currently held by the private equity fund L Capital—so that’s who’s actually getting the money—but the acquisition gives GameStop a serious foothold in Europe. GameStop currently has no in France, and will gain some 332 locations in the country as part of the deal. By acquiring Micromania, GameStop will be able to boost its presence in Europe to over 1,000 stores; worldwide, GameStop will operate almost 6,000 locations.

“The transaction is a reflection of our belief that the European video game market is growing and will be an important part of GameStop’s worldwide growth,” said GameStop CEO Daniel A. DeMatteo, in a statement.

Recommended Videos

GameStop is funding the deal through cash on-hand, as well as credit and a $150 million loan from Bank of America. Pending European Commission approval, the transaction should close in November 2008.

Former Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

The next Xbox may be backward compatible with every past Xbox generation, if publishers agree

A leaked memo details Microsoft's next console could play games from every Xbox generation, but there's a catch.

A leaked internal memo suggests the next Xbox console, codenamed Project Helix, could play games from every generation the company has ever released. If true, that would make it the largest game library on any console, especially since it's also said to support PC games.

Backward compatibility for four console generations

Gaming

Xbox may have a surprisingly smart plan for keeping physical games alive

Xbox’s leaked roadmap could rescue your old games from the disc-drive grave

Book, Publication, Comics

The fate of physical game discs seems to be set in stone, with an all-digital library becoming increasingly inevitable. Microsoft, though, may at least give Xbox owners a way to bring their shelves full of physical games along for the journey.

A leaked Microsoft roadmap sent to game publishers details the planned rollout of Xbox’s Disc-to-Digital program alongside a much larger backwards-compatibility push. The document reportedly targets August for general availability, October for the full launch of original Xbox games on PC, and a gradual Xbox 360 rollout beginning in 2027.

Gaming

Pwnage’s new gaming mouse lets users adjust click force and travel with a screwdriver

The 49-gram Pwnage Vanta also features a movable sensor and 8,000Hz wireless polling

Computer Hardware, Electronics, Hardware

Gaming mice usually let you adjust sensitivity, polling rate, and button assignments through software. Pwnage’s new Vanta goes a step further by letting you physically change how each primary click feels.

The company describes the Vanta as the world’s first lightweight gaming mouse with mechanically adjustable clicks. Turning a pair of screws changes how much force and movement the left and right buttons require, without replacing the switches or adding more electronics.