Montana Gamers Brace as Game Retailer Closes Stores Nationwide

Look, I get it. That GameStop in the Mall has been our sanctuary forever. It's where I've spent countless lunch breaks "just browsing" (we all know that means spending an hour talking to Dave, the cool manager who always saves the best Pokemon cards for the regulars). But fellow Montana gamers, we need to talk about what's happening with our favorite love-to-hate-it gaming store.

GameStop just closed almost 300 stores faster than I rage-quit Elden Ring (which was pretty dang fast). That's on top of the 700+ locations they've already shuttered since 2020. Sure, our Montana shops are still kicking, for now. But, it's like watching that one friend who keeps saying "I got this"  while struggling with the final boss.

Remember when GameStop was THE place? Before "digital download" became gaming's favorite two words, we'd line up at midnight releases, clutching our pre-order receipts like golden tickets. Then the internet did its thing. GameStop got a surprise power-up in 2021 when "Roaring Kitty" turned the company into a meme stock sensation. But, even that wasn't enough to unlock the "save all stores" achievement.

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While our Montana GameStops are still hanging in there (shoutout to the Southgate Mall crew who always remembers my preorder preferences), stores across the country are getting the "game over" screen. For now, I'll keep visiting our local spots. Yes, they'll probably still only offer me $3.50 for my barely-used copy of God of War, and that one display controller will still be mysteriously sticky. But these places are more than just stores, they're where gaming memories were made.