My local and only independent video game store in Sheffield - the wonderful Playtime - is closing down. Run by passionate gamers for nearly 20 years and stocking everything from the latest releases to rare retro gems, it's been a regular stop on my mooches around the city centre since I moved here nearly 5 years ago.
The reason for it’s closure is a depressing and unavoidable one – the lease is up on the shop and the landlord is hiking up the rent since it was first signed all those years ago, so they've got no choice but to call it quits as while they do ok, they simply can’t absorb the new rates. Even worse, they have a sister store in Nottingham that is going to have to go too. Both stores obviously survive largely on people buying pre-owned games, and apparently most of Nottingham's stock comes from the trading done in Sheffield, so that pipeline will now dry up and they'll not have enough to sell to keep going.
This effectively heralds the end of bricks and mortar game shopping for me, which when I think back over the decades that I’ve spent visiting video game stores and the experiences I’ve had in them, makes me really quite sad. Yes online shopping is often cheaper (although Playtime’s prices were always pretty competitive), and digital is ‘The Future’ (so I’m told), but there’s nothing quite like handing over that box at the counter and walking home with a new game in hand. You also can’t match that thrill of finding something rare on the shelves, flicking through a rack of old tosh to discover a gem that you’ve always wanted and nabbing it for your very own.
So my C&R friends. Am I alone in lamenting the passing of indie game stores and gaming retail in general (I don’t go into Game – sorry if you work there!)? Did your local store close years ago and you’re further down the road to recovery than me? Or have you embraced the Digital Future and think I’m just being a big baby?
Also, who still has a great local store? Would make me happy to hear stories of other people’s thriving indies!
R.I.P. Playtime. You shall be missed
![Crying or Very Sad :cry:](./images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)