EB Games closed New Zealand stores after suffering $11.4 million loss in last year

Tuesday, 26 May 2026

Crowds mob EB Games St Lukes today as the chain prepares to shut all 38 NZ stores by January 31st.

EB Games suffered a $11.4 million loss at its New Zealand arm in its final year of operations in the country.

The company shut down all 38 of its New Zealand retail stores in January, disestablishing all roles in the process.

Internal correspondence revealed that the company had faced years of declining profits amid broader retail-sector pressures.

Closed gaming retailer EB Games suffered an $11.4 million loss in its last financial year, it can now be revealed.

The business announced the closure of all 38 of its New Zealand stores in January, disestablishing all roles in the process.

The decision followed the outcome of a consultation process with staff and a prolonged period of financial difficulty.

An internal email cited by Stuff at the time informed employees that the company had suffered years of profit decline amid ongoing pressure in the retail sector.

The email added that the New Zealand business recorded a multimillion-dollar loss in the 2024 financial year, with no significant improvement anticipated in the current year.

EB Games had 38 stores across the country.

That prediction proved to be correct, with the company’s financial statements for the year ending January 31, 2026, revealing a $11.4m loss for its New Zealand arm.

Revenue from customer contracts was around $60m, up 15.1% from 2025; however, business expenses also rose 29.2% to $71.8m.

The business also incurred impairment expenses due to the wind-down of its New Zealand operations. These came in at $7.2m.

The company suffered an $11.4 million loss in the last year.

It also has to pay $801,000 in employee severance costs and $609,000 in accrued leave benefits.

EB Games is owned by Electronics Boutique Australia Pty, which still operates stores in Australia.

A worker at the New Lynn store said customers were being 'civilised and patient'

The company had been a fixture of New Zealand’s gaming retail scene for decades, operating stores in major shopping centres and city centres nationwide.

At the time of the closure, managing director Shane Stockwell acknowledged feedback received during the consultation process that it would leave a “significant hole” in the pop culture and gaming community.

This was seen in the long queues that formed at stores around the country as closing-down sales took place in January.

One gamer Stuff spoke to at the time said EB Games was not just a retail store, but a “cultural space for gamers'.

Rodrigo Mattos said he remembered the days when buying physical copies of video games at EB Games wasn’t just a transaction, it was an experience.

“You’d walk into the store, look at the covers, read the back of the box, imagine the gameplay, the story, and the hours you were about to spend playing. There was anticipation — it wasn’t instant,” he said.

“For many of us who grew up before everything became digital, it represents memories, rituals, and shared experiences.”

Mattos said the closure felt like “losing a small but meaningful part of gaming history in New Zealand.”

The last day of trade for all New Zealand stores was January 31.