GameStop Refuses to Close Stores, Apparently They’re Essential to People With Nothing Else Going For Them

Listen, we’ve never liked GameStop. We didn’t like them when they first started replacing all the mom-and-pop video game stores and we certainly didn’t like them when they tried to tell us that our vintage copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 was only worth $1.50 in store credit. So it comes as no surprise to us that while the rest of the world is shutting down to combat COVID-19, GameStop is doing its best to be the biggest asshole in the country (hard to do, given our current political landscape).

Vice is reporting that GameStop has informed its employees to ignore law enforcement decrees of shutting down all non-essential businesses. Their argument, supposedly, is that GameStop is essential. They actually believe this — so much so that they have told their employees to give law enforcement officials a “note” explaining just how essential they are. The memo reads:

“Due to the products we carry that enable and enhance our customers’ experience in working from home, we believe GameStop is classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time. We have received reports of local authorities visiting stores in an attempt to enforce closure despite our classification. Store managers are approved to provide the document linked below to law enforcement as needed.”

This is just the latest dick move from the gaming giant, as earlier this week they were criticized for how they were treating employees amid the coronavirus crisis. Allegedly, store managers were told to purchase cleaning supplies themselves, amid the national shortage. Stores in California were given no choice about whether to stay open or not, as the governor ordered a state-wide shutdown. Because of this, GamesStop did close their California stores, but told employees that they would have to use their own sick or vacation time…or file for unemployment. We like video games as much as the next person but, evidently unlike the powers-that-be at GameStop, we like human lives and livelihoods more.

Cover Photo: Ava Williams, NBCU Photo Bank NBCUniversal (Getty Images)

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