The global pandemic related to coronavirus COVID-19 has impacted the world, and the video game industry has certainly been dealt many blows. The coronavirus caused big physical events like E3 2020 and GDC to be fully cancelled, and numerous retail stores across the country have changed to either limited hours of operation or have ceased operations altogether for the time being. One store that has chosen to remain open is GameStop, which irritated many after reports of poor sanitation policies, as well as a statement in which the corporation referred to their stores as “essential retail.” This was met with much customer backlash online, to which a GameStop response has now been issued.

We are working diligently during this unprecedented time to provide our customers & associates with the safest environment possible. Please see below for details on new changes we are enacting & click here for our full statement: https://t.co/qP9jDQUmjs pic.twitter.com/d99kxviz7Q

— GameStop (@GameStop) March 19, 2020

The GameStop response to the recent backlash was shared by the company on their official Twitter account. The backlash came as reports from anonymous employees claimed that GameStop was not providing proper sanitation supplies like hand sanitizer to employees as promised, and that the company was not enforcing its stated policies of refusing the trade-in of used games or issuing crowd control. The big strike came when GameStop corporate told their employees to keep stores open, claiming that the stores can be considered as “essential retail.” Seemingly in response to this backlash, though not specifically mentioned, GameStop states that they are issuing the following precautions to their stores:

• Instituting multiple social distancing practices in our stores, up to 10 people in the store, including store associates.
• Following CDC recommended guidelines to adopt in-store line management practices that creates a 6-foot parameter between customers in checkout lines.
• Reducing our store hours of operation to 12 – 8 p.m., which will be in place until Sunday, March 29th.
• Rolling out delivery @ door service to allow customers to pick up their purchases at the front door of our U.S. store locations.
• Suspending temporarily our video game and consumer electronics trade-in practices until further notice.
• Postponing all gaming events and midnight launch activities until further notice.
• Disabling temporarily all interactive gaming stations in our stores.
• Encouraging customers to leverage our online ecommerce capabilities and direct deliveries to their homes from our warehouses or stores.

Not many specific reports have come in yet to confirm that these measures are being enforced, but many were able to pick up copies of Animal Crossing New Horizons yesterday throughout the evening, in favor of a set midnight launch that would make large crowds gather. GameStop also stated that

The health and safety of our employees and customers is of utmost importance and we have and will continue to take extensive precautions consistent with CDC guidelines. We are complying with all state, county, city and local ordinances and we will continue to adjust to any future developments.”

Time will see if the situation for both employees and customers improve at GameStop. This would be the right time for them to issue Power to the Players, as their motto says.

What do you guys think about this GameStop response? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned for the latest gaming news, such as the Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s physical copies possibly being delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak, here on Don’t Feed the Gamers! Follow us on Twitter to see our updates the minute they go live!