Remember the whole Circuit City fiasco? Actually, depending on where you live, the Circuit City near you might still be open, liquidating the last of their stock. They aren’t the only company nose-diving right now, with the economy in the toilet. Right now, we also need to keep an eye on Blockbuster.

At the time I’m writing this, Blockbuster stock is down over 55%. In business terms, that’s a lot. I don’t think anyone is surprised that the company’s been loosing steam, especially since Netflix is so damn popular. But let’s not forget that Blockbuster is more than a DVD rental store. They also have video games. (Of course, Gamefly is really hurting BB in this department.)

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to bitch about Gamestop, and with good reason. They’re often seen as a necessary evil though, and gamers cry that there are no other viable options unless you order online. So not true.

James and Mike will tell you – when there’s a huge new title being released (I’m talking about something major like a new Halo or Grand Theft Auto), you can go to Gamestop and deal with huge crowds that are 75% fanboy idiots, or you can go to Blockbuster, walk right up to the register, and pay for your game.

In terms of used video games, Blockbuster may not have a huge selection, but they do have some available at discount. I’ve price-compared, and BB often cheaper than Gamestop, but it depends on the title. One downfall here is that Gamestop games were typically owned by one other person, then sold back. Blockbuster games were abused by multiple people who were just renting the title for the weekend, so the condition might not be as good. They do offer a return system, though, so if your game is all scratched up or something when you get home, you can return it.

As of now, Blockbuster hasn’t declared bankruptcy, and I think that the country has enough momentum from the last decade that they won’t be making any snap decisions. Over the next year, though, I think we’ll be seeing some changes in how the company works – after all, they have over 60,000 employees that they don’t want to lay off. So what could that mean for gamers?

It might mean the end of their video game section, if the company believes that they can’t keep up with Gamestop in sales and Gamefly in rentals. That’s pure speculation on my part, but it isn’t a stretch to see how that could happen. Or, it might mean an expansion on their video games section, so that the company promotes gaming more. Of course, keep in mind that bankruptcy is an option, which means that the company could liquidate.

In any case, I personally don’t want to see Blockbuster close or get rid of their video game section. If you agree, please keep them in mind the next time you want to shell out some cash for video games. Resist the urge to choose Gamestop right off the bat and instead remember that the ’buster may have better prices, and you’ll be supporting one of the few Gamestop competitors. Without our help, Blockbuster will fail, and in my opinion, that’s a bad thing for the entire gaming community.

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