While the switch from physical media to digital media was fairly swift for the likes of movies, television and music, physical media in gaming is still going strong despite the continued trend towards digital.
It doesn't mean big chains are thriving though. In fact, last year the biggest retailer in the country, Gamestop announced it would be closing all of its 35 stores here for good.
There are stores like CeX that are still doing well (mainly because they also sell phones and laptops) but there is clearly a gap in the market for gamers who still want physical games.
That is something Anthony Dobbs, owner of The Retro Gaming Store Plus in Wexford, slowly realised after opening a small tech store in the town back in 2014.
It was something that evolved over time, he says, speaking to BreakingNews.ie at Gamerfest 2024 at the RDS.
“I was made redundant from the job I was working at and was offered another role in the company or a redundancy package.
“I chose the redundancy and managed to find a tiny store in Wexford town. I took it from a small tech store into what is now: a three-storey retro gaming store.
He runs the store with his wife and two other employees and has built substantially on the initially small gaming collection.
“I didn’t know if the market was big enough (for just games ) but 10 years on, things have really grown. You get the people who want to play the games and you get the people who are real collectors," he says.
Much like every other business, Covid set the store back two years. They had a decision to make: either go out of business completely or move to a bigger store and try to expand the business.
If I lose this, I lose everything. I have always been in an industry that is inherently risky, but I love what I do.
Anthony Dobbs-The Retro Gaming Store Plus
“We risked everything. I am a sole trader, so you know the risk is me. If I lose this, I lose everything," he says. While he knows the risks of the retail trade, he says "I really love what I do."
Retro collection
They moved into the new store back at the end of July, and they are slowly starting to put together their extensive collection.
Having recently taken a trip to Wexford a few weeks ago, it was great to see such a variety of games and consoles on display at Retro Games Plus. From PS1 and PS2 to the likes of the SNES, Sega Master System and handhelds like the Game Boy Colour.
With the success of their retro collection, they have also been able to branch out into selling modern consoles.
“During Covid we had a lot of people asking why do you not sell modern games or consoles?”
“I was thinking that we're a small indie store and that would push down our bottom line even more.”
Local customers were so persistent though that they ended up changing their minds and decided to start selling modern games and consoles.
To limit risk, they decided to only sell the number of games that customers pre-order, meaning they are not left with a ton of unsold stock clogging up the store.
They have encountered issues with some of the bigger distributors though. If they want to get collector's editions for a game, for each special edition they buy, they need to buy three standard editions.
That means they have to be selective with the type of modern releases they stock.
In terms of modern consoles, I was surprised to see customers ringing in enquiring about the recently revealed PS5 Pro (which costs a whopping €800) and how they could get their hands on one.
They have built relationships with local customers, and so they will always make sure to try and stock the latest releases when they can.
Community hub
As the store has grown, it has also become a real community hub for gamers from all walks of life.
We have already held a tournament this year and whether it is tabletop or consoles, we have opened a place where games can come together.
Anthony Dobbs-The Retro Gaming Store Plus
“We have already held a tournament this year and whether it is tabletop or consoles, we have opened a place where games can come together," he says.
They also open the store up to kids after school between 4 and 5pm so they can chill and play games in a safe environment as they wait for their parents to get off work.
As retro game collecting continues to grow in Ireland, the online market has become a place for collectors to go, as they can order from anywhere in the country.
As a collector himself from an early age, Daniel Reminek, originally from Poland, knows how quickly the hobby can become your line of work.
Online store
He started collecting for the original PlayStation, but that quickly expanded to other consoles as he caught the “bug” for collecting.
“I started to take things seriously and created Retro Ultimate about four or five years ago," he says, but he would officially open it as a business last year.
He is one of those people who has always had their house filled to the brim with old consoles and games. After a while, it just made sense to make some money from it.
While he tried to set up a website for Retro Ultimate, he just did not see the sales return, so now he is selling games and consoles on Adverts.ie.
“Everything is taking time, so while I am trying to branch out to places like Facebook marketplace, it is just a lot at the moment," he says.
While he is based in Swords, ultimately one day he would love to open his own retro store in the city centre. He is aware though of the realities of that.
“Dublin is just so expensive, you know. I was speaking to someone from CeX, and they told me how much it is to rent a space in Dublin, and it is just crazy, it is a least five figures.
While he has thought about possibly setting up shop outside the capital, there is just no way to replicate the same footfall you get in the city centre.
“Even with the collection I have now, I still need to grow it if I want to open my store one day," he says.
Being solely online meant he was not as impacted by the pandemic as much, which overall saw a huge surge in gaming.
“Yeah, I think it was a real boon for the market and a lot of people discovered there are so many different types of games out there.
“For older gamers it was a time when they reconnected with their hobby. A lot of it hinges on their nostalgia and so it has been great for the growth of retro gaming in general."
It is clear that although some of the bigger chains like Gamestop may have disappeared from the Irish market, there is still a huge appetite amongst gamers for physical games, both old and new.
