Editing GameStop (section)

====Changes in market conditions====
The market for physical game media has been in a state of decline due to downloadable games on services such as [[Xbox Live]], [[PlayStation Network]], [[Nintendo eShop]], and [[Steam (service)|Steam]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gamereactor.eu/news/496973/The+physical+gaming+market+declined+in+the+UK+last+year/?cat=news|title=The physical gaming market declined in the UK last year|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=January 13, 2017|first=Sam|last=Bishop|work=Gamez Publishing|archive-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116160800/http://www.gamereactor.eu/news/496973/The+physical+gaming+market+declined+in+the+UK+last+year/?cat=news|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/index.php/news/read/era-2016-physical-games-revenue-down-16-4-year-on-year-but-digital-up-12-1/0177257|title=ERA: 2016 physical games revenue down 16.4% year-on-year, but digital up 12.1%|date=January 5, 2017|access-date=January 13, 2017|first=Alex|last=Calvin|archive-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116172022/http://www.mcvuk.com/index.php/news/read/era-2016-physical-games-revenue-down-16-4-year-on-year-but-digital-up-12-1/0177257|url-status=live}}</ref> This has resulted in a decline in sales at GameStop. In 2017, GameStop reported a 16.4% drop in sales for the 2016 holiday season, but expressed optimism in its non-physical gaming businesses.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/01/13/no-reindeer-games-gamestop-posts-16-percent.html | title=No reindeer games: GameStop posts 16 percent holiday sales drop | first=Korri |last=Kezar |work=[[American City Business Journals]] |date=January 13, 2017 |archive-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115231255/http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/01/13/no-reindeer-games-gamestop-posts-16-percent.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/01/13/905674/0/en/GameStop-Reports-2016-Holiday-Sales-Results.html| title=GameStop Reports 2016 Holiday Sales Results | publisher=[[GlobeNewswire]] | date=January 13, 2017}}</ref>

In February 2017, it was revealed that GameStop enforced, on all of its retail employees, a program known as Circle of Life. The policy itself was made to ensure that each employee would allow a certain percentage of their sales to pre-orders, rewards cards, used games, or have a customer trade in a game.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://kotaku.com/new-gamestop-program-leads-employees-to-lie-to-customer-1791874332 |work=[[Kotaku]] | first=Jason | last=Schreier |date=February 1, 2017 |title=New GameStop Program Leads Employees To Lie To Customers|archive-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301092854/http://kotaku.com/new-gamestop-program-leads-employees-to-lie-to-customer-1791874332|url-status=live}}</ref> Upon revelation of the policy, many current and former GameStop employees revealed stories of how the policy has led to them lying to customers. Many more claimed that the policy had led to poor working conditions and emotional distress.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://kotaku.com/we-are-all-scared-for-our-jobs-gamestop-employees-talk-1791963185 |work=[[Kotaku]] | first=Jason | last=Schreier |date=February 3, 2017 |title='We Are All Scared For Our Jobs': GameStop Employees Share Their Circle Of Life Stories|archive-date=March 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301092827/http://kotaku.com/we-are-all-scared-for-our-jobs-gamestop-employees-talk-1791963185|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that month, GameStop reformed the program to solely focus on the store as a whole instead of the previous individual employee basis, though still maintaining a heavy emphasis on the individuals' performance to maintain strong store metrics.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://kotaku.com/sources-gamestop-changes-their-controversial-circle-of-1792735813 | date=February 24, 2017 |work=[[Kotaku]] | first=Jason | last=Schreier |title=Sources: GameStop Changes Controversial Circle of Life Program |archive-date=February 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227162842/http://kotaku.com/sources-gamestop-changes-their-controversial-circle-of-1792735813| url-status=live}}</ref>