In a moderate Midwestern city, former GameStop customers have grown attached to a large window poster of Master Chief, which continues to grace the storefront nearly a year and a half after the store’s closure. It’s not unusual for GameStop locations to shut down, but for many in the community, the presence of Halo’s iconic protagonist brings a sense of comfort. At its peak in 2015, GameStop boasted nearly 6,700 stores throughout North America, Europe, and Australia, with almost half situated in the United States.
However, in the years since, the company has faced significant challenges and has had to close many locations, resulting in a current total that is less than half of what it was a decade ago. The GameStop in Ames, Iowa, was permanently shut down on January 18, 2024, with no clear explanation provided for its closure, according to local news sources. Despite the absence of a new tenant, the extensive vinyl poster of Master Chief remains firmly in place, spanning eight windows.
This detail was confirmed by members of the Halo community, who are eager to celebrate the iconic character’s presence. The sight of Master Chief still overlooking the vacant storefront has stirred various reactions from the community both locally and online. Many Facebook users have expressed their desire to visit the site for photo opportunities while dressed as Master Chief.
While some lament the loss of the GameStop store, others find solace in knowing that the beloved character is still “on duty.”
GameStop’s struggle to maintain physical store locations is linked to the rise of digital game downloads, which has made operating traditional retail outlets increasingly difficult. In a bid to adapt, the company announced plans to diversify its revenue streams, focusing more on trading card sales to counteract the losses from physical game sales. However, not all recent decisions have been well-received, exemplified by a controversial $500 million investment in bitcoin that led to a significant drop in the company’s stock prices.