As the United States has slowly lifted restrictions put in place at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19 cases have surged across the country. Some politicians have opted against requiring its citizens to wear face masks or coverings when in public, and so some retail giants have taken matters into their own hands. The list of retail stores now requiring customers to wear face masks has grown to include video game retailerGameStop, as revealed in a statement released today.
Beginning July 27, customers will not be allowed to enter GameStop without a face mask. This will give the store employees sufficient time to explain this new requirement to customers. GameStop CEO George Sherman stated that this decision was made to “ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our associates and customers from the growing spread ofCOVID-19.” GameStop hopes that by requiring customers to wear face masks, it will create a safe environment for GameStop shoppers and employees.
RELATED:Rumor: New GameStop Switch Game SKUs Could Hint at Upcoming Nintendo Direct
Previously, GameStop was criticized for its initial reaction to the coronavirus pandemic.GameStop called itself an essential businessand refused to shut down its stores until public pressure saw it switch to curb-side services. It seems the retail chain is now taking the coronavirus pandemic much more seriously by implementing this face mask requirement.
GameStop is just the latest retail store to implement a face mask requirement. Earlier this week,Walmart announcedthat it would start requiring customers to wear face masks, and it was followed by a number of other retailers, like Target. While there may be some exceptions, it seems most major retailers in the United States will require their customers to wear face masks for the foreseeable future.
It will be interesting to see how this face mask requirement impacts GameStop financially. It’s no secret that GameStop has seen better years, with more gamers turning to digital games over physical copies. However, the start of the coronavirus pandemic saw a surge in GameStop’s sales, and with the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles on the horizon, the company stands to make a great deal of money later this year.
