EB Games has sadly announced that after a twenty six year run, the New Zealand arm of the company will be closing down and ending operations by the 31st of January, 2026.

New Zealand customers will soon be able to access EB Games via the Australian website but regardless, it is a sorrowful conclusion to the game shop for Team Members and the NZ Gaming Community alike.

Whilst the ebgames.co.nz website has stopped taking orders, there is an FAQ up on said site that sheds light on some operational processes that customers may need, including:

1. New Zealand customers will soon be able to purchase from ebgames.com.au
2. Gift Cards can be used in-store until closure, after that you will need to request a refund via customer support. (NZ Gift Cards cannot be used on the Australian site)
3. REBOOT repairs already received will be processed, beyond that contact customer support for help.
4. EB Protect can be accessed through customer support, or a refund based on time lapsed can be processed.
5. EB World memberships will work via Australia or refunds for EB World Plus based on time lapsed can be processed.
6. All preorders releasing after January 31st will be cancelled and refunded. Preorders cannot be moved to Australia. The following releases happening sooner are secure and can be picked up on release at half price:
   • Animal Crossing New Horizons Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
   • Pokemon TCG Dec 25 Collector Chest
   • Pokemon TCG 2025 Poke Ball Tin (Assorted)
   • One Piece Card Game OP-14 Booster
   • Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed
7. Laybys must be picked up before Jan 31st otherwise deposits can be refunded. Laybys not picked up will be cancelled and refunds made via customer support.
8. Refunds are still supported but some policies such as the preowned No Regrets policy end when the stores close.
9. Trade ins are no longer accepted.
10. Warranty is still available via customer support.

If you are interested in more of the ins and outs of what might be going on from a business perspective, I recommend this article from Channelnews or this article from RNZ which highlights the fact that Team Members were kept up to date with what was happening, which obviously didn’t change the outcome but I am sure was appreciated.