There was much I enjoyed, and much i loathed. GAME did a good job of importing the american customer service model in an effort to become more profesional as it grew. It was a very sales driven environemnet, where the goal was to engage the customer, and help steer their choices. Some people like that some don't. The GAME stores were constantly in competition against each other for sales, and also against their own sales figures from previous years.
Sadly, whilst the company moved towards focusing more on the customers, it failed to focus on its staff. There was no benefit to the Sales assistants in selling more, other than their manager shouted at them less. The company had a big chip on its shuoulder about staff theft as it tried to transition and exapnd from a small chain to a more profesional outfit. This led to routine searches of staff before leaving the store, and treating all staff as potentional thiefs.
I agree with the above posts that what really killed GAME though,was the reduction in footfall. "Young" game buyers moved across to internet shopping a long time ago, but GAME survived on the key period of Christmas presents. December+january takings were equall to takings for the rest of the year in some concessions. With the appearance of not jsut games, but also hardware in supermarkets, this too began to ebb away.
I loved checking out games at GAME when I was young. I loved working there in my early 20's. I want to say I wish it was still there, but when I think about it, I haven't been to GAME to buy anything for over 5 years. I go to browse, and catch up with friends. But never to buy. In the end, I guess I killed GAME.