Micromania stores bought by four entrepreneurs

Micromania-Zing, a prominent French retailer of video games, has been purchased by a consortium of four entrepreneurs from France and Canada. The announcement was made by the brand itself on Thursday. This acquisition occurs at a time when the market for physical video games is experiencing a decline, largely due to the growing popularity of digital game downloads.

The American group GameStop, which had acquired Micromania in 2008, had announced its intention to sell its French stores in early 2025. The new owners, including Stephan Tétrault and Jean-François Chenail, along with Sandra and Stephen Callahan, have expressed their ambition to "relaunch Micromania." They plan to achieve this by strengthening their business in related merchandise and trading cards. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Adding to the market shift, Sony recently announced that PlayStation video games would cease physical disc distribution by 2028, moving exclusively to digital formats. This trend underscores the challenges facing physical game retailers like Micromania.

The new leadership intends to conduct a thorough analysis of the existing store network. This review could lead to the relocation, expansion, or even the opening of new stores. As a first step in their development strategy, the group plans to open a flagship store in October 2026. Notably, Stephan Tétrault, one of the buyers, previously acquired GameStop stores in Canada in 2025, rebranding them as EB Games. Jean-François Chenail is also a minority shareholder in EB Games, suggesting a potential synergy or shared strategy across these ventures.