It has been suggested that this article be merged into EB Games. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2025.
Electronics Boutique Australia Pty Ltd, trading asEB Games Australia, is an Australian video game and pop culture merchandise retailer, launched in 1997. Since 2005, it has been owned by GameStop.[2]
As of 2020, EB Games Australia operates 375 stores in Australia and 41 stores in New Zealand, operating under the EB Games and Zing Pop Culture brands.
Electronics Boutique launched its Australian division in 1997 with the opening of the Westfield Miranda Electronics Boutique store.[3][4] New Zealand operations commenced in 2000 with the opening of an Electronics Boutique store in Auckland.[5] In 2002, Electronics Boutique changed its name globally to EB Games.[6] Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp was acquired in 2005 by GameStop for USD$1.44 billion.[7] This expanded GameStop's operations into Australia and New Zealand.[8]
Since 2007, EB Games Australia has maintained a charity partnership with the Starlight Children's Foundation. Every year, EB Games runs a "Starlight Week" fund-raising endeavours across EB Games and Zing Pop Culture stores. In 2021, Starlight Week raised over $850,000 for the Foundation.[9][10]
In 2008, GameStop announced it had acquired The Gamesman (not to be confused with the Australian retailer The Gamesmen) which was at the time New Zealand's largest independent gaming specialist with eight stores. The acquisition added eight stores and expanded EB Games' presence in New Zealand to a total of 38 stores, bringing the total store count to 308 in Australia and New Zealand.[11]
In May 2011, EB Games announced the launch of the EB Games Expo, a video gametrade fair / convention held annually in Australia. More commonly known as EB Expo or EBX, the inaugural convention was held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from 15 to 16 October of the same year. The Expo is used by video game developers to show off their upcoming games and game-related hardware. Unlike E3 at the time, EB Expo allowed members of the general public to attend.[12]
Logo for EB World
In October 2011, EB Games launched their EB World loyalty program. At launch the program offered four reward levels with customers able to progress though the reward levels by earning points called "carrots" being when shopping at EB Games stores (and later included Zing Pop Culture stores).[13]
In January 2020, EB Games reported it would close 19 unprofitable stores by the end of the month.[17][18]
In February 2021, The Sydney Morning Herald published an article about EB Games, notifying its divergence into selling pop culture merchandise and selling pre-owned games had been critical to its success.[17] In the same month, the EB Games reported commercial success, and that it would seek to open new stores.[19]
Zing Pop Culture
Zing Pop Culture Australia (Electronics Boutique Australia Pty Ltd)
In July 2014, EB Games Australia opened Zing Pop Culture (stylised as ZiNG Pop Culture) an Australian pop culture merchandise retailer. The first ZiNG Pop Culture store was located at the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre in Indooroopilly, Queensland.[21]
EB Games launched a spin-off of Zing Pop Culture, called Zing Marketplace, in September 2021. Zing Marketplace was an Australian e-commerce retro gaming and pop culture marketplace which facilitated consumer-to-consumer sales through its website.[22][23] Zing Marketplace was discontinued by EB Games on 22 March 2022.[24][25]
As of 29 January 2022 the company operates 375 stores in Australia and 41 stores in New Zealand.
An EB Games and ZiNG Pop Culture 'Hybrid' store located in Westfield Carindale, Brisbane, Australia in 2020Buck the Bunny EB Games' MascotAn EB Games outlet in Frankston, pictured in 2022.
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US$591.8 million (2021)
