EB Games Lower Hutt: The Final Days of the Queensgate Store

Status: Closing Stores: 38 Last day: 31 January 2026

Ten facts, one pattern: the shutdown runs from the storefront to the distribution centre, and every date in January points to the same ending.

Is there any EB Games left in NZ?

The short answer: yes, but only in its final days. All 38 New Zealand EB Games locations are closing permanently by 31 January 2026.

EB Games confirmed the nationwide wind-down after weeks of speculation. The first wave of more than 20 stores closes on 22 January, with the remaining stores following by the end of the month.

Current status of EB Games in New Zealand

• All 38 locations are closing.
• More than 20 stores close on 22 January 2026.
• The national distribution centre closes on 28 February 2026.

The rollout means the chain is shrinking in real time. NZ Herald reported that a 50% sale began on 15 January, and 1News confirmed the national distribution centre will close on 28 February. After that, the EB Games brand exits New Zealand entirely.

Lower Hutt store specifically

• Location: Queensgate Shopping Centre, Lower Hutt.
• Current discount: Up to 50% off selected stock.
• Final day: Expected to be 31 January 2026 unless stock sells out sooner.

The store’s position in Queensgate’s original mall layout makes it one of the harder spaces to re-lease, but a closure before March would give the centre a full quarter to market the unit.

For Lower Hutt shoppers, the next few weeks are a mix of clearance-shelf scavenging and quiet mourning for a shop that has served the Hutt Valley for decades.

The implication: the Lower Hutt store’s actual last day may come before 31 January if stock sells out, and the Queensgate space will need a new tenant before the streets go quiet again.

Why are EB Games closing down?

Financial struggles

• EB Games has been losing market share to digital downloads and online retailers.
• Rent and wage inflation have made large-format mall stores unsustainable.
• Parent company JB Hi-Fi decided to exit the New Zealand electronics retail market.

Retail analysts say the company’s high-street and mall rents were already under pressure before the sale began.

Impact of digital game sales

• Digital downloads now make up the majority of new game sales in New Zealand.
• Pre-owned game margins — once a reliable profit source — have shrunk.
• Trade-in volumes have dropped as more gamers move to all-digital consoles.

The trade-in model that kept EB Games alive for years simply could not compete with Steam, the PlayStation Store and the Xbox Store.

The trade-off: Shoppers may get steep discounts, but the closure will leave Queensgate without one of its original electronics retailers.

Where are EB Games closing down?

The closure is nationwide, but the timeline varies by location.

List of EB Games stores in NZ

• All 38 stores in New Zealand close.
• Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Lower Hutt are all affected.
• More than 20 stores shut on 22 January 2026.

There is no regional exception. The remaining stores will close by 31 January 2026.

Lower Hutt store details

• Address: Queensgate Shopping Centre, Lower Hutt.
• Expected final day: 31 January 2026.
• Stock levels: Heavily reduced; popular games and consoles are already selling out.

The store’s position in the centre means shoppers should expect the clearance to move quickly.

Other major city stores

• Auckland: Sylvia Park, St Lukes, Botany.
• Wellington: Queensgate, Lower Hutt.
• Christchurch: Riccarton and city centre.

From St Lukes to Queensgate, the same pattern is repeating: empty shelves, quiet tills, and a countdown to the final day.

The pattern: every major city had its own queue. The Queensgate crowd in Lower Hutt was significant enough that shoppers were warned to avoid the mall that afternoon.

What are EB Games called now?

In New Zealand, the answer is simple: nothing. The brand is closing, and there is no successor name on the doors.

EB Games rebranding to ZiNG in some markets

• ZiNG is a JB Hi-Fi brand used in some international markets.
• There is no confirmed plan to rebrand New Zealand stores as ZiNG.

ZiNG has been used elsewhere, but the New Zealand business is shutting down entirely rather than converting.

In Australia, EB Games still operates

• EB Games Australia remains open.
• New Zealand stores will not become Australian-style EB Games.
• Online orders from Australia to New Zealand will continue after the local stores close.

No rebranding for NZ stores

• New Zealand stores are not becoming ZiNG.
• No buyer has been announced for the store network.
• The EB Games brand will disappear from New Zealand malls.

The absence of a rebrand announcement is the clearest sign that this is an exit, not a reset.

Related reading: EB Games heaving with crowds as gamers snatch final deals · Traffic jams as carpark closure clashes with EB Games closing-down sale

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