GameStop Appoints Head Of Digital Media

Major US specialty retailer GameStop is best known for its thousands of small game stores, but as the retail climate changes with the advent of online gaming and digital distribution, the company is evolving. Tex.-based GameStop said Wednesday that it appointed Chris Petrovic to the newly-created position of general manger of digital media. The new hire is a clear indicator that GameStop wants to make sure it doesn't fall too far behind in the digital space, even though the company has downplayed the threat that digital distribution poses to traditional physical retail. GameStop chief exec Dan DeMatteo said in a statement that the retailer is well-positioned to "[identify] and effectively [participate] in emerging trends in casual, browser, and mobile gaming." According to GameStop: "[Petrovic] will be responsible for building on the company’s ongoing efforts to integrate digital media into the company’s multi-channel strategy, as well as overseeing the development and execution of a digital acquisition strategy." Petrovic's appointment is the second significant announcement in a week from GameStop in regards to digital media. On Friday, the company debuted an online digital casual game store, and made tweaks to its overall digital distribution store for core PC games. Petrovic, who will be based in a Southern Calif. office, previously was VP of digital media at Playboy Enterprises, leading global online and mobile efforts. GameStop's announcement said the exec also worked in an executive capacity at the interactive division of greetings card maker American Greetings, as well as theglobe.com, and Prime Ventures, among others. GameStop has repeatedly said that it's confident that the physical retail business will make up the large majority of game sales for years to come, despite the rapid rise of digital distribution. The company lays claim to 6,200 physical stores worldwide. DeMatteo added that its physical business won't be fading away. "We are ... committed to supporting our unique and vast footprint of brick-and-mortar stores and knowledgeable associates with a smart digital business platform."