A cherished name from Canada’s gaming history is staging a comeback. Electronics Boutique — affectionately remembered by a generation as EB Games — is being revived, stirring deep nostalgia in those who once swapped cartridges and lined up for midnight game launches. This revival follows a major acquisition led by Stephan Tetrault, a well-known French-Canadian entrepreneur with deep roots in the collectibles and entertainment world. Tetrault has officially purchased Electronics Boutique Canada Inc. from GameStop Global Holdings S.A.R.L., breathing new life into a brand that once anchored itself in the heart of Canadian mall culture — the kind of store you’d spot nestled between Spencer Gifts and San Francisco, just across from Hot Topic.
The move signals a significant shift for the retailer and hints at a broader resurgence of brick-and-mortar gaming in Canada. A full brand overhaul is already in progress, with updated store signage, a modernized website, and a new suite of digital assets set to roll out across the country in the coming months.
“This isn’t just a business play—it’s about bringing back something Canadians genuinely loved,” said Stephan Tetrault, now the Owner and CEO of the newly rebranded EB Games Canada. “We’re building something meaningful, grounded in community, nostalgia, and forward-thinking innovation.”
EB Games had its identity phased out in 2021, when GameStop streamlined its international branding efforts. Yet, the rebrand never quite took hold in Canada, where longtime customers continued to call the stores by their former name. Recognizing this cultural attachment, the new ownership is doubling down on that legacy to rebuild a brand that feels familiar and distinctly Canadian.
The relaunch of EB Games Canada comes at a pivotal moment for GameStop Corp., its former U.S.-based parent company headquartered in Grapevine, Texas. After years of declining sales and shuttered locations, GameStop has been grappling with the industry’s steady drift toward digital distribution.
Once a retail juggernaut, GameStop soared in the 2000s and peaked around 2015, operating more than 6,000 stores worldwide and generating over $9 billion in annual revenue. But the rise of digital platforms — Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Nintendo eShop, and Steam — steadily eroded consumer demand for physical media.
In an effort to stay relevant, GameStop branched out into collectibles and digital ventures, including a brief foray into the NFT market. That initiative came to an end in February 2024, shuttered amid regulatory hurdles and execution challenges.
The company also captured the world’s attention in early 2021, when its stock became the centerpiece of a Reddit-driven trading phenomenon, originating on the r/wallstreetbets forum. The event sent GameStop’s share price soaring and plummeting in a volatile cycle that turned it into a global financial spectacle.
By 2024, GameStop had closed nearly 600 U.S. locations and signaled further downsizing. The company has also dabbled in areas like cryptocurrency investment as it attempts to reinvent itself within a changing industry landscape.
Meanwhile, the revival of EB Games Canada is not just a nostalgic gesture but a strategic pivot toward rebuilding physical gaming communities in an increasingly digital world. Tetrault’s vision suggests a hybrid model that honors the past while embracing new consumer trends.
