GameStop is breaking into the tablet business, with more than 1,600 stores nationwide now carrying a selection of top Android tablets.
Retail stores will carry tablets from Samsung, Acer, Asus, and Toshiba, each bundled with pre-installed software and free games.
And, some GameStop stores will carry the Asus Transformer Prime and TF300T, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the Acer Iconia series.
Each tablet will come with a suite of free games, the Kongragate gaming app, and an issue of Game Informer Digital.
We contacted a local GameStop store, where the sales representative confirmed to us that the five free games included are Riptide GP, Sonic CD, Shadowgun, Cordy, and Sleepy Jack.
Time for a change
This is not GameStop's first foray into the tablet market, but it's a significant new step.
Late last year the retailer ran a trial run stocking Android tablets in 200 of its stores, which has proven successful enough for a more national launch.
GameStop stores already carry refurbished iPads, which are sold as is without any pre-installed apps or games.
Stores accept trade-ins on iPads, though there has been no announcement whether Android tablets will be accepted for trade-in as well.
GameStop is also making an increased push for digital markets, launching its GameStop Mobile service earlier this year for smartphones.
The company is also rumored to have its own streaming game service in the works to rival Onlive, which would run on Android tablets using a Bluetooth controller.
With the increased push toward downloadable games and tablets, GameStop is making a much-needed business move.
The only question is whether GameStop is too little too late with its mobile gaming adoption.
