Paradox CEO: GAME troubles are "karma" for "bullying people around"

Paradox Interactive CEO Fredrick Wester has said the ongoing troubles of UK retailer GAME is "karma" for "bullying" its customers around.

The retailer has seen it go through stock trouble and speculation on its future recently, but got a bit of good news yesterday in an MCV report that suggested it took nearly half of all launch sales of PlayStation Vita in the UK.

But Wester reckons the current woes are karmic retribution, with the only out being a buyout from US retailer GameStop.

"GAME has basically been bullying people around and now it comes back to bite them on the ass," Wester said to GamesIndustry International at GDC.

"It's been abusing their situation in the UK for a long time but it always come back to you. Look at EA and Nintendo, they're not even willing to help. They will take the hit just to get rid of GAME and start over.

"One of the biggest problems is they haven't behaved nicely to other people, so it's karma."

Wester also said that GAME is one of many outlets that haven't acknowledged new retail experiences.

"Why didn't XBLA and PSN become like the App Store when they came out four year's before? It's because they don't have the same openness to new content, they have multiple filters before you're in.

"No truly independent developers can make it through to XBLA. You can call yourself indie but you need funding, you need technology support. At Paradox we have problems getting onto XBLA with the money we have."

"On the App Store you end up with a lot of crap, but you're not forced to buy it. The customer decides. Angry Birds would never have made it to XBLA, Minecraft would never have made it to XBLA. There are so many games that are million sellers that would never have made it to XBLA."