CeX reportedly opening retro game stores with import titles

CeX is reportedly preparing two dedicated retro gaming stores in the UK, with one tipped for Birmingham and a wider focus on import software and hardware that standard CeX locations usually do not carry. If the plan goes ahead, the new format would move the chain's retro business out of a small in-store section and into standalone shops built around older games, consoles, and potentially other collectible items.

CeX has sold retro games and hardware for years, but they usually sit alongside the chain's broader second-hand business in phones, laptops, films, and current-generation games. The reported new stores, said to be operating internally under the names "ReX" or "CeX Retro", would instead focus almost entirely on retro stock.

The clearest details so far come from Retro Ghetto in a YouTube video, where the creator said the first store is planned for Birmingham, in an empty unit next to the existing CeX on Bull Street. A second location was mentioned, but not identified.

One of the most notable parts of the reported plan is the product mix. These stores are said to carry games from multiple regions rather than only PAL releases, which would open the door to North American and Japanese imports. That would mark a meaningful change from the usual CeX model, especially for collectors looking for versions of games and hardware that are harder to find on the UK high street.

Retro Ghetto said the first wave of stock would be gathered from existing CeX locations, with additional inventory potentially coming from stores outside the UK to make sure the shelves are full at launch. After opening, the stores would reportedly be supplied in the usual CeX way, through customer trade-ins and second-hand purchases.

The report also says CeX is considering a broader retro mix than boxed games and consoles alone. Arcade machines are reportedly under discussion, along with other categories such as retro toys and collectibles. That would push the concept closer to a specialist collector store than a standard games resale outlet.

Pricing appears to be a major reason for separating the concept from ordinary branches. Older and rarer products often need individual assessment rather than fixed pricing rules, and the report says the dedicated stores would have their own analyst to appraise incoming items and keep prices aligned with the retro market.

Retro Ghetto described the project as tightly held inside the business. "Apparently, this is very hush hush, even amongst CeX staff," the creator said in the video. They also added, "I can confirm this is definitely in the works. This is definitely their intention."

The same video said a manager has already been selected for the Birmingham site, which suggests the project has moved beyond an early idea stage. Retro Ghetto said the target window is either the holiday period this year or early 2027, though no official announcement has been made.

For CeX, the timing would make sense. Retro collecting has stayed resilient even as the broader games market has shifted more heavily toward digital storefronts and subscription libraries. A specialist format would give the retailer room to stock unusual items, handle import demand, and price rarer inventory with more flexibility than a general-purpose branch allows.

Until CeX confirms the plan publicly, the stores remain reported rather than announced. Even so, the outline points to an interesting test for one of the UK's best-known second-hand chains: whether retro gaming has grown large enough to support its own dedicated storefront.