*Disclaimer – We are not, in any way, promoting or encouraging anybody to go out. It is still THE BEST course of action to stay at home and avoid any risk of getting infected. COVID-19 is as serious as it gets and we should treat it with the importance and urgency it deserves.

The Government has mandated that certain areas will transition to MECQ or Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine until May 30 and one area affected is NCR or the National Capital Region. Under MECQ guidelines, some malls and establishments are already allowed to open up to the public but with certain restrictions depending on the type of service.

And so we ask, “Are gaming stores open during MECQ?”

Quick answer, Yes! Gaming stores are indeed open during MECQ but certain guidelines still need to be followed like social distancing, wearing of face masks, limited number of guests inside the store, etc.

Not all gaming stores and not all branches will be open though, so here’s a handy list of which ones are.

*Disclaimer – this list was compiled as of May 16 and may be subject to change. Operating hours may differ and will depend on either the mall or store discretion. Contact numbers provided below are lifted from Google and may not be the most updated as of writing.

Datablitz

• SM Mall of Asia – 8556 0112
• SM Southmall – 8800 3058
• Blue Bay Walk – 8556 8462
• SM Megamall – 7910 5568
• Century City Mall
• SM North Edsa – 7794 5027
• SM Fairview – 8364 5797
• Robinsons Place Manila – 8536 3308
• Robinsons Magnolia – 8961 3396
• SM Bacoor – (046) 458 4074
• SM City Cabanatuan
• SM City Iloilo – (033) 335 4402
• Ayala Capitol Central Bacolod
• SM City Legazpi – (052) 742 0206
• SM Davao – (082) 225 5539
• Abreeza – (02) 321 0950
• Centrio Mall – (088) 323 2365

Gameline

• SM North Edsa – 8355 5406
• SM San Lazaro – 8559 – 8154
• SM Taytay – 0929 238 3403

GameExtreme

• SM Southmall
• SM City Iloilo (Starting May 18)

Game One PH / i-Tech have not yet responded but we will update this as soon as we receive word.

We understand that a lot of you may be excited to go out and get the physical versions of games you may have missed out on but again, we wholeheartedly advise to stay home and stay safe. These stores also offer online shopping and there are a lot of sites that offer the purchase of digital credits so this would still be the preferred option during MECQ. Payment options and delivery timelines will differ per store.

Peep the list of gaming stores that offer online shopping below:

• Datablitz – Click HERE
• Datablitz Shopee via PixelPlay – Click HERE
• Datablitz Lazada via PixelPlay – Click HERE
• Game One PH / i-Tech – Click HERE
• Game One PH / i-Tech Shopee – Click HERE
• Game One PH / i-Tech Lazada – Click HERE
• Gameline – Click HERE
• Gameline Lazada – Click HERE
• Game Extreme – Click HERE
• Game Extreme Shopee – Click HERE
• Game Extreme Lazada – Click HERE

If digital credits like PSN / Nintendo eShop is your thing, the retailers above like Datablitz and Game One PH offer credits as well, but there are also other options like OffGamers and SeaGM to fulfill your needs. If you are buying from local gaming groups, please make sure to purchase through legit and verified sellers like Kaizen Gaming before pushing through with your purchase.

Stay safe everyone and remember to stay at home as much as possible. We understand the excitement because we are excited too but safety is the most important thing we have to consider right now to avoid a possible second wave.