Is SimplyGames a Trustworthy UK Games Retailer?

Updated

SimplyGames presents itself as a long-established UK entertainment retailer, trading since 1998 and citing industry awards such as MCV's 'Best Online Games Retailer' in 2013 and 2014, with top-five nominations from 2015 to 2017. Those claims, together with its published Help/Information pages, give you a reasonable basis for checking it out — but they are the retailer's own statements, so treat them as a starting point for your own verification rather than a guarantee.

What the site itself claims

According to the SimplyGames homepage, the business has operated for "over two decades" and describes itself as "a leading light in the world of online entertainment retail." The specific trust signals it puts forward are:

  • Trading history: founded in 1998.
  • Awards: MCV 'Best Online Games Retailer' in 2013 and 2014; top-five nominations in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
  • Scale: "hundreds of thousands of delighted customers" and "thousands of orders" dispatched every week.
  • Service reputation: the site says it is "renowned for its vast product range but also for its impeccable customer service."

These are marketing statements from the retailer, not independently verified figures on the page. They are useful context, but they don't by themselves prove reliability.

What you can actually check before buying

The more practical test of trustworthiness is whether the site gives you clear, findable policies. SimplyGames links a Help/Information section from its homepage, including:

Page What to use it for
Terms / Privacy Policy Refund, cancellation and data-handling terms
FAQ's / Contact How to reach support and what to expect
Cookies How the site tracks and uses data
Console Recycling Trade-in/recycling terms, if relevant to you

Reading the Terms and FAQ before ordering is the single most useful step: it tells you who you're contracting with, how returns work, and how to escalate a problem.

Signals visible on the storefront

A few operational details on the homepage suggest a functioning retail operation:

  • Delivery promise: "FREE Next working day tracked delivery when you spend over £80.00*" — note the asterisk, so check the linked terms for exclusions.
  • Payment: PayPal appears as a payment platform, which gives you a buyer-protection route if something goes wrong.
  • Catalogue breadth: current-generation consoles and games (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, PC), plus DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD, music and trading cards — consistent with the "entertainment hub" positioning.
  • Pre-orders and live stock: titles listed with both "Pre-Order" and "Buy Now" buttons, with prices shown (e.g. £64.95, £69.85, £44.95).

How to decide

Use the following as a checklist rather than a verdict:

  1. Read the Terms and FAQ — confirm returns, refunds and delivery windows match what you expect.
  2. Check the delivery terms behind the £80 free-shipping claim, including the asterisked conditions.
  3. Prefer a payment method with buyer protection such as PayPal for a first order.
  4. Start with a small order if you're unsure, then judge dispatch speed and packaging before committing to a large pre-order.
  5. Contact support once with a simple question — response time is a fair proxy for how you'll be treated if something goes wrong.

If those checks line up with your expectations, SimplyGames' two-decade history and stated awards make it a plausible option for UK game and media purchases. If the policies are vague or support doesn't respond, that's your signal to look elsewhere.