Popular video game retailer EB Games came under fire this week for keeping stores open despite Canadian officials asking all “non-essential” businesses to close to minimize the spread of COVID-19. EB Games was still open Friday as people gathered in long lines to get their hands on two popular new video games releases — “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” and “Doom Eternal.”

A line has formed outside of EB Games in dt #Toronto as people wait to get their hands on the new #AnimalCrossing video game.



This as we’re dealing with #Covid19 & with calls for non-essential biz to close & for people to apply social distancing. Some in line say they tried... pic.twitter.com/jX0YqXR2sQ — Brandon Gonez (@brandongonez) March 20, 2020

U.S.-based GameStop owns EB Games in Canada. An alleged memo to staff, posted on Reddit, claimed the video game retailer should be considered “essential retail” due to their products “that enable and enhance our customers’ experience in working from home.” HuffPost Canada could not verify the document’s legitimacy, but five employees reportedly showed their copies of the memo to Vice.

If local authorities try to force a location to close, the memo also directs staff to tell law enforcement to call corporate headquarters. EB Games defended its decision to stay open for the video game releases, and posted a lengthy statement on social media, saying it was “working diligently” to keep stores safe for employees and customers.

“We are taking action to institute multiple social distancing practices in our stores, such as only allowing a maximum of 10 customers in our stores at any given time,” the company’s statement read. “We have been aggressively sourcing additional safety products and sanitary supplies to implement heightened cleaning practices on all high-touchpoint surfaces within our stores, as well as more accessible hand sanitization stations.” People who claimed to work for EB Games used social media to dispute the company’s comment about sanitation supplies.

The line about additional cleaning supplies isn't true lol — Skramdon Oake (@BrandonOake) March 19, 2020

My spouse works for @EBGamesCanada and I had to send cleaning supplies from home to work with him this week because his store didn’t have enough. It just feels like the perfect storm to spread #COVID19 — Laura Miskimins (@LauraMiskimins) March 18, 2020

This sickens me. We don't have the resources to adequately clean our stores. Every single person in that store, customer or employee, puts them and their families at risk. Of course it'll all be worth it to get those hot ACNH and Doom dollars, right? — Seitosa (@Seitosa) March 19, 2020

As a former employee as of this past Sunday, i would just like to share that there are ZERO measures being put in place to keep people safe and surfaces sanitized.



The company did not supply stores with extra cleaners. There is no initiative to clean thoroughly.



Be safe. — YeahThatFigures 🍃 (@YTFigures) March 17, 2020

Working at EB Games right now is really weird. You have kids coming in of different ages touching everything and they don't know what they want when we offer to help. I can't tell if someone seems sick or on drugs and we were not sure if we were still going to be open. — Ashley Asha Arjune (@writingoverashe) March 17, 2020

An employee, who asked for anonymity, also told the Toronto Star that they were told by management to purchase the disinfecting products and would be reimbursed later. GameStop employees in the U.S. were told to do the same, according to Vice. GameStop/EB Games has over 6,100 stores in Canada, the U.S. and 17 other countries. Some clients on social media said they tried to switch their physical pre-orders of the game to digital downloads over the phone to avoid visiting the stores — but the company’s policy requires customers make the switch in person.

Unfortunately their policy is that you have to come in to cancel it too. its very dumb — Bees 🐝 (@beesofbumble) March 19, 2020

can I have my deposit refunded? an employee told me over the phone that I would have to come in the store to get a refund which is ridiculous considering the whole reason I want to cancel my preorder is because there’s gonna be 200 people there tomorrow and I want to avoid crowds — bun (@robinanneee) March 19, 2020

In Canada, the company closed its stores on Saturday after the deluge of criticism.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was “disappointed” with EB Games for keeping their stores open. “They have a responsibility, everyone in this province has a responsibility to make sure we protect each other. I am very disappointed that the store owner will do this,” he said. “This is not an act of good corporate citizenship,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said at a press conference on Friday. “They placed commerce above the public interest. I don’t necessarily blame the people who lined up. If the store hadn’t have been opened, they wouldn’t have lined up.” The Ontario Provincial Police and Toronto police both announced that they would begin to fine people and corporations that violated the province’s emergency measures. Fines can be up to $100,000 and one year imprisonment for individuals; up to $500,000 and one year imprisonment for a director or officer of a corporation; and up to $10 million for a corporation, according to Now Toronto.