According to CEO Ryan Cohen, GameStop appears to be focusing more on trading cards as part of its upcoming plans. This disclosure is made in the context of a broader strategic move, which includes amassing significant amounts of Bitcoin.
As a dedicated gamer, I’m excited about the idea that GameStop is expanding its horizons by diving deeper into trading cards, such as the latest and great Pokémon card sets. To me, this move seems like a logical progression for the company, broadening their business scope even further. Plus, there’s talk about these collectibles potentially offering significant profit margins – now that’s something worth looking forward to!
Lately, there’s been a massive comeback for Pokémon cards. Shops are constantly stocking new sets, such as the Destined Rivals set released on May 30th. The demand for these cards has grown so much that they’re becoming scarce due to resellers hoarding the supply and marking up the prices of Pokémon card items, including individual cards, special boxes, and additional accessories, to unreasonable levels.
GameStop has been continuously broadening its Pokémon card services, and now, as of last month, they’ve graded over one million cards through Professional Sports Authenticator. While GameStop doesn’t physically grade the cards themselves, they do offer a service where customers can hand in their cards at the store for a fee, allowing GameStop to handle the evaluation process based on card quality and rarity on their behalf.
It’s clear why GameStop has been emphasizing trading cards more – their Q1 2025 earnings skyrocketed by more than 50% compared to the same period last year, primarily fueled by an increase in Pokémon sales.
Over the last few years, the GameStop brand has experienced quite the up-and-down ride, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy before becoming the focus of a movie called “Dumb Money,” which tells the tale of the company’s skyrocketing stock value. Despite occasional profits, the chain has faced store closures, layoffs, and even ceased publication of its associated magazine, Game Informer. However, the magazine has since been acquired by a new owner.
Read More
2025-06-13 01:09