GameStop has been around since 1999, when the game reseller began popping up in malls across the country and taking over other game resellers such as EB Games. Since its first appearance, GameStop has had a focus on physical games, with the company mostly being known for its trade-in policy, allowing consumers to trade in used games that the company then resells.
Understandably, many would think that GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen would be concerned about Sony’s announcement for the company to go fully digital in 2028. However, those same people would be completely mistaken, as Cohen has completely dismissed the issue and has instead stated that it “doesn’t matter at all.”
GameStop CEO Dismisses Sony’s Shift to Digital Media
In an interview with Bloomberg, GameStop Chief Executive Officer Ryan Cohen completely dismissed concerns about Sony’s goal for PlayStation to become an all-digital platform in 2028. When asked about how his business would be impacted by the change, Cohen stated, “It doesn’t matter at all.”
Sony announced the shift to an all-digital platform earlier this year, and has since drawn the ire of many in the gaming community. Some have even started a petition on Change.org to help protect the sanctity of physical gaming media. This petition has around 325,000 signatures at this time. However, many have stated that it will need many more signatures to make a difference.
GameStop has been shifting its business strategy over the years to include more collectibles and trading cards instead of physical games. In recent sales reports, GameStop’s software business amounted to around 18% of the company’s revenue. This includes the sales of both physical and digital games. In the same report, collectibles and trading cards accounted for around 41% of the company’s revenue.
“It is totally, totally irrelevant,” Cohen stated when pressed on the issue of physical titles being phased out. Instead, the CEO’s focus is on the acquisition of eBay. Even when asked about the upcoming release of GTA VI, Cohen dismissed the questions and stated, “I want to go back and talk about eBay.”
