MW GameStop gets back in the spotlight, as it draws the attention of the re-energized meme-stock crowd
By James Rogers
The OG meme stock's social-media post declaring the end of 'the console wars' has created plenty of buzz
GameStop's tongue-in-cheek post declaring the end of the "console wars" has even grabbed the attention of the White House.
The recent surge in meme-like activity around names such as Beyond Meat Inc. and Opendoor Technologies Inc. has apparently not gone unnoticed by the original meme stock GameStop Corp., which clearly wants to catch the attention of that crowd.
In a tongue-in-cheek announcement released on X over the weekend, GameStop $(GME)$ triumphantly declared "the console wars over." The statement explained that the "ongoing, and increasingly petty" conflict started in the early 2000s with the release of "Halo: Combat Evolved" as an exclusive title on Microsoft Corp.'s $(MSFT)$ Xbox platform. However, GameStop noted that "Halo: Combat Evolved" is coming to Sony Group Corp.'s $(SONY)$ PlayStation in 2026 with cross-platform play.
"GameStop, acting under its authority as a Neutral Entity and The World's Retail Gaming & Trade-in Destination, hereby declares the official cessation of the console wars," GameStop said.
The post has already generated plenty of buzz and has been viewed more than 9 million times since it appeared late Saturday.
GameStop shares were rising 5.3% in recent premarket trading, after earlier rising more than 8%.
In something of a surreal twist, the White House reposted GameStop's statement late Sunday with a meme of President Donald Trump dressed as "Halo" protagonist Master Chief. In the meme, Trump is brandishing a "Halo" energy sword while saluting in front of the White House. "Power to the Players" wrote the White House, nodding to GameStop's slogan. The White House post has been viewed more than 10 million times and has been reposted by GameStop Chief Executive Ryan Cohen.
GameStop also returned the favor with a "Halo" themed post featuring Trump late Sunday.
The company's flurry of social media activity comes amid a resurgence in meme-stock interest that has swept up Beyond Meat (BYND) and Opendoor (OPEN) in recent months, as well as Krispy Kreme Inc. (DNUT), GoPro Inc. $(GPRO)$, and Kohl's Corp. $(KSS)$. The videogame retailer, along with AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. $(AMC)$, saw its shares skyrocket in the 2021 meme-stock frenzy, lifted by influential trader Keith Gill and the WallStreetBets crowd on Reddit Inc. (RDDT).
In some ways, the bizarre White House meme was not completely out of the blue - GameStop chief Cohen has been highly vocal in his support for Trump. He endorsed the then-former president last year shortly after Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., a move that sparked plenty of reaction on social media. "God bless America!" Cohen wrote on social media the day after Trump won the presidential election in November.
GameStop's lighthearted declaration of the end of the "console wars" also comes amid the company's move away from its traditional bricks-and-mortar videogame business into areas such as bitcoin. In March, GameStop's board unanimously approved an update to its investment policy to add bitcoin as a treasury-reserve asset, following in the cryptocurrency footsteps of Strategy Inc. (MSTR), formerly MicroStrategy Inc.
In May, GameStop announced its first purchase of bitcoin, and, the following month, announced a plan to raise more debt - a move that could indicate another bitcoin purchase ahead for the Grapevine, Texas-based company.
The Trump administration has also thrown its weight behind cryptocurrency. Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order to set up the country's first Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
-James Rogers
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October 27, 2025 09:01 ET (13:01 GMT)
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