GameStop is leaning heavily to trading cards as part of it’s future strategy, according to CEO Ryan Cohen. The news comes as a part of larger strategy shift to buy and hold a lot of bitcoin.
Cohen has said that continuing to focus on trading cards, including the incredibly popular recent Pokémon card sets, is a “natural extension” of GameStop’s business. He added that the collectibles could have potential for high profit margins.
Pokémon cards have a seen a gigantic resurgence recently. Stores regularly sell of sets, including the Destined Rivals set that launched on May 30. Cards have become increasingly hard to find as scalpers buy up supply and sell Pokémon card products–including cards, special boxes, and accessories–at exorbitant prices.
GameStop has been steadily expanding its Pokémon card services. As of last month, GameStop has graded over one million cards with Professional Sports Authenticator. The store chain doesn’t actually grade the cards–a service that evaluates cards based on card quality and rarity–but offers a service where shoppers can drop their cards off at the store and pay an extra fee to have GameStop handle the process for them.
It’s no mystery why GameStop has increased its focus on trading cards. Its revenue in the first quarter of 2025 surged by over 50% on a year-over-year basis largely due to Pokémon.
The GameStop brand has been on a rollercoaster over the past several years, going from the brink of bankruptcy to being the subject of a movie–aptly titled Dumb Money–about the company’s surging stock price. The chain, while reporting sporadic profits, has recently gone through store closures, layoffs, and had shuttered it’s tie-in magazine, Game Informer. The magazine has since found a new owner.
