GameStop CEO Says Physical Games Are ‘Totally Irrelevant

GameStop’s chief executive officer Ryan Cohen seems unfazed by Sony’s decision to abandon physical discs, insisting that the shift is “totally irrelevant” to the retailer’s future.

During a recent Bloomberg interview, Cohen was asked about Sony’s announcement that it will stop producing new physical PlayStation titles from 2028 onward. He dismissed the move as inconsequential for GameStop, emphasizing that the company’s focus has moved far beyond traditional software sales.

GameStop’s business model has evolved dramatically. While once dominated by software sales, the retailer now derives only 18% of its revenue from games, with collectibles, trading cards, and toys accounting for 41%.

In line with this diversification strategy, Cohen pursued a $55 billion unsolicited bid for eBay, an online auction platform, though eBay declined the offer in May.

When asked about the mounting excitement surrounding Take‑Two’s highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, slated for a November digital launch, Cohen sidestepped the question entirely, diverting the conversation toward eBay. His remarks have serious implications for GameStop, which will be unable to offer used copies of the title once it hits the market. Coupled with reports that the game may never receive a physical edition beyond a boxed code, GameStop could find itself permanently excluded from reselling the caption.

Meanwhile, Cohen remains laser‑focused on the eBay venture. In a notably unconventional CNBC interview, he suggested that a partnership between GameStop and eBay could unlock a staggering $1 trillion opportunity. This bold vision explains why he has persisted in pursuing the eBay acquisition, revisiting the proposal again in June. Whether that ambition materializes remains to be seen, but it underscores a broader shift toward digital commerce in the gaming industry.