A trade-in loophole at GameStop’s brick-and-mortar outlets was uncovered by YouTuber RJCmedia, involving the newly released Nintendo Switch 2. Under the promotion, customers purchasing a console for $414.99 and immediately trading it back in alongside a budget pre-owned game triggered a system error that inflated the trade-in credit to $472.50. This allowed repeat users to net roughly $57 in profit per cycle. GameStop confirmed the bug on its social channel and has since patched the pricing algorithm, warning that stores are not intended to function as “infinite money printers.”

SEC filings reveal that GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen acquired 1 million additional shares over two days, purchasing 500,000 shares on Tuesday and another 500,000 on Wednesday at an average cost of $21.40 each. This $21 million personal investment boosts his ownership to approximately 9.3%, or 42.1 million shares outstanding. Cohen’s latest buy has energized the investor community, contributing to a 10% share-price gain over the week and reinforcing his long-term commitment to the turnaround strategy.

As GameStop approaches the end of its fiscal year on January 31, the company announced the closure of roughly 470 stores across 43 states. In New York alone, around 30 locations—including outlets in the South Bronx, Bensonhurst, Brownsville and downtown Brooklyn—are slated to shut their doors. Following more than 590 closures during the prior fiscal year, the January round will push total shutdowns above 1,000 over two years, reducing the store count from a peak of over 6,000 to under 2,000 worldwide. GameStop’s December quarterly report showed net sales of $821 million, down from $860 million a year earlier, while net income rose to $77.1 million.

Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of Keith Gill’s last social media post, reviving ‘Roaring Kitty’ nostalgia across retail investor forums. Combined with viral coverage of the trade-in exploit and Cohen’s high-conviction share purchases, the buzz around GameStop underscores its enduring status as a leading meme stock. Despite store closures and sales fluctuations, the interplay of viral phenomena and insider confidence continues to drive heightened trading volumes and speculative interest.