GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen Unfazed by Sony’s Decision to Abandon Physical Discs

In a recent interview with Bloomberg TV, GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen sparked a heated debate in the gaming community by downplaying the significance of Sony’s decision to stop printing physical game discs for new PlayStation games starting January 2028.

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Cohen’s remarks were in response to a question about how GameStop could be impacted by Sony’s industry-changing decision. The GameStop CEO argued that the bulk of his company’s income comes from sales of collectibles, rather than gaming software, insisting that the games themselves are ‘chump change’ compared to the figures, merchandise, and trading cards GameStop is currently focused on selling in its stores.

According to Cohen, ‘It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter at all.’ He emphasized that software sales make up less than 12% of the business, while collectibles account for over half. This perspective suggests that GameStop is shifting its focus away from traditional gaming software sales and towards more lucrative opportunities.

When asked about the potential for Rockstar’s highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 to bring in big business for GameStop, Cohen surprisingly sidestepped the question, choosing instead to discuss his failed $55.5 billion bid for eBay in May. He posed a rhetorical question to his audience, asking, ‘Are you gonna bet on an entrenched management team running the business, or me, someone that went head to head against Amazon selling 30-pound bags of dog food, turned around a very tough situation at GameStop, and now the company is making lots of money?’

Cohen’s comments reflect his vision for GameStop’s future, which involves leveraging its physical stores for live commerce and same-day authentication, while utilizing eBay’s infrastructure to build an in-game, digital marketplace. This ambitious plan is a far cry from the company’s brick-and-mortar roots, and it remains to be seen whether it will pay off in the long run.

GameStop’s journey has been marked by turmoil and transformation in recent years. At the beginning of 2025, the company operated around 2,325 locations in the U.S., but by the end of the year, it had closed 590 of them as part of an effort to reduce costs. In 2026, the company continued to scale back its operations, closing even more stores as it adapted to changing market conditions.

The company’s decision to abandon its crypto business and shut down its short-lived NFT marketplace in August 2023 further underscored its willingness to pivot in response to shifting market trends. More recently, GameStop held its first-ever Trade Anything Day, which allowed customers to bring in literally anything for trade-in credit at their local stores. This unusual initiative reflects the company’s efforts to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

As GameStop continues to navigate the complex and ever-changing gaming industry, CEO Ryan Cohen’s statements offer a glimpse into the company’s future strategy. While some may view his comments as dismissive of the gaming community, they also represent a bold vision for the company’s potential growth and transformation.