GameStop CEO Set For $35bn Pay Day as 100s of US Store Closures Threatened

Following the news that GameStop has reportedly closed hundreds of its US stores, its CEO is set to bag themselves a $35 billion payout.

Known for being the one-stop shop for video games, consoles, electronics, and other physical media, GameStop has been a major American retailer since it was founded back in Dallas, Texas in 1984.

In recent months, reports have revealed that GameStop has closed “hundreds” of its US stores with a report by Polygon claiming that many of its workers have been let go as a result.

According to some employees, the wave of closures came as a shock with one Reddit user claiming that around 223 stores had been affected. However, according to the GameStop Closing list, closures are expected to hit around 400 stores by January 2026. This would equate to around 20-25% of all stores located within the US.

“One of my sister stores, which was filled with some of the best coworkers I could have asked for, is also closing after today,” their post continued.

“I have heard similar sentiments from them that it's genuinely not something they could have predicted besides the warning signs they saw. They were a relatively profitable store for our area, and we were able to confirm that its lease was up this year.

“I promise, it's because this company has gone so downhill that they don’t want to pay your rent.”

Bill Jerome

However, it seems as though GameStop’s CEO Ryan Cohen could be laughing all the way to the bank as it has been revealed that he will be marked for a $35 billion pay package if he successfully increases GameStop’s market cap to $100 billion.

To put this into perspective, it would be ten times its current value.

A Deal Is a Deal

Announced just last week, this incentive will hopefully “incentivize Mr. Cohen to achieve extraordinary growth”.

According to an SEC filing, Cohen will get “no guaranteed pay—no salary, no cash bonuses, and no stock that vests simply over time. Instead, his compensation is entirely ‘at-risk,’ meaning he will only be paid if the Company achieves significant market and operational goals”.”

So if Cohen, who has been GameStop’s CEO since 2021, wants to get his hands on that big payout, he will have to make significant changes to the American retailer.

For now, however, hundreds of employees are now without work after their stores faced closure and customers are also sad to see some of their local GameStops be affected.

“Sucks to see physical die,” one user over on r/GameStop shared.

“GameStop has made mistakes but it’s mostly market driven. I still don’t understand why so many people are happy to not actually own something.”

Another agreed, adding, “Only one store left within about an hour of me and I’m sure that’s going to be next.

Really sucks because I enjoy walking in and buying physical on launch day, or poking through the used shelves.”

So if you are lucky enough to still have your local GameStop, make sure to appreciate it because it’s too late.