GameStop says it patched Switch 2 trade-in 'infinite money' glitch

Kotaku reports a YouTuber exposed an "Infinite Money Glitch" at GameStop, and on January 20 the company posted on Twitter saying it had patched the bug. The glitch reportedly worked by buying a Nintendo Switch 2 for $414.99 (reported as $415) and immediately trading it back in along with the purchase of any pre-owned game, which triggered a promo that increased the trade-in value to $472 and could be repeated to amass trade credit.

GameStop said, "In short, our system briefly valued the pre-owned trade more than the new retail cost of the console itself, creating a narrow window where customers could repeat this transaction over and over again to amass infinite trade credit." The retailer added that "effective immediately, the glitch has been patched" and that "trade promotions have been updated to ensure customers can no longer convert basic arithmetic into an endless revenue stream, and balance has been restored." The YouTube video by RJCmedia shows the creator visiting multiple stores and filming the trade-in process, and includes a clip where he was unable to reproduce the glitch at a closing store.

The report notes there is no disclosure marking the video as a paid ad and that the creator is not a major influencer, leaving debate about whether the discovery was genuine or staged.

Key Topics

Business, Gamestop, Rjcmedia, Infinite Money Glitch, Trade-in Promotions