GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) shares jumped 7.7% on Monday after the official The White House social media account reposted a tongue-in-cheek declaration from the video game retailer announcing the end of the “console wars.”
The surge followed a flurry of viral interactions on X. It began when GameStop issued a statement proclaiming the “official cessation of the console wars,” which the White House’s account later amplified with a stylized image of President Trump.
GameStop’s declaration came shortly after Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) revealed that a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved will arrive on Sony (NYSE:SONY) PlayStation 5 in 2026 — a notable shift given that the franchise has been exclusive to Xbox since the early 2000s.
In its satirical proclamation, GameStop called itself a “Neutral Entity and The World’s Retail Gaming & Trade-in Destination,” stating that “all claims to exclusivity are hereby dissolved” and ordering “console loyalists” to “cease hostilities, disband militias, and enjoy this new era of gaming.”
The playful exchange comes as GameStop’s stock continues to draw attention from retail investors, a trend that began during the 2021 meme-stock rally.
Microsoft’s decision to bring Halo to PlayStation marks a turning point in the gaming industry, where exclusive titles have traditionally been a cornerstone of console competition.