GameStop Is Finally Fixing Its Notorious Price Stickers — Here’s What’s Changing

If you’ve ever bought a used game from GameStop and spent ten minutes picking dried adhesive off the case, this one’s for you. GameStop has officially announced that its notoriously stubborn price stickers are getting a redesign, and the new version is supposed to peel off cleanly without leaving a sticky mess behind. It’s one of those small quality-of-life things that collectors and physical game fans have been quietly complaining about for years, and it’s nice to finally see the company acknowledge it.

What GameStop Actually Said About the New Stickers

On June 23, GameStop posted a tongue-in-cheek statement on Twitter confirming the sticker redesign was rolling out immediately across all of its retail locations. The post didn’t take itself too seriously — GameStop even joked that excessive adhesive was “not part of the company’s strategic vision going forward,” which, fair enough, is a pretty solid way to admit the old stickers were genuinely terrible.

To make the comparison tangible, GameStop included a side-by-side screenshot showing exactly what the problem looked like and how the new design fixes it. A copy of Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition for Xbox 360 was used to demonstrate the old sticker — showing all the residue and ghosting left behind after removal. The new sticker was shown on a copy of Astro Bot, where peeling it from the corner left almost nothing behind on the case. Clean, simple, and a completely different experience from what gamers have dealt with for years.

According to GameStop, the new stickers are designed to lift more easily at the corners, which is the main reason the old ones caused so much damage — people would try to peel from the middle and end up tearing the sticker apart and smearing adhesive everywhere. The price is also displayed more prominently on the updated design, which is a minor but welcome change for readability.

GameStop

Why This Actually Matters for Collectors

This isn’t just a convenience thing. For anyone who buys and sells physical games seriously, sticker damage is a real issue. Adhesive residue, torn labels layered on top of each other from multiple price changes and trade-ins, and ink marks can all affect the perceived condition of a game — which directly impacts resale value, especially for rare or collectible titles.

GameStop is one of the biggest sources of used physical games in the US, and a huge chunk of the pre-owned inventory that passes through its stores ends up with sticker residue permanently embedded into the cover art. For most casual buyers that’s a minor annoyance. But for collectors chasing near-mint copies of older titles, a GameStop sticker gone wrong has historically been a deal-breaker. The cleaner the new stickers actually perform in practice, the better it is for the long-term condition of games that pass through the chain.

A 20% Trade-In Bonus Is Running Alongside the Rollout

GameStop paired the sticker announcement with an active promotion. Right now, customers can get up to 20% bonus trade-in credit on any games traded toward the pre-order of an eligible new title releasing in 2026. Games like Grand Theft Auto 6 and Marvel’s Wolverine are among the eligible titles, so if you’ve been sitting on a stack of older games, this is a decent window to move them toward something coming later this year.

It’s a smart combo move by GameStop — rolling out a goodwill improvement to the in-store experience while simultaneously pushing a trade-in incentive. Whether you care about sticker adhesive or not, the trade-in deal is worth checking out if you’re planning to pick up any big 2026 releases.

GameStop Is Going Through a Lot Right Now

The sticker redesign is actually one of the quieter stories in GameStop’s news cycle this week. On the same day as the sticker announcement, GameStop filed an investor release confirming that CEO Ryan Cohen had voluntarily walked away from a proposed performance award worth up to $35 billion. The bonus had been approved by the board back in January 2026, before GameStop decided to pursue a full acquisition of eBay. Cohen said he wanted leadership focused entirely on GameStop’s operating performance and the eBay bid rather than chasing a personal payout.

The eBay situation itself has been messy. GameStop made a non-binding acquisition proposal in May 2026, offering $125 per share in a mix of cash and stock — a deal valued at roughly $55.5 billion. eBay’s board rejected it outright, calling the bid “neither credible nor attractive.” Cohen has since gone on record saying he still wants to own eBay and that the two businesses complement each other, with GameStop’s collectibles and physical retail presence pairing with eBay’s online marketplace dominance. GameStop is reportedly planning to release a new strategic presentation this week laying out the case for the combined company ahead of its July 7 annual shareholder meeting.

So between new stickers, a rejected billion-dollar acquisition attempt, and a CEO walking away from one of the largest executive bonuses ever proposed, it’s a strange and busy time at GameStop. The sticker fix is the most gamer-relevant piece of the puzzle, but the bigger corporate drama is worth keeping an eye on — GameStop’s direction over the next year could affect how the chain looks and operates for everyone who still shops there.

For more gaming and industry news, check out our breakdown of what analysts are predicting for PS6 pricing, and our coverage of the latest Destiny 2 Update 9.7.0.2 patch notes. Competitive players can also check out the Pokémon Legends Z-A Season 13 ranked battle bans, and the full breakdown of the Pokémon GO PvP Trainer Battle system overhaul.