- Primary Subject: GameStop
- Key Update: GameStop deleted a viral joke post about trading in a girlfriend for a PS5 after widespread backlash over tone and authenticity.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 10, 2026
- Quick Answer: GameStop faced backlash for a staged PS5 trade-in joke, was accused of tasteless and possibly AI-generated content, and ultimately removed the post.
GameStop drew heavy backlash after sharing a fictional post suggesting a man tried to trade in his girlfriend for PlayStation 5 store credit.
The post, framed as a tongue-in-cheek “incident report,” leaned into GameStop’s long-running trade-in humor by stating that while the woman appeared to be “in good condition,” the company’s systems do not support “human exchanges.”
Although clearly intended as a joke, the post was quickly criticized for its tone, with many users describing it as outdated, demeaning, and emblematic of a brand trying too hard to provoke viral attention.
Where Did the Joke Come From?
The controversy deepened when users dug into where the post came from, noting that the supposed store associate was seemingly tied to Celina 52 Truck Stop, a parody account infamous for fabricated viral stories.
The page doubled down on the joke afterward, further developing the narrative and signaling that it was staged.
However, the revelation did little to calm the response, instead intensifying criticism from those who felt a major retail brand leaning on meme culture muddied accountability and shifted the joke from parody to corporate engagement bait.
The backlash intensified as users questioned the authenticity of the image, with some suggesting it was AI-generated due to unnaturally clean store shelves and a synthetic-looking scene.
In an industry already grappling with heated debates around AI use, the perception that GameStop may have relied on generative tools for a controversial joke only intensified accusations that the company was out of touch with its audience.
Critics labeled the post “AI slop,” framing it as another example of low-effort virality rather than thoughtful marketing.
How Did GameStop Respond?
As criticism mounted across social platforms, GameStop removed the post from its official accounts, though screenshots continued to circulate widely.
The controversy landed at a particularly sensitive moment for the retailer, which had recently announced the closure of hundreds of U.S. locations.
In the context of earlier controversy over store closure communications, the joke was widely interpreted not as a standalone blunder, but as further evidence of questionable decision-making.
More broadly, the incident underscores how difficult it has been for GameStop to reinvent itself as the gaming industry moves further away from physical media, with the retailer increasingly leaning on collectibles, pop-culture merchandise, and online-friendly branding to stay relevant.
The situation suggests that edgy humor, though attention-grabbing, poses real reputational risks for a long-standing retailer in a fragile public position.
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