GameStop has made a significant move by firing CEO Matt Furlong, who led the company’s charge into the world of NFTs. This decision has led to some interesting implications for the company. Here’s everything you need to know.
TL;DR
- GameStop fires CEO Matt Furlong, suggesting a new direction for the company’s NFT expansion.
- Ryan Cohen becomes executive chairman, and Mark Robinson assumes the role of general manager.
- GameStop’s NFT venture faced challenges, including controversies and declining trading activity. The company aims to refocus on its core pillars of video games and traditional strengths.
Gamestop Fires CEO
GameStop has terminated CEO Matt Furlong after his two-year occupancy, as stated in the company’s released statement. Furlong played a key role in the company’s expansion into NFTs through a marketplace for digital assets. This termination marks a turning point for GameStop and its future direction.
Although no replacement has been named yet, the company has chosen Ryan Cohen, a billionaire investor and board chairman, as its executive chairman. Cohen is known as the founder and former CEO of Chewy, an online pet supplies shop. In addition, Mark Robinson, who previously served as GameStop’s general counsel, has been named the company’s general manager and principal executive officer.
Gamestop’s Expansion into NFTs
GameStop’s recent decision sheds light on its venture into the NFT realm. Furlong joined the company from Amazon in June 2021. This was shortly after the meme stock frenzy that caused GameStop’s share price to increase. The retailer had already hinted at Ethereum-related plans just before Furlong’s arrival. Then, under his leadership, GameStop unveiled and launched an NFT marketplace.
GameStop introduced the NFT marketplace in June 2022, coinciding with a downturn in the broader NFT market. Initially focusing on digital collectibles such as artwork and profile pictures, the platform later expanded to support Web3 games built on the Ethereum scaling network Immutable X.
Initially, the launch of the NFT marketplace generated some excitement, with around $3.5 million in NFT sales within the first 48 hours. However, trading activity on the platform seems to have declined significantly since then.
What’s Next For Gamestop NFTs?
GameStop’s NFT push met challenges along the way. DappRadar ceased sharing GameStop NFT data due to a lack of information regarding the Immutable X integration. Furthermore, GameStop’s data does not provide clear information on Immutable X sales. Although the website GMFT.xyz reports about $17.3 million in sales via the platform, the completeness of this data remains uncertain.
A partnership with Immutable, a game publisher and Web3 startup, boosted GameStop’s NFT venture. This collaboration included a $100 million fund to grant tokens to game developers. However, GameStop faced controversy when it sold off $47 million worth of IMX tokens it received from the partnership within hours of the announcement in February 2022.
GameStop’s decision to terminate CEO Matt Furlong showcases the retailer’s evolving strategy. With the appointments of Ryan Cohen as executive chairman and Mark Robinson as general manager, GameStop aims to refocus on its core business pillars.
As the retailer shifts its attention back to video games and traditional strengths, it will be interesting to see how GameStop navigates the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry.
