YouTuber RJCmedia recently went viral for revealing a clever exploit in GameStop's trade-in system.
Over just two days, he visited multiple stores and leveraged Pro membership discounts alongside a system oversight, earning $150 in extra store credit and nearly a brand-new Switch 2. This prompted GameStop to act immediately on the exploit.
How the Trade-In Glitch Worked
According to The Sun, the exploit centered on GameStop's 25% trade-in bonus for pre-owned items. RJCmedia combined a Switch 2 console trade-in, valued at around $380, with inexpensive pre-owned games, some costing just 99 cents.
This triggered a bonus that increased the trade-in value to $472.50, surpassing the console's new retail price of $415.99. Repeating this process allowed him to effectively generate significant store credit.
Buying Back Items Compounded the Bonus
Some stores permitted RJCmedia to buy back his own Switch 2 immediately after trading it in. Once counted as pre-owned, he could reapply the 25% bonus, stacking store credit across multiple transactions.
By the end, he walked away with a brand-new console, extra games, and $150 in bonus credit, a haul totaling nearly $600.
GameStop Responds and Fixes the Loophole
Following the video, GameStop confirmed the glitch but warned that its stores are "not designed to function as infinite money printers."
GAMESTOP ISSUES STATEMENT ON INFINITE MONEY GLITCH
— GameStop (@gamestop) January 20, 2026
GameStop is aware of the "GameStop Infinite Money Glitch," exposed by YouTuber RJCmedia.
By purchasing a Nintendo Switch 2 for $414.99 and then immediately trading it back in along with the purchase of a pre-owned game, a... pic.twitter.com/F2D2v41IeQ
The company has since patched the loophole, ensuring safeguards are in place to prevent similar exploits. GameStop acknowledged the creativity while emphasizing that the bonus system was unintended for repeated stacking.
Community Reaction
Although the glitch is now closed, RJCmedia's viral video highlights both gamer ingenuity and the potential risks of automated trade-in systems.
Some believe that the fault is on GameStop's end. For them, the store should have studied the system thoroughly before making it available. Others think that what the YouTuber did was unacceptable and unfair. What he did was clearly a way to exploit the system.
