GameStop offers random Pokémon cards for $5,000

GameStop has announced that it will sell some random, PSA-graded Pokémon cards for $5,000 each. The sale is part of the 'Power Packs' program, which has been running for several months and lets customers pay a fixed amount to 'rip' a digital card pack. That gives them the right to a single graded card, with the option to have it shipped or resold through GameStop's platform.

The details of Power Packs

The 'Power Packs' program has so far let players invest in cards across a wide range of price points. Customers can start with a 'rip' for as little as $25, but the new maximum price has now been raised to $5,000. Previously, the highest price for a card was $2,500.

According to GameStop, the 'Neutronium' tier offers a 0.4 percent chance of pulling a card worth more than $40,000, but the biggest likelihood is a 72 percent chance of getting something worth less than the price paid for the 'rip'. That underscores just how risky the investment is.

GameStop's CEO and his plans to buy eBay

Ryan Cohen, GameStop's CEO, is trying to raise capital in various ways for his planned $56 billion acquisition of eBay. Cohen has even listed a number of random items on eBay for sale, from retro games to a piece of GameStop carpet, all in an effort to fund the acquisition.

The items have drawn surprising bids, including more than $11,000 for two outdated GameStop store signs and more than $1,000 for the carpet piece.

Criticism of GameStop's strategy

GameStop has tried several strategies in the past to improve its financial position, including investments in NFTs and cryptocurrency. Its current focus on Pokémon cards, however, is being met with criticism. Opponents argue that the high prices amount to exploitation, especially since Pokémon Trading Card Game products are often in high demand.

Critics also point to the ethics of selling products where the odds of getting valuable cards are heavily skewed, and they warn consumers to be cautious with their bids.