UPDATE: 1/24/21: Over a month ago we reported that the world has seen a massive spike in video game sales. Now one of the remaining video game retailers that was moments away from closing its doors for good, GameStop, has come screaming back with a vengeance.
As reported by CNBC, GameStop’s stock rocketed up as much as 69.4% to a high of $72.88 on Friday, January 22nd. This brings its gains to 100% this past week alone.
The stock closed Friday at $65.01.
Around four months ago, the stock was floating around $6.
Last week the company announced that Co-founder and former CEO of Chewy, an online pet supply company, would be joining the team. This triggered hedge funds and others to rush in to cover their bets against the stocks.
However, there are some analysts that believe this spike is only short lived.
Citron Research believes those that are buying into this are “suckers at the poker game,” and the stock will probably fall back down $20.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
If you wish to see my additional thoughts, then please our initial report down below.
There are different factors occurring, but this should tell you where the heart and soul of this country is at, including the world. People’s wealth, freedom, liberty, and life are being raped in broad daylight; but the masses, adults no less, are content with sitting at home getting their stimulus checks and unemployment benefits, as they play video games while getting fatter in the process.
Do not be surprised if GameStop’s stocks see a rise again when things such things as KFC’s abominable video game console is released in the time to come, for example.
Because of the large number of people forced into their homes this year, video game sales have skyrocketed since the lockdowns, and are still steadily growing in the winter months.
According to Fox Business and other sources in the months of November and December, a survey conducted by video game developer GearBox Entertainment Company found that Americans between the ages of 18-34 have turned to more video games this season.
According to Gearbox, 52% say they have either already bought or are planning to buy a video game for a family member or friend as a gift this season.
The same survey also found that 48% of American families with children have bought video games or intend to purchase video games as holiday gifts as of early November.
On November 10th, the console wars began a new round of warfare by Microsoft releasing it’s new generation Xbox console, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Two days later, Sony released their new generation of gaming console, the PlayStation 5 (PS5).
The pre-order sales were off the charts, and many large retailers could not meet the demand. Gaming news outlet Gamespot reported price-gouging on websites such as Ebay, where sellers hiked up the price double or more the retail asking price.
The Xbox Series X retails at $499, and with the S retailing at $299. The PS5 retails also retails at $499 and its digital-only counterpart at $399.
Fast-food chains have also done hefty promotion of the consoles too. Taco Bell promotes exclusive deals and giveaways for the Xbox, and PlayStation is endorsed by Burger King.
The NPD Group (National Purchase Diary Panel Inc.) found that video games sales have broken gaming-sales milestones this year. They report a 24% increase of sales compared to 2019. That translates to $13.4 billion dollars.
The NPD Group also found that the number of active gamers have increased by over 30 million compared to that of 2018, or a rough number of 244 million in total of this year.
They further noted that the hours spent playing video games have increased to about 14 hours on average, per week. This is 2 hours more than the average in 2018.
Video games are one of the primary ways friends and family are staying connected through a difficult time. The growth in both the number of players across all gaming segments, as well as time spent gaming or watching gaming-related content, reflects the variety and depth of gaming experiences available regardless of device preferences, gaming interests or budget.
Mat Piscatella. Video Game analyst for the NPD Group
During the lockdowns in April, Fox Business also reported that the third major console warrior, the Nintendo Switch, saw its sales of the console double than the original launch date.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; [29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, [30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: [32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.Romans 1:28-32
As astonishing as those numbers are, they do not surprise me. People’s freedoms are just being raped in broad daylight, and they people are content with it. They are content to dump their money into mindless video games. They are content to blow their money on more flatscreens, smartphones, streaming subscriptions, porn websites, junk food, you name it.
Also taking a look at those numbers in the survey, when combined, there is a 100% increase of video game sales! That tells us how addicted the masses are, and how they are spending their time and money. It also aligns with the growing number of food sales this year, and the fast-food junk restaurants promoting them.
[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [13] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13
As we descend even further into the end times, things like this will only continue to grow. When I went to look up the prices of these consoles, the price-gouging was not an overstatement. Before I was even shown big-box retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, BestBuy, GameStop, etc; I saw a unsealed PS5 going for $1,100, and one for $800 on Ebay! And what is even crazier is to think that people are actually spending that kind of money.
Video Games are a serious vice. It is quite frankly a legitimate pandemic in its own right. The general population’s lust and idolatry for them is one of the worst, no question about it. The videos on social media of young children and teenagers raging over a losing a level or online matchup is just embarrassing to watch. I used to be that way as a lost man.
Video games are one of the biggest money and time wasters Satan has concocted. When I was a lost man, I was an avid gamer. When I was at the age of 4-5, I vaguely remember playing “Halo: Combat Evolved” for the original Xbox – shooting up aliens with their blood flying all over the walls. I remember when I got older, I used to play a garden simulator called “Viva Piñata.” I recall there was a time my best friend was playing with me in co-op mode, and I told him not to specifically do something. He eventually did it anyways and I proceeded to body-slam him. All because of a vain video game.
The time I wasted, and the time people waste on these things are just astounding. Even if the content is supposedly “ok,” why waste time on them to begin with? The times I used to rack up high-scores on “Rock Band,” when I could have learned to play an ACTUAL instrument (though I did play bass and drums, but more time to fine tune the art should have been utilized). The times I wasted playing “NCAA Football” could have been time spent actually training for the real sport, or just get active in general. Or the times I used to sit around for hours and hours and play “The Sims,” and play like a sadistic and psychopathic version of John Calvin’s God. That right there is the pinnacle of loserdum: watching my created-self eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, read, work out, go to work, fornicate, and so on.
It is things like that that wanted me to pursue after salvation. My life was miserable. I was a total loser. I do not know all that encompassed salvation, but I knew I hated the life I lived, and I sought after a new one (John 14:6).
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
John 12:25
On a final note, I do end with a warning. Watch out for these fleshly professing Christian “preachers” that “allure through the lusts of the flesh” (2 Pet 2:18), “beguiling unstable souls” (2 Pet 2:14), and come with promises of “liberty” (2 Pet 2:19); and start whispering in your ear that it is perfectly okay to play these games. I have been around these types of people, and they at times caused me to drop my standards. Watch out for the alibis, as I heard first hand, like “What if I am a playing an innocent game of taking care of a dog or cat?” Do not fall for that. Games like “The Sims” had expansion packs for that too, and I would dump money into that as well. I remember when I was in elementary school there were these things called “Webkinz,” and you would buy these plushies that had a code so you could take care of your pet online. Then you would have to grind for hours to get enough arcade tokens just to feed the pet and get new furniture. What is the difference between that and many of these other games? They are money and time wasters. Period.
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