This week, GameStop reported a $637 million dollar loss in 2018, a New York teenager got paid nearly six figures from playing Fortnite, and Snapchat entered the world of gaming.

GameStop reports $673M in losses in 2018

In a recent press release, GameStop reported a net loss of $673 million dollars in 2018. The release also reported a decline in hardware sales, software sales, and pre-owned sales. Despite the loss, GameStop is optimistic about their future and claims that they will remain committed to meeting the needs of both new and old customers by optimizing logistics and operational strategies. Outlets such as Destructoid, however, weren’t as optimistic and stated in their coverage that, “Change (and profits) need to come quick though, because it very much seems as though time isn’t on GameStop’s side.” The news was also covered by TechSpot, GameSpot, GamerRant, and more.

Teenager paid six figures for playing Fortnite

Griffin Spikoski, a 14-year-old from New York, earned nearly $200,000 through advertising, sponsors, and subscriber donations last year from playing Epic Games’ popular title Fortnite, according to The Washington Post. Spikoski, who goes by “Sceptic” on YouTube and Twitch, began playing video games at the age of three and plays for upwards of eight hours a day. Instead of attending public school, Spikoski takes online classes so that he can dedicate adequate time to his esports career. Outlets such as Fox News, The Boston Globe, and SFGate covered the news.

Snapchat announces gaming platform

Following recent gaming related announcements by Google and Apple, Snapchat announced their own online multiplayer gaming service called Snap Games during their first Snap Partner Summit this week. The Snap Games platform is free for Snapchat users and can be played in real-time with friends via the direct message menu. Snap recruited six developers to create Snapchat-exclusive games including Bitmoji Party from PrettyGreat, a studio that Snap recently acquired, Alphabear Hustle from SpryFox, C.A.T.S. (Crash Arena Turbo Stars) Drift Race from ZeptoLab, Snake Squad from Game Closure, Tiny Royale from Zynga, and Zombie Rescue Squad from PikPok. The Verge was optimistic about the news, comparing Bitmoji Party to Nintendo’s Mario Party, stating, “If successful, (Snap Games) could attract new users to Snapchat while encouraging them to spend more time inside the app.” The news was also reported by CNN, Engadget, TechCrunch, and more.