This week on r/gaming swung between retail reality checks and unabashed celebration. A viral look at Costco New Zealand clearing out Xbox stock at half price shared the stage with a community-wide sentiment that we all won the Game of the Year race, framing a feed where power plays, polish, and pure fun each had their moment.
Market moves and policy heat
Club retail dynamics took center stage as Costco confirmed it will no longer sell Xbox consoles, casting those clearance snapshots as part of a pragmatic sell-through cycle rather than a console obituary. The thread underscored how price changes, demand signals, and margin discipline shape what lands on warehouse shelves.
"Costco’s entire business model is based around “stock what sells”, and everything else gets taken out of their store. If the Xbox is the least popular major console and they’re not moving many units, this is a simple decision for them." - u/dtorb (5554 points)
Beyond the aisles, consolidation and IP stewardship drove conversation: the report that Jared Kushner and Saudi partners are trying to buy EA fed anxieties about data, governance, and culture; meanwhile, The Pokémon Company’s statement that permission was not granted for an ICE arrests video spotlighted brand control amid political flashpoints. On the performance front, the sobering note that Borderlands 4’s Switch 2 version was delayed indefinitely with refunds going out reinforced how technical polish can make or break a launch window.
Craft and momentum
Players rallied around craft-first creators, with an ode to Supergiant’s five-for-five run of bangers celebrating art, music, and replayability, and a spotlight on Unit Image’s quietly dominant trailer artistry reminding us that visual storytelling primes excitement long before release day.
"Not only did Sega talk shit, they backed it up too. You love to see it." - u/__breadstick__ (1967 points)
That energy carried into launches as Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds debuted to 98% “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews on Steam, validating Sega’s confidence against genre heavyweights. The throughline: when teams deliver focused design and meticulous polish, communities respond with trust—and their wallets.
Community levity and awards-season vibes
Amid the corporate and technical threads, the subreddit kept things playful with the fanciful Cutie Of The Year race, a meme-ready bracket of beloved characters that channel the same hype we bring to GOTY without the pressure of consensus.
"I'm always at a point where I don't care what game wins GotY..." - u/Il-Luppoooo (9844 points)
That shrug toward winner-takes-all rankings matched the week’s mood: whether chasing lap times, savoring narrative epics, or snagging deals before they disappear, the community is choosing joy over scoreboard debates—and reminding the industry that enthusiasm thrives where the fun is.