Entertainment
GameStop Finally Going Digital With A Bid To Purchase One Of The Biggest Online Marketplaces
By TeeJay Small
| Published
Consumers of a certain age may have distinct memories of an analog era, before Netflix, Steam, and the App Store shifted every purchase to digital home streaming. Before online retailers were all the rage, GameStop was the premier destination for video games, consoles, and a wide range of Nintendo merchandise. Now, it seems like GameStop is officially preparing to enter the digital era (only about a decade and a half too late,) as Variety reports the business has made a $56 billion bid to acquire eBay. The unsolicited bid has not yet resulted in a sale, though it did drive eBay stock prices up by a margin of 4 percent.
The details of the acquisition are fairly straightforward, if a little unexpected. If and when the sale goes through, GameStop will purchase a 100 percent stake in the online auction outlet, valuing eBay at over $55 billion. Half of the money from the sale will be paid out in cash, and the other half will be covered by GameStop stock shares. The video game retailer also plans to procure a $20 billion loan from TD Bank in order to ensure it has enough cash on hand.
Currently, eBay’s board has expressed that it will “carefully review and consider” the offer, though consumers are a bit skeptical. For now, there’s no word on how the sale would impact either business or if eBay would simply become liquidated as a digital sales outlet for GameStop. If this is the case, GameStop will surely have its work cut out for it, since Steam and other digital game sellers have an insurmountable lead.
Of course, as Variety notes, current GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has been working tirelessly to bring the corporation into the 21st century. Since taking over in 2021, Cohen has added hundreds of millions in net income, all without taking a salary or any cash bonuses. Instead, Cohen receives most of his pay through stock options, so he’s got a serious vested interest in pumping GameStop stock wherever possible. If anyone is capable of handling this transition, he seems primed for the responsibility.
The major question that hangs over this acquisition is, why eBay? Surely it would be cheaper for GameStop to build its own digital library, or even acquire a lesser-known IP and scale to size. The auctioning and bartering system eBay uses isn’t wholly unique to their platform, and the service has already begun to wane in popularity throughout the 2020s. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see if there’s a larger financial play at hand. And perhaps do so while streaming video games directly from the PlayStation Store.
Entertainment
Bose QuietComfort earbuds are below $150 at Amazon — act fast to save $30
SAVE $30: As of May 18, Bose QuietComfort earbuds have dropped to $149 at Amazon. This is $30 off their list price of $179.
$149
at Amazon
$179
Save $30
Amazon’s kicked off its Memorial Day sale, and for those looking to scoop up new earbuds for summer, we’ve spotted some great deals already. This includes a discount on the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, which have dropped to $149.
This deal knocks $30 off the Bose QuietComfort’s full price of $179, which is a pretty solid saving on this great mid-budget pick. Every color is down to this price right now, so you can pick out your favorite.
Mashable Deals
If you’ve been searching for earbuds with solid sound quality and noise cancelling without the premium price tag, Bose QuietComfort earbuds are the answer. Ranked as our favorite mid-budget pick in our roundup of the best wireless earbuds, they’re “an affordable answer to the brand’s line-up.” They’re also “reliable, have a long battery life, and are sure to please the pickiest of audiophiles.”
When it comes to sound, Mashable’s Bethany Allard said in her review that, “Right away, I was impressed by the sound quality of these earbuds. While I wouldn’t consider myself the harshest audiophile in the world, I found that the lows, mids, and highs of songs came through balanced and clear, becoming only the tiniest bit muddled at higher volumes.” And as for the noise-cancelling, Allard said it’s “serviceable, especially for the price point, but it’s certainly not at the same level as Bose’s other headphones.”
Mashable Deals
Treat yourself to some new earbuds this summer. Score $30 off the Bose QuietComfort earbuds right now at Amazon.
Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.
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Entertainment
The best HBO Max deals and bundles in May 2026
The best HBO Max deals and bundles in May 2026:
Looking for some exciting new films or shows to watch this spring? HBO Max is the place to find them. With a new season of Euphoria dropping weekly on the platform and a brand new season of House of the Dragon coming in June, there’s plenty to watch right now.
If these have caught your eye, the good news is that HBO Max has a few different bundles available at the moment that are worth checking out, including a popular bundle with Disney+ and Hulu. With streaming prices on the rise, a bundle like this can be a great way to save some cash while retaining access to your favorite services.
Alongside bundles, we’ve also broken down HBO Max’s standard plans in case you’re interested in its service on its own.
Best Disney+ bundle deal
$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free
Why we like it
The HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle is a top-tier choice for those looking to have access to some of the biggest streaming services around. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max’s streaming services for a much lower price than what you’d pay for them on their own. If you’ve already got Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions, this bundle is worth every cent. If you’re interested, there are two plan options to choose from:
Best Hulu bundle deal
Add HBO Max to your Hulu base plan from $10.99 per month
Why we like it
If you’re not interested in the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max mega bundle, you can just get Hulu and HBO Max together if you already have a Hulu base plan, which starts at $11.99 per month. HBO Max Basic with Ads can be added onto your plan for $10.99 per month, or you can splash out on the HBO Max Standard plan for $18.49 per month.
Best student deal
Students save 50% on HBO Max Basic With Ads
Why we like it
It’s always nice when streaming services have a deal for students, and HBO Max’s offer is definitely worth taking advantage of. Students who can verify their status with UNiDAYS are eligible to get the HBO Max Basic With Ads plan for just $5.49 per month. That’s a 50% discount off its $10.99 monthly price. After verifying your status, you’ll receive a unique code that can be used to redeem the discounted plan on HBO Max.
HBO Max’s monthly plans
HBO Max offers a few different subscription plans. If you don’t mind having to sit through ads, HBO Max’s Basic With Ads plan starts at $10.99 per month or the annual plan runs for $109.99 per year. If you can’t stand ads and don’t mind throwing down a bit more cash, the Standard plan will cost you $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year. If you really want to go big on an HBO Max plan, you can spring for the fancy Premium plan, which costs $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year.
Below we’ve broken down what comes with each of these plans, per HBO Max’s website, so you can know a bit more before you buy.
Basic With Ads — $10.99 per month, $109.99 per year
Mashable Deals
Standard (Ad-free) — $18.49 per month, $184.99 per year
Premium (Ad-free) — $22.99 per month, $229.99 per year
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Stream on four devices at once
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4K Ultra HD video quality (as available)
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Dolby Atmos immersive audio (as available)
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100 downloads to watch on the go
If you’re wondering where to start once you’ve set yourself up with a HBO Max subscription, we’ve got an excellent selection of recommendations to point you in the right direction. Looking for a great TV show to kickstart your next binge-watching session? Have a look through our roundup of the 20 best TV shows streaming on HBO Max. Or if you prefer movies, we narrowed down the 25 best movies on HBO Max to make your next movie night a spectacular one.
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