GameStop Proclaims Console Wars Over After Halo on PlayStation, White House Responds with AI Trump in Spartan Armor
The gaming world experienced one of its most surreal cultural moments this week when GameStop declared the long and often ridiculous “Console Wars” officially over. The announcement came shortly after Microsoft confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved will be coming to PlayStation, something that just a few years ago would have seemed impossible. GameStop, which has shifted from being a physical game retailer to more of a Pop Funko and merchandise shop, released a long statement on X claiming the Console Wars had finally ended. The company described the rivalry as “petty” and even traced its origins to the release of the first Xbox and Halo: Combat Evolved.
GameStop’s post on X immediately drew attention, not only for the dramatic tone but also for its historical inaccuracy. Console rivalries existed long before Microsoft entered the scene, dating back to the intense competition between Nintendo and SEGA in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Back then, arguments over which console was better fueled decades of fan loyalty, marketing battles, and schoolyard debates.
While the announcement might have been intended as a symbolic gesture to unity among gamers, the situation quickly turned bizarre when the official White House X account joined in. The White House posted an AI-generated image of President Trump dressed in full Spartan armor, holding an energy sword, and standing on the White House lawn in front of an American flag. The post was captioned “Power to the players,” a phrase most gamers associate with GameStop’s slogan.
Power to the Players https://t.co/GqNu0qdgmw pic.twitter.com/4Hw6G7i7aW
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 27, 2025
As often happens with AI-generated images, it didn’t take long for people to spot glaring mistakes. The American flag in the image, which should display 50 stars representing the 50 states, only showed 40. The oversight sparked a wave of criticism and ridicule, especially since the post came from an official government account. The White House has previously drawn backlash for using AI-generated content, such as an image showing Trump as the Pope following Pope Francis’s death, raising questions about the appropriateness and accuracy of such images.
The irony of the “Power to the players” caption was not lost on the public either. Despite the attempt to connect with gaming culture, the same administration has been responsible for tariffs that contributed to rising prices on gaming consoles and PC components across the United States. It also reminded many people of Trump’s 2019 remarks blaming video games for promoting violence, suggesting that they were a contributing factor in mass shootings. At the time, Trump stated that video games glorified violence in society, despite the fact that no credible study has ever shown a direct link between violent games and real-world violence. Games like Halo and Call of Duty are played globally, yet the epidemic of mass shootings remains a uniquely American problem.
Between GameStop’s overly dramatic declaration and the White House’s misplaced AI spectacle, the so-called “end” of the Console Wars turned into an unexpected display of irony. It highlighted how nostalgia, politics, and technology continue to collide in today’s digital culture, where even something as iconic as Halo crossing platforms can become a stage for both marketing and missteps.
Do you think the console wars are truly over, or is this just another viral distraction in the gaming world?
