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Pixel P&L: Ferrari BGMI Content, GameStop Retreat, iBUYPOWER Returns

Pixel P&L: Ferrari BGMI Content, GameStop Retreat, iBUYPOWER Returns

AFK Gaming Editorial
January 12, 2026

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 5 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

Krafton India partners with Scuderia Ferrari HP to bring F1-themed content to BGMI.
GameStop shutters 390 US stores as global retreat accelerates, with net sales plummeting 27.5%.
PC component prices set to jump 6-10% as copper and tin costs surge from AI data center demand.
iBUYPOWER returns to Counter-Strike esports after nearly a decade, sponsoring fl0m's Las Vegas tournament.
Why 100-hour RPGs might actually respect your time more than short games.

Let's get into it.

Krafton India Partners with Ferrari F1 Team for BGMI Content

Krafton India has announced a collaboration with Scuderia Ferrari HP, Ferrari's Formula One racing team, for Battlegrounds Mobile India. The partnership, revealed through an Instagram post, promises to bring "Ferrari's legacy and the essence of excellence within BGMI in 2026."

While Krafton has not disclosed specific details about the collaboration's timeline or content, the announcement suggests potential F1-themed character skins and a Ferrari 458 Speciale vehicle skin for the mobile game.

The Ferrari partnership continues Krafton India's strategy of integrating automotive brands into BGMI. Previous collaborations have included Mahindra's BE EV6 electric vehicle, Hero MotoCorp's Xtreme 160R 4V and Xtreme 125R motorcycles, and Porsche vehicles. These partnerships typically feature limited-time in-game content that allows players to use branded vehicles and themed cosmetic items within the battle royale game.

GameStop Closes Hundreds of US Stores Amid Global Retreat

GameStop has shuttered approximately 390 stores across the United States, according to social media reports tracked by the GS Closing blog, as the video game retailer continues its global contraction.

The closures follow GameStop's disclosure in its February 2025 annual report that it closed 590 US locations during fiscal 2024 and anticipates "closing a significant number of additional stores in fiscal 2025." The company is also proposing to exit New Zealand, where it operates 38 EB Games stores, according to reports from RNZ.

GameStop's international pullback has accelerated in recent years, with complete exits from Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. The retailer has sold its Italian operations and is seeking buyers for its French and Canadian subsidiaries.

The store closures come as net sales declined 27.5% to $3.8 billion between fiscal 2023 and 2024, with hardware and software sales dropping nearly 30% and 34% respectively. Despite the contraction, GameStop awarded CEO Ryan Cohen a $35 million performance package contingent on reaching a $100 billion market capitalization, more than ten times its current $9.52 billion valuation.

⚡️Quick Bytes

PC Component Prices Face 6-10% Increase on Raw Material Costs

Power supply and CPU cooler prices are expected to rise 6-10% and 6-8% respectively, according to Chinese manufacturer Guangzhou Xinhongzheng Electronic Technology (via VideoCardz). The company cited increasing costs for copper, silver, and tin (critical materials for these components) and advised customers to secure inventory in January before promotional pricing ends in February. The manufacturer noted that nearly 90% of products currently carry supplier discounts, suggesting retail prices could climb even higher than projected once standard pricing returns. Rising demand from AI data centers has intensified competition for copper and silver.

BLAST Hires Steve Rossi to Lead Global Brand Partnerships

Esports tournament organizer BLAST has appointed Steve Rossi as Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships, tasking him with driving commercial growth following the company's expansion in 2025. Rossi brings over 20 years of experience from Activision Blizzard, the NFL, and Univision Communications. Based in New York, he will oversee sponsorship sales and partner management globally as BLAST operates across titles including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Fortnite.

iBUYPOWER Returns to Counter-Strike Through fl0m Tournament Sponsorship

Gaming PC manufacturer iBUYPOWER is re-entering Counter-Strike esports as a sponsor of Monster Energy's fl0m Mythical LAN 2026, running January 9-11 at HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The company will provide custom PCs and digital branding for the $30,000 tournament featuring teams including M80 and NRG. iBUYPOWER withdrew from Counter-Strike in 2015 following a match-fixing scandal. The event, organized by former professional player Erik "fl0m" Flom, sold out shortly after announcement.

⚔️Side Quest

🤣Laugh:

📺 Watch: YouTuber RTG champions 100-hour RPGs over short games for busy adults, explaining how massive titles eliminate "new game friction," remove completionist pressure, and provide consistent mental sanctuaries. Using Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as an example, the video demonstrates how deliberate, ritual-based gameplay shifts players from manic modern wavelengths into restorative slowness that genuinely respects time through familiarity.

🎮 Play: Pathologic 3 elevates the series' philosophical worldbuilding with time-traveling mechanics, enhanced horror, and excellent production values. While less punishing than its predecessor, it deepens narrative complexity through political intrigue, character development, and terrifying infected districts. The confusing opening hours reward patience with thought-provoking storytelling about revolution and survival.

📚 Read: Robin Bea dissects why Razer's Project Ava AI assistant and Sony's self-playing game patent fundamentally misunderstand gaming. From Ava's flirtatious catgirl avatar running on problematic Grok technology to Sony's controller-takeover features, these solutions treat games as efficiency problems rather than experiences about experimentation, learning, and community connection that define why people actually play.

💡Did You Know

In the 1970s, Qube revolutionized television as the first interactive cable TV system. Launched in Columbus, Ohio in 1977, viewers used a five-button remote to respond to polls and play game shows. This early experiment in interactive entertainment predated modern gaming's two-way communication, foreshadowing today's streaming platforms where audiences vote and influence outcomes in real-time.