Remember when some redditors propped up Gamestop stock to prank Wall Street traders…
only to become an apocalyptic cult, appointing the failed CEO of a pet supply shop as their oracle
and themselves as the righteous faithful out to expose Wall Street corruption through the beleaguered vessels of Gamestop and Bed Bath and Beyond, whose second coming will crash the market and allow the real (not fake) stock owners to exploit a glitch that grants them infinite money, lets them hold the world monetary system to ransom, forces the US government to accede to all their demands, anoints them god-kings, and transforms the world.
No really. This is a comic, tragic, what-the-fuck-is-happening-you-can't-be-serious-oh-hell-they-are-serious video that I highly recommend, along the same lines as that "A BOOMERANG!" takedown of Sherlock. It's funny but it's long, good background for knitting, phone games, or doing chores.
(The author's "Line Go Up" vid on crypto and nfts is also amazing— but more sobering, as their cultists proponents really do have some impact on the real world.)
The Mother Of All Short Squeezes, or MOASS, refers to a fringe theory about the stock market. The general idea is that the GameStop short squeeze in Janaury 2021 can be reproduced with even more dramatic profits for memestock investors. Under this theory, it is possible to sustain a short squeeze indefinitely, with the share price of the affected companies rising to, um, infinity dollars.
[Above: A typical MOASS influencer explaining why it would happen soon. This was two years ago.]
True believers in MOASS have awaited this windfall for over three years--Dan Olson called it "Reddit's version of the Rapture." There was a false alarm last week, when the dormant Twitter account of Keith Gill (one of the big names from the 2021 squeeze) suddenly came to life, posting a bunch of hype videos. The price briefly shot up to $64 on May 15, but drifted back down to the low 20s within a few days. Nevertheless, as with failed Rapture predictions, the faithful are undeterred, and continue looking for new signs and evidence that MOASS is coming soon.
[Above: In the 2015 movie The Big Short, Margot Robbie explains how short selling works while sitting in a bubble bath. I figured this picture was close enough.]
In a normal short squeeze, investors who go "short" on a company get caught by an unanticipated rise in the share price. Short investors bet against the company, selling borrowed shares at today's prices, with the assumption that it'll be cheaper to buy back those shares later to reimburse the lender. If the price instead goes up, the short investor is left scrambling to close their position as soon as possible, to minimize their losses. But that scramble creates more demand to buy, driving the price up even higher, applying more pressure to more short sellers.
MOASS is based on the assumption that this cascade effect can go on forever, under the right circumstances. For this to work, you need to believe the financial world is run by evil hedge funds that have built up absurdly risky short positions on companies like GameStop or AMC Theaters. These evildoers, or "hedgies," expect this short attack to drive the targeted companies into bankruptcy, so they can afford to do illegal things like shorting shares that don't actually exist. What the hedgies could not have foreseen, however, is the rise of r/WallStreetBets (and related subreddits), which made a meme out of building absurdly risky long positions on failing companies.
As the 2021 short squeeze played out, memestock investors latched onto catchphrase "apes together strong." That is, much like the simians in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, they had the power to band together and drive their enemies to their knees. As long as the "Apes" keep buying and holding (against all conventional wisdom and common sense), then the hedgies can't control the share price. Eventually the hedgies have to start closing short positions that they can't afford to cover. Since the Apes refuse to sell, and since the hedgies allegedly owe more shares than there are to buy, the price would skyrocket and never come back down. The hedgies go bankrupt, and yadda yadda yadda, the Apes become rich beyond their wildest dreams.
[Above: In principle, achieving MOASS with GameStop's share price would potentially cause the collapse of the stock market, if not the entire global economy. As far as Apes are concerned, this would be a good thing.]
You may have some questions at this point! I know I certainly do. For one thing, after taking a beating in 2021, why would hedge funds go short on GameStop for three more years, instead of switching to some other, less volatile target? If the hedgies can't cover their naked shorts without paying millions per share, wouldn't it become easier to declare bankruptcy than pay a dime to the Apes? And since MOASS relies on ever-increasing demand for a fixed supply of floating shares, what happens if GameStop decides to issue, say, 45 million new shares, whenever they feel like it?
I'm not sure Apes have ever addressed these questions, or that they ever will. At this point, they're so committed to their crusade against Wall Street that they're suspicious of anyone who interrogates it. If you don't understand their cause, or their strategy, then you're either blind to what's really going on, or you're a fifth columnist sowing disinformation.
In this regard, the Apes aren't too different from Gamergate and QAnon. All three movements revolve around a Big Lie, and use Reddit/4chan culture to create a decentralized campaign to promote that lie. That campaign rests upon a populist mythology about how the establishment and the elites underestimated the resourcefulness of "anons," "gamers," "deplorables," "bakers," and/or "weaponized autism." When these groups think they're winning, it's undeniable proof that the Big Lie is true. When it looks like they're losing, it's because a vast conspiracy is desperate enough to stoop to any level to keep you from learning the Big Lie is true. So one way or another, they're constantly reassuring themselves that they're winning, and seeking that reassurance becomes their primary activity. This in turn enables grifters to shape these movements by finding creative ways to tell them what they want to hear.
Unfortunately we're probably going to be seeing more of this stuff going forward, not less. Since going public in March, Trump Media & Technology Group has behaved like a meme stock, pumped up by retail investors who are less interested in financial planning than in signaling their allegiance to Donald Trump. When the stock fell off, CEO Devin Nunes seemed to take a page from the apes' playbook, blaming the decline on naked short selling.
[Above: Brainworms recognize brainworms]
And yet, this does not make Donald Trump the most delusional idiot running for president of the United States and getting in on grifting Apes. Just this afternoon, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared his allegiance to the Apes, and claimed to have invest $24,000 in GameStop. One way or another, the Apes' message of standing up to Wall Street corruption is going to gain traction, even if their investment strategy can't.
i’m bored and i figured i could buy partial stock but robinhood closed out on gme, fidelity wouldn’t let me execute a partial during market hours on gme (???? wtf why), webull will take forever to verify, TD ameritrade is garbage and not gonna let me partial period.
my old job had my 401k in TIAA but i don’t think it has a linked acct and i don’t understand how to do something dumb like put the maybe only $200 in that 401k into gme stock so i don’t need to spend any real money. (not my real 401k, just the old one i dont use).
cashapp is the only app worth a damn and they don’t have gme period, only amc.
help how do i purchase gme stock and hold in order to murder wallstreet.
eBay rejette l'offre de rachat de 55,5 milliards de dollars de GameStop
Le conseil d’administration d’eBay qualifie la proposition d’inopportune
La plateforme de vente aux enchères en ligne eBay a officiellement refusé l’offre de rachat de 55,5 milliards de dollars (environ 40,9 milliards de livres sterling) émanant du détaillant de jeux vidéo GameStop. Dans une lettre adressée au directeur général de GameStop, Ryan Cohen, le conseil d’administration a jugé l’offre…
This report summarizes the recent high-stakes corporate drama involving GameStop (GME) and eBay (EBAY) as of May 8, 2026.
Report: The $56B David vs. Goliath Gambit
Key Highlights
The Unsolicited Bid: GameStop proposed a $55.5 billion acquisition of eBay at $125 per share (a 50/50 cash-stock split).
The Funding Gap: GameStop, valued at ~$12 billion, seeks to acquire a company nearly four times its size using $9.4 billion in cash/crypto and $20 billion in debt financing.
The Stunt: CEO Ryan Cohen was permanently banned from eBay on May 7 after listing personal "meme" items (e.g., $14,000 socks) to "fund the deal."
The Vision: Cohen intends to turn GameStop’s 1,600 stores into "authentication hubs" for eBay, aiming to create a direct rival to Amazon.
Understanding the Conflict: What’s Going On?
1. The Improbable Offer
On May 3, 2026, GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen shocked Wall Street by moving to acquire eBay. The offer represents a significant 46% premium over eBay’s stock price from when GameStop began building its 5% stake in February. Despite the massive valuation gap between the two companies, Cohen claims a "highly confident letter" from TD Securities for $20 billion in debt makes the deal viable.
2. "Selling eBay to Pay for eBay"
The situation turned theatrical on Wednesday when Cohen began listing personal items on eBay. The listings included:
Used Socks: Priced at over $14,000.
GameStop Signage: Bids exceeding $10,000.
The Proposal: Every item came with a hand-signed copy of the acquisition letter.
eBay’s automated systems—or perhaps its legal department—deemed this activity a risk to the "eBay community," resulting in a permanent ban of Cohen’s account. Cohen used the ban to fuel his narrative on X (formerly Twitter), portraying eBay’s leadership as being out of touch with their own platform.
3. The "Reverse Merger" Strategy
Analysts are calling this a "reverse merger" in spirit. Cohen’s plan involves aggressive cost-cutting—aiming for $2 billion in annual savings—largely by slashing eBay’s marketing and administrative budgets. He argues that eBay is a "mature business" that has stopped innovating, and that GameStop’s physical footprint can provide the "last-mile" infrastructure eBay currently lacks.
4. Market Skepticism & Next Steps
While eBay shares rose slightly on the news, they remain well below the $125 offer, indicating that investors are skeptical the deal will close.
The Proxy Threat: Cohen has stated he is prepared for a "proxy fight," meaning he will attempt to replace eBay’s board of directors with his own candidates if they reject the bid.
The Compensation Factor: Cohen’s personal incentive is massive; he stands to earn up to $35 billion in stock if he can drive the combined company to a $100 billion valuation.
The Bottom Line
This isn't just a business deal; it’s a culture clash. Ryan Cohen is applying the same "activist" pressure to eBay that he used to take over GameStop in 2021. Whether this is a brilliant strategic pivot or an elaborate publicity stunt remains the multi-billion dollar question for shareholders.
Note: eBay’s board is currently reviewing the proposal. No official rejection has been issued yet, but the account ban suggests a chilly relationship between the two parties.
Article Sources & Credits:
"GAMESTOP Proposes to acquire eBay at 125.00 per share"
Investor.gamestop
GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) today submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire 100% of eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) at $125.00 per share in cash a
Gamestop eBay saga gets weirder: CEO says he was suspended from ebay for selling stuff on ebay ...
By: Andy Chalk • PC Gamer
Maybe all of this really is just a very dumb, pointless stunt.
PPM Disclaimer: Power Pulse Magazine (PPM) provides editorial coverage, commentary, and market analysis for informational and entertainment purposes only. This article does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or business advice. Corporate negotiations, acquisition discussions, and market conditions may change rapidly, and reported details are based on publicly available information and media reports at the time of publication. Readers should conduct independent research and consult qualified financial professionals before making investment or business decisions.
GameStop envisage une offre de rachat d'eBay : pari fou ou génie ?
Selon des informations rapportées par le Wall Street Journal, le spécialiste de la vente de jeux vidéo GameStop s’apprêterait à formuler une offre de rachat sur la plateforme de vente aux enchères eBay. Une initiative qui, si elle se concrétise, pourrait redéfinir le paysage du commerce en ligne et marquer un tournant dans l’histoire du distributeur en difficulté.
Un bond boursier…
Many short sellers have pulled back in recent years, with stocks climbing to new highs and the potential for meme-stock traders to defy financial logic.
-- GameStop Burned Andrew Left in 2021. He’s Betting Against the Stock Again. https://www.wsj.com/articles/gamestop-burned-andrew-left-in-2021-hes-betting-against-the-stock-again-4377cecb
Meme-stock investors and Elon Musk’s army of superfans are disrupting the norms of the Delaware Chancery Court as it’s already straining to
Meme stock traders come to the country’s premier venue for corporate litigation on a mission to—well, there’s a lot going on here.
Tesla Inc. superfans vow to protect Elon Musk from the judge who doesn’t think he’s worth $56 billion. Retail investors want a reckoning for the movie theater chain they say treats them like “a piggy bank.”
They’re little guys saving their beloved brands from “a broken system” perpetuated by “bad actors” on Wall Street. They do their own research. They’re an online army. They want their money back. They don’t care so much about winning.
The movement converging on Delaware’s Court of Chancery is an “eruption of human passion and emotion,” said one such investor, Brian Tuttle, a 44-year-old disc jockey from Sarasota, Fla. “Sometimes participation is more important.”
