You’re staring at a boss fight you can't beat, or maybe you finally have a day off and realize you desperately need a second controller for some couch co-op. Then it hits you. It’s Easter Sunday. Most of the world feels like it’s hit the "pause" button. You start wondering if you can actually swing by your local shop or if you’re stuck with whatever is currently in your digital library.
Let's cut to the chase.
If you’re asking is GameStop open on Easter, the answer is almost always a "yes," but with some massive asterisks that could leave you standing in front of a locked glass door if you aren't careful. Unlike Target or Best Buy, which have famously started locking their doors entirely on Easter Sunday to give staff a break, GameStop usually keeps the lights on. But "open" doesn't mean "business as usual."
The Reality of GameStop Easter Hours
Most GameStop locations operate on a Sunday schedule regardless of the holiday. Normally, that means they don't even think about opening until 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM. On Easter Sunday, March 29, 2026, you can expect the same sluggish start.
Don't expect them to stay late, either.
While a typical Tuesday might see them open until 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM, Sundays are notorious for early 6:00 PM closures. On Easter, some managers might even pull that back to 5:00 PM if the foot traffic is ghost-town levels of quiet. Honestly, it’s a coin flip based on how much the corporate office is pushing for those holiday sales numbers versus how much the local mall dictates the schedule.
The Mall Factor
This is where things get tricky. Is your GameStop inside a mall? If so, forget the corporate policy. You are at the mercy of the mall’s management.
Many regional malls across the U.S. shut down completely for Easter Sunday. If the mall is closed, GameStop is closed. Period. They aren't going to open a side door just so you can trade in a dusty copy of Madden 23. If your local spot is a standalone shop in a strip mall next to a Five Guys or a Starbucks, you have a much better chance of finding a human behind the counter.
Why Does GameStop Stay Open Anyway?
You’d think they would just close. Most big-box retailers like Costco and Lowe's have decided it isn't worth the overhead. But GameStop occupies a weird niche. They know that Easter often means kids with "Grandma money"—those crisp $20 bills tucked into plastic eggs.
They want that money.
They also know that for a lot of people, the "holiday" part of the day ends after brunch. By 2:00 PM, there is a huge demographic of people who are bored, out of school, and looking for a reason to leave the house. Being one of the few entertainment stores open gives them a corner on the market.
Trading and Services on Easter
Can you still do trades? Technically, yes. If the doors are open, the systems are running. However, keep in mind that staffing is usually at a skeleton crew level on holidays.
You might walk in and find one lone employee trying to handle a line of five people, a ringing phone, and a trade-in involving a PS4 that looks like it was buried in a sandbox. It’s going to be slow. If you’re planning on trading in a whole console for credit toward a new release, maybe wait until Monday. It’s just kinder for everyone involved.
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Digital is Always an Option
If you find out your local store is one of the ones that actually shuttered for the day, the website doesn't have "hours." You can still buy digital codes on GameStop.com. Usually, the code hits your email within a few minutes, though occasionally the fraud prevention filters get aggressive on holidays and might hold it for an hour.
How to Verify Your Local Store
Don't just trust a Google Maps listing that says "Hours might differ." Those are often automated and wrong.
- The App is Your Friend: The official GameStop app usually updates its "Store Locator" hours closer to the actual date.
- The 24-Hour Rule: Call them on the Saturday before. Ask the person behind the counter, "Hey, are you guys actually open tomorrow?"
- Check the Mall Website: If your store is in a mall, check the mall’s "Holiday Hours" page. It’s the ultimate authority.
Common Misconceptions
People often confuse Easter with "Federal Holidays." It isn't one. Because it's a religious holiday, there’s no government mandate for closures, and there's no "observed" Monday holiday where stores stay closed. By Monday morning, everything is back to the standard 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM grind.
Another thing: don't expect "Easter Sales." While they might have a "Spring Sale" running, there's rarely a specific "Easter Sunday Only" blowout. Most of the deals you see on Saturday will be the exact same on Sunday.
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What You Should Do Now
If you actually need something from GameStop this Easter, your best bet is to act on Saturday. Get your trade-ins done, grab your currency cards, and pick up that pre-owned game before the holiday hits. If you absolutely have to go on Sunday, aim for the "Golden Window" between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. That’s after the morning church rush and before the early "we want to go home" closing time.
Double-check your local mall's status right now if you're planning a trip, because that is the number one reason people find themselves staring at a "Closed" sign.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check the Mall Status: Look up your local shopping center's website to see if they are observing a full-building closure on March 29, 2026.
- Call Ahead Saturday: Dial your local store between 12 PM and 5 PM on the day before Easter to confirm their specific "boots on the ground" schedule.
- Use the Store Locator: Visit the official GameStop store locator page 24 hours before you plan to head out for the most up-to-date corporate-reported hours.