Feel Old Yet? These 3 Popular Gaming Devices Are Now Considered 'Retro Consoles'

What exactly counts as vintage or retro is a debate that probably won't ever be settled. But, video game retailer GameStop has thrown its proverbial hat in the ring with a new metric for deciding if a console can be considered retro: whether it was released during George W. Bush's time in office. Other factors include whether it has a port of the popular battle royale shooter "Fortnite" and has a component cable output. These are all now deciding factors for whether a console trade-in counts as a retro trade-in, according to a statement shared on X.

With that in mind, the Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, and the rather unpopular Nintendo Wii U are all officially considered to be retro consoles per GameStop's so-called Retro Classification Standard. The retailer's playful statement goes on to note that the consoles are "still very cool", with the reassurance that "anyone who owned one at launch is absolutely not cold". This is perhaps cold comfort considering the three consoles are referred to as "historic artifacts" throughout the post.

Although hearing these consoles referred to as retro is jarring, it isn't the most surprising thing, either. The Xbox 360 came out in 2005 and was discontinued in 2016.  The PlayStation 3 had a similar lifespan, with Sony's console running from 2006 through to 2016, or 2017 if you live in Japan — even though Sony still pumps out occasional console updates. The Wii U is the newest of the now-retro consoles, despite the fact that it came out back in 2012. Which, in case you were wondering, was definitely during Barack Obama's presidency.

GameStop's Retro Classification Standard is likely a part of the humorous nature of the statement, but the retailer does actually have a retro gaming section. The section covers a long list of specific discontinued gaming consoles, games, and accessories, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Saturn, and yes, the Xbox 360. The Wii is included on the list, in case you were wondering.

GameStop also used the announcement to share that its stores have started accepting defective retro consoles in trade, as long as they power on. Otherwise, any missing accessories, aesthetic defects, and other faults are considered fair game. Other devices accepted as part of its retro trade-in program include various Nintendo consoles and handhelds, older Sony PlayStation releases, select Sega consoles, and the original Xbox.

In addition to selling retro consoles and games online, the retailer has opened specialized GameStop Retro stores across the United States, where you can buy used gaming consoles from years gone by. Incidentally, despite GameStop's announcement that the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii U are now considered retro as of March 16th, 2026, this isn't actually the first time the company has counted those consoles under its retro umbrella. The GameStop Retro announcement shared on X on August 27th, 2024, included all three on its roster of consoles.

Despite GameStop's stipulations — component cables, no Fortnite, and something about George W. Bush — there aren't really any hard and fast rules when it comes to what counts as a retro console. Hopefully, that's of some comfort if you feel old thanks to the announcement. However, it might not comfort you to hear that GameStop isn't the only one that considers these consoles to be retro. Back in 2022, retro gaming outlet TimeExtension shared a poll asking if the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii could be considered retro, with the majority of voters saying yes. Meanwhile, discussions on gaming forums generally back up the idea.

Unlike antique status, which is used for items that are at least 100 years old, retro isn't an easy categorization to capture with specificity. In terms of gaming, some use it to mean something that's at least two generations older than the current generation of consoles available on the market. The release of the Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2 means that all three of the consoles recently deemed retro by GameStop are also retro by this definition. The BBC also considers consoles from this era to be retro, with the PlayStation Portable — which, much like the Xbox 360 and PS3, came out in the mid-2000s — featuring in a round-up of older tech beloved by Gen Z.