Launch day Switch 2 consoles arrive damaged after major GameStop blunder

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Two players who just received their long-anticipated consoles found out that they received damaged items instead, as the store receipt was attached directly to the display screen.

For quite some time now, supporters have been eagerly anticipating a new version of the Nintendo Switch, following its debut in 2017. Finally, their hopes were fulfilled in January 2025, as the long-awaited successor, known as the Switch 2, was unveiled to the public.

Now that the console is being rolled out globally, gamers are eagerly experiencing it for the first time by diving into Mario Kart’s virtual world.

Unfortunately, the thrill of today has been dampened for some, as it appears that certain players received equipment with a damaged screen.

Switch 2 players receive consoles with stapled screens

As I unboxed my freshly purchased Nintendo Switch 2 in a New York GameStop on June 5, I joined the ranks of many other excited gamers who have discovered an unexpected issue. It seems that the staples securing the store receipt within the box managed to poke through and create tiny holes in the console screen.

A player, visibly upset, commented on platform X: “GameStop attached our receipts for the Nintendo Switch 2s to their boxes. Unbelievable! Now I’ll have to endure a three-month wait for the next stock.

Indeed, we were part of the midnight launch, so it’s likely that everyone in this queue will encounter the same problem.

— Oadhan Lynch (@Oadhan) June 5, 2025

The person mentioned that there are punctures in the screen of their Switch 2, as they had stapled a receipt to a box at 1756 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10303, which unfortunately caused damage to the screen. They were attempting to reach out to both GameStop and Nintendo regarding this issue.

Hi there @gamestop! The screen on my Nintendo Switch 2 has small holes from staples, which I believe were used to attach a receipt to the box at 1756 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10303. This seemingly careless act resulted in damage to the screen. I wanted to bring this issue to your attention as well as @NintendoAmerica, since it seems like it might have happened during shipping or handling.

— Rudeboy (@Rudeboy__NYC) June 5, 2025

In an earlier Reddit post (since removed), a fellow player who was present at the midnight release revealed that all the units from that specific batch seemed to have encountered the same problem, since many other players also appeared to be experiencing it.

In a rather unexpected turn of events, I found myself in the same GameStop as a complete stranger, and let me tell you, this turned out to be quite a predicament! We both had pre-orders, but it seems like our luck has run out – or so it appears that the entire pre-order batch might have taken an unexpected turn for the worse.

Currently, GameStop has not made any official statements regarding the incident, but all reports suggest it occurred at their New York branch. Affected individuals may receive replacements, though due to the high interest in the Switch 2 consoles, it’s uncertain how soon these replacements will be available.

Following a series of significant retailers pulling back on pre-orders mere days before the release, here I am left feeling a bit anxious and let down.

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2025-06-05 17:19