Nintendo and GameStop have responded to an issue where some Switch 2 consoles sold on launch day arrived with cracked screens, reportedly caused by staples used to attach receipts to the packaging.
As affected customers have since informed IGN, GameStop has started replacing the damaged Nintendo Switch 2 units by sourcing consoles from other nearby locations.
The major U.S. retailer also provided a short statement on the situation — which Nintendo referenced when IGN reached out for comment — clarifying that the damage was confined to just one store, where employees accidentally harmed dozens of consoles.
In a social media update, GameStop stated, "We’ve addressed a rare incident of staple-related screen damage on the Switch 2 — limited to one store."
"Customers have been offered replacements, and staplers have been removed from use," the post continued, accompanied by a short clip from the 1999 comedy film Office Space, in which a boss confiscates an employee's stapler.
We’ve addressed a unique case of staples damaging Switch 2 screens—isolated to one store.
— GameStop (@gamestop) June 5, 2025
Replacements have been offered. Staplers have been confiscated. https://t.co/w6eOEDtCeK pic.twitter.com/8UUeS7mx8i
Multiple fans who attended the midnight Switch 2 launch at the GameStop location on Forest Avenue in Staten Island were disappointed to find their console screens punctured by staples after unboxing their new purchases.
Some criticized the store’s choice to staple receipts directly to Switch 2 boxes, while others pointed to Nintendo’s packaging design as a contributing factor — the console’s main unit is positioned with the screen facing outward, protected only by thin cardboard.
"I knew something like this would happen," one fan commented online. "It was an odd design choice by Nintendo to place the screen face-up at the very top of the box with minimal cardboard as protection. We’ll likely see more reports of damaged screens over the next few days. Even during shipping, the screens are vulnerable."
IGN has reached out to Nintendo and GameStop to ask whether other stores have been instructed to avoid similar practices and whether packaging changes might be implemented to better protect the Switch 2 from potential damage, whether from staples or other causes.
"GameStop handled it well," one customer told IGN after receiving a damaged Switch 2 at the midnight launch. "They swapped it out for a brand new console. It looks like they arranged a fresh shipment to that store today to resolve the staple issue."
Another customer, who also had their console replaced, mentioned being told that GameStop acted swiftly by pulling additional stock from nearby stores to meet the demand for replacements.
