Remember when retail giant GameStop caused chaos for hundreds of customers by stapling receipts right through the screens of their brand-new Nintendo Switch 2 consoles at launch?
Well, GameStop certainly hasn't forgotten. Its latest Nintendo Switch 2 advertisement playfully references the mishap to promote the next wave of console stock arriving in stores.
"Staples not included," the ad posted on GameStop's social media reads. "Find a Switch 2 restock at GameStop today." The accompanying image shows the Switch 2 console alongside a red stapler — with a handwritten note that says, "Do Not Use On Box."
While some fans found the ad humorous, others thought it strange for the retailer to joke about such a costly error that damaged thousands of dollars in stock.
IGN initially reported on GameStop's Switch 2 stapling issue just hours after the console launched on the U.S. East Coast, with most reports of damage traced to a single GameStop store in Staten Island, New York.
Affected customers told IGN they only discovered the damage after returning home, unboxing their new consoles, and finding the screens punctured where staples had been used to attach receipts to the thin cardboard packaging.
Switch 2 restocks at GameStop today.
— GameStop (@gamestop) June 16, 2025
Staples not included. pic.twitter.com/ULR8bQzG0M
This isn't the first time GameStop has made light of the situation. The company's social media account previously stated it had "addressed a unique case of staples damaging Switch 2 screens — isolated to one store."
"Replacements have been offered," GameStop wrote, alongside a GIF from the 1999 comedy Office Space showing a clueless employee having their office supplies confiscated. "Staplers have been confiscated."
In response to GameStop's latest stapler-themed post, one customer commented, "Y'all better have replaced every Switch 2 that got stapled in the first place." GameStop confirmed it had done so. Another user suggested, "Auction off the stapler that ruined everything," to which GameStop replied with a thinking emoji.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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Although GameStop described the incident as an isolated mistake at one store, IGN has heard from customers of other retailers who experienced similar screen damage due to stapled boxes. Some fans have also questioned Nintendo's packaging design, noting that the console's outward-facing screen is left vulnerable to damage.
IGN previously reached out to Nintendo regarding the issue, but the company deferred to GameStop's public statement.
