The Nintendo Switch 2 launch this year absolutely rocked the global market, flying off shelves everywhere. But for US retail giant GameStop, the launch day was also marred by a bizarre "stapler-gate" incident that sent the internet into a frenzy. Now, the very stapler that damaged a console has unexpectedly gone viral, and GameStop has capitalized on the buzz by listing it on eBay, with all proceeds going to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals charity. Talk about turning a PR blunder into a charitable win!
The whole debacle unfolded at a GameStop store in New York. On launch day, a store employee, in what can only be described as a moment of extreme enthusiasm (or perhaps, a lapse in judgment), stapled a customer's purchase receipt directly onto the Switch 2's packaging. The staple, however, pierced through the cardboard and straight into the console's screen, damaging the device. The incident exploded online, quickly dubbed "Switch 2 Stapler-gate."
To smooth things over and do some good, GameStop recently bundled the infamous stapler with a brand-new Switch 2, the original stapled packaging, and even the "perfectly preserved" staple itself for auction. The auction lot also includes a "Certificate of Authenticity" detailing the incident, complete with a hilariously self-aware description:
"This is the black stapler used by a GameStop employee on launch night, in a moment of over-excitement and misjudgment, to staple a receipt to a customer's brand-new Switch 2 – piercing through the box and screen in an instant, becoming a retail legend. The device shows authentic signs of use and was immediately retired after the incident."
▼The infamous black stapler that did the deed
▼And the Certificate of Authenticity
The auction page lists the stapler as a "used item," noting that "while it shows some external wear, it is fully functional." As of now, bids have soared to nearly $109,000, with six days still left until the auction closes.
It's worth noting that all proceeds from this auction will be donated to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a charity founded over 40 years ago that raises funds for 170 children's hospitals. GameStop also emphasized that the stapler incident was an "isolated case" and that all staplers have since been confiscated from their stores to prevent any similar mishaps.
While the stapler incident was absurd and dramatic, the Switch 2 itself is still crushing it. In just four days post-launch, it sold a staggering 3.5 million units, smashing Nintendo's previous sales records. For children who can't afford a new console, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa added that there are still many ways for kids to experience Nintendo characters and the world of gaming.