Nintendo Switch 2 owners deal with preorder delays and punctured screens

A new day has dawned for Nintendo fans, as the gaming company's highly anticipated Switch 2 officially releases for eager U.S. gamers.

The journey wasn't easy, with the console hit by the Trump admin's high-flying tariffs and disappointing delays for those looking to pre-order the console. With hundreds lining up outside GameStops and Targets around the nation over a month later, the saga wasn't yet over.

As the clock struck midnight, social media posts began trickling in from fans who, after spending hours waiting in line at the Staten Island Game Stop location, opened the brand new boxes to find their screens punctured by small holes. Fans claimed the damage was from store employees stapling preorder receipts directly onto the box, tearing through the cardboard, a thin plastic envelope surrounding the unit, and straight into the Switch 2's LCD screen.

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In a now-deleted post on the GameStop subreddit, users said the mishap affected everyone who had pre-ordered units at their local store, potentially hundreds of Switch 2 consoles.

While some were quick to direct their anger at GameStop employees, others took the issue up with Nintendo itself, arguing that the company had skimped on the packaging and shipping protection, including boxing up the $450 console with its 7.9 inch screen facing directly up. Neither GameStop nor Nintendo have publicly comment on the snafu.