The stapled Nintendo Switch 2 saga has come to a $250,000 end

Console launches are chaotic endeavors, and the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch was exactly that, right up to surprise snacks appearing alongside some new Switches. Chaos was most prevalent, perhaps, at a GameStop in New York City (specifically Staten Island) where dozens of consoles were ruined by staples that pierced the screens.

The story goes that employees stapled purchase receipts to the boxes, and customers then learned how poorly protected their new Switch 2s were inside their boxes; the staples pierced right through and into the consoles’ screens, dotting them with two small-but-still-noticeable holes. They were able to swap the consoles out for fresh (unstapled) units, but the PR hit to GameStop had already been done.

To turn perception around, GameStop announced a charity auction on July 9. It would be auctioning off the “Staplegate” stapler the employee used “in a moment of launch night excitement and misjudged enthusiasm,” according to the eBay listing. Up for auction alongside it was the first stapled Switch 2, its box, and the staple that punctured it. All proceeds from the winning bid will go to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The auction came to an end on July 16 after 282 bids. As for the winning number? A clean $250,000 — only a wee bit more than the console’s $450 price tag (for now). “While the incident itself was unfortunate, we hope its legacy serves a greater purpose,” reads the eBay description, and the 250K will certainly serve a greater purpose in helping out Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. GameStop hasn’t yet announced if it plans to match the winning bidder’s charitable donation. The company is conceivably sitting on plenty more stapled Switch 2 consoles, so time will tell if it decides to hold another Staplegate charity auction.

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen couldn’t help but make a wholesome situation weird. After announcing the auction, Cohen said, “If this reaches six figures I will include my underwear” in a post on X. He offered a “sneak peak” a couple of days later, and I’m sorry to those who clicked that link and looked at a pair of underwear too.