Last month, during the excitement and chaos of the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, a story broke through the noise. At least one person’s Switch 2 was ruined by GameStop after someone at the store stapled a receipt to the box and punctured the screen. Now, a month later, the video game retailer is auctioning off the stapler involved for charity.
On June 6, a person in Staten Island, New York, claimed to have waited in line to pick up their pre-ordered Switch 2 in person at their local GameStop, but was horrified to discover a staple had pierced the $500 console’s thin box and damaged the device’s screen. Quickly, this story spread online, with many wondering why Nintendo packaged the Switch 2 with the screen right at the top of the box, and others confused as to why GameStop would staple a receipt to a box containing a very pricey item in the first place. (Apparently, a broken AC was to blame.) The legend of the Staten Island Stapler was born. And now you can own a piece of very strange and soon-to-be-obscure video game history.
On July 9, GameStop announced that it was auctioning off the actual stapler that damaged the screen, the staple itself that was embedded in the console, the Switch 2 that was damaged, and even the box that it came in as part of a charity auction. A certificate of Authenticity signed by GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is also included.
“The items are being auctioned as a set to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals,” said GameStop. “While the incident itself was unfortunate, we hope its legacy serves a greater purpose.”
Here’s how GameStop describes the stapler that did the damage:
The black stapler used by a GameStop associate who, in a moment of launch night excitement and misjudged enthusiasm, stapled a receipt directly to a customer’s new Nintendo Switch 2 box—puncturing both cardboard and screen in one swift motion. Features authentic field-use wear throughout and retired immediately from service, the stapler now stands as a retail legend born from a half-second decision.
Yes, this is all a big publicity stunt, but as of 4:15 PM EST, the stapler, staple, box, and Switch 2 have already hit $16,000+ on eBay. That’s a very expensive stapler. All of this is very silly, but at least it seems some good will come out of it. And that’s more than I usually expect from news in 2025.
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