Remember when GameStop caused a huge uproar by stapling receipts through the screens of Nintendo’s new Switch 2 consoles? The retail giant hasn’t forgotten, and it’s now turning that fiasco into a marketing moment. In a playful new advert, GameStop leans into the infamous snafu, showcasing their new stock of Switch 2 consoles with the tagline: “Staples not included.” The ad also features a red stapler with the note, “Do Not Use On Box,” adding to the tongue-in-cheek approach.
For context, the disaster unfolded shortly after the Switch 2 launched on the U.S. 
East Coast, when reports of stapler damage flooded in. The damage, which was confined to one GameStop store in Staten Island, New York, saw customers discover that their Switch 2 consoles had been punctured by staples. These staples had been used to attach receipts to the thin cardboard boxes that housed the consoles. As you can imagine, those customers were far from pleased when they found their new consoles damaged upon opening them.
Despite the costly error, GameStop has maintained a lighthearted response to the incident. Following the uproar, the company addressed the issue on social media, clarifying that it was an isolated case and promising that replacements would be provided. A GIF from the 1999 comedy film Office Space featuring an employee having their office equipment confiscated accompanied the post, making light of the situation. And yes, GameStop did indeed say it had “confiscated” all the staplers.
But GameStop’s latest ad, which highlights a new restock of Switch 2 consoles, takes this a step further by embracing the mistake in a cheeky way. While some fans appreciated the humor, others were less amused, pointing out the company’s odd decision to capitalize on the error. One customer even tweeted, “Yall better had replaced every Switch 2 that got those staples in the first place,” to which GameStop confirmed they had indeed replaced those damaged consoles.
Interestingly, some fans also mentioned that the Switch 2’s packaging itself could be to blame, with the screen of the console facing outward in the box, making it prone to damage. Additionally, customers from other retailers have reported similar screen damage, suggesting that GameStop wasn’t the only one affected by packaging mishaps.
Despite all the controversy, GameStop seems to have embraced the error as a moment of self-awareness, with customers joking that they should auction off the infamous stapler. It’s a rare instance of a company poking fun at itself rather than trying to cover up a mistake.