Bloody Hell! GameStop's Infamous Stapler Sells for a Quarter-Million - But Was it Worth It?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
GameStop turned a Switch 2 stapler mishap into a $250,000 charity auction, proving that sometimes, the best way to handle a stuff-up is to own it (and then sell it to the highest bidder...for charity, of course). It's a win for sick kids, and a wild ride for everyone else.
Right, so GameStop's had a bit of a mare, haven't they? Remember that story about the, ahem, *enthusiastic* employee who decided stapling receipts directly to Nintendo Switch 2 boxes was a bright idea? (Spoiler: it wasn't. Screens got poked.) Well, that very stapler just sold on eBay for a staggering $250,000. Fair dinkum!
According to Game Rant, who've been keeping an eye on this whole saga, the incident happened at a store in Staten Island, New York, on the Switch 2's launch day (June 5th). Turns out, staples + delicate console screens = disaster. Who'd have thought? Anyway, the internet, being the internet, blew up about it. And rightly so, I reckon.
But here's the twist: GameStop, instead of burying their heads in the sand, decided to lean into the chaos. They put the offending stapler (and the *actual damaged Switch 2*, refurbished, mind you) up for auction, promising all proceeds to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Good on 'em, I say.
The auction, which concluded recently, attracted a whopping 282 bids. $250,000! That's enough to make your eyes water. The winning bidder gets the stapler (twisted staple included!), the refurbished Switch 2 with the battle scars (staple holes on the box, naturally), and a certificate of authenticity. It's like owning a piece of gaming history... albeit a slightly embarrassing one for GameStop.
Now, here's where it gets even more... GameStop-y. Their CEO, Ryan Cohen, apparently promised that if the auction hit a million dollars, he'd fly the winner to Miami, treat them to lunch at McDonald's, *and* gift them a pair of his "preowned" underwear. Right... Well, it didn't hit a million, so no pre-loved undies this time, sadly.
So, what do we make of all this? On one hand, a charity gets a massive donation. That's unequivocally a good thing. On the other hand, it's hard to shake the feeling that GameStop's turned a PR disaster into a marketing opportunity. (Sound familiar?). But hey, if sick kids benefit, maybe it's a win-win, even if it's a bit... weird. Either way, it's a story I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
And I hope this gives Gamestop a better understanding of what gamers value. Hint: it ain't stapled consoles.
Tags: GameStop, Nintendo Switch 2, Auction, Charity, Gaming News
Original article: Game Rant