Console launches only happen every few years, so they’re a huge occasion for major retailers. This is especially the case for an enthusiast store like GameStop; early adopters will flock to specialty stores before considering mainstream options that may not offer the same breadth of options. You’d think that when news began spreading that GameStop had sold Ruined Switch 2 consoles to hundreds of customers, alarm bells would be ringing at GameStop HQ. But what began as an undisputed marketing fiasco has been fully embraced by the beleaguered retailer, as evidenced by its latest PR outburst.
The reputational stakes were high from GameStop’s inception. Would people cancel their orders if they thought their nearly $500 purchase might come home with a receipt stapled to the console’s new screen? Would the negative association make some people think twice about trying their local GameStop for a Switch 2 over other potential retailers? If nothing else, there was no shortage of headlines highlighting the accident almost immediately after it occurred at a store in Staten Island, New York City. The wiretaps apparently affected dozens of people, but they all hailed from one location—it was hardly a widespread issue.
Gamestop quickly moved to make things right for affected customers, reportedly pulling extra stock from nearby stores and ensuring that affected parties could trade in their stapled handhelds for new consoles. On social media, the game store accelerated the situation after making it clear that it handled the incident as best it could. “The staplers have been confiscated,” read a post featuring a GIF from the 1999 film Office Space .
In an impeccably timed post, GameStop also announced a promotion the following day offering a 20% trade-in bonus to anyone who brought a Switch 2 with a receipt from a different retailer. While GameStop has done things like price matching before and offered incentives to get people to trade in, none of these promotions are tied to bringing a receipt. Things like pre-orders can be made with receipts, but stores typically keep records of these transactions so customers don’t necessarily have to hold onto them. While it may have been unintentional, it appeared as an attempt to influence Google results for the words “GameStop” and “Receipt.”
Now, a little over a month after the stapler fiasco, GameStop is happily reminding people of the ordeal, referred to as “Staplelegate,” by announcing an upcoming charity auction. The auction will include the stapler used by employees during the midnight launch of Staplelegate, as well as the first, ruined console, the box it was packaged in, and the staple that started it all. Proceeds will go to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. As of this writing, GameStop has raised $15,000 for the stapler, with six days remaining before the auction closes. So far, there are over 100 bids and counting.
“While the incident itself was regrettable, we hope its legacy serves a greater purpose,” reads a satirical letter of authenticity signed by GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen.