Stapler that ‘damaged’ Nintendo Switch 2 has been sold for $250,000 on ebay

A stapler that damaged a highly-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console at a New York City GameStop in June has become the centrepiece of a viral charity auction. The stapler has raised $250,000 on eBay, a report has said. The incident in which the console was damaged is being dubbed "

staplegate

," and it upset fans who had already faced delays for the new console.

How Nintendo Switch 2 were ‘damaged’ by stapler

According to a report by Business Insider, the saga began last month when some customers received their $499 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles with puncture holes in the screen. The damage was traced to a stapler used at a Staten Island GameStop to attach receipts to console boxes. This incident occurred after fans had waited eight years for a new Switch model, enduring a tariff-related delay for the latest version.While GameStop replaced the damaged consoles, a company spokesperson stated they wanted to “turn the snafu into something for a good cause.” The resulting auction, which closed on Wednesday (July 16) after 282 bids, included four items: a repaired, stapled Nintendo Switch 2, its original box with staple marks, the stapler itself and the “carefully extracted” staple.A GameStop spokesperson called the auction a form of "corporate accountability" and noted the idea "pitched itself."

"Once the story took off, the stapler basically demanded an agent," the spokesperson added. The company said that the public response "exceeded our expectations." All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

.