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To avoid buying tampered goods, people can use a flashlight to check if there is a cartridge inside the Switch game box.
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Switch games are physically popular because of the system's portability.
A clever shopper has shared a simple trick Nintendo Switch The fan community helps people distinguish legitimate Switch games from fake ones. This trick works to help people while shopping in-store, preventing them from buying Nintendo Switch game boxes that have been tampered with by thieves.
Although sales of physical copies of games are in decline across the board, the Nintendo Switch remains a relative stronghold of physical game sales compared to other consoles. This is due to the fact that Nintendo has chosen to store physical Switch games on cartridges instead of discs, as well as the portable nature of the console, which encourages players to bring their games physically. Even that Ace Advocate Research Collection Publisher Capcom, recognizing the strength of the market for physical Switch games, is getting an exclusive Switch physical release.
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Unfortunately, physical goods can be vulnerable to theft and tampering, prompting Reddit user Far-System1555 to share a simple trick to help the Switch community protect itself. The trick involves shining a bright light, such as a flashlight, through parts of the Switch game case to detect the presence of a game cartridge inside. Since Switch physical release boxes are made of transparent white plastic, any part not covered by the label will accept light, illuminating the black Switch cartridge in its holder and verifying that there is a cartridge inside the package. Thus, the technology reduces the chances of getting a case for one of the best Switch games of 2024, only to open it and see a missing game cartridge.
A simple trick helps to verify genuine Nintendo Switch cartridges without opening the package
Commenters on Far-System1555's thread praised the move, citing it as a potential defense against being victimized by Switch game thieves. They also wondered if the trick might work when the Switch 2 was released, when Nintendo announced that the Switch 2 would support game cartridges. They linked to other Reddit posts and news reports where criminals would open Nintendo Switch games, remove the cartridges, and reopen the cases for victims to buy. Others shared tips to increase the effectiveness of the trick, such as trying to locate the metal contacts that indicate the cartridge inside the case is indeed a game cart, rather than the “decoy” piece of plastic some thieves leave around. A case of fooling buyers. Some commenters advised caution, saying that the trick wouldn't work in the Switch game case, which isn't transparent. They added that the trick verifies whether the cartridge exists, and not if the cartridge matches the purchased game.
Despite the rise of digital distribution, cartridges aren't going away anytime soon. In fact, Nintendo is releasing more than ever, thanks to recent advances allowing it to keep up Pokemon Scarlet and purple in a game cartridge. With that in mind, it's great that Switch fans have come up with ways to protect themselves from theft. Then again, it's worth lamenting that such moves are necessary in the first place.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh coming in 2021.
