Alright, so the internet has been a buzz with that video posted by the NeoGaf user, hiphoptherobot, which showcased setting up the Nintendo Switch and utilizing its touch interface. At the time, hiphoptherobot told people that the unit had come from an unnamed retailer who broke the street date. Come to find out, the unit was more than likely stolen by an employee and has been caught, terminated from their job, and will be facing criminal charges.
As for the one who made the video, once he realized the unit was stolen, he wanted nothing to do with it. Nintendo even contacted him, asking him to ship the Switch back to them, which he promptly did. He had this to say on a NeoGaf post:
“I probably cant talk about details but after knowing what happened I don’t necessarily think Nintendo is wrong for wanting the console back and the people I dealt with have all been very nice and reasonable. And again, I am not in any trouble but didnt feel like pushing my luck by keeping the videos up.
Well I am a barista and we dont usually carry Nintendo products at the cafe. And I am sure it is frustrating that I cant share more details but I am not sure what I can or cant share. For the sake of clarification I will say that I don’t think the person I got it from knew and therefore I certainly didn’t know but somewhere down the chain some switches had ‘mysteriously disappeared’. So while it was unknown to me, once I found out that it had probably been stolen I did’t feel comfortable keeping it.”
Whether Nintendo has offered to send hiphoptherobot another unit is still up in the air.
Luckily for the rest of the gaming world, we got a good look at the Nintendo Switch interface, which looks pretty slick. It’s unfortunate that this wasn’t a retail mistake, and was instead the result of criminal activity. Goes to show just how wanted Nintendo products are, as even Amiibo have been stolen before. Sometimes it amazes me just how unaware of this Nintendo seem to be. Their games are some of the most loved in the entire medium and have been for the past thirty years or more.
Either way, Nintendo seems to be doing things a bit differently with the Switch. It will be interesting to see how marketing and press events are held for this year. E3 certainly has some insane possibilities, which could set up Nintendo to be on top for the first time since the Wii’s wild popularity.
If anything, the Nintendo Switch is less than two weeks away from launch, and we can’t wait to report our thoughts on the new system and its games. Pop into Marooners’ Rock frequently for the latest.
Until then, I’ll be waking up every morning with a touch of sadness that its not March 3rd yet.
