Switch 2 Zelda Edition Arrives Water-Damaged, Nintendo Says 'Nothing We Can Do'

A collector's $519.99 Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 showed up in a soggy, crushed box — and Nintendo's customer service reportedly blamed the buyer instead of helping.

Imagine dropping $519.99 on a limited-edition Zelda Switch 2, only to have it show up looking like it went for a swim. That's exactly what happened to one unlucky buyer, and Nintendo's response has fans seeing red.

According to a social media post from the buyer's spouse, the console was ordered through Nintendo's official US online store. When it arrived, the outer packaging was badly damaged — soggy, crushed, and covered in water stains. The box looked like it had been squeezed on one side and left out in the rain. Not exactly the grand unboxing you'd hope for.

The kicker? When the buyer reached out to Nintendo's customer service, they were reportedly told there was "nothing we can do" — and the blame was somehow shifted onto the buyer. The poster shared two photos showing the soaked, dented outer box, and noted that even the console itself seemed to show signs of moisture damage. That's a rough deal for anyone, let alone someone who paid a premium for a collector's item.

For context, the US version of the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 retails at $519.99. As a limited edition, it sold out fast and is now fetching inflated prices on the secondhand market. So getting a waterlogged box instead of a pristine collectible stings even more.

Looking at the photos, it seems likely the package got crushed, rained on, or mishandled somewhere in transit. The shipping label shows FedEx as the carrier, though it's unclear exactly where things went wrong. Was it the warehouse? The delivery truck? A loading dock puddle? Hard to say.

Fellow gamers online were quick to sympathize. "With packaging that bad, you have every right to be angry," one commenter wrote. Others suggested the buyer file a claim with the carrier or check if their credit card offers purchase protection. Fair advice — but it shouldn't have to come to that when you're buying straight from the official store.

Have you ever had a collector's edition arrive in rough shape? How did you handle it? Drop your horror stories in the comments — we're all ears.