$1.4M Nintendo Switch 2 Units Stolen in GameStop Truck Heist

Reports indicate that nearly 3,000 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles were stolen from a truck transporting inventory between Nintendo of America’s headquarters and a GameStop store in Texas.

According to Denver 7, an ABC News affiliate, police investigating the theft discovered it occurred while the driver was traveling through Colorado. The stolen consoles are valued at approximately $1.4 million.

Identifying the thief or thieves may be difficult, as investigators are still uncertain precisely where the theft took place along the 1,332-mile route.

Was this a planned operation—tracking the truck from Nintendo’s Redmond, Washington headquarters and targeting it deliberately—or a random theft? Authorities noted that multiple pallets of Switch 2 inventory were removed from the trailer, indicating a degree of organization.

If apprehended, those responsible could face multiple felony theft charges. Meanwhile, the driver stated he was unaware he was transporting Nintendo’s new console.

Local authorities are requesting any information related to the crime and have set up a tip line at 720-874-8477.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched worldwide earlier this month, selling 3.5 million units in its first few days. Despite initial concerns about shortages, Nintendo has largely maintained supply—though incidents like this could impact availability.

Thieves have a history of targeting valuable video game inventory. In 2020, for example, around the PlayStation 5 launch, Sony’s highly sought-after console was stolen from moving trucks in the UK using a method called the "rollover." The Times reported that criminal gangs repeatedly used this technique to steal PS5 consoles by boxing in the truck with other vehicles. A thief, tethered by rope, would then climb aboard at speeds up to 50 mph and cut their way inside.

Nintendo products have also been targeted previously, such as in 2015 when an entire truck carrying copies of Splatoon for the Switch and various rare amiibo figures was stolen.

This is not the first Switch 2-related incident involving GameStop, the retail giant that infamously damaged new Switch 2 screens by stapling receipts to them during the console’s midnight launch.