A player recently shared his painful experience on the forum ResetEra, saying that he purchased the Switch 2 version of “Pragmata” through Amazon Warehouse Deals. He originally thought he was just buying a new product at a discount, but he did not expect that what he got was a fake cassette. To make matters worse, the cartridge could not be ejected normally after being inserted into the console. Finally, hard removal caused damage to the card reading slot of Switch 2, and the console was no longer able to read other games.
Players place orders when they see discounts, but end up stepping into a big trap
According to the description of the account jokkir, he has purchased goods from Amazon Warehouse Deals many times in the past, and his experience has always been normal. Therefore, after seeing the discount on “Pragmata” this time, he did not think much and placed the order directly.
After receiving the product, he inserted the cartridge into Switch 2, only to find that the console was completely unresponsive. Later, when I tried to eject the cassette in the normal way, I found that the cassette was stuck in the machine and could not be ejected.
If it cannot be removed, the player can only forcefully pry the cassette out, but the process of pulling out is suspected of damaging the internal contacts of the console. When other genuine games are inserted later, the Switch 2 can no longer read the card.
The fake cassette looks normal on the outside, but is actually an empty shell inside.
After further inspection, the player discovered that the so-called “Pragmata” cartridge was actually just a replica of the casing. Judging from the shared pictures, the external stickers are quite decent, and even the Game-Key Card icon is printed on it, which seems a bit confusing at first glance.
The inside of this cassette is almost empty. It has no normal circuitry and contact structure, and only the shell is left. Therefore, it cannot operate normally after being inserted into the host. It may also get stuck in the slot due to dimensional errors and structural problems.
Amazon Warehouse Deals is also affected, and the risks of second-hand platforms are further amplified
The reason why this incident sparked discussion is that the goods did not come from unknown small sellers, but were purchased through Amazon Warehouse Deals. This service usually sells returned products, products with damaged outer boxes, or re-released products, so many players regard it as a channel for bargain hunting.
But this also means that once subcontracted goods are mixed into the return process, if they are not carefully inspected later, they may flow back into the market.
Switch 2 players start to pay attention to Game-Key Card appearance scam
Since some Switch 2 games use Game-Key Card design, the appearance of the cartridge itself is different from the physical cards in the past, which also gives some scammers more room to imitate.
For ordinary consumers, as long as the exterior stickers are similar, the packaging is similar, and the price is cheap, it is easy to lower their guard. After the “Pragmata” incident, the player community also began to remind them that if the price is ridiculously low when buying a popular new game, it is best to confirm the source and return guarantee first.