One of the most, if not the most, satisfying parts of unboxing a shiny new gadget is peeling off the plastic film from the screen.
There’s something oddly therapeutic about gently peeling it away to reveal the pristine display of a device you’ve been waiting ages to get your hands on. After all, there’s a reason why entire ASMR videos on YouTube are dedicated to just this one act.
But as tempting as it is, if you’re planning to do the same with your brand-new Nintendo Switch 2, you might want to hold off this time.
The Switch 2’s protective film is there for your safety
After a long wait, the day many gamers have been counting down to is almost here: June 5, Nintendo Switch 2’s official launch day. Though there are still a couple of hours left until it launches in the US, the much-anticipated console has already started rolling out in various parts of the world, starting with New Zealand.
Amidst all the excitement, Nintendo Europe has quietly issued an important warning in its Nintendo Switch 2 Health and Safety manual posted on its website.
In the user manual, Nintendo warns Switch 2 users not to remove the protective film attached to the Switch 2’s glass panel. Unlike what you may think initially, the thin layer isn’t the usual peel-off screen protector you find on phones or tablets from brands like Apple or Samsung.
Instead, it’s a permanent “anti-scattering adhesive film” that Nintendo has applied deliberately as a safety feature to prevent sharp shards of glass from scattering if the Switch 2’s screen is ever dropped or shattered.
This isn’t the first time Nintendo’s used an anti-scattering adhesive film or issued a similar warning. For instance, the Nintendo Switch OLED, launched in 2021, used a similar anti-scatter film for the exact same reason.
We’ve seen this film before and it didn’t end well
Initially, I thought Nintendo could’ve just said they’re pre-installing a screen protector on the Switch 2 instead of risking the opposite reaction by urging users not to peel it off.
After all, telling people not to do something only makes them want to do it more. But Nintendo does have a good reason for doing so.
Despite explicitly warning users not to remove the OLED’s anti-scatter film, the Switch subreddit is still filled with OLED users inquiring whether they can peel it off. Some have even gone ahead and removed it and then explained exactly how to do so. Of course, this might just tempt more users to try it out themselves, especially if they see how easily it comes off.
Beyond the OLED Switch, we’ve also seen this play out with Samsung’s foldable phones, which typically ship with a protective film similar to the one on the Switch 2. Back in 2019, when Samsung sent out early review units of the original Galaxy Fold, several tech reviewers reported serious display issues.
While Samsung said it would inspect the units in person, it also acknowledged that a few reviewers had removed the top layer of the screen, mistaking it for a regular screen protector. That ultimately damaged the display.
One notable example was Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who shared that his Galaxy Fold review unit became “completely broken and unusable just two days in."
The phone comes with this protective layer/film. Samsung says you are not supposed to remove it. I removed it, not knowing you’re not supposed to (consumers won’t know either). It appeared removable in the left corner, so I took it off. I believe this contributed to the problem. pic.twitter.com/fU646D2zpYApril 17, 2019
He admitted to peeling off the layer, noting that while Samsung warned against doing so, it looked removable from the left corner, so he went ahead anyway.
So, it’s not hard to imagine history repeating itself with the Switch 2. The Health and Safety manual also includes plenty of other important details, like the operating temperature for the Switch 2, key information for parents, and various other warnings.
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