Always have a retailer associate open up your game before you leave the store

So on a lark I go to a local Wal-Mart and buy Fire Emblem Warriors for the Switch (I know, I know…). I go home, open up the game, and lo and behold, there was no cartridge inside! Instead, there was a small sliver of black cardboard inside where the cartridge should be.

The store gave me another copy, but they were not surprised by this. This is happening with other game systems as well. Apparently people in the distribution chain are opening up the games, taking the game disc or cartridge, and wrapping it back up with plastic. I suppose they sell the game.

Switch games are clear and you can see inside them if the cartridge is there or not. This is why they put the black cardboard sliver there so it appears there is a cartridge there.

As a precaution, always have them open up the game to make sure the game is actually inside the case.

“Now, now,” tuts the Game Industry. “This is why we should all go digital. Digital would eliminate these problems.”

Go digital like GOG, and you’ve got a deal.

*crickets*

Yeah, that’s what I thought. I have no problem with digital WHEN I OWN AND CONTROL THE DIGITAL. Digital is not about digital, it is about removing any and all consumer control of the product they buy. Fuck that!