Urgent warning for all Nintendo Switch 2 owners - ignoring could be costly

The day is finally here - the Nintendo Switch 2 is on sale today across the world, including in the UK. Eight years on from the launch of the original Switch, everyone’s favourite Japanese games maker has at long last released the sequel, and expectations are sky high.

Mario Kart World is the flagship, headline game released today too, a true sequel to Mario Kart 8 for the original Switch.

If you’re waiting patiently by the door today for your Switch 2 to be delivered or have already queued up to buy one in-store, there’s one thing it’s worth knowing about your new prized gaming possession that could prevent disaster from occurring.

Nintendo specialist gaming site NintendoSoup has spotted that Nintendo has published the official Switch 2 health and safety manual on its official website. Most of the information seems as expected, but the publication noticed one piece of information that owners of the new console should be aware of.

One section of the manual is titled ‘careful usage’, and the last point in the section reads:

“The screen is covered with a film layer designed to prevent fragments scattering in the event of damage. Do not peel it off.”

This is very important for you to know if you have just got or are about to get a Switch 2. The film is to stop the glass screen from splintering and going everywhere in the event you accidentally crack it.

It’s normal for many Android phones to come with pre-installed screen protectors, but you can always remove them if you don’t want to use them. This does not seem to be the case for the Switch 2, which comes with a warning not to return the “film layer” on the screen.

Foldable smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, also ship with protective layers that the user should not remove, but it’s not always obvious.

If you’re about to eagerly unbox your new Switch 2, do not remove this screen covering, as it’s on there for a reason. If you want to affix a plastic or glass screen protector over the top of the film layer, presumably this is OK.