Nintendo is selling empty cardboard boxes to animal crossing fans.
The limited-edition Animal Crossing New Horizons Nintendo Switch hits shelves on March 13th—one week before the game’s release. Even if you’ve never played the game, the console’s palette of washed-out pastels and charming, island-themed artwork are enough to make anyone think about buying one.
For some of the game’s most fanatical followers, however, the packaging alone is enough to go crazy for. And Nintendo knows it.
Nintendo, seeking to leverage the game’s popularity into as much profit as possible, is even selling the console’s box in the Japanese Nintendo store for 550 Yen. That translates to $5.07.
A link to the cardboard vessel that will house the console come March was posted on the Nintendo Switch subreddit a couple of days ago by u/Frocharocha. Perhaps “you get the box, and the console is a digital download,” chirps another user. Funny but doubtful. The console itself doesn’t even come with a download of the game.
The box features an image of the new console, the design of which is already being praised on every corner of the internet. The praise, of course, is warranted. The console is nothing short of a work of art. Even the back of the console's screen unit are embossed items, emblems, and characters from the game.
The joy-cons are soft shades of green and blue pastel to match the body of the console. They even feature accented grips of the same color. For an added bonus, Nintendo is throwing in two carrying cases and screen protectors with each switch.
There’s no question that Animal Crossing, one of Nintendo’s most-adored titles, deserves the attention it’s getting. But selling a piece of cardboard in the official store may be a little over the top.
Most people probably won’t spend $5 on an empty box. But if you already have a Switch and don’t want to hand Nintendo another $300 for this limited-release piece of hardware, perhaps the box is exactly what you’re looking for.