How the Nintendo Switch is Ensuring Child Safety

Unless you've been living under a rock for the best few months, you've probably heard some grumblings about the recent release of the Nintendo Switch. The extremely popular Nintendo Switch, is a gaming system that can be played as either a handheld device or can "switch" into an at-home gaming console, see what I did there? The Nintendo Switch has been so popular that it has been labeled as sold out for much of its early release. However, for the sake of time, we’re not here to report on all the specifics of this exciting new gaming system. Instead we wanted to focus the purpose of this blog on the cool way Nintendo has made their small gaming cartridges safe for children.

We’ve all read warning labels for toys that proclaim CHOKING HAZARD on the outside casing, but Nintendo realized it was time to give parents a little peace of mind. For the Nintendo Switch, the games come in very small 35 mm × 33 mm × 3.8 mm cartridges. Normally, this would be screaming of a hazard worthy warning label; however Nintendo might have just found the solution to all parents’ problems! So what’s the answer? Make it taste bad. Yes, you read that correctly.

Nintendo has implemented a non-toxic agent called denatonium benzoate on its gaming cartridges. It has been described as extremely bitter and some of have even said it resembles the taste of insecticide (I’m not sure how they would know this, but I’ll take their word for it). If you don’t believe me, check Twitter, YouTube and really any other social media outlet and you will see tons of video reactions to licking the cartridges and tweets confirming their distaste for the taste. With all that said, it appears as if Nintendo has found a way to make handheld gaming safe for children of all ages and only time will tell how this sort of innovative child-safety technique will affect the industry for years to come!

So parents’, once this device comes back into stock, don’t hesitate for this gaming system to be considered a child-friendly device! Additionally, if you have concerns about your child damaging their gaming console, Worth Ave. Group offers insurance coverage for electronic devices including gaming systems! We cover damages including: accidental damage, cracked screens, liquid submersion, theft, vandalism, fire, flood, natural disasters and power surge by lightning. Our policies’ start at just $1.58/month!