Nintendo has never been afraid to think outside the box. But this time, they’re tackling an issue that most other companies would never even consider: the taste of their game cartridges. Yes, you read that right—Nintendo has designed its Switch 2 cartridges to make sure you won’t want to put them in your mouth. But why?
In case you weren’t aware, Nintendo Switch cartridges are coated with a bitterant called denatonium benzoate, a substance often used to deter people from consuming things they shouldn’t, like antifreeze. While ingesting a Switch cartridge might not be immediately life-threatening, it could certainly pose a choking hazard—especially for children, who are notoriously curious about putting objects in their mouths.
Nintendo first confirmed the use of this non-toxic coating back in 2017 to Polygon, with a spokesperson stating that it was a safety measure “to avoid the possibility of accidental ingestion.” The company’s focus on protecting users, particularly young ones, is clearly at the forefront of their design philosophy, and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is no different.
A Bitter Taste for Safety: What’s Inside Switch 2 Cartridges?
As the June 5 release date of the Nintendo Switch 2 looms closer, many are wondering whether these new cartridges will also have that same unpalatable coating. While Nintendo hasn’t explicitly confirmed that it’s still using denatonium benzoate, Takuhiro Dohta, a Nintendo technical director, made it clear in a recent interview with GameSpot that the company’s goal remains unchanged: ensuring that if a cartridge makes its way into your mouth, you’ll want to spit it out immediately.
“We don’t want anybody to be at risk of any unwanted consumption,” Dohta said. “We have indeed made it so that if it enters your mouth, you’ll spit it out.”
The idea is simple: by applying a taste that is so foul, they’re preventing accidental consumption. But there’s also a bit of humor here—who would even think to taste a gaming cartridge? Apparently, some people have, though Dohta himself has not been one of them. In fact, when he was asked about his own experience with the Switch’s cartridge, he admitted: “When the Nintendo Switch was being developed, I did lick it once, but never again. I can’t believe that other people are trying that.”
Will We Taste Nintendo Switch 2 Cartridges?
While we’re all likely to encounter the new Switch 2 cartridges soon enough, Nintendo isn’t exactly handing out taste samples at their console preview events. As of now, it’s unclear whether anyone has dared to test the cartridge’s taste. Nintendo seems to be betting on the fact that people will instinctively know not to try it, but we may still see someone brave (or foolish) enough to put one in their mouth come June.
And if you do decide to try it out, don’t say we didn’t warn you: the result is bound to be a very unpleasant experience. Nintendo’s efforts to prevent this particular risk highlight how the company is always thinking about user safety, even in the most unexpected areas of product design.
A Fun Fact About Nintendo’s Design Choices
At the end of the day, Nintendo is taking an issue that could be seen as trivial—cartridge safety—and turning it into a statement about their brand. They are a company that’s constantly innovating, not just in terms of technology, but also in how they protect their users, even from something as simple as the taste of their products. So, while you might not be rushing to lick a Switch 2 cartridge anytime soon, it’s comforting to know that Nintendo has already thought through all the “what ifs” when it comes to keeping their products safe and user-friendly.
