Japanese Police Officer Caught Red-Handed for Playing Nintendo Switch for 17 Hours While on Duty

There’s no doubt that the handheld home console, Nintendo Switch, took the world by storm following its incredibly successful release and quickly became a hot item for Nintendo. So far, the handheld has sold more than 140 million units globally throughout the seven years since its release and now sits among the top five video game consoles. However, a Japanese police officer’s fondness for Nintendo Switch has gotten him into trouble after being reported for playing on their handheld while on duty at the Tenri Police Station.

Japanese Police Officer in Trouble for Playing Nintendo Switch On Duty

As per reports, a police officer in his 40s with the Tenri Police Station in Japan’s Nara prefecture was issued a caution for playing on their Nintendo Switch while on duty. According to investigations, the police officer would often go to the break room at the station during work hours, and rather than working, he would connect his Nintendo Switch to the TV and play video games. From November 2023 to February 2024, the officer was found to have been using the handheld console to play games for a total of 17 hours. He was caught after a surprise inspection of responsibilities was conducted in February, and his handheld was found plugged into the TV. 

The police officer’s actions led to a deep dive into the whole incident and for him to be given caution. The officer expressed guilt and confessed to his doings. As a result, the police department confirmed that it would deduct the hours he spent playing games on his Switch from his salary.

The Japanese police officer’s infraction undoubtedly proves the overwhelming popularity of Nintendo’s console. The second half of 2023 and early 2024 saw multiple major releases for the handheld console, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario RPG. That’s not all; Nintendo is reportedly working on a successor to the console. The upcoming ‘Switch 2’ is expected to have hardware that surpasses the capabilities of PS4 while maintaining the portable factor. Although Switch 2’s release date is still unknown, it will surely build on the success that made the original Switch a household name in the gaming world.