Taiwan Police Use ‘Animal Crossing’ to Find Owner of Lost Nintendo Switch

July 24, 2020

Authorities in Taiwan recently used the popular video game to get a lost Nintendo Switch console safely back to its owner.

The console was found by a citizen who handed the item to a local police station in Taipei’s Daan district, reports the BBC.

We’ve seen people conduct virtual marriage proposals, weddings, office conference meetings, host graduations, and others on “Animal Crossing: New Horizons”, the latest game in the franchise. Finding an owner of a missing console tops the list.

Since there was no visible information about the owner on the console itself, the officers had to do a little digging by turning it on. Fortunately, the console had “Animal Crossing” installed on it, making it easier for the officers to reunite the item with the owner.

In a Facebook post, the police department shared how they were able to send a mass message to the owners’ friends via the game.

According to the officers, they wrote a postcard about them having the lost Switch, adding the police station’s contact details and sent it to all of the owner’s online friends who had recently visited the player’s virtual island.

Identified as Mr. Zheng, the owner said he placed his Switch on top of an ATM as he was withdrawing some cash but neglected to take it with him when he was done. A passer-by would later find the console and hand it to the police station.

One of the owner’s friends took a screenshot of the postcard and shared it on a forum for “Animal Crossing” players, along with a message for the officers.

“Thank you Mr Police Officer for your resourcefulness,” the friend said. “[Because of] your quick alert my friend was able to regain his island.”

Feature image via 臺北波麗士

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