Reddit / Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo has already become famous for generous and diverse Switch 2 bans — we have a new example of turning an expensive console into a «brick». Although this time, the story is not so sad.
A Reddit user under the nickname dmanthey bought four used games for Switch 1 directly from the Facebook Marketplace. He inserted them into the Switch 2, updated them to the latest versions, and the next day received «cashback» in the form of a block on online services. Along with the ban, the ability to even download previously purchased games disappeared, as access to the Internet was cut off.
The reason for the ban was stated by Nintendo as «use of pirated games». Explanation: Switch automatically checks the unique IDs of cartridges. If the same game appears on two different devices at the same time — for example, if someone copied it to a third-party microSD via MiG Flash, — the console is automatically locked.
However, dmanthey managed to get away with «dry with», which is rather an exception to the rule. He contacted Nintendo support, showed photos of the cartridges and screenshots from the Marketplace. He managed to prove that he had purchased the games in good faith, and the company did not ignore the request. As a result, he managed to restore the console’s access to online services, but he still lost money on the cartridges. However, he may be lucky enough to get his money back.
It is not news to fans and haters that Nintendo gets even tougher on piracy. The first Switch had a similar policy, but the Switch 2 took the situation to the point of absurdity. Nintendo’s updated policy has put the player in an awkward position where a bad move leads to a permanent ban. Unfortunately, there is no way to safely check whether a purchased used cartridge will not lead to a ban. For example, one of the users told us how officially bought a console and a code for the game — but was «kicked out» of the Nintendo family.
An additional problem is that the new console supports backward compatibility with old games, and the market for used cartridges is actively alive. Although maybe now Nintendo will intimidate its audience to buy only new and without saving money for themselves. It’s good that dmanthey bought a cartridge on Facebook Marketplace, but if it’s a marketplace like Olx, then both money and the console can be considered «wasted».
At least, Nintendo is ready to cancel such locks if the user proves his or her case. But after that, you won’t be able to play the same cartridges in peace. What to do with them afterwards? Throw them away? Sell them to someone else without telling them about the «nuance»? This is a rhetorical question. By the way, separately we advise you not to set nicknames like the trashy ones on Steam, because the company permanently banned them as well Switch 2.
Source: Toms Hardware