Nintendo Switch 2 Anti-Piracy War Ensues As Hackers Get The Ban Hammer

The Nintendo Switch 2 has had an impressive launch, quickly becoming one of the fastest-selling consoles of all time and currently on the path to continuing the success of its predecessor. However, the company is eager to avoid one downside of the original Switch, which is the piracy scene that sprung up around the handheld. Initial attempts appear to show that Nintendo put in the work to keep some would-be hackers at bay.

A user on the /switch2hacks subreddit shared their experience after having taken the new console online while using the Mig Flash. It’s described as a “3rd party back-up, preservation and development device” that’s meant to be used with the original Switch. The user claims that they only had backups of the games they own on the Mig Flash and not some other unauthorized software.


They quickly found that their new handheld has been banned by Nintendo, saying that it was “pretty dumb of me to go online with it. That’s on me.” It represents a setback for those looking to use the Mig Flash on the Switch 2, as Nintendo has seemingly found a way to detect that the device is present. Handing out bans to those who try to use them while connected to the company’s online service.

The only upside for this particular user is that only their console has been banned, while their Nintendo account still appears to be in good standing for the time being. Although they already anticipate the company will “drop the ban hammer on [their] account” at some point down the line. They’re right to suspect that their account is in jeopardy as well, as Nintendo is notoriously legally aggressive and will undoubtedly look to mete out maximum punishment to those who it believes are misusing its hardware and services.

It's still early days in the Switch 2’s lifecycle, though, and hackers will likely continue to search for workarounds to use it in ways not necessarily sanctioned by Nintendo.