Nintendo is allowed to brick your Switch 2 if it catches you modding it

Nintendo has quietly changed its user agreement to give it the right to permanently disable a Nintendo Switch 2 console if it detects it has been modded or hacked. Yes, Nintendo can and will brick your console if you try to mod it.

In a new update to its user agreement, Nintendo has stated that by agreeing to its policies, a user acknowledges that if they fail to comply with stated restrictions, Nintendo can respond by making the "applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part," along with the "Nintendo Account Services". Notably, this is the first time since 2021 Nintendo has updated its user agreement, which previously warned users against "reverse-engineer or modify[ing]" their console or account.

It's hardly surprising that Nintendo is cracking down on modding or privacy now, as the company is preparing for the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which is scheduled to become available on June 5. Moreover, the Switch 2 marks a significant step away from physical cartridges, as the company is debuting Game Card Keys with the new console - physical cartridges that don't contain any game data, but instead a key that enables a user to download the game when slotted inside the console.

"You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with the foregoing restrictions, Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part," warns the agreement

Many third-party publishers have opted for Game Key Cards to get their titles on the Nintendo Switch 2 at a low cost, as now the publisher doesn't have to fork out for high-capacity cartridges. Nintendo appears not to be taking any chances when it comes to users potentially jailbreaking their device to gain access to thousands of games.