You want to keep using your Switch 2 in the future? Then think very carefully about which username you use...
When Nintendo feels that something is not happening "the Nintendo way," the company consistently takes action and throws around lawsuits and consequences like Donkey Kong with barrels – sometimes justifiably, at other times facing criticism.
Nintendo Against Everyone
So one can understand the approach against emulator providers at least from a business perspective, but what led Nintendo to sue a supermarket remains unclear to this day.
Within its own reach, however, the game company behaves just as ruthlessly and has already threatened to brick Switch 2 consoles if they are enhanced with mod chips.
Through the latest updates in the terms of use, the company has admitted to excluding consoles from the eShop, future system updates, and the download and playing of key cartridges, which makes the brand new Switch 2 more or less a useless offline console – a "brick", hence the term "bricking".
Is Truly Everything Ban-Worthy?
One could argue that no one has anything to fear if they stay away from modding, piracy, and the like – but that's not the case. The first ban wave from Nintendo since the release of the Switch 2 also affected completely different users.
Besides the usual suspects, meaning consoles that have been modified with mods or MiG flash cartridges, or otherwise altered through a jailbreak to play emulated games, a Reddit user reported that his Switch 2 was banned due to an "inappropriate username."
Free Twink Link!
He explained that his entire family would be using the new console and that his sister had recently changed her username to "Twink Link" – which led to an immediate ban from all services offered by Nintendo.
His inquiry to customer support could not be answered because they are currently overwhelmed – instead, he was advised to return the console since such a ban could not be reversed anyway.
On Twitch, the user explained that he was reluctant to do so, as he strongly assumed that Gamestop would take back the console but could resell it unchanged, and another customer might end up buying a useless Switch 2 for a lot of money...
What do you think of Nintendo's measures? Absolutely justified and within their agreements, or did they overreact in this extreme case?