Could Nintendo actually brick your Switch for rule-breaking now?
Nintendo has updated its user agreement in both the US and UK, toughening its stance on users who pirate games, attempt to emulate titles, or modify their consoles, according to Game File. The changes, announced in an email to US users, apply to all existing and new Nintendo accounts.
The updated agreement significantly expands the section outlining prohibited activities. Previously, it stated that users were not allowed to lease, rent, sublicense, publish, copy, modify, or reverse engineer Nintendo Account Services without written consent. The new version explicitly prohibits activities such as bypassing, modifying, decrypting, or tampering with the system’s functions and protections.
The revised agreement now clearly states that users are not allowed to “publish, copy, modify, reverse engineer, lease, rent, decompile, disassemble, distribute, offer for sale, or create derivative works of any portion of the Nintendo Account Services” without Nintendo’s written consent. It also forbids obtaining, installing, or using unauthorized copies of Nintendo Account Services and exploiting the services in any manner other than their intended use.
If users fail to comply with these restrictions, Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device “permanently unusable in whole or in part.” This means the company can potentially brick a device or disable certain functions, such as preventing cheaters from accessing online services in games.
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The UK version of the agreement has also been updated, though with less drastic wording. Users in the region now acknowledge that digital products registered to their Nintendo Account are licensed only for personal and non-commercial use on a User Device. The agreement warns that unauthorized use of a digital product may result in it becoming unusable.
These agreements currently apply to the Nintendo Switch but will presumably govern the use of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 unless changed before its launch. Users are advised to read the new terms carefully to avoid any potential issues with their devices.