Device bricking

2026-03-16T20:35:46Z

135.136.19.246: Improved sentence flow and divided up the article for a clearer structure

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A "[https://foundershield.com/insurance-terms/definition/bricking/#:~:text=Bricking%20is%20a%20term%20that,which%20renders%20the%20device%20useless. Bricked]" device is a device which has had its main functions rendered unusable, such a device is commonly refereed to as a brick. Companies reserve the right to remotely brick a consumers device if they attempt to do anything that [https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-revises-user-agreement-and-if-you-break-it-nintendo-reserves-the-right-to-brick-your-switch#:~:text=You%20acknowledge%20that%20if%20you%20fail%20to%20comply%20with%20the%20foregoing%20restrictions%20Nintendo%20may%20render%20the%20Nintendo%20Account%20Services%20and/or%20the%20applicable%20Nintendo%20device%20permanently%20unusable%20in%20whole%20or%20in%20part.%22 goes against the terms of service the company sets] for their devices. A recent example of this can be seen from the release of the Switch 2 from [[Nintendo]].

A company may justify "Bricking" a consumers device for "safety concerns". With intent to discourage "[https://www.techopedia.com/definition/10649/homebrew Homebrewed]" devices (devices with unofficial, third-party or user-created modifications) from being created and to try preventing piracy and hacking. Usually with financial incentives.

Device bricking occurs commonly as a result of [[Planned obsolescence]], where a company's goal is to force the consumer to buy new and replace the old product, now rendered unusable.

==Recent cases of Device bricking==
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!Time of incident
!Company name
!Reason
!Effects
!Details
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|June 2025 - Ongoing
|Nintendo
|EULA violation
|All games not fully downloaded prior rendered unplayable<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-07-27 |title=What does a banned Switch 2 ACTUALLY mean? |url=https://youtu.be/MqFY3rICDWs?si=T3lLrbrbUH7CUT39 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=YouTube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=MqFY3rICDWs |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>, online features disabled
|In a May 2025 policy update, Nintendo stated they may ''"render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part."''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-20 |title=Nintendo Account User Agreement |url=https://accounts.nintendo.com/term/eula/US?lang=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250513142857/https://accounts.nintendo.com/term/eula/US?lang=en-US |archive-date=2025-05-13 |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=Nintendo Official Site}}</ref>
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Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Device bricking