Nintendo Switch bans: Difference between revisions

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- Violation of our [https://www.nintendo.com/code-of-conduct/ Community Guidelines]</blockquote>Beyond this vague error code description, the company has refused to provide consumers with an equitable recourse if their device is banned, such as methods for reversal. This puts unnecessary risk for consumers purchasing the device, since banned consoles are capable of circulating within markets, especially via 2nd-hand markets such as [[eBay]].

=== Banned consoles circulating the market ===

===Banned consoles circulating the market===

Only days after initial reports of ''MIG Switch'' cartridges causing effective bricks due to [[Nintendo]], predictions<ref name=":1" /> surrounding the console circulating the market have become true. Not only has the standard 2nd-hand market for the console already put consumers at risk of accidentally purchasing these systems,<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Reilly |first=PJ |date=Jun 24, 2025 |title=Nintendo's Strict Policy On MiG Carts Is Creating A Problem For Secondhand Switch 2 Buyers |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/06/nintendos-strict-policy-on-mig-carts-is-creating-a-problem-for-secondhand-switch-2-buyers |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |work=Nintendo Life}}</ref> but consoles being returned to retail stores such as [[Walmart]] are also at risk of being repackaged on shelves.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Walker |first=John |date=Jun 23, 2025 |title=Beware: That Pre-Owned Switch 2 You're Thinking About Buying Might Already Be Bricked |url=https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-2-pre-owned-online-error-walmart-1851784892 |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |work=Kotaku}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=u/Bimmytung |date=June 18, 2025 |title=Found one. Didn't end well. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/switch2/comments/1lew6m5/found_one_didnt_end_well/ |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> Retail returns in particular cannot reliably test for bans, as the console requires access to the internet to inform the user that the console is bricked.

=== Additional methods of bans ===

[[File:Switch2UsernameBan.png|thumb|Archived screenshot of a user who got banned over their username]]

In June 2025, [[Nintendo Switch|Switch 2]] users reported receiving console bans<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bevan |first=Rhiannon |date=Jun 30, 2025 |title=Switch 2 PSA: Nintendo Might Ban You If You Put Twink In Your Username |url=https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-2-perma-ban-username-twink-link/ |access-date=Jun 30, 2025 |work=The Gamer}}</ref> due to usernames that go against [[Nintendo]]'s policies.<ref name="EULAMain" /> The user "''Twink Link''" caused her family's Switch 2 console to receive a swift ban from [[Nintendo]], which the username was reported from support to have been the reason why the console was flagged and thus banned by [[Nintendo]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=u/Funaoe24 |date=Jun 16, 2025 |title=Be careful with Switch 2 usernames. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/switch2/comments/1ld9rih/be_careful_with_switch_2_usernames/?embed_host_url=https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-2-perma-ban-username-twink-link/ |access-date=Jun 30, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> They were told by [[Nintendo]] support initially that the ban couldn't be undone. In an update to the post from the same user however,<ref name=":2" /> a different agent informed them that the username was not the cause of the system ban, and some unknown element flagged the console to cause it to be banned, and the device is reported to soon be unbanned.

The fact that this false flag occurred without [[Nintendo]] support understanding how it could have happened has brought concern from consumers, as consumers receive no warnings or prior notices to getting banned, and thus being unable to interact with mandatory online services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FritangaPlays |date=Jun 30, 2025 |title=Nintendo BRICKS Switch 2 User For Changing Their Username?!? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8JIftr7uAg |access-date=Jun 30, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>{{Citation needed|reason=Needs more sources}}

==Consumer response==

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 - Violation of our [https://www.nintendo.com/code-of-conduct/ Community Guidelines]</blockquote>Beyond this vague error code description, the company has refused to provide consumers with an equitable recourse if their device is banned, such as methods for reversal. This puts unnecessary risk for consumers purchasing the device, since banned consoles are capable of circulating within markets, especially via 2nd-hand markets such as [[eBay]].
-=== Banned consoles circulating the market ===
+===Banned consoles circulating the market===
 Only days after initial reports of ''MIG Switch'' cartridges causing effective bricks due to [[Nintendo]], predictions<ref name=":1" /> surrounding the console circulating the market have become true. Not only has the standard 2nd-hand market for the console already put consumers at risk of accidentally purchasing these systems,<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Reilly |first=PJ |date=Jun 24, 2025 |title=Nintendo's Strict Policy On MiG Carts Is Creating A Problem For Secondhand Switch 2 Buyers |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/06/nintendos-strict-policy-on-mig-carts-is-creating-a-problem-for-secondhand-switch-2-buyers |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |work=Nintendo Life}}</ref> but consoles being returned to retail stores such as [[Walmart]] are also at risk of being repackaged on shelves.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Walker |first=John |date=Jun 23, 2025 |title=Beware: That Pre-Owned Switch 2 You're Thinking About Buying Might Already Be Bricked |url=https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-2-pre-owned-online-error-walmart-1851784892 |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |work=Kotaku}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=u/Bimmytung |date=June 18, 2025 |title=Found one. Didn't end well. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/switch2/comments/1lew6m5/found_one_didnt_end_well/ |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> Retail returns in particular cannot reliably test for bans, as the console requires access to the internet to inform the user that the console is bricked.
+=== Additional methods of bans<!-- Initially found out from a FritangaPlays video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8JIftr7uAg --> ===
+[[File:Switch2UsernameBan.png|thumb|Archived screenshot of a user who got banned over their username]]
+In June 2025, [[Nintendo Switch|Switch 2]] users reported receiving console bans<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bevan |first=Rhiannon |date=Jun 30, 2025 |title=Switch 2 PSA: Nintendo Might Ban You If You Put Twink In Your Username |url=https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-2-perma-ban-username-twink-link/ |access-date=Jun 30, 2025 |work=The Gamer}}</ref> due to usernames that go against [[Nintendo]]'s policies.<ref name="EULAMain" /> The user "''Twink Link''" caused her family's Switch 2 console to receive a swift ban from [[Nintendo]], which the username was reported from support to have been the reason why the console was flagged and thus banned by [[Nintendo]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=u/Funaoe24 |date=Jun 16, 2025 |title=Be careful with Switch 2 usernames. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/switch2/comments/1ld9rih/be_careful_with_switch_2_usernames/?embed_host_url=https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-2-perma-ban-username-twink-link/ |access-date=Jun 30, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> They were told by [[Nintendo]] support initially that the ban couldn't be undone. In an update to the post from the same user however,<ref name=":2" /> a different agent informed them that the username was not the cause of the system ban, and some unknown element flagged the console to cause it to be banned, and the device is reported to soon be unbanned.
+The fact that this false flag occurred without [[Nintendo]] support understanding how it could have happened has brought concern from consumers, as consumers receive no warnings or prior notices to getting banned, and thus being unable to interact with mandatory online services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FritangaPlays |date=Jun 30, 2025 |title=Nintendo BRICKS Switch 2 User For Changing Their Username?!? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8JIftr7uAg |access-date=Jun 30, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>{{Citation needed|reason=Needs more sources}}
 ==Consumer response==