Nintendo Warns They May Brick Users’ Switch If Its Modded Or Plays Unauthorized Software

Nintendo has made a major change to the Nintendo Account Agreement users must accept to use the eshop and play downloaded games.

As highlighted by Gamefile, the updated agreement changes the paragraph aimed at users who mod their Switch and play pirated games. The new version goes into more extensive detail about what Nintendo considers illegal and unauthorized use of the Nintendo Account and its services, and warns users that Nintendo reserves the right to make their Switch “permanently unusable” if they violate any of the restrictions.

Without limitation, you agree that you may not

(a) 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;

(b) bypass, modify, decrypt, defeat, tamper with, or otherwise circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Nintendo Account Services, including through the use of any hardware or software that would cause the Nintendo Account Services to operate other than in accordance with its documentation and intended use;

(c) obtain, install or use any unauthorized copies of Nintendo Account Services; or

(d) exploit the Nintendo Account Services in any manner other than to use them in accordance with the applicable documentation and intended use, in each case, without Nintendo’s written consent or express authorization, or unless otherwise expressly permitted by applicable law.

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.

This news comes after Nintendo filed a string of lawsuits and takedowns against distributors of pirated software and emulators. The aforementioned changes are likely an extension of Nintendo’s war against those who pirate their games, this time aimed at discouraging end-users from playing unauthorized copies for fear of having their Switch consoles bricked.

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