Nintendo Bans Switch Hackers From Online

A growing number of Nintendo Switch 2 users are reporting sudden bans from the console's online services, with many believing their use of the MIG Switch cartridge is to blame.

The MIG Switch is a flash cartridge that stores and plays copied games from the original Nintendo Switch — a practice Nintendo strongly opposes, even as some users claim they are only creating backups of games they legally own.

Regardless of intent, inserting a MIG Switch into a Switch 2 appears to yield the same result. Affected users report receiving online bans on their Switch 2 consoles, preventing them from accessing online multiplayer, the eShop, and other Nintendo services. Many are now urgently cautioning others against similar actions.

"My Switch 2 test unit was banned after using the MIG Switch with legitimate backups of my own cartridges, suggesting Nintendo has a way to detect something," one user posted on social media, pointing to similar accounts online.

"Similar reports are appearing on Reddit. I strongly advise against using the MIG Switch — it was already risky, and it's even more so on the Switch 2."

My Switch 2 test has been banned, after using the mig switch with perfectly legal dumps of my own cartridges, so it would seem that Nintendo can detect something
Similar reports on reddit are starting to come in.https://t.co/nbPMlRWSaPhttps://t.co/3eq6dkbFMi
I strongly… pic.twitter.com/btzjQYJzE4

— SwitchTools (@SwitchTools) June 16, 2025

On Reddit, another user stated they had only inserted a MIG Switch into their Switch 2 once to play a legally backed-up title before receiving an online ban from Nintendo.

"I tried my MIG Switch in my NS2 just once," the user wrote. "It didn’t work — it only displayed the game title and wouldn't load. It attempted to download a title update, and that was all. Possibly, that triggered a console ban flag. This happened over a week ago. Since then, I’ve only used legitimate cartridges."

Banned users now see the following message when attempting to use any online feature: "Error Code: 2124-4508 The use of online services on this console is currently restricted by Nintendo."

On YouTube, the gaming emulation channel Scattered Brain shared a video of their banned Switch 2 console and noted that signing in with a different Nintendo account did not remove the ban — indicating the restriction is applied at the hardware level.

The video confirmed that banned consoles can still be used offline, meaning Nintendo has not yet chosen to completely disable, or "brick," the affected devices.

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Back in May, before the Switch 2 launch, Nintendo updated its Nintendo Account Agreement to clarify that using "hardware or software that causes the Nintendo Account Services to operate outside their intended use" could result in "the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device becoming permanently unusable in whole or in part."

In short, this new wave of bans was not entirely unforeseen — though it has still come as a shock to some.

"My Nintendo Switch 2 has been console banned and I have absolutely no idea why!" a user posted on Reddit recently. When asked if they had used a MIG Switch, they responded: "I haven't been able to use the MIG Switch on my NS2 — I just tested it out of curiosity."

IGN has contacted Nintendo for comment.