Latest news with #GaryBowser
Metro
19-06-2025
- Metro
Nintendo can put your Switch 2 permanently offline if you use mods
People are learning the hard way what happens if you try to run modified games on Nintendo Switch 2. The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 may mark a new era for Nintendo, but one thing that will never change is the company's dislike of pirates and modders. Nintendo is fiercely protective of its hardware and software, which is why it has routinely forced emulators to be shut down. The story of Gary Bowser in 2023 also shows how ruthless the company can be towards those it catches modifying Nintendo hardware. So, it should come as no surprise that Nintendo has been proactive in preventing such activity with the Switch 2, with reports throughout the week revealing that the console can detect pirated or modified software and permanently disable all online connectivity as punishment for using them. Some Switch 2 owners have reported such instances after attempting to use a device called a MIG Switch on the console. The MIG Switch is a cartridge that you can dump Switch games onto, essentially serving as an all-in-one cartridge for your game library. While you can download pirated game files from the internet onto the MIG Switch, some use it as a means of backing up Switch games they've legally bought, though Nintendo clearly doesn't care about that distinction. Since the Switch 2 is backwards compatible, those who own a MIG Switch cartridge decided to see if it works on the new console. Apparently, it should following a firmware update, but it seems Nintendo was one step ahead of them. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. According to the likes of SwitchTools on X and givemeupvotes on Reddit, using the MIG cartridge will prompt an error message and ban you from accessing Nintendo's online services forever more. It doesn't appear to brick the console entirely, however. As demonstrated in a YouTube video by Scattered Brain, it's still possible to access and play games offline, so it's not as if the ban turns the console into a paperweight. More Trending That said, the ban is believed to be built into the hardware itself, and is independent of your Nintendo account. The ban makes it impossible to unlink the account and virtual game cards from the console and when Scattered Brain attempted a factory reset, that wound up bricking their console entirely. Nintendo's policy is that it warns Switch 2 owners not to mess around with the hardware like this. In fact, ahead of the console's launch, it updated its account services user agreement to say it has the right to 'render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part' if you violate its policy. At least, that's what the US version reads, though we can't imagine there's any more leeway here in the UK since it still states any hardware modifications violate Nintendo's code of conduct. Despite all this, it's unlikely this will put an end to any Nintendo related piracy. People are stubborn and are bound to try and come up with workarounds, regardless of the threat of legal action. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Switch 2 replica leaker learns why you shouldn't upset Nintendo and their lawyers MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 owner loses 20 years' worth of save data in botched transfer MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 sales numbers smash records in the US and worldwide
Gizmodo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Nintendo Seeks Revenge Against Accessory Maker That Leaked Switch 2
While Nintendo tried to contain leaks of its Switch 2 before launch, rumormongers ruled the scene with a variety of mostly accurate descriptions and dummy units. Now Nintendo is suing the accessory maker that gave everyone some of the best early insights into its new handheld. As much as the lawsuit is an attempt to quash a leaker, it also reveals how Nintendo's desperate efforts to control its own narrative largely failed. In a lawsuit filed on May 2, Nintendo sued Human Things, Inc. aka Genki, for trademark infringement. It's a shotgun blast of a lawsuit that claims the accessory maker engaged in unfair competition and false advertising thanks to its use of Nintendo Switch 2 logos and hardware designs. If Nintendo gets its way, Genki would need to stop selling any accessories related to the Switch 2 and pay up an undisclosed amount in damages. Genki hinted that it was working on Switch 2 accessories even before Nintendo first revealed its second handheld console in January. During CES 2025, the company was notorious for its booth where it showed customers a Switch 2 mockup, substantially revealing key details of the console. The 3D-printed Switch 2 dummy unit was surprisingly accurate, down to the 8-inch screen size and the Joy-Con 2 controllers that attached with a magnetic lock system. Genki even posted an animation of a Switch 2 render to its website, which you can still find on Reddit. The accessory maker offered some inconsistent messaging about where its designs for the Switch 2 mockup came from, though they've since proved to be spot-on. Nintendo claims Genki couldn't have had any ability to create early mockups of its Switch 2 without 'access to a Nintendo Switch 2 console or to proprietary technical specifications, neither of which Nintendo provided and/or authorized.' Nintendo also noted Genki included Nintendo's official logos on its rendering of a Switch 2 dock it displayed at CES 2025, which resulted 'in confusion among consumers as to the validity of Genki's statements and association with Nintendo.' Genki held its own 'Genki Indirect' on April 2, just two hours after Nintendo's official Direct for the Switch 2 announcement, where it showed off its upcoming accessories and peripherals. In a statement published to X, Genki wrote, 'while we can't comment in detail' about the lawsuit 'we're continuing preparations to fulfill orders and showcase our newest products at PAX East this week.' A Note from the Genki Team You may have seen that Nintendo recently filed a lawsuit against us. We're taking it seriously and working with legal counsel to respond thoughtfully. What we can say is this: Genki has always been an independent company focused on building innovative… — GENKI (@GenkiThings) May 4, 2025 It's not a good idea to cross Nintendo. The company is one of the most litigious in the video game industry. Nintendo regularly goes after people who mod Switch units for sale, such as Canadian programmer Gary Bowser who served prison time over his role at a site that sold modded consoles. Last year, Nintendo sued Pocketpair, the makers of Palworld —otherwise known as 'Pokémon with guns'— claiming copyright infringement. Genki should have had every reason to expect Nintendo would knock on its door. The company reportedly received a visit from Nintendo's lawyers during CES 2025. However, it wasn't the only accessory maker to share Switch 2 details early. On Dec. 13, before the Switch 2 reveal, Dbrand revealed early renders of its upcoming Switch 2 cases that showcased the handheld's 'U'-shaped kickstand. Dbrand has experience with lawsuits from major console makers, so it could have held back on offering as much insight as Genki did. The lead-up to the Switch 2 was long, and companies should expect leaks will happen. Nintendo began work on the Switch 2 shortly after releasing its original Switch, according to the lawsuit. That's more than eight years where Nintendo specifically tried to keep the news quiet until the very last minute on January 16 this year. It's also not like leakers were entirely to blame for spoiling the Switch 2. Nintendo's own patents spelled out the Switch 2's mouse controls before the feature was officially shown off. No company enjoys having its products leaked, but it was Nintendo's own closed-mouth approach to the launch that created this media fervor, as much as it would like to point the finger elsewhere.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Nintendo Switch hardware modder hit with a fine and 3-year suspended sentence after allegedly modifying and selling consoles that could run pirated games
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A 58-year-old man previously arrested in Japan under suspicion of violating trademark law by modifying and selling Nintendo Switch consoles has been given a fine and a two-year prison sentence, suspended for three years. Reported by Japanese outlet NTV News (and spotted and translated by Automaton), the man was suspected of taking preowned Nintendo Switch consoles and soldering modified parts onto their circuit boards. Allegedly, these modded consoles were able to run pirated games, and Automaton previously reported that the man also offered a bundle of 27 pirated games to go with the devices. The devices themselves were apparently sold for 28,000 yen each (the equivalent of roughly $195), which is cheaper than a new one from Nintendo. For reference, it currently costs 32,978 yen (around $229) to order a standard Switch (with customizable Joy-Con colors) from the Japanese My Nintendo Store, so these modded devices were a comparatively affordable option. It was previously reported that this was the first man to be arrested in Japan over allegedly modding and selling Switch consoles. Now, he's been dealt a three-year suspended sentence, as well as a fine of 500,000 yen (around $3,487). That's a significantly smaller amount of money than we've seen in the past with certain other Nintendo cases. In 2023, a man named Gary Bowser was released from prison after 14 months of a 40-month sentence, after he previously pleaded guilty to piracy charges (specifically, "conspiracy to circumvent technological measures and to traffic in circumvention devices," and "trafficking in circumvention"). In total, he was ordered to pay $14.5 million to Nintendo (thanks, The Guardian). Last year, the developers of the Switch emulator Yuzu reportedly agreed to pay a $2.4 million settlement to Nintendo. Shortly after, the devs released a statement saying that the team had "always been against piracy," but acknowledged that "because our projects can circumvent Nintendo's technological protection measures and allow users to play games outside of authorized hardware, they have led to extensive piracy." Nintendo's IP manager admits "you can't immediately claim that an emulator is illegal in itself," but "it can become illegal depending on how it's used."
