The Nintendo Switch 2 may be the world’s fastest selling console, but I’m not buying one anytime soon.
I’ve written at length on Nintendo’s potential to restrict Switch 2 users, and now such restrictions have been implemented.
The Mig Flash is a cartridge that stores Switch games and loads them onto a console. This functionality is often used for piracy, leading to Switch 2 users being banned from Nintendo’s online features. However, its intended use is for making backups of Switch games, and yet players who use it for this purpose exclusively have still been banned.
Since the Mig Flash card allows users to play their backed-up games, the users may resell their legitimate games to basically have the game for free. Unfortunately, if an unaware consumer purchases one of these secondhand games, they may also be banned from online services even though they did nothing wrong.
If a Switch 2 owner wants to take action against Nintendo for a mistake like these, they may find it difficult thanks to a section in its End-User License Agreement (EULA). In section 16 of the EULA, Nintendo requires any disagreements be handled by arbitration, a legal process of resolving disputes outside of court.
On top of this, Nintendo also took precautions to prevent users from docking their Switch 2 in a third-party dock—a new encryption scheme and encryption chip prevent most third-party docks, among other things, from charging the Switch 2. The way I see it, Nintendo wants to maintain complete control over its users with no third-party interference.
These restrictions aren’t the only reason I haven’t bought a Switch 2, however. Many users have reported the Switch 2 overheating, especially while docked. This happens even during less technically-demanding games such as Pokemon Scarlet and Mario Kart World.
All in all, the Switch 2 just doesn’t seem worth buying to me.
The Antank S3 Max is one third-party dock that has been demonstrated to work with the Nintendo Switch 2, since it appears to be able to understand the encryption the Switch 2 uses. However, this could change with an update to the Switch 2. (Image/Antank)
