[Hostile_18]

Nintendo has updated its Nintendo Account Agreement with a severe warning against "unauthorised use", in a bid to prevent emulation and piracy.

All those with a Nintendo account will have received an email (including Eurogamer) linking to the updated policy. And, as Game File's Stephen Totilo spotted, the wording for the Licence for Digital Products section has been altered.

The agreement for UK accounts now states digital products are "licensed only for personal and non-commercial use", and that any "unauthorised use of a Digital Product may result in the Digital Product becoming unusable".

Full article via Eurogamer;

Nintendo reserves the right to brick your console following "unauthorised use", in bid to prevent piracy

Nintendo has updated its Nintendo Account Agreement with a severe warning against "unauthorised use", in a bid to prevent emulation and piracy.

www.eurogamer.net

 

[Grinchy]

They should probably start putting small explosives in each Switch that can be detonated any time someone attempts to steal a 40 year old NES rom that can't be bought legitimately anyway.

 

[Cravis]

 

[regawdless]

Good guy Nintendo

 

[HE1NZ]

They gonna accidentally brick legit consoles while hackers will be safe behind emunand.

 

[TaySan]

Nintendo gonna Nintendo

 

[BlackDow]

They doing this as once the switch two is out and bought people are going to hack the OG switch.

 

[Hardensoul]

Remi launch Switch being used to pirate games? Only needed a paper clip to do it.

 

[Grinchy]

They doing this as once the switch two is out and bought people are going to hack the OG switch.

Yeah I can't pretend the thought didn't cross my mind lol. I don't really wanna sell my current switch and it'll be useless when I get the 2 - so I figured what the hell, what if I start modding it.

 

[DonDonDonPata]

So…. The Switch hardware has built in fuses that permanently burn out when a major update is performed. When you roll back the firmware to an earlier version number that is lower than the burnt-fuse number, your system bricks.

Maybe hackers have found a way around this but I remember this coming up at the very beginning when the paperclip bootloader trick was available for all Switch systems.

 

[Epic Nemesis]

They doing this as once the switch two is out and bought people are going to hack the OG switch.

After I get my switch 2 my switch one will be formatted, use a dummy account and never connect to the internet again.

 

[infinitys_7th]

They should probably start putting small explosives in each Switch that can be detonated any time someone attempts to steal a 40 year old NES rom that can't be bought legitimately anyway.

So Nintendo should start having Switch 2s produced in Israel?

 

[Hostile_18]

The rights these companies give themselves without challenge is often insane. Will they pull the trigger? Probably not. But then I thought that about digital movies etc and Amazon and Sony have shown if they can get away with it they will.

 

[AJUMP23]

Nintendo giveth and taketh away.

 

[Polden]

Good. My kid's Switch kept turning off the parental settings and she said it was a hacker. They need to be stopped.

 

[The_Mike]

They should probably start putting small explosives in each Switch that can be detonated any time someone attempts to steal a 40 year old NES rom that can't be bought legitimately anyway.

Unironically, imagine if they actually did that and this is the reason why they made these changes.

Bricking console withC4 detonation.

 

[Tapped]

Eventually a company is going to be majorly compromised and it won't just be personal info that gets leaked, it will be devices getting bricked. The more stuff that is connected to the web the more issues consumers will face. If WW3 does ever break out you can bet we will see state sponsored hacking groups attempting to disable anything and everything they can.

 

[Spiders]

Cat and mouse, police and thieves. Don't love it, but I respect the escalation lol.

 

[teezzy]

Garbage company stays losing

 

[Alcedor]

As if anyone smart enough to hack or mod a Switch would even use it online LOL.

This is for the dumbass normies, the same sort of people who actually think that hacking a console will make it blow up or something.

 

[Neil Young]

They're fucking with us at this point right? Is this a reboot of Punk'd? Is Ashton Kutcher going to jump out from behind the bushes? "HA HAAAA, gotcha!! Nah dawg, Nintendo isn't going to do all this crazy shit. I thought you were going to catch on when we said 80 dollars for.....MARIO KART!! Heh, heheh...but when we said they're going to sell empty game cartridges with a code only, I thought for SURE you would catch on. But you DIDN'T!! DUUUDE, but you FINALLY caught on when we said they could brick your console THAT YOU OWN right.....right? No? Oh well, you've been PUNK'D!!"

Nintendo is a fucking disgrace.

 

[teezzy]

Nintendo is a fucking disgrace.

Tbf, every console manufacturer is a disgrace when they show their true colors due to success and arrogance

 

[Alcedor]

I don't hear anyone saying Nintendo is going to "save us" anymore. They're as bad as Sony if not worse.

 

[Spiders]

I don't hear anyone saying Nintendo is going to "save us" anymore. They're as bad as Sony if not worse.

Nintendo will save us.

Spoiler

Save us some money!

Honestly if a $10 price hike and some firmware fuckery is what it takes to get you off the ride, consider yourself saved.

 

[Sean Mirrsen]

I don't see how this is different to other things large Western companies have been up to. Most everything around gaming is linked to some sort of account. Microsoft can lock you out of your global account, denying you work tools among many other things. Apple can prevent you from using your smartphone, most of it at the very least. Newer car models have enough electronics to allow automotive manufacturers to lock you out of your car.

It's just a tiny step further.

 

[Hardensoul]

I don't see how this is different to other things large Western companies have been up to. Most everything around gaming is linked to some sort of account. Microsoft can lock you out of your global account, denying you work tools among many other things. Apple can prevent you from using your smartphone, most of it at the very least. Newer car models have enough electronics to allow automotive manufacturers to lock you out of your car.

It's just a tiny step further.

It's not different, did we forget post about being ban from PSN and Xbox live accounts? They write these banned sob stories. Then come to find out they did something shady on their accounts. Because of that get their account and console was banned.

Here's RGT85 pointing out those EULA wording has been around since Wii. Wii introduced Nintendos first eShop/VC online store.

It's not new. But have you heard about any bans or brick accounts or consoles?

 

[Alcedor]

Get yourself a modded Switch. No online account needed. Completely offline gaming. I mostly use that along with my Retroid Pocket 5 and Odin 2 Portal to play games. I don't sign into anything. I don't have to be online. I just turn on my devices and play some goddamn games. Pirate sites have all the patches and online updates if you feel the need to have those for your Switch games. No need to sign into a Nintendo account.

You don't need online accounts unless you're one of those weirdos who can't live without "online gaming" where you waste hours of your life playing multiplayer games with random nitwits who are probably mostly children.

I'm tired of mandatory online accounts, it's why I don't even bother with Playstation or Xbox products anymore and have no interest in Valve or Steam as well. I mostly just retro game anyway which is easy to do with emulators. I like off the grid gaming, the way things used to be. I'm sick of this, "you must always be online" world that corporations keep pushing. It's why I also like buying physical media and building up digital libraries for movies and music via the ever convenient high seas and the magic of torrenting.

 

[DonDonDonPata]

Get yourself a modded Switch. No online account needed. Completely offline gaming. I mostly use that along with my Retroid Pocket 5 and Odin 2 Portal to play games. I don't sign into anything. I don't have to be online. I just turn on my devices and play some goddamn games. Pirate sites have all the patches and online updates if you feel the need to have those for your Switch games. No need to sign into a Nintendo account.

You don't need online accounts unless you're one of those weirdos who can't live without "online gaming" where you waste hours of your life playing multiplayer games with random nitwits who are probably mostly children.

I'm tired of mandatory online accounts, it's why I don't even bother with Playstation or Xbox products anymore and have no interest in Valve or Steam as well. I mostly just retro game anyway which is easy to do with emulators. I like off the grid gaming, the way things used to be. I'm sick of this, "you must always be online" world that corporations keep pushing. It's why I also like buying physical media and building up digital libraries for movies and music via the ever convenient high seas and the magic of torrenting.

Based.

 

[Neil Young]

I don't see how this is different to other things large Western companies have been up to. Most everything around gaming is linked to some sort of account. Microsoft can lock you out of your global account, denying you work tools among many other things. Apple can prevent you from using your smartphone, most of it at the very least. Newer car models have enough electronics to allow automotive manufacturers to lock you out of your car.

It's just a tiny step further.

It's NOT different. Nintendo has joined the ranks of all the dirtbag corpos. Actually, they were always there but they played the "We're just the quirky Japanese Bing Bing Wahoo company. We love you!" to perfection.

I have a feeling that this shit company designed goofy fucking controllers, dual screens, 3d etc so we would have a hard time emulating them. They can keep charging us forever for the same fucking games and sue anyone that even tries to get us a working copy of Mother 3. Now they can brick your console. "Other companies do it.". Perfect. I'm sure that's exactly the message Nintendo wanted to get out. Other companies do it, but Nintendo has been known to be extremely litigious as of late.

Instead of being a company that makes positive changes and has the best interest of their fans in mind, they introduce 80 dollar games, empty game cards, over priced peripherals, and 1984 level dialogue with gamers. Fuck them.

 

[HE1NZ]

Get yourself a modded Switch. No online account needed. Completely offline gaming. I mostly use that along with my Retroid Pocket 5 and Odin 2 Portal to play games. I don't sign into anything. I don't have to be online. I just turn on my devices and play some goddamn games. Pirate sites have all the patches and online updates if you feel the need to have those for your Switch games. No need to sign into a Nintendo account.

You don't need online accounts unless you're one of those weirdos who can't live without "online gaming" where you waste hours of your life playing multiplayer games with random nitwits who are probably mostly children.

I'm tired of mandatory online accounts, it's why I don't even bother with Playstation or Xbox products anymore and have no interest in Valve or Steam as well. I mostly just retro game anyway which is easy to do with emulators. I like off the grid gaming, the way things used to be. I'm sick of this, "you must always be online" world that corporations keep pushing. It's why I also like buying physical media and building up digital libraries for movies and music via the ever convenient high seas and the magic of torrenting.

You need online account to play Switch Online games. Not sure how it works exactly but it didn't allow me to use my account, only previous owner's account to access N64 games (he must have logged in online once)

 

[Franky Family]

I wonder if one day, Nintendo will be able to succeed in preventing people from copying and selling their games for free on PCs to PC gamers who freeload games? That's what they want, but is it possible to drastically reduce the number every several years or so with new technology and security measures like this one?

 

[Alcedor]

You need online account to play Switch Online games. Not sure how it works exactly but it didn't allow me to use my account, only previous owner's account to access N64 games (he must have logged in online once)

There are ways around that that you can find on pirate sites. Plus you can just use emulators on a modded Switch, or even install an android operating system which opens up even more doors.

 

[Hardensoul]

From Sony's EULA:
If SIE Inc determines that you have violated this Agreement's terms, SIE Inc may itself or may procure the taking of any action to protect its interests such as disabling access to or use of some or all System Software, disabling use of this PS5 system online or offline, termination of your access to PlayStation™Network, denial of any warranty, repair or other services provided for your PS5 system, implementation of automatic or mandatory updates or devices intended to discontinue unauthorized use, or reliance on any other remedial efforts as reasonably necessary to prevent the use of modified or unpermitted use of System Software.

 

[WhatIsThis?]

It's absolute bullshit by any standard but what really sets Nintendo apart is that they do stuff like close the Wii U shop when there are still people actively buying games, and close down game servers when people are still actively playing.

Even with the Wii to Wii U file transfer, once you transferred your Wii games to the Wii U, you couldn't redownload them on the Wii. Nintendo is lame as hell. I can't deny that they still make good games but I simply don't care. They're too much of a hassle for me to actively support.

If I get a Switch 2 it will be for Xenoblade X, 5 years from now.

 

[Spiders]

Even with the Wii to Wii U file transfer, once you transferred your Wii games to the Wii U, you couldn't redownload them on the Wii.

…and then Wii U's died quiet NAND deaths in closets and attics.

 

[WhatIsThis?]

…and then Wii U's died quiet NAND deaths in closets and attics.

I need to fire up my back up Wii U. The one still hooked up is going strong.

 

[Optimus]

I have a feeling that this shit company designed goofy fucking controllers, dual screens, 3d etc so we would have a hard time emulating them. They can keep charging us forever for the same fucking games and sue anyone that even tries to get us a working copy of Mother 3. Now they can brick your console. "Other companies do it.". Perfect. I'm sure that's exactly the message Nintendo wanted to get out. Other companies do it, but Nintendo has been known to be extremely litigious as of late.

Instead of being a company that makes positive changes and has the best interest of their fans in mind, they introduce 80 dollar games, empty game cards, over priced peripherals, and 1984 level dialogue with gamers. Fuck them.

It has certainly influenced their other design decisions. They went with carts for the N64 because CDs were too easy to copy. They went with the smaller DVDs that were burned and read in reverse to avoid using anything using a standard DVD drive. I don't remember, but Wii and Wii U must have relied on drives that would support the GCN disc's.

But the controllers are something that have been working on PCs since about day 1. I think the DS family really strived to bring a unique experience that wasn't available anywhere else with touch controls and two screens. But it's possible that they avoid a standard platform design because they don't want to be hacked and pirated at launch.

Switch had this problem but it sells anyway.

 

[Alcedor]

The sad thing is that emulation, piracy, and hacking consoles is really just a response to Nintendo not giving people want they want and not treating them with respect.

One of the things that got me to mod a Switch is that I hated that you couldn't back up your save data on physical media, and that online back ups were only an option if you pay Nintendo. Sony started doing the same thing with the PS 5.

Emulation thrives because people are tired of waiting for Nintendo to make old stuff available on NSO, and they are also tired of paying for the same games over and over again. You should only have to pay a subscription fee to have access to old, out of circulation games, not actually have to buy them again. Nintendo can acquire old ROMs just as easily as any of us can if we just search online, they don't need to be charging money for them.

One of the reasons people like piracy is that you can download any version of a game you want (most of the time anyway). If you don't like a certain patch or update, you can get a version of the game that doesn't have it. On a stock Nintendo system though, once you download an update it's there forever. Also, when Nintendo shuts down online stores like they've done with the 3DS and apparently the Wii and Wii-U, what other options do people have? Piracy is also becoming preservation since we've seen that Nintendo (and other companies) don't care about that. Games get de-listed, licenses expire, and online stores get shut down.

Nintendo makes everything so damn restrictive and so damn difficult. Then on top of that you have all of the other douchey stuff they do like suing everyone, sending youtubers copy right strikes, shutting down fan projects, raising the prices of games, and now supporting physical games that don't even have the games on them.

I love video games, and I will gladly support and give my money to a company that respects me as a customer and wants to make me happy. That's not Nintendo these days, and the same goes for Sony. It's kind of a pain getting a system modded, and I wouldn't want to frequent pirate sites if I didn't have to, but it's the only way to get what I want. And like I said before, I'm also tired of online accounts and DRM. I don't know why gaming in 2025 needs to be married to the internet. I don't think you can even use Xbox products at all if your internet goes down.

Emulation and piracy is really just the symptom of people being fed up with all this shit. I grew up on Nintendo games, I lived through the PS 1, and PS 2 eras, I have fond memories from those times. I really WANT to love Sony and Nintendo again, but it's so damn hard.

 

[MetalAlien]

Never had this problem when games were offline only.

 

[LtGoose]