Nintendo recently revised its user agreement, enabling it to permanently disable consoles if it believes users are violating their terms. This change is in advance of the Switch 2’s release. The company highlights:

• Users must not modify or create unauthorized copies of the Nintendo Account Services, or they risk their consoles being rendered inoperable.

Previously, the agreement allowed certain permissions unless explicitly forbidden by law. However, the updated terms are much stricter, effectively banning users from performing common activities like jailbreaking or modifying consoles.

Critics express concern about the potential for false positives, which may lead to unnecessary punishment for regular users. Nintendo’s high-handed tactics could alienate its consumer base, prompting discussions on user rights regarding ownership and modifications.

The significant worry here is how this impacts users who invested in their devices and might feel they don’t actually own their consoles anymore.