I’m on this rabbit hole — something about a Nintendo Switch user getting their fancy new console slapped with a ban by Nintendo. So here’s the juicy part: the guy, Reddit user dmanthey (weird name, right?), scoops up some used Switch games off Facebook Marketplace. Four of ’em. Patches them up on his shiny Switch 2. Next day? Boom. Message pops up like an uninvited guest: banned from Nintendo’s online services. Can’t even download the stuff he already shelled out cash for. Lame.
Now, here’s a twist Oprah would love: dmanthey hits up Nintendo Support, half-expecting a robot or whatever. But surprise, it’s an actual human on the other end! Nintendo says, “Hey, dude, looks like you dabbled in pirate land,” which honestly sounds cooler than it is. Anyway, dmanthey whips out receipts (well, Facebook listings and game pics) to prove he’s not a wannabe pirate. Fast forward, all sorted. He goes, “Much smoother than Microsoft’s or Sony’s support.” And I’m like, really? A bit of a low bar there, perhaps?
Flipping to another angle, you gotta watch out buying used games. Sneaky sellers might copy a game onto a new microSD — the kind you can snag with your coffee — and then sell you the original. Nintendo’s got eyes everywhere, so they catch wind of two clones in play, they hit the ban button faster than you can say “what’s going on?”
Despite all this drama, looks like Nintendo’s not heartless. If you’re truly bamboozled (with proof), they might reverse the ban. But still, there’s no clear word if those pre-loved cartridges are safe to use or ticking time bombs for another ban. Feels like walking on a digital minefield.
So watch those used games, huh? Anyway, where was I…? Oh, never mind.
