Does Nintendo Ban Accounts Or Devices?

Does Nintendo Ban Accounts Or Devices?


Have you recently heard about someone’s Nintendo device being banned? Maybe you heard about someone’s account being banned, and were a little bit confused? The question everyone wants to know is:

Does Nintendo ban accounts or devices? 

Although Nintendo does ban accounts for smaller infractions such as language and not paying your subscription fees, recently they have begun banning gamers devices who are cheating, modifying their games or devices, or using pirated or home brewed software. 

If you want to know more about Nintendo banning accounts and devices, you will want to keep reading. To see some of the best Nintendo accessories currently available just click here.

You can also check out this video to learn more.

Why does Nintendo ban consoles? 

It is a widely known fact that Nintendo has taken to issuing bans to many users in the Nintendo Switch world. Nintendo takes its terms of use very seriously, and to make Nintendo a positive platform for aspiring gamers all over the world, they need to get rid of piracy, unauthorized activities, and hacking as well.

To do this, Nintendo has decided to start banning consoles instead of just accounts. The Nintendo Switch support is known for banning the actual devices rather than just user accounts. They do this simply because user accounts are easier to create than purchasing a whole new console. Doing this makes hackers and other rule breakers buy brand new consoles every time, which gets expensive fast.

Banning the device takes care of hackers because most of the time they are cheap and don’t want to pay for games so they won’t want to pay for a brand new console either. Nintendo has also heavily emphasized that a ban once imposed will not be lifted. This means that users have to be careful while operating their Nintendo console not to break any of the rules. 

What is a super ban?

Despite temporary bans (also known as suspensions), the Switch hacking scene has been anything but inactive since the launch of the console. Nintendo is now issuing a  super ban when they ban a console. This super ban will deny hacked systems from being able to be used in the eShop, or to play online.

Not only does the super ban do that, but it also strips a Switch console completely from its right to the CDN (Content Distribution Network). This means that a system will lose all access to re-download games and updates offline or online.

This takes the prevention of hackers to a whole new level. This is by far the strictest we have seen a gaming company be with their consoles ever. 

However, it is not just hackers that have been caught in this web. In fact, a lot of culprits include many small modders who use modified Nintendo Switch systems to attain an advantage while playing against others. The ban is also extended to Switch users who have pirated the software or use homebrew software on the console.

How does Nintendo know what I am doing on my personal console?

It is rumored that Nintendo has a system through which they can identify pirated software, unauthorized hardware, and much more. The Switch’s online site can also immediately detect any fraudulent behavior. It can check whether or not your game card is Nintendo-authorized and impose a permanent ban on the users if it is not. 

An authorized game usually has a unique certification that only Nintendo servers can recognize. This ban restricts gamers from accessing the eShop, online gaming, gameplay features, adding or chatting with friends, social media posting, etc.

However, Switch owners have pointed out that recently they are receiving error codes like 2124-40007 while trying to use online services. This error code means that the owner or the console cannot use any online services because of a restriction placed by Nintendo. This is probably because the console has had a game installed through a pirated server. 

How to check if a Nintendo Switch has been banned?

If you often play games offline, you might not immediately find out about your Switch being banned. However, if you pay a visit to the Eshop and get an error code when your EShop fails to load, this would mean that you’ve been banned from using the Nintendo Switch online

Reasons for banning Switch

The Nintendo Switch is well liked all around the world. This is why it is to no one’s surprise that many of the users try to hack their Switch to unlock free games or to try and cheat to improve their gameplay score. This process is often called modding, and modders are often the main victims of Nintendo’s bans. While this sounds like a disastrous outcome, you can still play and use your Switch using emulators, although this toughens the task quite a bit.

An easier solution to a banned Switch is always to simply exchange your Switch for a new one. You can sell your banned Switch and easily find many takers, and use the money to get yourself a new one. You will of course want to tell the person who you sell the Switch to that it can’t be used online or access the eShop but many people only use a Switch locally so that isn’t a big deal for a lot of people.

Since your Nintendo account is typically still intact, you will be able to access all your previous data on the new Switch as well.

You can now log in to the EShop and use the online multiplayer again! Remember to select your new console as your primary console to enjoy all features.

Activities that can get your Switch console banned

You need to remember that if your Switch gets banned, it is definitely not because you’ve been using it normally. Nintendo only takes action when there’s serious activity to be taken care of. Nintendo takes pride in its security system and it has strict rules and regulations and you must follow them carefully if you want to avoid getting banned.

You may think certain things are exceptions or are okay to do when in reality they could cost you a whole new Nintendo Switch. Below are a few things that can get you banned.  If your device does get banned, here is the best place to buy a new or used one that is guaranteed to be in working order. 

Can CFW (custom firmware) get you banned?

Custom Firmware, also known as CFW, or homebrew launchers have a great possibility to get you banned from Nintendo. While disabling the option of error reporting could help, you’re still at risk of getting caught. If you are using a CFW you should delete any error log that you receive immediately.

As long as your console does not go online before the error log’s creation and after the record is deleted, Nintendo will not get a record of your activities, and you will remain safe. After this you should stop using CFW as they are not safe and will probably get you banned. 

Can pirating a game get me banned?

Pirating is a common occurrence in the world of gaming unfortunately. In fact, people do it so often with music, movies, and games that you’re probably used to it. If you think pirating anything from a friend or online on Switch is okay, Nintendo begs to differ.

Through pirating, lots of people get banned without even knowing that it’s illegal. Avoid falling for this trap. Whenever you download games, remember that Nintendo sponsored games have their own unique identity that Nintendo can recognize. So if it detects that your games are coming from unauthorized software, it is the endgame for you.         


Now that you know that Nintendo bans devices as well as accounts, you can be more prepared and understand the risks of breaking the rules. Most people will not risk their console being locked up to simply play a pirated gane, and this is what Nintendo likes to see. This is the entire reason that Nintendo started to ban consoles instead of just accounts. 

Nintendo takes breaking the law and their rules very seriously, and this seriousness is what makes playing on the Switch so much fun. It also keeps the games extremely safe and fun to play. 

Matt Robbs


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