Nintendo has always maintained a concrete policy when it comes to altering its consoles or games. The publisher has cracked down on mods, pushed legal action against ROMs and emulators of any games it distributes, and has gone after entire sites numerous times when platforms have hosted these kinds of unauthorized distributions. Now, the FBI has gotten involved in the takedown of a website used to pirate illegal copies of Switch games onto modified consoles and PCs.
The website Nsw2u allowed users to download ROMs for games that had been released on the Nintendo Switch. These ROMs could then be used on a hacked Nintendo Switch console or PC Emulator, allowing players to get the games without purchasing them.
Whether gamers agree or not, accessing and playing games without paying for them is stealing, and it isn’t surprising that legal action has been taken to prevent more people from taking games for free.
FBI Issues Statement On Nintendo Switch Game Piracy
According to a report from Nintendo Everything, the FBI issued a statement that they apprehended the website in “accordance with a seizure warrant issued pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 2323 issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia as part of a law enforcement operation and action by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Currently, the website does not load or respond when visited, and it is unlikely it will ever be live again.
Nintendo’s policy on how players interact with its content has been a point of contention for the past decade. While developers and publishers on Steam seem to welcome community involvement and encourage creative additions to favorite games with Mod support, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a prime example, Nintendo has made no moves to include similar options in its games.
However, the ability to add fan-made content to a game via mods is substantially different than hacking a Switch console to download games for free. Regardless of how players feel about the strict Mod policies Nintendo possesses, it isn’t right to steal, and websites that offer such options violate the law.
Additionally, these types of websites pose substantial threats to users. Viruses, malware, and other risks are rampant in these areas and can destroy computers or brick consoles if encountered. The only way to ensure that a game is safe and upholds its quality is to obtain it through verified methods. If players are looking to get something at a good deal, it is much better and safer to get a used copy from a game store or wait for a sale on the Nintendo eShop.
As players continue to shift over to the Nintendo Switch 2 and pick up games at the new price bracket, it is likely that more websites offering ROMs and other illegal downloads will crop up. While it might be tempting to try and hack the new console to cut down on spending, it’s also important to note that illegally acquiring games does nothing to support the developers of franchises being played.
Players who want to see more of what they love will want to get their games through legal means to help increase the chances of future titles being made. It will also ensure that your expensive Switch 2 doesn’t become a brick after getting a bad ROM while trying to avoid the cost of new titles. While the current prices on games might be controversial, stealing is still stealing, and FBI involvement with the takedown of websites that allow it illustrates that it’s not just Nintendo that doesn’t like it; it’s the law.
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