If you are on this page you have probably just had your Nintendo Switch banned. This sucks! In this article we are going to cover what you can do on a banned Nintendo Switch and whether or not you are able to get it unbanned.
Nintendo is notoriously strict with bans and striking down content creators when it comes to doing stuff they shouldn’t be. Let’s jump in and take a look at what you can do with a banned Nintendo Switch.
Why Do Nintendo Switch’s Get Banned?
There are multiple reasons why your Nintendo Switch may get banned. Below are some of the most popular reasons for bans:
Hacking
As with any hardware that comes on the market people try to get more out of it. They try to hack the consoles to get more freedom in the software or the most common reason, to play free games.
The Nintendo Switch is no exception. If you look online you will find a lot of hacks or third party softwares for the console. These softwares usually allow you to download and play games for free on your console. Obviously this is harmful to Nintendo and their company, so if they find out you have been hacking your console they can potentially ban it.
We highly recommend staying away from any third party software on your console. You should pay for the games if you want to play them. If you end up getting banned you’ll have to spend more money than you would have saved on a new console.
Pirated Games
As the saying goes “You wouldn’t steal a handbag so don’t steal a Nintendo Switch game.”. Well that’s not quite how it went in the old tv adverts about pirating DVDs but the same applies here.
If Nintendo catches you playing a pirated version of a game online on your console they will ban your whole console. When you go online with a pirated game Nintendo cross check the Authentication certificates. If your game does not have the correct certificates your console will get banned.
Nintendo take pirating their games extremely seriously. Again we highly recommend staying away from any sort of pirated games. If it’s too good to be true it usually is.
Custom Firmware
People like to install emulators on their consoles allowing them to play emulators of older games. As the Switch isn’t backwards compatible with older Nintendo consoles, a lot of people use this method to play older games on the console.
Nintendo actively search for this custom firmware on Nintendo Switch consoles and will ban your console immediately if they find custom firmware on it. While some softwares try to disable error reporting to stop Nintendo finding out, it only takes one update to get your Nintendo bricked.
We highly recommend avoiding this on your Nintendo Switch console if you do not want to get it banned.
How Do I Know If My Nintendo Switch Is Banned?
If you get banned on your Switch you won’t receive an email or warning on your account letting you know you have been banned. You will have to realise it yourself by trying to access some features on your Switch.
If your internet is working and you try to play game online but receive an error your console is likely banned.
If your internet is working and you are unable to enter the Nintendo eShop it is likely that your console has been banned.
Will Creating A New Account Allow Me To Play Again?
If you have been account banned on your Switch then you can create a new account and start playing again without a problem. The only problem is, you will lose all of the games and subscriptions that you previously purchased but at least you can still use your switch.
If you have a console ban, creating a new account will not help you. If your console is banned there is little you can do to get it unbanned. The only option is to contact Nintendo Support to see if they made a mistake but this is rarely the case.
Can You Get A Nintendo Switch Unbanned?
There are some occasions where you may be able to get your Switch or Nintendo Account Unbanned.
Contact Nintendo
If you believe that your account or console has genuinely been banned by mistake you can contact Nintendo and ask them to re-instate your account. If it has been a genuine mistake there is a good chance you will get unbanned.
Replace The Motherboard
If you are good at building computers or tinkering with iPhones you may be able to replace the motherboard in your Nintendo Switch. By doing this your console will think it is a “new console” and you will be able to play as normal again.
However if you are not confident doing something like this then I wouldn’t recommend trying it. You can check out the video below showing you how to replace a Nintendo Switch Motherboard.
What Can You Do On A Banned Nintendo Switch?
On a banned Nintendo Switch you can still play games offline. If you purchase the physical games or already have the games downloaded on the console you will be able to play them offline.
Unfortunately you will be unable to play online anymore. This means you will not be able to play switch games with your friends the way you normally would. However there is a method that allows you to play online games on the Switch with a couple of workarounds.
This is not ideal though. If you want to play online normally again you will have to purchase a new Switch console.
How To Play Online On A Banned Nintendo Switch!
There is a method you can use to play online on banned Nintendo Switch however you won’t be able to play with friends like you used to.
This method involves connecting a Nintendo Switch to a LAN network allowing you to connect to private servers and play online. You can find these private LAN servers with a quick google search. If you want to learn more about this method then check out the video below for a full guide.
How Much Is A Banned Nintendo Switch Worth?
Banned Nintendo Switches seem to be selling on Ebay for around $150. If you solely played online then you may as well sell the console and get some of your money back. When you are listing the console on eBay make sure that you disclose clearly that the console is banned.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it. You have my sympathies is your Nintendo Switch has been banned. Hopefully one of these methods can get you playing online again otherwise you will have to buy a new Nintendo Switch console.
