Nintendo bans player after he buys a used game – he had to prove his innocence to get unbanned

Used games for the Nintendo Switch 2 come with a certain risk.

Who would think anything bad about buying used games? You save money and still get the gaming experience you want for the console you have. No problem, right? Well, almost.

A Nintendo Switch 2 user found out that things can turn out differently: after buying used games, his brand-new Switch 2 was banned. The reason: the games were considered pirated copies. (via Tomshardware)

The problem with second-hand games

Reddit user dmanthey bought four used Switch 1 titles on Facebook Marketplace to play on his Switch 2. After inserting them into the Switch 2 and installing the necessary updates, he was in for a nasty surprise the next day:

The console was banned. This means no access to online services and no downloads of games already purchased.

Switch 2 users – be careful buying used Switch 1 games. You can get banned if a bad actor dumped it. Having said that, Nintendo support is amazing and will help get you back up and running.
byu/dmanthey inSwitch

Nintendo had blocked the console because the games were identified as pirated copies.

When the player noticed the ban the next day, he contacted Nintendo customer service directly. Fortunately, the company lifted the ban, but dmanthey had to upload Facebook Marketplace listings and photos of the physical games.

Only then was his Switch 2 unlocked.

According to dmanthey, the process was “painless and quick.”

Why does this happen?

The problem lies in the way scammers operate:

How the scam works:

• A seller copies a game onto a microSD Express card.
• The original cartridge is sold as “used.”
• Both copies have the same identification number.
• Nintendo detects duplicate use worldwide.
• The console is automatically locked.

This is how Nintendo protects its copyright and deters potential pirates.

Was he just lucky?

In the end, the question remains whether Nintendo would have been so accommodating if there had been no official listing on Facebook. After all, it is not always possible to prove an official purchase, for example if you buy something at a flea market or simply from a friend.

Tip for buyers: Only buy from trusted retailers and steer clear of suspicious offers.

Now it’s your turn: have you ever experienced something similar? How did you deal with the situation? Write about it in the comments!