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Asif Mohammad Sovon
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Asif Mohammad Sovon @asif_mohammad_sovon

Meet Asif Mohammad Sovon, an IT Assistant in the Bangladesh Air Force and a tech writer for Fileion....

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Jun 18, 2025

Nintendo Permanently Bans Switch 2 Consoles Over Mig Flash Cartridge Use

Nintendo Permanently Bans Switch 2 Consoles Over Mig Flash Cartridge Use Fileion.Com
Just 12 days into the Nintendo Switch 2’s release, players using the Mig Flash cartridge to run game backups are finding their consoles permanently banned from online services. The bans, confirmed by multiple reports, appear to be triggered regardless of whether the ROMs are legally owned.

What Is Mig Flash and Why It’s a Problem

The Mig Flash cartridge is a popular flash cart that allows users to load game files (ROMs) from a microSD card directly into the console. It was originally developed for the original Switch but became compatible with the new Switch 2 following a recent firmware update.
Although marketed as a way to run legally backed-up games, Mig Flash has become widely associated with piracy. This association appears to be enough for Nintendo to take action.

Bans Happen Fast—and They’re Permanent

According to users posting on Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and console modding forums, Nintendo is issuing permanent hardware bans for consoles that use the Mig Flash. These bans are delivered via error codes 2124-4508 and 2134-4508. Once triggered, the affected Switch 2 units lose access to:
  1. Online play
  2. Nintendo eShop
  3. Cloud saves
  4. Firmware updates
Even factory resets don’t restore functionality. The ban is applied at the console level—not to a user account—meaning a new Nintendo ID won’t fix the issue either.

Even Legal Game Backups Aren’t Safe

Several users say they were using the Mig Flash only to play ROMs created from their own physical cartridges. Still, Nintendo took action.
One user behind the modding-focused account @SwitchTools wrote: “My Switch 2 test has been banned after using the Mig Flash with perfectly legal dumps of my own cartridges.”
Nintendo hasn’t commented publicly yet, but its End User License Agreement does state that any use of unauthorized hardware may result in restricted service or permanent console bans.

The Community Reacts

Wider coverage from outlets like The Verge, Ars Technica, and Polygon highlights growing concern among players. Many warn others not to test the Mig Flash on the Switch 2, calling the bans “instant and irreversible.”
Some users speculate that the cartridge itself may be detectable by the Switch 2’s firmware, not just the ROM data. Others argue that even the act of using custom firmware or a flash cart—even for legal backups—is now enough to get a ban.

Nintendo’s No-Piracy Policy

Nintendo has a long history of aggressively protecting its IP from piracy. Given that the Switch 2 has already become one of the fastest-selling consoles in company history, this crackdown seems to be an effort to protect its software and online services quickly.
In previous generations, similar actions were taken against devices modified with third-party chips or software.

Final Thoughts

Nintendo's decision to permanently ban consoles using Mig Flash—even for what some players claim are legal uses—sets a clear tone: any attempt to bypass official software channels will come at a high cost. If you use flash carts on your Switch 2, you risk losing everything connected to the console's online ecosystem.
 
What do you think about Nintendo’s approach to console bans? Is it fair, or too aggressive? Let us know in the comments.
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