Nintendo Switch 2 console owners are warning the community against using inappropriate usernames, claiming that the first wave of system bans have already rendered several devices useless permanently.
As with the original Switch, Nintendo manages all Switch 2 online services and can ban players from accessing them over illegal activity or other violations of the company’s terms and conditions.
However, the Japanese giant might be a lot stricter than originally feared. One Reddit user recently shared that his account was blocked because his username changed to “Twink Link”, a term from LGBTQ+ slang combined with the name of the iconic The Legend of Zelda hero.
“I let everyone in my family use my Nintendo Switch 2 system and as a result, my sister uses it. Her username was recently changed to ‘Twink Link’ and… console ban,” said Reddit user Funaoe24. “I am fully prevented from accessing any Nintendo services at all on the system.”
The player denied using mods or illegal hardware, and went on to explain he would try returning the system and recover the latest saved data to minimize the damage.
“I feel kinda trashy doing that because Gamestop will inevitably sell it to another customer and the code is no longer in the box,” he wrote.
Most bans so far have been centered on piracy and the use of unauthorized hardware. Unlike Xbox and PlayStation, which target individual accounts, Nintendo applies its bans solely on the device. This means that affected consoles can no longer download or play digital games, install system or game updates, access online multiplayer or GameChat, or use any Nintendo Switch Online features, including cloud saves and the retro game libraries. Even physical titles that require Game-Key verification won’t work properly.
This has made the secondhand market for the Switch 2 increasingly risky. Several users have reported buying discounted consoles, only to discover they were effectively blocked by Nintendo’s policy.