Nintendo has the authority to render Switch consoles "permanently unusable" if it determines that a player has violated the new user agreement

Nintendo has updated its Account Agreement and Privacy Policy to strengthen its measures against emulation and piracy.

According to a report from Game File, the revised terms, incorporating over 100 changes, became effective on May 7.

Previously, US users were required to agree that they "are not allowed to lease, rent, sublicense, publish, copy, modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble all or any portion of the Nintendo Account Services without Nintendo's written consent, or unless otherwise expressly permitted by applicable law."

The new US terms expand on these restrictions:

"Without limitation, you agree not to (a) publish, copy, modify, reverse engineer, lease, rent, decompile, disassemble, distribute, offer for sale, or create derivative works of any portion of the Nintendo Account Services; (b) bypass, modify, decrypt, defeat, tamper with, or otherwise circumvent any functions or protections of the Nintendo Account Services using any unauthorized hardware or software; (c) obtain, install or use unauthorized copies of Nintendo Account Services; or (d) exploit them outside their documented and intended use, without Nintendo’s written consent or express authorization, unless allowed by applicable law. Violation of these terms could result in Nintendo rendering the services and/or device permanently unusable."

In the UK, the modifications are less extensive, stating: "Digital Products registered to your account and any updates are licensed solely for personal and non-commercial use on a User Device. Unauthorized activities like leasing or sublicensing are prohibited unless permitted by law. Unauthorized use could render the product unusable."

With the introduction of new communication features on the Switch 2, including camera integration and voice chat, Nintendo has tightened its privacy policy to maintain a "safe and family-friendly online environment," allowing for the investigation of communication content.

Although it was initially thought Nintendo could monitor player communications anytime, a statement shared with Game File clarified: "All recordings remain private on the device and are only sent to Nintendo when a report is filed."

These changes highlight Nintendo's firm stance against piracy. Recently, a Japanese individual received a two-year suspended sentence for altering Nintendo Switch consoles, marking a significant legal decision in Japan.