Nintendo Switch 2 Owners Face Permanent Bans for Using Mig Cartridges

Some Nintendo Switch 2 owners have reported receiving permanent bans from accessing any of the console’s online services, as noted by error code 2134-4508. This ban is not a result of poor performance in games like Mario Kart World, but rather a targeted action against consoles that have utilized a Mig cartridge. The Mig is a microSD card-equipped Switch cartridge that can be filled with copies of games.

Using the Mig cartridge requires users to download games from others who have dumped files from their cartridges or to dump games themselves using tools like the Mig Dumper. These games are then loaded onto a microSD card. Nintendo’s position on this issue is clear: whether users have played pirated games or copies of games they own, both actions are considered violations of its user agreements.

The manufacturers of the Mig cartridge have made efforts to distance themselves from the illegal activities that many buyers may engage in, primarily playing pirated games. The product page for the Mig states that it “serves as a backup and development device solely supporting gaming using personal game backups. […] To maintain the Mig Flash warranty during online play, it’s essential to utilize self-dumped backups with authentic Certificate, UID, and Card Set ID.”

Nintendo is not immediately bricking the consoles of offenders. YouTube creator Scattered Brain shared a video detailing their experience with a banned Switch 2, in which they attempted to find a workaround for the ban. They discovered that accessing the eShop was impossible, as was unlinking an account from the console, since both actions require internet connectivity. However, they managed to unlink Virtual Game Cards from their Switch 2 via Nintendo’s account management site and transfer them to a Switch OLED. This suggests that the ban is hardware-specific rather than account-based. Unfortunately, performing a factory reset effectively bricked their Switch 2, preventing any sign-in to a Nintendo Account. This action aligns with Nintendo’s updated account services user agreement and privacy policy, which reserves such measures the right to do.

It should come as no surprise to anyone, especially Mig users, that these bans are being enforced. Nintendo has a long-standing history of aggressively pursuing individuals who pirate its games, as well as those who build emulators who utilize devices capable of running pirated copies of games originally designed for its platforms. Given that the Switch 2 is the latest console in Nintendo’s lineup fastest-selling console of all time, the company is clearly committed to ensuring that gamers adhere to its rules.