A Reddit user claims that update 1.2.2 for Mig Flash works, because they haven’t been banned from Nintendo’s online services despite using the third-party cartridge extensively. According to the Redditor, they “ripped 20 carts” and “played them all online”, and their Switch 2 console still works fine. However, other users say that it’s just a matter of time before they get banned, especially as the Japanese gaming giant is quite protective of its intellectual property.
The Mig Flash is a third-party reprogrammable game cartridge designed for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. It’s primarily used for backing up legally purchased games, and you can fit multiple titles on a single card, making playing multiple titles on the go much easier. But it can also make piracy much easier, and Nintendo cracked down on its use when the Switch 2 launched. In fact, it just took 12 days after the popular handheld console dropped for Nintendo to start nuking Switch 2 consoles that used the popular flash cart, even if users were dumping their own ROMs.
Still not banned from r/switch2hacks
However, the Mig Flash received a firmware update on July 1, which the company behind it claims makes the cartridge “virtually undetectable from a real gamecard.” It also released a further update, 1.2.2, on July 9, following the discovery of a potential issue with update 1.2.1 by its bug bounty program.
The anonymous user received a 0.2 ETH award for the report, which amounts to more than $600 at the current exchange rate. Despite this, the company still does not guarantee that using the Mig Flash won’t get your console banned, and says that you’re using it at your own risk.
Many Nintendo Switch 2 users have been burned by other users who used a Mig Flash or similar tool to back up their titles and then sold the original cartridge later, leading to an unexpected ban. Perhaps more egregiously, some users are even reporting account bans stemming from using second-hand Switch titles legitimately bought on eBay. For example, a content creator was banned after buying and playing an old game that had apparently been flashed onto another cartridge and used simultaneously with their real copy. Thankfully, those who can prove to Nintendo of America that they acted in good faith and that they were duped can get the decision reversed. But those who were caught using a Mig Flash are likely out of luck, as that is against the company’s terms of service. Even those who go undetected, like this confident user, are playing with fire.
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