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- Fatal firmware: a new scheme to deceive users of the Nintendo Switch 2 has appeared in the Russian Federation
Fatal firmware: a new scheme to deceive users of the Nintendo Switch 2 has appeared in the Russian Federation
In Russia, scammers have started selling illegal services for the Nintendo Switch 2. They offer for money to get access to GameChat voice chat, a unique console feature, as well as accounts with pre-installed games or even an old console disguised as a novelty. About why the authorization of a phone number from a subscriber from another country can be dangerous — in the Izvestia article.
How Scammers are Taking advantage of the popularity of the Nintendo Switch 2
The popularity of the Nintendo Switch 2 attracts scammers, and among the specialists in the "firmware" of the first generation of the console, the function of unlocking the GameChat voice chat has appeared. Earlier, Izvestia reported that the Switch 2 functions were unavailable to Russians. But, as it turned out, some of the restrictions can be circumvented by changing the region without verification — Nintendo does not punish for this, said video game expert Ivan Kalmykov.
However, an important feature, GameChat, remains unavailable even when changing the region: it requires phone confirmation, while numbers with the Russian code +7 or virtual +888 are prohibited. It does not work in our country, not because of sanctions, but because Nintendo cannot comply with the requirements of Russian legislation related to restrictions on calls in messengers and IP telephony applications, Yasha Haddazi, CEO of Achivka, an importer of video games and consoles, told Izvestia.
Unofficial stores specializing in first-generation Switch chips offer paid verification of the number for using GameChat. At the same time, several gamers can be registered to one number (for example, in Slovakia), which is used by scammers.
— Nintendo monitors suspicious activity (multiple accounts with the same IP address, VPN, "gray" payments). When checking complaints, voice sessions are analyzed, which can lead to account blocking," said Igor Bederov, founder of the Russian Internet Search company, head of the information and analytical research department at T.Hunter. — In the short term, the "craftsmen" bypass the locks, but in the long term, Nintendo implements console hardware bans and improves chip detection.
The most common deceptions with Switch 2
Nintendo has already managed to set a new historical record for console sales — in the first 24 hours after the launch of Switch 2, more than 3 million devices were sold. In Russia, console sales in retail chains began on June 10, five days after the global launch. But this did not stop the scammers from coming up with the first schemes to deceive users, said Vadim Kovalenko, a lecturer at the Department of Esports at the Faculty of Gaming Industry and Esports at Synergy University.
— After the launch of Switch 2 sales, ban circumvention services appeared on the "gray" market. We are talking about the sale of verification of foreign numbers (Polish, Czech) through unofficial stores, promises of "firmware" or "chipping" the console to access pirated content or blocked functions, as well as the sale of "regional" accounts linked to other countries. Formally, this violates the Nintendo user agreement," he said.
If a company finds a massive use of a single account number, it can ban such records for violating the rules. In the long term, Nintendo may tighten its policy by prohibiting region change or requiring proof of residency (as Steam does), the expert added. According to him, buyers of "gray" services to circumvent restrictions risk not only losing money, but also getting their account banned.
The company is tightening its policy: for pirated software, cheats or unauthorized firmware, the console is permanently blocked. Accounts linked to fraudulent payments are also blocked without explanation, added video game expert Ivan Kalmykov.
— Among the risks is the sale of "verified" accounts from other regions (Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic). Sellers promise access to blocked features, but often fail to meet the conditions. In addition, on some marketplaces you can find ads for the sale of Switch 1, which is passed off as a new generation using the spelling Switch v2," he said.
He added that the Switch 2 uses unprecedented protection against hacking — any attempt to interact with the firmware locks the console and turns into a brick to prevent hackers from finding vulnerabilities, creating pirated firmware and thereby depriving the company of revenue from selling games. So far, no one has managed to hack the console, the expert concluded.
— If a user enters someone else's number to circumvent the restrictions of the service, this may be considered a deception (presenting himself as the owner of the number). Transferring access to an account through a phone number in another country is recorded in the Russian Federation as fraud," Igor Bederov clarified.
Dealing with bypass services
According to Yaroslav Meshalkin, managing partner of the Heads'made digital communications agency, the fight against the use of bypass services and illegal services from the point of view of Nintendo will continue to get tougher. Judging by the recent massive blockages of illegal accounts by other manufacturers, in particular Sony, this blocking policy will continue, and Nintendo is likely to join it.
Illegal services have long been available for the first-generation Switch and have now reached Switch 2, noted blogger Roman Dorogavtsev. In his opinion, the attackers have always tried to make money on those who want to buy a new gadget among the first.
— It's not clear why you should spend twice as much on a console and one and a half times more on games if all the introductory notes talk about risks. The first generation of Switch offers a democratic choice: you can use an account from any region, replenish it from Russia, buy physical games and enjoy all the features. If you take a second console, then only with a chip to compensate for the nerves," said another blogger on condition of anonymity.
The Yandex.Market press service noted that the active growth of interest in the portable console category began in April 2025, and demand peaked in May — the number of purchases in this month increased by 45% compared to the previous one. The highest demand was recorded in Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, the Krasnodar Territory and the Sverdlovsk Region.
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