U.S. federal law enforcement, specifically the FBI, has taken control of a widely recognized website known for hosting pirated Nintendo Switch games. Visitors to the Nsw2u site, previously a source for Switch ROMs, are now met with a notification that the site has been shut down.
Reports indicate the FBI`s announcement states the seizure of Nsw2u is part of a joint operation with the Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service, an agency specializing in financial crimes. The legal order authorizing the shutdown originated from a U.S. District Court in Georgia.
Nintendo has significantly stepped up its anti-piracy measures, particularly following the recent release of the Switch 2. Users discovered they were permanently banned from online services after inserting an MIG Switch cartridge into their Switch 2 console. While the MIG Switch cartridge supports ROMs from legitimate and illicit sources, Nintendo appears unwilling to accept the use of either. A console detected using an MIG Switch receives an irreversible ban due to violating Nintendo`s terms of service.
In what may serve as a deterrent to other copyright violators, Nintendo last year made a considerable effort to locate and identify an individual suspected of Switch piracy. This person reportedly faced accusations of selling hardware modifications and providing altered Switch consoles loaded with pirated software.
Gary Bowser, identified as a Switch pirate, was apprehended in 2020 and later received a prison sentence of 40 months. Although granted an early release due to good conduct, he remains liable for a multi-million dollar judgment awarded to Nintendo. Bowser himself has suggested his situation was intended as a clear message to discourage others from engaging in Switch piracy.