How Nintendo locked down the Switch 2’s USB-C port and broke third-party docking

Submitted ⁨⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨onlooker@lemmy.ml⁩ to ⁨gaming@beehaw.org⁩

https://www.theverge.com/report/695915/switch-2-usb-c-third-party-docks-dont-work-authentication-encryption

Doesn’t this run counter to EU’s rule that all small electronic devices - which the Switch 2 falls under - need to have USB-C chargers? In the sense that even though the plug is USB-C shaped, it’s not compliant to the standard?

source

Comments

Sort:hotnew top

ModernRisk@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Sigh, the more I read about Nintendo Switch 2… The more nonsense it becomes.

I actually was curious about the Switch 2 and was wondering about Donkey Kong Bananza. Though, the more I read, the more I hesitate to purchase one later on.

source
- forrgott@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I will only purchase a Switch 2 once somebody comes up with a way to hack it (and assuming any modchip is not unreasonably difficult to install); if that doesn’t happen, fuck it, I’m gonna pass.
  
  source
byzxor@beehaw.org ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
I mean, the Switch 1 also abused the heck out of the USB-C specification (I can’t find the really good write up anymore unfortunately :( ) Not surprising they would do something similar here. This post suggests it’s not actually that dire

The EU AFAIK only requires that USB-C charging needs to be compliant.

source
- onlooker@lemmy.ml ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Ah, fair point. Still, I’m not too jazzed about Nintendo making their own USB standard. They may as well call it just SB, because there’s nothing universal about this.
  
  source
- oneser@lemmy.zip ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Yeah the requirements are for USB-C power delivery for devices capable of charging @ (if I remember correctly) > 15W.
  
  The requirement was placed in the radio equipment directive of the EU so unlikely they will amend it to add requirements for USB-C cabled data transmission.
  
  source
ragebutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨14⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
In another post I wrote on this I encouraged the potential of 3rd party docks eventually happening

Thinking more on that I will say that nintendo probably did this because of third party docks damaging switches. I repaired a bunch of switches and a common issue I would see is a blown up pi3usb chip with often pcb damage leading to pin (iirc) 5. This was caused by cheap/shitty docks feeding too much power or incorrectly negotiating power delivery. It wasnt just like cheap AliExpress docks either, nyko, insignia(best buy), etc actual name brand docks would brick your switch.

Swapping the damaged chip for a good one would make the switch boot and work normally except it would only work in handheld mode. To work in dock mode you’d have to rebuild the damaged trace. Nintendo won’t do this; they would just replace the entire board, so to them this is a very costly repair (though tbf paying a tech labor to replace a chip and rebuild a trace is costly too as it’s much more skilled labor, requires more testing, and has a much higher potential for failure after repair)

That said I still think it’s a users right to use a third party dock if they so choose. Fuck nintendo. Though nyko should be on the hook to buy you a new switch if they design a piece of shit that wrecks your switch

source
- JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz ⁨14⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  
  Though nyko should be on the hook to buy you a new switch if they design a piece of shit that wrecks your switch
  
  Nintendo also tried to lock down the Switch 1 docking, and 3rd party manufacturers had to hack together a workarounds. "When Nintendo released the original Switch in 2017, accessory makers similarly had to figure out how to crack Nintendo’s esoteric docking protocols, and some of them (Nyko) allegedly led to damaged handhelds."
  I’d more blame that for causing the issues in the first place, if the Switch spoke standard USB-C, then all reputable docks would work with no weird hacks.
  
  source
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
I hate that I’m probably going to buy this for that Donkey Kong game 🫤

source
- TachyonTele@piefed.social ⁨9⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Just wait and emulate it next year.
  
  source
- Pyro@programming.dev ⁨14⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Least obsessed Nintendo fan
  
  source
  - prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨13⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    It is what it is. I had already accepted that I would probably buy it if/when Mario Odyssey 2 comes out, but then I saw the Nintendo Direct for the Donkey Kong game and it looks fucking dope. I think it’s the same team that did Mario Odyssey.
    
    First party Nintendo games are really the only reason to own a Nintendo console anymore imo, and I could not care less about Pokemon and shit… But I’m a sucker for a good Mario game.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments