Nintendo Switch 2 owners report that some of their third-party accessories and console docks appear to have been bricked after system update 21.0.0. The Switch 2 update launched on November 10, which largely made stability improvements and tweaks to existing features, such as text-to-speech and software downloads.
The Switch 2 has been a huge success for Nintendo and has been embraced by many gamers worldwide. However, some would point to the overall cost as a drawback. For example, the console itself costs $449.99, and some games have been priced as high as $80. This has prompted some to look for cheaper alternatives for Switch 2 accessories, such as its dock. Off-brand docks compatible with the Switch 2 can be found for under $40 in many cases, while the official Switch 2 Dock Set costs $125.
Third-party dolls that have reportedly been bricked by the latest Nintendo Switch 2 update
While the latest 21.0.0 update for the Nintendo Switch 2 didn't mention anything about the dock, it seems that something about it has affected third-party devices. Switch 2 users took to social media shortly after the update rolled out, with many reporting that their third-party docks and other accessories were no longer working properly. Subsequent reports have indicated that some third-party Switch 2 docks still work, but not all, and those that do sometimes require a full reboot of the console first to work properly.
At this point, it's not clear if this aspect of the update was an intentional move on Nintendo's part, and the company hasn't provided any further insight at the time of publication. However, the notion that third-party accessories would become incompatible with the Switch 2 has been raised soon after the system launched. Early on, third-party accessory manufacturers claimed that the Switch 2 USB-C port uses encryption and a chip that limits which accessories work with the system. It was theorized that a firmware update could potentially change how these systems work, so even third-party Switch 2 accessories that worked at one time could potentially be bricked.
It's possible that the manufacturers of these devices can fix the problem, or Nintendo can issue another patch that fixes the problem, as it could have been a completely unintentional move on the company's part. So far, Nintendo has not taken legal action against any Switch 2 accessory manufacturers, except for Genki. However, the Genki lawsuit was based on alleged trademark infringement, not the simple manufacture of accessories incompatible with the trademark. On the other hand, simply modifying the Switch 2 consoles so that they are no longer compatible would be an easier and cheaper method of ensuring that Nintendo doesn't have competition from third-party manufacturers than suing.
- Stamp
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Nintendo
- Original release date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- Operating system
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Proprietary
- Resolution
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- HDR support
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Yes
