This is what happens when your Nintendo Switch account is banned

It all started with Fortnite.

My brother had started playing during the 2020 lockdown and wanted me to show him what this ‘battle royale’ story was all about. Epic Games’ popular version of the genre seemed like a good place to start, but there was one catch: the game wouldn’t download.

My Nintendo Switch said an error caused the download to be suspended. The “Purchased Nintendo Account could not be used”.

I signed into my Nintendo Account from a web browser and confirmed my worst fear.

Nintendo had banned my account, thus preventing my Switch from accessing any online service – including online gaming, new downloads, and even my existing game library. In an instant, I had lost access to hundreds of dollars worth of digital games. Pouf. Finished, with no recourse at my disposal. The only option Nintendo offered was a “sign out” button, effectively showing me the door.

It didn’t take long for me to figure out what had happened.

Back in April 2020, 300,000 Nintendo Accounts were compromised in an attack using old passwords from the outdated Nintendo Network ID account system. The hackers discovered that they could log into vulnerable Nintendo Accounts and make purchases on the eShop using the payment information saved on the account. And by logging in Fortnite with a separate account first, the attacker could use the compromised account’s credit card to purchase vBucks, Fortnite’s in-game currency.

It happened to me in May. At the time, I immediately contacted Nintendo to dispute the $ 100 fee for Fortnite vBucks, advising them that the purchase was not authorized and that I was receiving a refund through my payment provider. Nintendo’s customer service rep seemed fine with this. Nintendo was familiar with the hack and didn’t object to the charge being canceled. Everything was going well with the world.

Until, six months later, when Nintendo banned my account without explanation.

I called Nintendo about the unexpected ban. It turned out that I hadn’t been hacked anymore, Nintendo had reported my account for the original hack, six months after it happened. I explained what happened in May, but this customer service rep was unaware of the attack that compromised 300,000 accounts. In fact, they seemed shocked to learn that a hacker could use a Nintendo Account’s registered payment method to steal Fortnite vBucks. They upheld the ban, however, and got to work to fix the issue a second time.

Nintendo asked me to sit still for a few days while they referred the matter to their finance department. In the meantime, I set out to find out what my Nintendo Switch could still do with a banned account.

The answer: not much.

Using a Nintendo Switch with a banned Nintendo Account is like living in purgatory. The console gives you so many possibilities for entertainment, but gets you stuck at almost every turn. Want to download something from your digital game library? Sorry, your account cannot be used.

Why not check your Friends List to see what all your friends are playing with valid accounts? Try it and the Nintendo Switch will ask you to sign in to a blocked account. Try this, and you will be told that “the information you entered is incorrect”.

The same goes for browsing the eShop, updating games, or accessing anything that uses online features including Super Mario 35, Nintendo Switch Online NES and SNES game libraries, and online play. in any game. Both physical game cards and previously downloaded games are playable, but that’s about it. So, it’s purgatory, but with Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Could be worse.

The hardest limitation isn’t what the ban did to me, it’s what it did to my family. To play Nintendo Switch games online, you must subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online Serviceand multiple Switch consoles can be registered into a single family plan to save money. As the primary account holder of our Nintendo Switch Online family membership, my ban effectively cut my entire family group off from online play. My wife couldn’t play Animal Crossing with her friends and my brother’s quest to get on the Fortnite battle bus was stuck. Worse yet, neither of them knew what was going on or why. Their online game was just… broken, with no explanation.

After waiting a day for a solution, I got impatient and called back. This time, Nintendo’s customer service agent referred me to a higher level of support. I knew things were getting serious when the on-hold music shifted from the generic, easy listening of Opus Number One to the booming and victorious theme of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s Hyrule Field.

The second customer service rep listened to my story and quickly resolved the issue, getting my account back to good standing within minutes. Even so, the resolution was slightly disturbing: Although this was major news on CNET, CNN, and Forbes earlier that year, the agent was completely unaware of the hack that left 300,000 compromised Nintendo accounts. In fact, Nintendo didn’t seem to believe me at all, ending the conversation not with an apology, but a warning: Nintendo will only unlock a suspended account once. Next time, I won’t have any luck.

In other words, “don’t let this happen again”.

Nintendo promised me that if this happened again, and it was a hack, they would look at it on a case-by-case basis, but the way I was made aware of this policy was a bit threatening. I can have proof that my account was accessed multiple times outside of the country before the fraudulent charge occurred, but for Nintendo it always seems like someone has issued a chargeback on a non-refundable purchase. This goes against the Nintendo Account User Agreement. Even if it takes six months for someone to notice it.

CNET has reached out to Nintendo for official comment and advice on what customers should do if they find themselves in a similar situation. We will update this room if we have a response.

Either way, I had my happy ending. Finally my account has been restored. My library was accessible again and my Nintendo Switch Online family plan was active on my account, my wife’s account, and my brother’s account. Finally, I could introduce him to the concept of the “Battle Royale” shooter.

I went back to where my problems started and downloaded Fortnite. The game’s home screen loads and instantly encouraged me to buy a Battle Pass and load my account with vBucks.

No thanks. I think I’ll pass. After some thought i might build a gaming pc for my brother so he can play PUBG.