Nintendo Switch 2 Owners are reporting that some of their third-party accessories and console docks appear to be bricked after the 21.0.0 system update. The Switch 2 update launched on November 10, which made a large number of 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 around the world. However, some point to the overall cost as a drawback. For example, the console itself costs $449.99, and some games are priced as high as $80. This has led some to look for less expensive alternatives to Switch 2 accessories like its dock. Off-brand docks compatible with the Switch 2 can be found for under $40 in most cases, while the official Switch 2 dock set costs $125.
Third-party docks were reportedly bricked by the latest Nintendo Switch 2 update
While the most recent 21.0.0 update to 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. Later reports indicated that some third-party Switch 2 docks are still working, but not all, and that those that do sometimes require a complete restart of the console to work properly.
At this point, it's unclear whether this aspect of the update was a deliberate move on Nintendo's part, and the company hasn't provided any further insight as of publication time. However, the perception of third-party accessories being incompatible with the Switch 2 has been a concern since the system's launch. Initially, third-party accessory manufacturers claimed that the Switch 2 USB-C port uses encryption and a chip that limits what accessories work with the system. It was theorized that a firmware update could potentially change the way these systems work, so third-party Switch 2 accessories that work at the same time could potentially be bricked.
It's possible that the manufacturers of these devices can fix the problem, or Nintendo can release another patch that will fix this problem, as this could be a completely unintentional move on the company's part. So far, Nintendo has not taken legal action against any of the Switch 2 accessory manufacturers except Genki. However, the Genki case was due to alleged trademark infringement, not the simple manufacture of off-brand compatible goods. On the other hand, simply modifying the Switch 2 console en masse to no longer fit would be an easier and less expensive method of ensuring that Nintendo doesn't have competition from third-party manufacturers than suing.
- brand
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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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Ownership
- resolve
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- HDR support
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yes
