"There has been some cases of bricked consoles (Switches that no longer work) using third party docks. The root causes has been confirmed to be faulty resistors found in USB-A to USB-C power cables. "
Was it? It's not like the wave of third-party bricking was caused by some power surge that melted the switch. The third-party docks worked great, then Nintendo pushed the 5.0 software update, and somehow Switches would stall while booting up. My third-party dock worked great for many months before 5.0 released.
It sucked to lose the Switch, but Nintendo replaced it for me for free, and I even talked them into a free game out of it. But I pressed hard, and it was before their official response came out... so I don't think they'll be as generous in the future.
After what I went through, there is no way in H E double-hockey-sticks that I'll ever let anything non-Nintendo-made touch my Switch's USB-C port. Buyer beware!
They replaced my Switch that was bricked due to the recent dock issue, for free. Next-day air'd it to me, so I had a Switch back in my hands in less than a week.
I argued with Nintendo support for 30 minutes on this. After I had a new Switch from them in-hand, free, and 1-day-aired, I called them and said they should give me a game. My argument was, the dock is fine, and it’s their software and actions that bricked my Switch and lost my saves - not Nyko. And... a make-good that costs them no money is easy. It’s a very small victory but I liked seeing my boys play that new easy Kirby game together.
You know that warning you get when you update software on computers, tvs, game systems, phones, etc? To not unplug it until the update is finished?
I think that's what Nintendo should have done here. If it depends on their dock, they should test for their dock before moving forward with a software update. They should also have cloud saves or SD saves in the next update, it's past time. There are many different ways Nintendo could have avoided these problems.
To Nintendo's credit, they honored my warranty. One week from USPS dropoff, a new switch was at my door. (and the old one was bricked, they just swapped the brick for a working Switch)
I've had some great experiences with Nintendo. I don't fault them much in this, like... I think this dock issue seems like a complete accident, and I think we're all going to get this worked out.
But that's not how good programming is done. Regardless of liability, it's just the best practice to validate all assumptions before moving forward with a major update. I really doubt Nintendo intended to break these switches. Their programmers should use this as a learning opportunity as they move forward.
@electrolite77 I've never used a different power supply with the dock — I've only used Nintendo adapters. I lucked out on a great deal on adapters on a Toys R Us store closing last Christmas.
But that's not the issue here, this isn't a hardware issue. It's not like these docks were designed to blow up on a certain day. The problem here is software.
Nobody's asking to test every device — just asking for more fault tolerance. If the software requires a specific setup, then that's fine — require that setup. Put it up on the screen "we require the default dock to update your switch." But don't assume it and fire code that can't be taken back.
@Natzore It doesn't matter if there's two cords or one cord. If Grandma goes to Walmart, or she goes to look at Nintendo Life, and they sell stuff that Nintendo may brick later, Nintendo has a huge problem.
You can say "poorly built" but you don't really know. The dock worked great for months. And how could a dock cause the software not to work? It does what you say - provides power and transmits the video signal. How could doing any of these things break the operating system - docked or not? If the hardware has such vulnerabilities, wouldn't developers TEST for those situations before moving forward with the update? Nintendo should be more defensive with their software and think about the grandmas who shop at Walmart.
@Natzore I bought my first NES when I was a kid from Walmart over thirty years ago. Last year I bought a Switch from Walmart. In te years between, from Walmart and other stores I've purchased a Gameboy, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, DS, and 2DS. With all of them, I've purchased peripherals that plugged into them. And they all still work, today. Gosh, I played through my original Link's Awakening cart on gameboy just last year.
We say "dock" but I'm telling you — to everybody else, we're just plugging into the tv, the same as when I used that RF switch to plug my Nintendo in the family tv back in 86. How can that brick a switch? Nintendo can't write software updates that are so fragile. If there's a problem with the dock, *** check the dock with software before starting an irreversible software update ***.
Plus, honestly, what's more likely to "brick" a Switch: A third-party dock, or an eight-year-old boy who carries a portable gaming device around the house?
We can point at third-party docks, but I always believed we'd lose our family Switch Data over a bad drop on the hardwood floor. Nintendo made a portable gaming device, pushed it towards kids, and more than a year after release still has no way of recovering data off of them. If you don't have a kid or don't remember being one, let me tell you... they break stuff.
It doesn't matter if this is a dock, or a charger, or a USB extender, or whatever.
I think people are missing the fact that we have this Switch "ecosystem" where **people** buy the system, games, and peripherals. **People** are not all like you and me... they are parents, grandparents, kids, and people who just buy things in the Switch section at Walmart and Gamestop. Within this ecosystem, Nintendo popped a pull request that caused the **software** of the Switch to stop working.
And within this ecosystem, we have sites like NL. It seems relevant to post a link back to the bricking story from just a few days ago when selling yet-another-device-that-plugs-into-the-USB-C-port, but who'd want to buy off of an affiliate link then?
@aaronsullivan No worries. I don't want to speak on this in detail till I have a working Switch in my hand again, but I believe I'll be taken care of. And I think I'm more sad than my kid, because once he got over the shock he's ready to go for Ganon again. He's no different than me going through ALTTP again when I was a kid.
The Nyko/Nintendo-5.0 dock issue... I had to have a talk with my 8yo about why he's losing his Zelda data file, just two days after he beat his final divine beast and preparing for Ganon. Honestly I blame Nintendo, as they're the ones who pushed 5.0. How can a dock brick a system?
And how is a parent to know what-is-what? I learned about the Nyko dock here, and I purchased it months later at Walmart. I even watched reviews and took the extra precaution of using only a Nintendo power supply. And it worked great for months. My kids just played a bunch of Minecraft on Saturday, and on Sunday with the software 5.0 update.. it's bricked.
Nintendo Life seems more focused on pushing affiliate links than providing information. They don't even mention their article from last week.... just click-click-click, buy it so they can get a quarter.
Comments 12
Re: The Genki USB Bluetooth Adapter Finally Brings Low-Latency Audio To Switch
"There has been some cases of bricked consoles (Switches that no longer work) using third party docks. The root causes has been confirmed to be faulty resistors found in USB-A to USB-C power cables. "
Was it? It's not like the wave of third-party bricking was caused by some power surge that melted the switch. The third-party docks worked great, then Nintendo pushed the 5.0 software update, and somehow Switches would stall while booting up. My third-party dock worked great for many months before 5.0 released.
It sucked to lose the Switch, but Nintendo replaced it for me for free, and I even talked them into a free game out of it. But I pressed hard, and it was before their official response came out... so I don't think they'll be as generous in the future.
After what I went through, there is no way in H E double-hockey-sticks that I'll ever let anything non-Nintendo-made touch my Switch's USB-C port. Buyer beware!
Re: Random: Nintendo Fixed One Man's Out Of Warranty, First-Gen 3DS For Next To Nothing
They replaced my Switch that was bricked due to the recent dock issue, for free. Next-day air'd it to me, so I had a Switch back in my hands in less than a week.
Re: Could Switch's Non-Compliant USB-C Spec Be To Blame For Third-Party Docks Bricking Consoles?
I argued with Nintendo support for 30 minutes on this. After I had a new Switch from them in-hand, free, and 1-day-aired, I called them and said they should give me a game. My argument was, the dock is fine, and it’s their software and actions that bricked my Switch and lost my saves - not Nyko. And... a make-good that costs them no money is easy. It’s a very small victory but I liked seeing my boys play that new easy Kirby game together.
Re: Nintendo Comments On Third-Party Docks Bricking Switch Systems
You know that warning you get when you update software on computers, tvs, game systems, phones, etc? To not unplug it until the update is finished?
I think that's what Nintendo should have done here. If it depends on their dock, they should test for their dock before moving forward with a software update. They should also have cloud saves or SD saves in the next update, it's past time. There are many different ways Nintendo could have avoided these problems.
To Nintendo's credit, they honored my warranty. One week from USPS dropoff, a new switch was at my door. (and the old one was bricked, they just swapped the brick for a working Switch)
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
@electrolite77
I've had some great experiences with Nintendo. I don't fault them much in this, like... I think this dock issue seems like a complete accident, and I think we're all going to get this worked out.
But that's not how good programming is done. Regardless of liability, it's just the best practice to validate all assumptions before moving forward with a major update. I really doubt Nintendo intended to break these switches. Their programmers should use this as a learning opportunity as they move forward.
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
@electrolite77 I've never used a different power supply with the dock — I've only used Nintendo adapters. I lucked out on a great deal on adapters on a Toys R Us store closing last Christmas.
But that's not the issue here, this isn't a hardware issue. It's not like these docks were designed to blow up on a certain day. The problem here is software.
Nobody's asking to test every device — just asking for more fault tolerance. If the software requires a specific setup, then that's fine — require that setup. Put it up on the screen "we require the default dock to update your switch." But don't assume it and fire code that can't be taken back.
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
@Natzore It doesn't matter if there's two cords or one cord. If Grandma goes to Walmart, or she goes to look at Nintendo Life, and they sell stuff that Nintendo may brick later, Nintendo has a huge problem.
You can say "poorly built" but you don't really know. The dock worked great for months. And how could a dock cause the software not to work? It does what you say - provides power and transmits the video signal. How could doing any of these things break the operating system - docked or not? If the hardware has such vulnerabilities, wouldn't developers TEST for those situations before moving forward with the update? Nintendo should be more defensive with their software and think about the grandmas who shop at Walmart.
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
@Natzore I bought my first NES when I was a kid from Walmart over thirty years ago. Last year I bought a Switch from Walmart. In te years between, from Walmart and other stores I've purchased a Gameboy, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, DS, and 2DS. With all of them, I've purchased peripherals that plugged into them. And they all still work, today. Gosh, I played through my original Link's Awakening cart on gameboy just last year.
We say "dock" but I'm telling you — to everybody else, we're just plugging into the tv, the same as when I used that RF switch to plug my Nintendo in the family tv back in 86. How can that brick a switch? Nintendo can't write software updates that are so fragile. If there's a problem with the dock, *** check the dock with software before starting an irreversible software update ***.
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
Plus, honestly, what's more likely to "brick" a Switch: A third-party dock, or an eight-year-old boy who carries a portable gaming device around the house?
We can point at third-party docks, but I always believed we'd lose our family Switch Data over a bad drop on the hardwood floor. Nintendo made a portable gaming device, pushed it towards kids, and more than a year after release still has no way of recovering data off of them. If you don't have a kid or don't remember being one, let me tell you... they break stuff.
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
It doesn't matter if this is a dock, or a charger, or a USB extender, or whatever.
I think people are missing the fact that we have this Switch "ecosystem" where **people** buy the system, games, and peripherals. **People** are not all like you and me... they are parents, grandparents, kids, and people who just buy things in the Switch section at Walmart and Gamestop. Within this ecosystem, Nintendo popped a pull request that caused the **software** of the Switch to stop working.
And within this ecosystem, we have sites like NL. It seems relevant to post a link back to the bricking story from just a few days ago when selling yet-another-device-that-plugs-into-the-USB-C-port, but who'd want to buy off of an affiliate link then?
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
@aaronsullivan No worries. I don't want to speak on this in detail till I have a working Switch in my hand again, but I believe I'll be taken care of. And I think I'm more sad than my kid, because once he got over the shock he's ready to go for Ganon again. He's no different than me going through ALTTP again when I was a kid.
Re: Deals: You Can Now Pre-Order HORI's Portable Table Mode USB Hub Stand For Switch
The Nyko/Nintendo-5.0 dock issue... I had to have a talk with my 8yo about why he's losing his Zelda data file, just two days after he beat his final divine beast and preparing for Ganon. Honestly I blame Nintendo, as they're the ones who pushed 5.0. How can a dock brick a system?
And how is a parent to know what-is-what? I learned about the Nyko dock here, and I purchased it months later at Walmart. I even watched reviews and took the extra precaution of using only a Nintendo power supply. And it worked great for months. My kids just played a bunch of Minecraft on Saturday, and on Sunday with the software 5.0 update.. it's bricked.
Nintendo Life seems more focused on pushing affiliate links than providing information. They don't even mention their article from last week.... just click-click-click, buy it so they can get a quarter.