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1543010cookie-checkNintendo Switch Firmware 3.0.0 Hacked, Homebrew Reportedly Coming Soon
Industry News
2018/01

Nintendo Switch Firmware 3.0.0 Hacked, Homebrew Reportedly Coming Soon

Three hackers, Plutoo, Derrek, and Naehrwert, have managed to bypass an Nvidia backdoor and exploit the Nintendo Switch’s 3.0.0 firmware using Pokken Tournament DX in order to get into the inner brain matter of the Switch’s design. According to Wololo, this will open the door for a potential homebrew launcher for the Nintendo Switch in the near future.

This news comes via a presentation that took place at a 34C3 hacking conference, Germany, where the trio explained what steps they took to bypass Nvidia’s security, and how they opened up the Switch to take the necessary steps in order to execute hardware glitches to bypass the ARM Trustzone on Nintendo’s hybrid gaming hardware.

So what does this mean for gamers? Well, it means that you’ll likely see more homebrew popping up for the Switch over the next several months.

Wololo reported back in late November of 2017 that the hacking community had already managed to exploit the 3.0.0 firmware for the Nintendo Switch and even managed to release an exploit tool in order to get into that particular firmware version of the system. However, since then Nintnedo has updated the Switch’s firmware, rendering the exploit tool useless.

However, there is still a bypass in order to gain access to 3.0.0. For older Switch units they must be updated to the 3.0.0 version and the only way to do so is through a local cartridge update that comes with Bandai Namco’s Pokken Tournament DX. That’s right, it’s almost similar to the Splinter Cell or MechAssault softmod exploit for the OG Xbox.

If you have a newer Nintendo Switch, however, you’re fresh out of luck if you update it past 3.0.0. Don’t be shocked if they manage to find some sort of an exploit in a future firmware release, but for now they’re working on putting out a homebrew launcher for those of you who have the 3.0.0 exploit working.

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