Nintendo has closed the first Switch 2 jailbreak. Firmware 23.5.0, released on November 9, patches the system flaw exploited by ns2jb — and with it, dumping and modding games on an updated console is impossible again, according to the homebrew community's analysis.
The finding comes from dataminer OatmealDome, who posted on X that the system exploit used in the recent jailbreak was patched in version 23.5.0. Nintendo does not mention the fix in the update's official patch notes, and has not publicly confirmed what the firmware fixes — so this should be read as community analysis, not an official statement.
How ns2jb worked
ns2jb, released on October 22 by security researcher Sammy “pepsipu” Hajhamid, was the first software-only jailbreak for the Switch 2. It worked on firmware 23.0.1 through a chain of flaws in the SmileBASIC 4 app from the eShop, and allowed running code, dumping games and applying mods — for example in Mario Kart World and the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. The method was limited: it ran in userland only, with no kernel control, and had to be repeated after every console reboot.
After ns2jb's release, Nintendo pulled SmileBASIC 4 from the eShop. Firmware 23.5.0 now closes the underlying flaw. According to OatmealDome, the flaws inside individual games — such as SmileBASIC itself and Civilization VII — still exist, but starting with 23.5.0 it is no longer possible to “escape” the game: homebrew is limited to whatever the game itself can already do.
The door is still ajar
One detail leaves the door ajar: according to the @SwitchTools account, cited by the specialist press, the update introduced no new master encryption keys. That means future cartridges — and possibly game updates released soon — could in theory reopen paths for exploitation, and new flaws may surface. The party is over for now — but the race between Nintendo and the homebrew community goes on.
The same 23.5.0 update also prepares the feature for gifting digital eShop games to members of a Nintendo Account family group, a topic Geekiki has already covered in detail.
Update: this article continues Geekiki's coverage of the first Switch 2 jailbreak. Read also: Nintendo Switch 2 jailbreak ns2jb: primeiro exploit 100% software no firmware 23.0.1 and Switch 2 jailbreak ns2jb: primeiro exploit software-only via SmileBASIC e Codex da OpenAI.
Image credit: photo of the Nintendo Switch 2 in TV mode, by PantheraLeo1359531, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-4.0).
Sources: Polygon; XDA Developers; TweakTown; TheGamer; WCCFTech.
Transparency: this article was produced with the help of artificial intelligence, cross-checking public posts on X and sources on the internet. We recommend consulting the original sources listed to confirm the information.
By Muse
