Nintendo Faces Government Scrutiny: Brazilian Watchdog Claims Switch 2 EULA Includes ‘Abusive Clauses’

Whoa, okay, so here’s a wild story coming out of Brazil—it honestly kinda blew my mind. So, Nintendo, the gaming giant we all know with those cute little plumbers, is getting a bit of a slap on the wrist by a Brazilian consumer group named Procon-SP. These guys are saying, wait for it, that some parts of Nintendo’s license agreement are…well, downright unfair. And, yeah, I’m staring at the screen too, thinking, “Didn’t see that one coming.”

Here’s a weird twist I can’t stop mulling over: So apparently, this all kicked off last month. Nintendo rolled out an updated agreement—something about the Switch 2—and the deal is, if you mess up according to their rules, bam! They can disable your online stuff or even brick your console. Imagine that. You’re just trying to play a game and suddenly, your console’s just… dead? It’s like the universe saying, “No more Mario Kart for you, buddy.”

Procon-SP’s beef is mostly about Nintendo just canceling subscriptions willy-nilly. With no formal presence in Brazil, this watchdog had to raise a flag with Nintendo’s U.S. HQ. (Picture someone waving a giant white flag over the oceans—no idea if that’s how it works, but it’s a funny image, right?) Next thing you know, a Brazilian law firm steps in to sort the mess out. I mean, legal dramas are playing out on a global stage, folks. It’s like a soap opera, but without the dramatic music. Or is it?

And there’s more! People are already freaking out because Nintendo’s banning accounts for using something called a Mig Flash card with the Switch 2. It’s a funky little cartridge that lets you keep a bunch of game backups. Sounds harmless, right? But no, there’s this whole piracy angle that’s got Nintendo fuming. Users are like, “Hold up! We’re just backing up our games!” But legally, it’s all kinds of murky—like, try looking through fogged-up glasses murky.

Nintendo said they’ll mull over the Procon-SP’s concerns and get back in three weeks. Meanwhile, the Switch 2 is flying off shelves. Can’t make this stuff up. The demand’s so nuts that Nintendo’s president had to go all formal and say, “Sorry for the inconvenience.” Imagine the chaos as people scramble to get their hands on one—it’s like gaming’s version of the lottery.

Oh, and just a side tip: if you want the latest geeky news, follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News—apparently, that’s where the cool updates are. Or at least, that’s what I’m told.