The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken offline NSw2u, one of the largest and longest-running Nintendo Switch piracy websites. The site, which hosted illegal Switch ROMs and was operational for nearly five years, was seized in a mid-July crackdown aimed at curbing game piracy.
The Rise and Fall of NSw2u
NSw2u gained notoriety as a major online hub for illegal Nintendo Switch ROM downloads. According to reports from Kotaku and investigations by Game Rant, the FBI executed the seizure early morning on July 10, 2025 (ET). Visitors to NSw2u now see an official FBI takedown notice, indicating the domain was seized under a warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The site’s activity has been traced back to at least December 2020.
Why Was the Switch Pirated So Quickly?
Unlike many modern consoles that remain piracy-resistant for years, the Nintendo Switch was hacked unusually fast due to a hardware flaw. The Tegra X1 chip by Nvidia, powering the Switch, contained a vulnerability that was discovered and made public less than a year after the console’s March 2017 release. This led groups like Team Xecuter to develop custom firmware allowing users to run pirated games and extract ROM files.
The wide documentation of the Tegra X1 chip also accelerated the creation of emulators, contributing to the rapid growth of Switch piracy. Over time, numerous websites emerged, distributing ROMs and piracy tools—NSw2u became one of the largest of these.
A Win for Nintendo and Anti-Piracy Efforts
The FBI’s seizure of NSw2u is a significant step in the fight against video game piracy. Nintendo, known for its aggressive legal approach, has faced ongoing challenges as piracy has flourished. This takedown not only removes a major source of illegal content but also serves as a warning to other piracy sites and users involved in unauthorized game distribution.
What This Means for the Gaming Community
While some justify piracy as a way to access games they cannot buy, the seizure highlights the legal risks and consequences associated with distributing or downloading pirated content. The crackdown demonstrates growing international cooperation and determination to protect intellectual property in the gaming industry.