News
Everything dated and sourced. Rumors are flagged.
Last updated: 2026-10-23 13:11 (BRT, UTC-3) · RSS
- · Unverified
Unverified: first homebrew game made with the HBLauncher SDK
Follow-up to the HBLauncher story. Reddit user u/FR0GG1D posted (r/switch2hacks) a short video of a Snake game running on Switch 2, made with the HBLauncher SDK. According to the author, SmileBASIC only loads a small starter program that lets a computer use the console's graphics chip (GPU); the game itself runs on the GPU and, once loaded, keeps running without the computer and without Wi-Fi. He says he will make another game.
Source: -
Scam alert: there is no 'CFW activator' for Switch 2
A GitHub project, shared on Oct 23 by the X account @Techjunkie_Aman, presents itself as a one-click 'CFW activator' for Switch 2 and claims firmware 18.0.1 support. The Switch 2 never had that version: Nintendo's official list starts at 20.x. There is no CFW for Switch 2. The only public jailbreak, ns2jb, is research / proof of concept, with no kernel access and no CFW. Any 'activator' promising CFW is a scam or may contain malware. Don't download or run it. For safety, we don't link or name the project.
Note: The post doesn't say the project works; it only repeats its claims. We did not test the project and don't know whether it contains malware.
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Gezine: Artemis Engine games don't work alone for exploits
Gezine (@gezine_dev) explained that an exploit save can't be transferred without Nintendo's online service (Nintendo Switch Online) and that an already modded Switch 1 would also be needed. So, according to him, Artemis Engine games can't be used to exploit without another existing exploit. He said people should only buy games for a save exploit if they really know what they are doing.
Note: The developer's technical opinion; Nintendo has not commented.
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HBLauncher and ftpd-sb: first homebrew apps on top of ns2jb
Developer @ravensclawx released HBLauncher + SDK (v0.2.0), a menu that opens small homebrew apps on Switch 2 through ns2jb in SmileBASIC 4, and ftpd-sb (v0.1.0), an FTP server that runs inside HBLauncher. According to the README, apps run on the console GPU and the SDK offers controller input, read-only NFC and networking (UDP). The README itself says it is NOT CFW, does not load NRO files and does not run native ARM64 apps. It only works on the same version as ns2jb (firmware 23.0.1) and is still tethered: it depends on a computer staying on the whole time and is gone after a reboot. ftpd-sb only reaches SmileBASIC's own files (save and tmp writable; romfs read-only), not the SD card or other games' saves.
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mac2jb: a Mac acts as a USB keyboard to start ns2jb on Switch 2
Developer @cpypwn released mac2jb v0.1.0 (MIT license). The tool makes an Apple Silicon Mac pretend to be a USB keyboard to start pepsipu's ns2jb on Switch 2. It uses USB emulation libraries by Shiny Quagsire. According to the author, it was tested on a single configuration only. It is experimental and relies on a third-party macOS driver; for the test, the author turned off Mac security protections and warns this lowers security. ns2jb itself is unchanged: tethered (gone after reboot), no kernel access, no CFW.
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Switch 2 gets its first software jailbreak: ns2jb
Researcher pepsipu (Sammy Hajhamid) showed ns2jb. It runs custom code on Switch 2 firmware 23.0.1. The demo added new characters to Mario Kart World. It uses bugs in the SmileBASIC 4 app and in the system's file module (fs). It is research / proof of concept: it doesn't work on the console alone, is gone after reboot and has no kernel access.
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SmileBASIC 4 pulled from the eShop
Right after ns2jb, SmileBASIC 4 left the eShop (e.g. the UK page returns 404). Nintendo has not explained why.
Note: The link to the exploit is press inference; Nintendo has not confirmed.
- · Rumor / unconfirmed
Gezine says there is a physical-cartridge exploit
Gezine wrote that SmileBASIC 4 is 'not strictly needed' and that there is an exploit based on a physical game cartridge. He also said he thinks an untethered jailbreak is possible. None of this is released.
- · Rumor / unconfirmed
Alula posts video of another Switch 2 tool
Developer @__alula posted a video of something 'to be paired with SmileBASIC or another game'. What it is exactly was not detailed publicly. Ars Technica notes others are showing demos and in-progress tools.
- · Rumor / unconfirmed
A fix may come in the next update
Ars Technica expects the bug to be patched soon. As of Oct 23, 2026 Nintendo has not announced a new update (latest is 23.0.1).
Sources: -
Gezine dumps a Switch 2 game binary over HDMI
Gezine said he used a userland bug and an HDMI capture card to dump a game's code, to study PAC protection. Research, not a jailbreak.
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Gezine announces offline userland exploit for Switch 1 and 2
Gezine said he has an exploit that uses neither the browser nor modified saves and works offline. Not publicly released.
Note: The 'works on all firmware' claim is the author's; not independently verified.