Nintendo Switch 2 firmware 23.5.0 is now blocking SmileBASIC 4 and Civilization VII from launching on older versions — full stop. Users on firmware 23.0.1 report the games trigger a persistent, unskippable “supernag” screen. Maintenance Mode won’t bypass it. The only workaround: disconnect the console from the internet before launching either title.
That’s not a patch. It’s a hard gate. And it’s live in the wild as of this week. The update arrived just days after the first public Switch 2 jailbreak, which relied on those two games as entry points to run unsigned code.
Nintendo didn’t just close the exploit. It killed the keys to the door. SmileBASIC 4 and Civilization VII aren’t optional extras. They’re official Nintendo-published titles, SmileBASIC 4 by Nintendo itself, Civilization VII by 2K under license.
Both were released before the jailbreak surfaced. Now they’ve become enforcement tools. Wccftech reports that production keys in 23.5.0 remain unchanged, meaning physical cartridges for upcoming releases like Metroid Ravenous (due January) could still be dumped and emulated on PC. But Nintendo isn’t waiting.
It’s cutting off the most accessible path now, even at the cost of breaking its own games for users who choose not to update. That’s a shift. Previous Nintendo firmware updates nudged users toward upgrades. This one locks them out.
No warning. No grace period. Just a black screen unless you’re on 23.5.0, or offline. The timing lines up with what’s coming: Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake sold 5 million copies in four days despite PC ports circulating early.
Nintendo clearly sees the risk scaling fast on Switch 2. Piracy isn’t theoretical here. It’s already running, and now it’s being contained, one game at a time. Firmware 23.5.0 is rolling out globally.
No regional delays reported. No opt-out. No offline installer provided. If you want SmileBASIC 4 or Civilization VII, you update, or go offline.
There is no third option.
GDFiled by The Games Desk
Consoles, handhelds, PC gaming and the platforms and hardware behind them.
More from this desk →
Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.