I’m not sure about the Switch 2, but with the Switch 1, hardware bricking was very possible. There’s a chip on the Switch 1 with a series of fuses, which intentionally burn out after after certain firmware updates. There’s a finite number of fuses (500+, I believe), based on the update schedule Nintendo had planned for the console, and the number of burnt fuses needs to match the firmware version you’re on, otherwise you can’t downgrade the firmware. If Nintendo wanted to, they could target a device to receive several “dummy” updates to burn the remaining fuses, effectively blocking any further firmware updates.
Theoretically, yes, they could do that with the electronic fuses to prevent firmware from booting, as the Tegra on Switch 2 likely retains the same system. However, they probably wouldn’t do it mostly because it would deprive them of boards for refurbished consoles, if not whole units they can go and turn into systems they can send back from the repair centre. Besides, all they really need to do with any potential brick is to stop most people from using the device and to give up. I can’t be entirely sure since I don’t know the internals that well, but it wouldn’t make sense for them to do an irrecoverable brick.
Thanks for letting me know about the eFuses though in the Switch 1 chip, wasn’t aware of those before.
I’m not sure about the Switch 2, but with the Switch 1, hardware bricking was very possible. There’s a chip on the Switch 1 with a series of fuses, which intentionally burn out after after certain firmware updates. There’s a finite number of fuses (500+, I believe), based on the update schedule Nintendo had planned for the console, and the number of burnt fuses needs to match the firmware version you’re on, otherwise you can’t downgrade the firmware. If Nintendo wanted to, they could target a device to receive several “dummy” updates to burn the remaining fuses, effectively blocking any further firmware updates.
Theoretically, yes, they could do that with the electronic fuses to prevent firmware from booting, as the Tegra on Switch 2 likely retains the same system. However, they probably wouldn’t do it mostly because it would deprive them of boards for refurbished consoles, if not whole units they can go and turn into systems they can send back from the repair centre. Besides, all they really need to do with any potential brick is to stop most people from using the device and to give up. I can’t be entirely sure since I don’t know the internals that well, but it wouldn’t make sense for them to do an irrecoverable brick.
Thanks for letting me know about the eFuses though in the Switch 1 chip, wasn’t aware of those before.