The FBI just seized Nsw2u, a major Nintendo Switch ROM site
Nsw2u was a go-to source for pirated Nintendo Switch games.
In a major win for Nintendo’s anti-piracy efforts, the FBI has officially seized Nsw2u, one of the most prominent websites for illegally downloading Nintendo Switch ROMs. The takedown was executed under 18 U.S.C. § 2323, with support from the Dutch financial crimes agency FIOD, marking a rare international collaboration targeting digital piracy.
What was Nsw2u?
Nsw2u functioned as a central hub for distributing ROMs, digital copies of Nintendo Switch games that could be played on hacked consoles or PC emulators. Its extensive library included high-profile titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, making it a frequent target of Nintendo’s legal team.
The site was taken offline on July 10, 2025. Visitors to the domain are now greeted with a seizure notice from the FBI, confirming the operation was authorized by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. According to reports, the site remained active until just hours before the takedown, with users on the Switch Piracy subreddit claiming they had successfully downloaded games earlier that same day.
A subreddit in shock
The r/SwitchPirates subreddit, a community dedicated to Nintendo piracy, was among the first to report the site’s disappearance. Posts ranged from disbelief to speculation about alternative sources, with some users warning others to avoid suspicious mirror sites that could be phishing traps.
This isn’t the first time the subreddit has been at the center of piracy news. It previously tracked Nintendo’s lawsuits against emulator developers and flagged bans on Switch 2 consoles using unauthorized SD cards.
Nintendo’s broader crackdown
The Nsw2u seizure is part of a larger campaign by Nintendo to lock down piracy ahead of the Switch 2 era. The company has already won a multi-million dollar settlement against the creators of the Yuzu emulator and implemented stricter hardware-level protections in its new console. Early reports suggest that Switch 2 units using pirated ROMs or modded accessories are being banned from online services.
This takedown signals a shift in how piracy is being handled, not just by Nintendo, but by global law enforcement. Rather than chasing domain hops and mirror sites, agencies are now coordinating across borders to shut down piracy operations at the source.
For fans, developers, and publishers alike, it’s a reminder that the stakes around game preservation, emulation, and piracy are higher than ever.
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