Nintendo might be pushing more users to pick up the Switch 2’s $125 console dock, as the most recent update for the hybrid console appears to be bricking some third-party docks. An exact breakdown of which docks are and aren’t affected is not available at the moment, but plenty of users across Reddit and YouTube have chimed in to report that their third-party docks stopped working after installing the newest system update, Ver. 21.0.0.
Exactly what is causing the update to break these docks is unclear as well, as Nintendo hasn’t shared any particular information about that. However, there has been some speculation that Nintendo either intentionally — or mistakenly — messed with the USB-C standard on the console with the new update, which could be what is causing the issue.
The good news, obviously, is that Nintendo Switch 2 consoles that haven’t updated to Ver. 21.0.0 should be safe from the bricking. Though, considering Nintendo doesn’t really let you linger too long without updating software if you’re connected to the internet, you likely only have a short time before the company forces you to update. It’s also worth noting that some users claim that restarting the Switch 2 console a few times seems to alleviate the issue, allowing the dock to work again.
Why do you need multiple docks?
While the issue is especially frustrating, some might be wondering why users would need another Switch 2 dock in the first place. Aside from the most plausible reason — they move the console from room to room or between homes — there is also the fact that the Switch 2 (and its predecessor) are marketed as portable consoles. Many people love that about the handheld, and even like to take docks with them when traveling to play on hotel or friends’ TVs.
However, Nintendo’s official dock costs upwards of $125, which makes it an expensive option if you only need an extra dock occasionally. That’s why third-party docks, which can cost as little as $30, have become so popular with the community.
Nintendo has slowly been chipping away at the goodwill of the community — even banning hundreds of consoles that used MiG hacks. While many of those bans were related to piracy, others might have seen it as an attempt to control how Switch 2 owners interact with their console and the games they buy. This is also why some have speculated this might be another attempt by the company to control how consumers use its hardware.
