Nintendo Switch Modding

No. The setup service covers custom firmware and homebrew software only — it never includes commercial games.

The rights to Nintendo Switch titles belong to Nintendo and their respective publishers. Under United States copyright law, selling or distributing copies of digital games without owning the rights to them constitutes piracy. For that reason, I will not preload, copy, or sell game files (ROMs) under any circumstances, and requests to do so will be declined.

If you want to build a library, the lawful route is creating personal backups of games you already own — the homebrew tools included in the setup service make that process straightforward.

Yes — with one caveat. The PicoFly attaches to internal connection points by soldering, and desoldering those points and removing the chip brings the Switch back to factory condition.

The exception is OLED consoles modded with the kamikaze method (covered in the next question): the chip itself still comes out cleanly and the console works normally, but the small area ground into the board to expose the DAT0 layer is permanent — that spot will always show the mod was there.

On the OLED, one signal the modchip needs — DAT0 — isn't exposed on any convenient point, so there are two ways to reach it.

The kamikaze method grinds away a tiny area of the board to expose the buried DAT0 trace, and a fine wire is soldered directly to it. The name comes from the fact that the grinding can't be undone. Done well, it's the cleanest electrical connection possible — no added parts, no fitment changes, nothing extra to fail down the road. The tradeoffs: it permanently marks the board, and it takes a steady hand under the microscope — grinding too deep can destroy the trace, which is why it belongs in experienced hands.

The DAT0 adapter is a thin ribbon-flex board that sits between the eMMC module and the mainboard and breaks the signal out with no grinding at all. Its strength is that it's fully reversible and leaves the board untouched. The tradeoffs: it adds one more component to the boot chain, and adapter quality and alignment matter — a marginal flex can cause intermittent boot issues that a direct solder joint never will.

Both approaches are proven. When you reach out about an OLED, I'll go over which one fits your priorities — maximum long-term reliability versus keeping the board pristine.

Yes. The mod doesn't replace your original firmware (OFW) — custom firmware runs from its own separate copy of the system (an emuNAND) stored on the microSD card, while the stock system stays untouched. Reboot and choose: boot into OFW to play online through Nintendo's services as normal, or boot into CFW for homebrew, emulators, and backups.

One honest caveat: Nintendo can ban consoles that trip its detection, which would cut that console off from online services. Keeping CFW activity offline and separated — exactly how the setup service configures it — greatly reduces that risk, but no mod can remove it entirely.

Typical turnaround is 1–3 business days from the day your console arrives, depending on the number of orders currently being processed. Shipping time to and from is additional.

I'm based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, and consoles can be mailed in for service. Local drop-offs are also welcome — if you're interested, reach out through the contact section below to arrange one.

Not yet — as of now there is no established way to mod the Switch 2. If the time it took for the original Switch to be modded is a useful reference, it may be a few more years before a mod becomes available. I follow the scene closely and will update this answer as the news develops.

OFW — Original Firmware

The stock Nintendo system software that ships on every console.

CFW — Custom Firmware

Community-developed system software that runs alongside the stock firmware and unlocks capabilities Nintendo doesn't allow, such as installing homebrew and loading games from a microSD card.

Homebrew

Community-made software that isn't distributed through official channels — save managers, file browsers, media players, custom themes, and more.

ROM

A digital copy of a game, typically dumped from a cartridge. ROMs can be stored on a microSD card and launched without the physical game inserted.

Emulator

Software that replicates other game systems, letting your Switch play titles from classic consoles.

Modchip

A small circuit board installed inside the console that allows it to boot custom firmware. This service uses the PicoFly, a reliable RP2040-based modchip.