Nintendo Limits Switch 2’s USB-C Compatibility with Proprietary Protocols, Potentially Blocking Third-Party Accessories

Oh man, the Nintendo Switch 2 — what a rollercoaster. They’ve seriously upped the game, kinda literally. Bigger, bolder, more screen space with that crispy 120 Hz refresh rate. The Joy-Cons? They’re magnetic now! No clue why I find that amusing. But then, the plot thickens. USB-C port: limited. Like, seriously? Why restrict the fun?

Rumors flying around — Nintendo’s putting a lock on third-party stuff. I guess they’ve got this whole new encryption setup. Some accessory folks spilled the beans to The Verge about this snazzy encryption chip. Makes me wonder, did they have a secret meeting with cloaks and daggers? Just kidding. Maybe.

Apparently, the power needs have shifted to some 20V thing. Hmm, is that even a big deal? I mean, sure, Jsaux had issues with dock production, but it feels deeper. Like, mystical USB-C voodoo where everything needs a “re-adaptation” for power and video. Whatever that means.

Sean Hollister from The Verge did some real detective work. Picture this: laptop, tablet, USB-C port party. Usually, they follow a standard chat script about power and perks like video output. But Nintendo? They’re speaking their own language — kinda like me after too much coffee. Over 30 secret messages before letting that video signal go. Sounds like spy stuff, right?

Oh, and then there’s the Antank S3 Max, which sounds like a robot sidekick. It’s an outlier in the dock world, actually working with the Switch 2 and all. But get this, it’s like 36 bucks, and plays nice with the official Switch charger. Told you there were rules. The power it gives? Slightly off, but who’s measuring?

Now, will Antank stay in the game? Nintendo might clamp down more with updates. I’d hedge my bets if I were you. Antank says they can update their stuff too, so maybe this will end up as a tech tug-of-war. Who knows, right? Either way, if you’re like me, waiting on these updates is gonna feel longer than a Monday morning.

Anyway, if you wanna keep tabs on all this drama, Tom’s Hardware is your go-to for news. Yeah, they even plug themselves at the end. Classic.