THE CRUNCH
Nintendo has filed a fresh DMCA takedown with GitHub, resulting in the removal of 144 repositories hosting firmware for Switch mod chips, including SX Core, SX Lite, Picofly and HWFLY. The notice argues the firmware lets the chips bypass the console's boot sequence, circumventing the technological protection measures that control access to Switch games, and that distributing it amounts to unlawful trafficking in circumvention technology.
It is the latest move in a longer campaign: Nintendo has previously used DMCA notices against GitHub to remove Switch emulators and tools used to run pirated games, such as key dumping software. The company's notice also points to a 2020 case in which three people were indicted over mod chip use, leading to the arrest of Gary Bowser, who received a 40-month prison sentence for his role in such activities.