Modder demonstrates tethered Switch 2 jailbreak using SmileBASIC and Codex
A modder says they have jailbroken the Nintendo Switch 2 and demonstrated it running a modified version of Mario Kart World with unofficial characters. The reported breakthrough matters because it may open the door to further console exploits, though its practical impact remains uncertain.
The software-only jailbreak is tethered, so it must be run from a game each time the console starts. Modder Sammy Hajhamid, known as “pepsipu”, says OpenAI’s Codex helped create it, and the method uses SmileBASIC 4, a programming game, although another modder says that title may not be essential. The process appears too complex for most users at present, and Switch 2 enthusiasts are still debating its significance.
In short
- A modder demonstrated a jailbroken Switch 2 running modified Mario Kart World.
- The tethered software exploit reportedly uses SmileBASIC 4.
- Its impact is unclear, but it could lead to further exploits.
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The case for
The jailbreak could be an important early step towards broader research into the Switch 2’s security, even if this tethered method is currently awkward to use. It also shows how creative use of software such as SmileBASIC, alongside AI coding tools, may help independent developers explore what a console can do and support unofficial modifications.
The case against
A difficult jailbreak that must be repeated whenever the console starts offers little practical benefit to most owners, and its longer-term significance is still unclear. Unofficial changes may also raise concerns about system stability, security, and respect for Nintendo’s software protections, so enthusiasts can reasonably see the demonstration as more intriguing than consequential.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Someone hacked the Switch 2 by using an old game and AI”.