Switch 2 USB-C Chip Might Be Breaking Compatibility With Third-Party Docks

Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life

With the launch of the Switch 2, accessory manufacturers have been rushing to bring their products to the market in a bid to offer alternatives to Nintendo's own set, including docks. The latter has been causing headaches for many, and it seems Nintendo has put in place restrictions on the console's USB-C ports.

The Verge's Sean Hollister has been looking into the Switch 2's USB-C port and was told this was the case after speaking to two accessory manufacturers. What should happen is that, when the console is popped into a dock via the USB-C adapter, it kicks off a series of commands that allow the power supply/dock to output video. That's an extremely oversimplified explanation. That's not happening when you connect the Switch 2 to most third-party docks, however.

According to The Verge's sources, the Switch 2 uses a new kind of dedicated encryption chip and scheme and, upon testing, Hollister saw (as he puts it) "the new Nintendo Switch not behaving like a good USB citizen should".

As a result, companies like Jsaux have told The Verge that it's halted plans to make a Switch 2 dock because they simply can't get around the problem right now. Hollister has found some docks that work so far — the SIWIQU for Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Station, AverMedia's own dock, and Viture's virtual glasses hub.

Others on the NintendoSwitch2 subreddit say the same thing about the SIWIQU, but there's understandable caution when very few actually work, and when early Switch 1 docks also caused problems.

Manufacturers expect Nintendo will try to "maintain device and system security" via updates, and the Switch 2 does have extra fans — including a fan in the dock itself — as the console runs a little hotter than the Switch 1. It may well be that there's something in Nintendo's upscaling tech that's causing issues with other docks. Or, it could just be that Nintendo is trying to prevent any potential issues that may be caused by unofficial docks.

It's a more powerful dock all around, and it does much more than the Switch 1's ever did. So it looks like this will be an ongoing battle, though we're sure that we'll see plenty of third-party options pop up in the future.

Let us know what you think of Nintendo's potential restrictions in the comments.