Nintendo Limits Switch 2’s USB-C Port Compatibility with Most Third-Party Docks and Accessories

Oh, boy. So here’s the thing about the whole Nintendo Switch 2 situation, and trust me, it’s a bit like trying to eat soup with a fork. I mean, have you seen the screen on this thing? It’s a monster—bigger, crisper, and with a 120 Hz refresh rate that kind of makes you wonder why everything else looks dull in comparison. And those Joy-Con controllers? Bigger and they stick on with magnets now. Magnets! Who thought of that? Probably someone like me who keeps losing them under the couch.

Yet, here’s a twist. Seems Nintendo’s playing gatekeeper with that USB-C port. It’s like they’ve put up a digital “No Trespassing” sign. Something about new encryption? I didn’t even know USB-C needed that, but apparently, it does. Two accessory makers spilled the beans to The Verge. Turns out there’s encryption on top of the encryption. Kinda like password-protecting your Netflix profile, which—no judgment here.

GamesRadar says it’s got something to do with power requirements—20 volts or something. What’s that about? Maybe it’s the tech version of “hard to get.” Anyway, they’ve switched up USB-C protocols. It’s all Greek to me but sounds fancy.

Now enter Sean Hollister from The Verge, diving deep like a tech detective. There’s a whole drama about docks and hubs, and I can’t even keep track of my actual dock without stubbing my toe on it. He mentions these Power-Z KM003C devices—like, who names these? But Sean logs the electronic chatter between the Switch 2 and its official dock. Thirty secret Nintendo messages flying back and forth? Reminds me of those secretive whispers in high school hallways.

Now if you try a third-party dock, nada. Except! And here’s the kicker, the Antank S3 Max (also spiffy-named as SiWiQU on Amazon) plays nice. Magic? Nah, just some coded dance it seems to have mastered. It’s $36 but needs the official power adapter—like a diva that only drinks bottled water, not tap.

But don’t get too comfy. Antank itself says Nintendo could yank the rug out from under them anytime. Apparently, firmware could fix it if Nintendo messes with the secret handshake. Guess we’ll see, right?

And hey, if you like these kinds of tech tales tangled in mystery, you might wanna follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News. Me? I’ll be over here trying to figure out how to stop losing my remotes.