RESEARCHER Sammy Hajhamid has released NS2JB, a jailbreaking project for Nintendo’s Switch 2 handheld, developed with assistance from the AI tool Codex. The exploit relies on a software-only chain of flaws to achieve native code execution on firmware 23.0.1. With this access, the console can run homebrew software, modded games, and save backups, and the jailbreak is reported to work with a range of peripherals.
The entry point hinges on the Switch 2’s capability to run original Switch titles, specifically using the programming environment SmileBASIC 4 to reach code execution inside the system’s file service module.
In demonstrations, Hajhamid presented a Mario Kart World World Demo in which a non‑Nintendo character was added to the game, illustrating the practical play value of the jailbreak. The process, however, has notable constraints: it is not a permanent modification—the jailbroken state vanishes on restart, and there is no released custom firmware to preserve it. Codex’ involvement is described as analytical support and test automation rather than a bug fix or persistence layer.
Hajhamid notes the effort spanned about two weeks, with Codex handling a portion of the input, screen reading, and reboot after crashes, and handling the Mario Kart World character edit on request in around a day. Nintendo’s removal of SmileBASIC 4 from its storefronts in Europe and North America is cited as a practical barrier for potential users.