Abstract:
Last week, the first jailbreak exploit for the Nintendo Switch 2 was publicly posted online. Even though this is only a tethered exploit, the possibilities it opens still make this release exciting. A few days later, the vulnerability was put into practical use: a user was said to have solved a key shortcoming of the system, while another well-known hacker was said to have developed an untethered vulnerability that may lead to more exciting new developments.
X platform user @byizmysh has shared a new video showing YouTube running on the Nintendo Switch 2. The project is said to be based on the open source project VacuumTube; VacuumTube is an open source client aimed at bringing back a lightweight "TV version of YouTube" experience, and it runs on the console with the help of a recently released jailbreak solution by Sammy Hajhamid (screen name pepsipu). The user also joked that the entire program was "obviously written in Brainfuck" and "don't ask me why I don't use BASIC anymore" when posting the video, along with the hashtags #Switch2, #Jailbreak, #Homebrew and #ns2jb.
For some users, having a working YouTube app running on Switch 2 may not be that exciting, but other developments are not. It is said that the first batch of Switch 2 game files and RomFS archives have begun to be exported (dumped), the earliest involving the "The Duskbloods" beta version and the resource materials of "Mario Kart World" (Mario Kart World). However, this content has not yet been verified, as Nintendo will immediately take action once it is shared publicly. Still, if these news are confirmed, this ability to access the file system will pave the way for mod development of Switch 2 games, and may also help promote the development of the first unofficial native PC ports.
What will really give the nascent homebrew community a huge boost is the development of a tetherless Switch 2 exploit, and it looks like something like this is already on the way. It is said that Gezine, a well-known security researcher and host homebrew software developer, has proposed the concept of a non-wired vulnerability and made an installer that can embed the entire exploit chain into the savedata so that it can be triggered the next time the computer is booted. This will bring userland level access, allowing users to run homebrew software and emulators on the host in a very convenient way.
With the Switch 2's homebrew ecosystem still in its infancy, it's fascinating to see it come to life almost overnight with the release of the first bug. Considering what some users have achieved with modded original Switches, there are undoubtedly some exciting times ahead for Switch 2 owners willing to push the boundaries Nintendo has set for this generation of consoles.
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