Nintendo takes 144 GitHub repositories offline
The takedown targets firmware for modchips that bypass the security of the original Switch.
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Nintendo asked GitHub to remove repositories containing firmware for Switch modchips. GitHub subsequently disabled a network of 144 related repositories, according to the public DMCA notice and independent reporting.
The notice from Nintendo of America targeted a repository containing firmware for Picofly, a modchip for the original Nintendo Switch. Because the repository was part of a larger network of copies and forks, a total of 144 repositories were disabled, according to TorrentFreak.
Nintendo says in the notice that the firmware circumvents the console’s technological protection measures. According to the company, this includes bypassing the boot security, allowing modchips to be used to run unauthorised software or copies of games.
The notice is dated 6 November and was subsequently published by GitHub in its public DMCA archive. The removal became visible this week and received attention from specialist technology media on Wednesday and Thursday. This is therefore a new legal enforcement action, but not a court ruling on each individual file.
Nintendo has been taking legal action against software related to the Switch for some time. Earlier notices targeted, among other things, emulators, key files and tools that the company says bypass security measures. The new step shifts attention to firmware used directly with physical modchips.
A DMCA notice is not a court ruling. GitHub can remove material on the basis of the notice, while the owner of a repository can submit a counter-notice. Public sources report that the owner of the Picofly project has this option, but that no counter-notice was visible at the time of reporting.
Nor has all modchip software disappeared. TorrentFreak reported that other repositories containing Picofly and HWFLY firmware were still online. The action therefore primarily affected a specific network, not all information about modchips on GitHub or the internet.
For developers, the case touches on the boundary between copyright enforcement and keeping research, repair information and open-source code available. Nintendo emphasises protection against piracy; from that perspective, one objection is that a single notice can lead to the removal of an entire network, raising the question of whether each copy was assessed separately. The legal consequences of the action remain unclear.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Nintendo filed a DMCA notice against a repository containing Picofly firmware.
- GitHub disabled 144 related repositories.
- A DMCA notice is not a court ruling.
- Other repositories containing similar firmware were reportedly still online.
Left
Arguments A platform should enforce copyright without automatically disabling an entire network of copies and forks. Broad removals can affect research, repair and open-source development.
Values Digital rights, access to knowledge, proportionality and independent oversight.
Consequences A broad takedown practice could make developers more cautious and drive legitimate technical projects off platforms.
Centre
Arguments Nintendo must be able to combat piracy and the circumvention of security measures, but GitHub should assess each repository as specifically as possible and keep counter-notices accessible.
Values Legal certainty, proportionate enforcement and the protection of intellectual property.
Consequences Targeted removals can better balance the interests of rights holders and developers than network-wide blocks.
Right
Arguments Nintendo has invested in a closed product and should be able to prevent third parties from bypassing security measures and distributing illegal copies. Platforms must take rights holders’ notices seriously.
Values Property, freedom of contract, market incentives and platform responsibility.
Consequences Weak enforcement could normalise piracy and undermine returns for game developers and publishers.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The factual core has been confirmed by two independent technology media outlets and the public GitHub notice to which they refer. The text explicitly states that a DMCA takedown is not a court ruling.
- confirmed GitHub disabled 144 repositories after a Nintendo notice. — This was reported by TorrentFreak and Video Games Chronicle. source
- confirmed The notice targeted Picofly firmware. — The public notice and the reporting mention the repository Ansem-SoD/Picofly. source
- confirmed The DMCA notice was dated 6 November 2026. — The date is given in reports about the GitHub archive. source
- confirmed Not all modchip firmware was removed. — TorrentFreak described other repositories that were still online. source
Editor's note
The DMCA notice, the number of 144 disabled repositories and the Picofly target have been confirmed. The legal status of the individual repositories has not been definitively established by a court.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „nintendo github”
- NRC — „nintendo github”
- Tweakers — „nintendo github”