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Do those characteristics somehow automatically equate to some expectation about the hackability of the device? Must hardware creators cater to a niche part of their user base just because they use those components?

Don’t get me wrong. I like to tinker, and I’ve had plenty of fun using hardware for unintended use cases. But I don’t understand the seeming entitlement that some feel that Nintendo is not worthy of their purchase.

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In a vacuum, allowing for hackability is easier than building a walled garden. Locking a device down requires hardware and software to be developed that would otherwise be unnecessary. From that perspective, it's understandable that some people feel entitled to be able to use the hardware they paid for in whatever way they please.

Of course, in the real world, hardware like the Switch is subsidized by publishing fees and the like. I imagine that that revenue must outweigh the R&D costs of gimping the device.

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