Device bricking

2025-08-12T17:26:37Z

2804:14C:3F87:8976:50A8:966F:5ABA:73AC: added reference to planned obsolescence and a heading to recent cases of device bricking

A device being "[https://foundershield.com/insurance-terms/definition/bricking/#:~:text=Bricking%20is%20a%20term%20that,which%20renders%20the%20device%20useless. Bricked]" means the device has been rendered entirely unusable. The act of "Device Bricking" is specifically a company-side action meant to prevent a consumer from using a device they purchased if they attempt to do anything that [https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-revises-user-agreement-and-if-you-break-it-nintendo-reserves-the-right-to-brick-your-switch#:~:text=You%20acknowledge%20that%20if%20you%20fail%20to%20comply%20with%20the%20foregoing%20restrictions%20Nintendo%20may%20render%20the%20Nintendo%20Account%20Services%20and/or%20the%20applicable%20Nintendo%20device%20permanently%20unusable%20in%20whole%20or%20in%20part.%22 goes against the terms of service the company sets] for their devices, seen from the release of the Switch 2 from [[Nintendo]]. The act is intended to prevent "[https://www.techopedia.com/definition/10649/homebrew Homebrewed]" devices (devices with unofficial, third-party or user-created modifications) from being created and to try to discourage piracy and hacking.

Device bricking also occurs very commonly as a result of [[Planned obsolescence]], where a company's goal is to force the consumer to buy and replace the old, now unusable, product with a new one.

== Recent cases of Device bricking ==

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Device bricking