Hackers Successfully Run Linux on the Nintendo Switch

[bsaambl]

Now they have a Nintendo Switch Linux tablet.

Today, a group of hackers have successfully got Linux to run on the Nintendo Switch, taking humanity a step towards a future where all computational hardware can run the open-source operating system. 

Hacking collective the fail0verflow first teased a still image of a Nintendo Switch booting Linux a couple weeks ago. It was part of a mission to exploit the Nvidia Tegra processor powering the Nintendo Switch. 

https://twitter.com/fail0verflow/sta...94909304786945

That tease would give way to today's video where Linux proper is fully running on a hacked Nintendo Switch. Judging from the video, the hacked Switch's touch controls are still fully functional, giving the hackers a Nintendo-produced tablet running Linux. 

The video demo shows one of the hackers messing with the system settings, logging into the internet to use Twitter, and running some kind of graphics application just for show. 

https://twitter.com/fail0verflow/sta...54316892119040

Back in January, fail0verflow teased that their Switch coldboot exploit can't be patched in currently released Nintendo Switch hardware, and doesn't require a modchip. The collective has not released instructions on how hackers at home could get Linux to run on their own Switches, nor is it clear that the group ever intends on releasing that information. 

The comments for the video are filled with other hackers prodding the group for information of how they achieved the dream of getting Linux to run on the Switch. There are even a couple hackers saying that they're working on their own Switch Linux workarounds, so this is clearly a project shared by several hackers already.

No doubt, Nintendo isn't too thrilled to see their gaming console hacked to run a foreign operating system. So far there haven't been any cracks to the console to let players boot pirated games, although previous Nintendo hardware like the Wii have been cracked by pirates before. But hey, Hack the planet!