A security researcher has shown a software-only hack that partly unlocks the Nintendo Switch 2, according to Ars Technica and Kotaku.

The researcher, Sammy Hajhamid, goes by Pepsipu online, Ars Technica reported. He says the hack "lets us run homebrew, reverse engineer and mod Switch 2 games, back up save files off the Switch," Ars Technica said.

The hack uses SmileBasic 4, a coding app made for the first Switch, Ars Technica reported. Kotaku said it relies on a Switch 1 game that runs on the newer console.

Hajhamid said he used OpenAI's Codex to probe the app's code, Ars Technica and Kotaku reported. It took "substantial effort" for about two weeks, the outlets said. His setup found a math error in SmileBasic that opened up parts of the system's memory, Ars Technica said. He then found a second flaw that gave him deeper control.

To show it off, he added new modded characters to Mario Kart World, the outlets reported.

The hack is "tethered," the outlets reported. That means it is not permanent and must be redone every time the Switch 2 starts. Ars Technica said it also needs a Mac or Linux computer on the same network.

Kotaku said the hack is still far from an easy way for most people to jailbreak their consoles. Because the game used in the hack has been named, Nintendo could remove it from its store, Kotaku said, citing WCCF Tech.

Kotaku said such hacks are often sold as a way to run homebrew games but are driven far more by piracy. Kotaku said it asked Nintendo for comment.

The first Switch was also cracked soon after launch, but through a hardware flaw Nintendo could not patch, Kotaku reported.

What we know: A researcher has shown a partial, software-only jailbreak of the Switch 2.
What we don't: How Nintendo will respond, and whether the hack can be made permanent.