Nintendo confirmed that 160,000 user accounts have been hacked since the start of this month. As a result, Nintendo is locking the option to log into a Nintendo account via a Nintendo Network ID (NNID). Laptop Mag reported on Nintendo Switch accounts getting hacked earlier this week, providing a guide on how to prevent further breaches.
Nintendo says login IDs and passwords "obtained illegally by some means other than our service," started getting hacked at the beginning of April. Details such as nicknames, date of birth, country and email addresses were all up for grabs in this breach.
For the accounts that were affected, users will be notified by email and have their passwords reset. As mentioned earlier, you won't be able to log in through an NNID, either. We recommend changing your password to something you don't already use and enabling two-factor authentication.
For those who are unaware, NNIDs were used on the Wii U and 3DS. While the Nintendo Switch has a different account system, you could still link your NNID to your Nintendo Switch (at least, up until now).
In the email Nintendo will send to users, the company warns that if you had the same password for your NNID and Nintendo account that "your balance and registered credit card / PayPal may be illegally used at My Nintendo Store or Nintendo eShop."
Be sure to check your Nintendo Switch, along with your credit card or PayPal statements. If there's a charge on there that you're unaware of, contact Nintendo immediately and the company will cancel the charge. We reported this week that hackers recently made off with up to $100 worth of Fortnite VBucks.
