Nintendo Disables Network ID Logins After Account Hacking Confirmed

Following numerous user reports over the past few weeks, Nintendo has confirmed that over 160,000 Nintendo Network IDs have been compromised, forcing the company to temporarily disable the ability to log into an account using this method.

Users have been noticing unauthorized login attempts for several weeks now, prompting Nintendo to recommend users activate two-factor authentication to secure their accounts and payment information. Nintendo doesn't, however, suspect that the hacked accounts are due to a breach in Nintendo’s databases, servers, or services. The company is still investigating the source and will begin contacting potentially compromised users to help them reset their passwords.

Nintendo explained in a statement that it doesn't believe payment information was included in the compromise. Nintendo Network IDs store a user's nickname, email, date of birth, gender, and country/region. Some users have reported unauthorized payments made on their accounts with attached payment options (such as PayPal), which is why Nintendo has suspended Network ID logins on all its services. All other methods of logging in are still available.

Although omitted in the English statement provided by Nintendo, the Japanese statement (via Eurogamer) mentions that Nintendo has been aware of the compromised accounts since early April. The company is still investigating further to determine the source, and will reinstate Nintendo Network ID logins when it is safe to do so.

Nintendo recommends resetting your password and activating two-factor authentication in the meantime, and has a help page for anyone who suspects their account might be compromised to work through account recovery.