Nintendo has deployed Nintendo Switch system update 16.0.2 and here’s what this update does both officially and unofficially.
This new firmware version should be available for download now, and in most cases, it will be downloaded automatically. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to see here as Nintendo only makes mention of, once again, more system stability improvements. Other changes haven’t been listed in Nintendo’s official release notes for this system update. Due to the patch notes being quite minimal, we haven’t bothered to include them below. Releasing minor updates packing stability improvements has become common practice from Nintendo and the last major system update appears to have been last year’s 14.0.0 update, which added new “Groups” features as well as changes to Bluetooth audio. As some of you might know, Sony has been doing this for years as well with minor firmware PlayStation updates.
As always, however, we also have various undocumented changes that come with a new firmware update. This is also the case with Switch System update 16.0.2, as mentioned by Switch miner ‘OatMealDome’ on Twitter. Apparently, this new system update updates the bad words list in the Japanese bad words list, and there’s an update to the SSL module which is likely to address an encountered memory leak. “According to SwitchBrew contributors, one function in the SSL system module was modified to add a call to free()”, the Twitter post from OatMealDome reads. “This likely fixes a memory leak.”
Other under-the-hood changes haven’t been mentioned.
[Nintendo Switch Firmware Update]
Version 16.0.2 is now out.
The bad words list and the SSL module (handles establishing secure connections to servers) was updated.
The word “adhd” was added to the Japanese bad words list. No other languages were affected.
— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) April 18, 2023
The Nintendo Switch is available globally now. Nintendo released its original hybrid platform in 2017. Since then, Nintendo has released a Lite model, and more recently, the Switch OLED model. A limited Zelda-themed version of this OLED model will be released later this month to celebrate the upcoming release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
