Switch Consoles and Theft at Tournaments

[Jampen Gage]

With Smash Ultimate around the corner and my hype being ever so high for tournaments (due to the fact that I can drive now) I want to discus a topic that kinda interested me. I was just daydreaming about all the tournaments I wanted to go to, then I remembered a topic that was posted a few months to a Facebook group I was in. As all us should know, the Vanilla Switch doc doesn't prevent the switch from being taken out of (obviously). Now with other consoles like the Wii U, Wii, GameCube, and N64, this isn't really a problem because well... all those cables kinda give away a plot to steal a switch; but with a Switch, a theft can just yoink that sucker and leave the venue, leaving the owner heartbroken, but most importantly...
SWITCHLESS
This can become a huge problem a big events because you can't really keep an eye on your console running from place to place, sometimes not even having the time to look after your switch. That's why I wanted to discuss the topic before the first major.

Here's what I got:

• Spoiler: BYOS (Bring Your Own Switch)

  Now to be 100% honest, I think we need to do BYOS. It's the most safest way, because how can your Switch be stolen, if you always have it?This is probably what Tournament Organizers are gonna do for Majors, since theft is a thing. Now this isn't perfect. Some people play with their roommates or share a Switch, so they might get left out because they don't have a Switch. Their are ways to get around this like sharing asking someone if they can do a set on their console, but this may slow down the process of the tournament.
• Spoiler: Switch Police

  WOOP WOOP THATS THE SOUND OF THE POLICE! This option is pretty fun and can be enforced at Locals, have select people Police the setups, so nobody tries to pull anything, literally. Just have a well respected member of your local scene to regularly check up on everything, to make sure nothing goes missing.
• Spoiler: Secure Your Switch

  This option should really only be used if not enough people have Switches, the venue is big, and/or there is a lot of "sticky fingers" at your scene. One idea that the Original Facebook post had, was to Zip-Tie them to the doc. Now to me, that sounds like overkill, but if you got no other options, then go for it!

Those are my ideas, but this wouldn't be a discussion if I didn't ask the readers. So what do you all think? Are my options fine, or do you have way better knowledge this For Glory Scrub? Let me know!

I also made a poll to for voting so yeah.

Thank you for reading my first Forum post. I wish I posted more often, but I kinda fell out of the Sm4sh scene when my Wii U stopped working; and with Smash Ultimate coming, I can finally get back to playing a series I love competitively playing in.
THANK YOU!

 

[Cyn]

I saw this on Nintendolife.

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...console_and_game_card_slot_under_lock_and_key

Can be purchased on Etsy here. The latch can also be moved to the end of the system to cover game card slot to protect the gamecard as well.

 

[SmasherMaster]

I voted other because I think that it depends on the venue.

 

[Quazwx]

Having people keeping an eye at the console seems like the most effective to me, but I would still recommend what Cyndane shared, because not all consoles will be on their sight at all moments, especially on majors.

 

[fewmets]

While I'm sure it'll be a problem I don't think it'll be as big a problem as people first think. Switch consoles are far more available than they were last year so that side of things is cut down and you'd be stealing just a switch body with no controllers, no cables, no chargers, etc.

I'm sure it'll happen but surveillance and keeping your eyes open is typically the best way to prevent theft like this.

 

[Mic_128]

The BYO Switch option also increases the ease of stealing a Switch. There's more around to take and it would be not uncommon to see people walking around with em, so you'd notice it even less.

 

[Deleted member]

Not sure about its viablity in the case of theft, but I think bringing your own Switch to local events would be good for recording progress on players' profiles. Might even be able to exchange Smash Tags through local wireless matches! How cute.

The dock lock is a good solution too, though. I was gonna bring it up before I saw that someone already did.

 

[Kholdstare]

I don't frequent Smash tourneys, do competitors have to bring their own Gamecubes, Wiis, WiiUs, or N64s? I think Switches should be treated like those consoles are.

 

[fewmets]

I don't frequent Smash tourneys, do competitors have to bring their own Gamecubes, Wiis, WiiUs, or N64s? I think Switches should be treated like those consoles are.

Sometimes they did in small local comps. Never afaik at bigger professionally organized events.

But you're also talking about home consoles vs handhelds. The 3DS comps they did in the early days of Sm4sh, and if you wanted to use the 3DS as a controller for Wii-U Sm4sh, you needed to bring your own.

 

[Kholdstare]

Sometimes they did in small local comps. Never afaik at bigger professionally organized events.

But you're also talking about home consoles vs handhelds. The 3DS comps they did in the early days of Sm4sh, and if you wanted to use the 3DS as a controller for Wii-U Sm4sh, you needed to bring your own.

Well if that's the case then the Switch is almost a wider 3DS XL. You run the same risk of getting your Switch stolen as you do your 3DS so I'd apply the same rules governing a 3DS tournament there.

 

[staindgrey]

Well if that's the case then the Switch is almost a wider 3DS XL. You run the same risk of getting your Switch stolen as you do your 3DS so I'd apply the same rules governing a 3DS tournament there.

Not really. You can't use the 3DS to project onto a bigger screen; everyone participating brought their own 3DS console, to my knowledge, and when you're not competing, you just fold it up and put it in your pocket.

The Switch, you leave in a dock all day for other competitors to use. Tournaments could use a "bring your own Switch" rule and force every match to undock one Switch and dock another to avoid theft, but that just seems like it would add an unnecessary amount of time between matches, and you'd have a lot of backpacks with Switches in them. That seems even more ripe for thievery than leaving a single Switch docked.

I think the peripheral Cyn showed is the best option for TOs to use, personally. Treat it like any other home console at a videogame tournament, but bolt it in.

 

[zerossoul]

As far as stealing the cartridge, this is one perk of buying the digital version of the game. It can't be stolen.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I can't remember which TO it was, but he Tweeted out a pic of simply using a zip tie. Simple. Effective. Cheap.