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If SMITE keeps crashing, freezing, or showing “The software was closed because an error occurred,” work through Nintendo’s troubleshooting steps below and check the game after each change. These are practical checks—not eleven confirmed SMITE-specific fixes or guaranteed results. The available official guidance does not identify a current SMITE Switch crash cause.
Before you start: note the error and protect your progress
Write down the exact error message or code, and note what you were doing when the game closed. Nintendo advises looking up a specific error separately when one appears; an error code may point to more targeted guidance than a general crash procedure. If the console is still responsive, save any available progress and close the software before maintenance or shutdown.
Follow the instructions and labels shown on your own console. Deleting the game software and deleting save data are different actions: Nintendo says save data is tied to a user account and stored in system memory. Do not choose an initialization option that deletes save data.
11 checks for SMITE crashes on Switch
1. Record the exact message or error code
Capture the wording or code before changing settings. If a code appears, use Nintendo’s support guidance for that specific code rather than assuming every unexpected close has the same cause. Nintendo’s general downloaded-software steps are listed in its guide to freezing or unresponsive downloaded software.
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2. Close and restart SMITE
Close the game, open it again, and check whether the same problem recurs. This is Nintendo’s first-line step for downloaded software that freezes or stops responding. If SMITE closes unexpectedly, Nintendo also recommends testing the game after each troubleshooting step.
3. Restart the console if it is stuck
If the Switch is unresponsive, use the restart instructions in Nintendo’s support article for the situation you are seeing. Nintendo’s general freeze guidance and its unexpected-close procedure give instructions for different scenarios, so do not combine their button-hold durations into one universal rule. Once the console restarts, launch SMITE and check again.
4. Install any Nintendo Switch system update
Check whether the console has a system update and install it if one is available. Nintendo includes updating system software in both its general guidance for downloaded software problems and its steps for the message “The software was closed because an error occurred.”
5. Check for a SMITE software update
From the HOME Menu, check SMITE for a software update and install one if offered. Test the game afterward. Nintendo’s unexpected-close procedure places the software update check after the system update.
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6. Check SMITE for corrupt data
First ensure the Switch system software is up to date. Then follow this exact menu path:
- Open System Settings.
- Select Data Management.
- Select Manage Software.
- Choose SMITE.
- Select Check for Corrupt Data.
Nintendo’s corrupt-data instructions describe this check. If the console reports a problem, follow its prompts; if it reports none, continue with the next applicable step.
7. Save available progress and close software before maintenance
Before shutting down or taking a more involved step, save any progress the game allows and close running software. This is especially important before deleting and reinstalling the game. Nintendo’s save-data guidance explains that save data is associated with a user account and stored in system memory.
8. Delete SMITE software and redownload it if the error continues
If the game still closes after the earlier checks, Nintendo’s instructions for “The software was closed because an error occurred” move on to deleting and redownloading the software. Follow the console’s prompts carefully: remove the game software, not save data. Redownloading takes time and uses storage and an internet connection.
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9. Remove the microSD card and install the redownload to system memory
For this unexpected-close procedure, Nintendo directs players to remove the microSD card before redownloading the software and to install the game to system memory. This is part of Nintendo’s prescribed redownload sequence, not evidence that a particular card or storage setup is the cause of SMITE crashes.
10. Test after each change and note when the crash happens
Launch SMITE after each completed step and check whether the issue remains, as Nintendo recommends. If it recurs, note when it happens—for example, during startup or while playing. This record can make a support request clearer, but it does not by itself establish the cause.
11. Contact Nintendo support if the problem remains
If Nintendo’s steps do not resolve the unexpected close, its guidance is to contact Nintendo support. For a SMITE-specific question, look for a current support channel from Hi-Rez; do not assume that a PC or PlayStation troubleshooting article applies to Switch.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When to consider the save-preserving initialization step
Nintendo’s unexpected-close sequence lists initializing the console without deleting save data only after the restart, update, corrupt-data, and redownload steps. Treat it as a late escalation, follow Nintendo’s exact procedure, and distinguish it from initialization that deletes save data. If you are unsure which option a prompt describes, stop and consult Nintendo support before proceeding. Nintendo’s unexpected-close troubleshooting sequence gives the ordered steps.
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If the update download itself is stuck
A stalled download is different from a crash that occurs while playing. If a system or game update will not progress, Nintendo recommends checking that the console has an active internet connection, closing currently running software, using Update Download Progress from the user page, and restarting if needed. Those are download troubleshooting steps; they do not establish that network equipment fixes an in-game crash. See Nintendo’s stuck software or update download guidance.
What is known about SMITE-specific Switch crashes?
The official Nintendo guidance above is general console troubleshooting, not an explanation of a current SMITE-specific bug. The sources available here do not establish a current Switch crash cause, a verified SMITE workaround, or a success rate for these steps. Older community posts can reflect how players describe the problem, but they are anecdotal and do not confirm causes involving skins, memory, game modes, or a particular patch.
Hi-Rez’s SMITE 2 FAQ, dated August 27, 2024, lists PC (Steam and Epic), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam Deck. Its account-linking instructions, dated January 18, 2025, discuss linking a Switch SMITE 1 account to another supported platform. Neither page establishes SMITE 1’s current Switch availability or confirms a Switch crash fix.
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