In April 2024, Nintendo plans to shut down all online services for the Wii U and 3DS in preparation for the release of its new console.
A specific date for this closure has yet to be chosen. This announcement comes not too long after the inevitable closure of the 3DS eShop earlier this year. The massive shutdown is likely to coincide with the long-awaited release of the Switch’s successor console, cementing Nintendo’s desire to focus on the future.
What Is Entailed in This Shutdown?
The shutdown of the 3DS and Wii U’s online functions will be virtually all-encompassing. This will include all online multiplayer, online rankings and data distribution, all of which are major functions of players’ connection to one another. The 3DS’ Wi-Fi system, SpotPass, is to be shut down as well. Nintendo has made it clear that this extends to all third-party software as well, though curious users should still ask the publishers of said software for more information.
Despite the breadth of this, individual devices will still be able to play already inserted or downloaded games and perform other offline functions. The 3DS’ StreetPass system, which only relies on connections between local devices, will be spared from the shutdown. One of the other few exceptions to this is the Pokémon Bank feature, which allows players to store, collect and transfer their Pokémon across console generations. However, even this will be shut down eventually according to Nintendo.
What This Will Mean for the Future of Wii U and 3DS Games
Even as the Wii U and 3DS fall further and further to the wayside, the love for these older consoles has yet to dwindle or vanish entirely. As the years go by, both the 3DS and Wii U are seen as less outdated and more nostalgic and vintage. Perhaps the most infamous example of this in recent memory is one collector’s $1600 purchase of an old Barbie spinoff game.
There are still many players who enjoy the older games from these consoles, and with the discontinuation of these consoles and the shutdown of the eShop, many unique titles from these consoles are at risk of being lost forever unless re-released onto the Switch or other modern devices. Further raising these concerns is the lack of promise for backward compatibility for the Switch’s successor, which is a vital service for preserving games over the years.
Source: Nintendo
