The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS eShops will be discontinued in “late March 2023,” Nintendo announced today, effectively closing off access to a host of content that can only be found on those platforms.
The shutdown will be a multi-stage process that will last through 2022 and until 2023. The specific dates are as follows:
May 23, 2022: It will no longer be possible to add funds using a credit card to a 3DS/Wii U eShop account.
August 29, 2022: It will no longer be possible to use an eShop card to add funds. However, it will still be possible to redeem download codes.
Late March 2023: It will no longer be possible to make purchases, download demos or themes, redeem a download code, or add funds.
If you’re worried about your existing library of eShop games, the good news is that you will be able to redownload content you already own as well as existing software updates. However, it will be impossible to purchase new games.
The discontinuation of the Wii U/3DS eshop will remove access to 1799 titles currently available on the eShop. They include Virtual Console releases for the GBA as well as a host of other unique updates, such as the 3D Classics remakes. While many 3DS and Wii U games can be purchased physically, the eShop closure will put additional pressure on supply and raise prices across the board.
One element of Nintendo’s FAQ addresses the company’s obligation to classic game preservation. The statement — now deleted — directs fans to Nintendo Switch Online, saying that Nintendo “currently have no plans to offer classic content in other ways.”
“We think this is an effective way to make classic content easily available to a broad range of players,” the statement read. “Within these libraries, new and longtime players can not only find games they remember or have heard about, but other fun games they might not have thought to see out otherwise.”
The statement came under fire from Nintendo fans on Twitter and is currently unavailable on Nintendo’s website.
Nintendo has no plans to offer classic content in other ways. They believe the Switch Online Membership plans are an effective way to make classic content available
More info: https://t.co/oRRYap8cIl pic.twitter.com/OSQm0rfZOC
— Wario64 (@Wario64) February 16, 2022
PlayStation fans faced a similar predicament in 2021 when Sony announced that it was discontinuing support for the PS3 and Vita stores. In a remarkable reversal, though, Sony ultimately decided to keep the stores open, with CEO Jim Ryan saying that it was “clear that we made the wrong decision here.”
Nintendo’s decision to shutdown the 3DS and Wii U follows the closure of the Wii Shop, which shuttered in 2019. The Wii U’s Miiverse, the system’s online social service, also closed in 2017.
Nintendo’s decision to remove access to digital releases once again raises questions about game preservation and other issues, which have become more persistent as physical releases have waned. For the most part, it’s been up to the fans to maintain digital services after they are abandoned by platform holders. The Nintendo Switch will no doubt suffer a similar fate at some point in the future.
In the meantime, if you’re feeling nostalgic, Nintendo is offering a service that allows you to see your Wii U and 3DS memories. You can also see our list of the 25 best Wii U games as well as the 25 best 3DS games. Use those lists to find the games that you want to download and keep, because they won’t be easily accessible for much longer.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN
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