On March 27th, 2023, the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U and 3DS game consoles permanently closed its digital doors. This move had been quietly announced by Nintendo over a year ago, with the company citing the “natural life cycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time” as the reason behind the closure.
While the closure was expected, it is still a significant loss for Nintendo fans. The eShop was one of the last affordable and convenient options for buying a vast library of games, including modern and classic titles from a dozen platforms such as the Wii U, 3DS, Wii, DS and DSi, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo, and original Nintendo Entertainment System. With the eShop’s closure, consumers have lost easy access to these games, and finding and playing older games is becoming increasingly difficult.
This loss is particularly painful for retro gaming enthusiasts. Used game prices have shot up dramatically since March of 2020, with retro game prices increasing by 33% in just a year, according to a 2021 analysis from Pricecharting.com. Additionally, the retro market has been flooded with bootleg cartridges, making it challenging to differentiate between genuine and counterfeit products.
Digital storefronts like the Nintendo eShop offered an affordable alternative to playing classic and recent games legally. For example, Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Wii can cost between $80 and $90 for a physical copy, while a digital copy was available on the Wii U eShop for just $19.99. Losing access to these affordable digital libraries will make it increasingly difficult for consumers to legally play some of these consoles’ best games.
While the time to argue for keeping the aging eShop open has passed, it is worth reflecting on what consumers have lost with its closure. The eShop was one of the last affordable, convenient, and legal options for purchasing a vast library of games. With its closure, accessing and playing these games will become more challenging and expensive, making it a significant loss for Nintendo fans.
