Nintendo has announced plans to shut down online services for its 3DS and Wii U consoles in “early April 2024.” This move comes after the closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops earlier in the year. The discontinuation of online services will affect multiplayer features, online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution for games on these consoles. Additionally, Nintendo’s Badge Arcade, which allowed users to decorate their 3DS home menu, will also be discontinued. While the date is not final, Nintendo has indicated that services may be discontinued earlier than planned.
Key Points:
- Nintendo is ending online services for its 3DS and Wii U consoles in “early April 2024,” affecting various aspects of online gameplay and features.
- Multiplayer features, online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution for games will no longer be available.
- The Pokémon Bank cloud storage service will continue to operate, though its future is uncertain.
- Users will still be able to redownload previously purchased games and receive patches “for the foreseeable future.”
- Nintendo temporarily suspended online play for Wii U titles like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon in March 2023 to address security issues before restoring them in August.
- SpotPass features will be discontinued, but StreetPass interactions will continue to work between 3DS devices as long as other players are available.
- The 3DS was launched in 2010 and discontinued in 2020, while the Wii U, released in 2012, was discontinued in 2017.
