Nintendo has announced that it will be shutting down its dedicated online servers for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS platforms in a few months , meaning that all features dependent on an internet connection will cease to function permanently. This will leave players without features they've been using, so if you want to know what will happen, keep reading.
The generational blackout
This is a practice that often applies to Nintendo consoles, as the giant typically performs generational clean-up to save costs and eliminate unnecessary expenses . The Nintendo 3DS was an incredible console that sold nearly 80 million units worldwide, but since the company stopped manufacturing them in 2020, the console has been in inevitable decline to this day.
There are many players around the world who continue to use it every day, but the needs are very different, and probably the majority do not use the connectivity functions. That is why Nintendo is going to cease online services for it and for the Wii U, which since the launch of the Switch has also been irremediably affected. And the years go by for everyone. Including consoles.
Closing date
Online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games will cease operations in April 2024 , specifically at the beginning of the month. The company will provide further details later, specifying the exact date and time of the shutdown.
Will the games still work?
Games that you have installed or on cartridge format will continue to work without problems, as long as they do not require features that require online communication. The only feature that may continue to work (unless changes are made later) is Pokémon Bank.
What happens to the digital games I have on my account?
The Nintendo eShop will continue to function as a distribution method for games, so your digital library will remain available "for the time being." Updates released in recent years will also be available, although again, the company emphasizes this with " for the time being ."
What about StreetPass and SpotPass?
The social features that Nintendo introduced on the 3DS will only work partially. On the one hand, StreetPass will continue to function as it has until now, since its communication is based on transfers between 3DS consoles without the need for the internet.
SpotPass, on the other hand, needs an internet connection to work, so it will stop being available as soon as Nintendo's services cease to operate.
Some consoles to remember
Although the Wii U was not as successful a product as the Wii or Switch, the console received very good games in its cycle. Nintendo 3DS, on the other hand, introduced the possibility of playing with 3D effects, and the unmistakable portability of the Nintendo DS, making it one of the best portables of all time.
Now we know that their days are numbered, but at least we hope that everything is due to a restructuring to receive a new console. Could this be another indication of Switch 2?
Source : Nintendo