By 
We suppose it was only a matter of time – after more than a decade of being connected, Nintendo has announced that it will be shutting down official support for online services for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, at 4pm PDT on April 8, 2024. Simply put, users will no longer be able to access online play and other related functionality for their consoles. An official post on Nintendo’s support page reads:
“At 4pm PDT on April 8, 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. This also includes online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution.”
The Nintendo 3DS and Wii U were launched back in February 2011 and November 2012 respectively, although the 3DS proved to be a more successful system in the long run in terms of profits and developer support. Nevertheless, both systems each gained a significant following, especially among Nintendo’s loyal fanbase.
Can I Still Download Games?
Last year, Nintendo ended eShop support for the 3DS and Wii U systems, meaning that gamers can no longer purchase new games and DLC digitally for their systems. With that being said, you can still download update data, as well as redownload purchased software and downloadable content from the eShop, that is until Nintendo decides to shut down those as well (fingers crossed that they don’t).
What Else still Works?
Players can still access online services for the Poke Bank and Poke Transporter, as the two are used to transfer Pokemon from select 3DS titles to the Nintendo Switch. Likewise, 3DS Streetpass is still accessible as the technology works locally and on-device; on the other hand, Spotpass will no longer be accessible as it uses online communication services. Of course, games will still be playable offline, as long as you have a digital/physical copy.
Source: Nintendo
Comments