Nintendo Announces Shutdown of Online Play for 3DS and Wii U in April

Nintendo has officially declared that online services for its 3DS and Wii U gaming consoles will end on April 8, 2024. This decision comes after the eShop closures for both consoles in March 2023, which discontinued about 1,000 digital-only games. Although the eShop has been shut down, online gaming and ranking services have been operational until now. The closure will particularly affect games with significant online components, like the original Splatoon on Wii U, which will be limited to offline play.

However, certain services such as Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter will maintain online functionality. Nintendo assures that this shutdown will only affect in-game online features, and users will still be able to download software updates and redownload purchased content from the eShops of both consoles for some time. This move signifies a shift in Nintendo's focus towards its newer platforms, like the Nintendo Switch.