3DS and Wii U Online Play Shutting Down in Early April 2024 - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 04 October 2023 / 3,506 Views
Nintendo announced it will be shutting down online services for the 3DS and Wii U in early April 2024. The online services include online cooperative play, internet rankings, and data distribution.
The Pokémon Bank will continue to function, however, it "may also end at some point in the future."
"In early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software," reads the announcement. "This also includes online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution."
As of early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 4, 2023
Find out more: https://t.co/nOyzBImHCE
Read a Q&A from Nintendo below:
Will I still be able to play offline even after online services end?
Yes. Players will still be able to use features and game modes that do not require online communication.
Will any online services still be available even after online services generally end?
It will still be possible to use online services for the following software but that may also end at some point in the future.
- Pokémon Bank
Are you also ending online services for software from publishers other than Nintendo?
With some exceptions, online services will end for all Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Please contact publishers for information about the online services for their software.
Will it still be possible to download update data or purchased software?
For the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to download update data and redownload purchased software and downloadable content from Nintendo eShop.
When online services end, will StreetPass and SpotPass no longer be available either?
StreetPass uses local communication between Nintendo 3DS family systems, meaning that it will still be available even after online services end. However, because SpotPass uses online communication, SpotPass features will no longer be available.
For example, you will be able to use StreetPass in StreetPass Mii Plaza, which is pre-installed on Nintendo 3DS family systems, but you will no longer be able to use features that use online communication (such as receiving new panels in Puzzle Swap).
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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3DS was discontinued only 3 years ago. This is far way too early to shut down online play
I mean that's 13 years since it came out. Seems like plenty of time. And it may only be 3 years since discontinued but it'll have been 6 years since it was selling in any real amount.
6 years still way too early for killing online play
Still far to early.
Microsoft still has the Xbox 360 online and that came out in 2005 and stopped production in 2016.
Sony still has the Playstation 3 online and that came out in 2006 and stopped in 2017.
Those consoles came out almost 18 years ago and stopped production 6 and 7 years ago respectively.
Granted both Microsoft and Sony look to close those consoles online systems in the near future, but they have had a stupidly good run.
The Xbox One and Playstation 4 might have their online systems "available" even longer than that, because the Xbox Series and Playstation 5 are using the same infrastructure and backbone... And digital is as important as ever.
I would like Nintendo to support their online systems a little longer, it will be interesting to see how they handle Switch as it has a much much much larger install base to draw revenue from for years to come.
Way too early for 3DS. Like a decade too early. Too early for WiiU too.
Sony and Microsoft are still providing a higher level of service than this on the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Looks like they'd like to create space for their upcoming system.
Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end, we'd sing and laugh forever and a day.
im sure modders will bring it back you can still play call of duty on the wii and its still active today
just a question, buy how many people here play 3ds online or at all?
Sad that I lose online functionality for the last Pokemon game that I really enjoyed but realistically I haven’t played it online in ages and also will still have the Battle atree.
