Nintendo of America announced in the early hours of this Wednesday the discontinuation of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop on a global scale. After the closure of the services of both platforms in some Latin American countries last April 2020, the Japanese firm has made the decision to close the purchase and code exchange services in the international versions of the digital store of its platforms. last generation at the end of March 2023. We tell you all the details and information below.
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The end of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop, and now what?
Scheduled for the month of March 2023, users of New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL, New Nintendo 2DS XL, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 2DS, Wii U Deluxe and Wii U Basic (all existing models of the two families of consoles) will not be able to make purchases in the Nintendo eShop. It will also not be possible to download free content, demos included (if it is the first time we have acquired them). In addition, as of the closing date, the following services will cease their activity:
- As of May 23, 2022, it will no longer be possible to use credit cards to add funds to an account in Nintendo eShop on Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family systems.
- As of August 29, 2022, it will no longer be possible to use Nintendo eShop cards to add funds to a Nintendo eShop account on Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family systems. However, it will still be possible to redeem download codes until the end of March 2023.
- It will not be possible to download free demos.
- It will not be possible to make purchases of video games or additional downloadable content ( DLC).
- StreetPass Mii Plaza, Theme Shop and Nintendo Badge Arcade will no longer allow the purchase of microtransactions.
What will happen to content already purchased on 3DS and Wii U?
Yes, it will be possible to continue downloading previously purchased games, demos and DLC on both Wii U and 3DS. All previously purchased content will still be downloadable as normal after March 2023. Also updates.
“Even after the end of March 2023, and for the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to re-download games and DLC, receive software updates and enjoy online play on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems” .
Online servers are not closed, however: games with online options will remain active until further notice.
What will happen to the money I have in my Nintendo Network ID account?
All users who have funds in their Nintendo Network ID (the official name for financial transactions on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U family of systems) will be able to migrate their funds by linking their NNID to their Nintendo Account (the name used in the Nintendo Switch family of consoles) from the end of March 2023, the date on which the services of the platforms that are currently protagonists will be closed.
When asked why this announcement is being made now, in February 2022, Nintendo explains on the official website: “We are providing this notice more than a year before the end of purchases so that users have time enough to prepare.”
More information | Nintendo of America