Nintendo has announced that the Wii U and 3DS eShops will be closing soon. However, the service won’t shut down all at once. Instead, the company is shutting down the eShops in stages, which means much of their functionality will be unavailable sooner rather than later. Read on below to see the dates the Wii U eShop and 3DS eShop will shut down.
What date will the Wii U eShop and 3DS eShop shut down?
As of late March 2023, it will no longer be possible to make Nintendo eShop purchases for the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
More info: https://t.co/uGoxCcDZ70
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 16, 2022
The Nintendo Wii U and 3DS eShops will shut down entirely in “late March 2023.” The Nintendo Support page announcing the closure doesn’t give a specific day, but it does state:
“As of late March 2023, it will no longer be possible to make purchases in Nintendo eShop for the Wii U system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. It will also no longer be possible to download free content, including game demos.”
However, the company will remove some functionality before that date. On May 23, 2022, users lose the ability to use a credit card to add funds to an account in the eShop on Wii U and 3Ds. After that, users can add funds to their systems with Nintendo eShop Cards, but only until August 29, 2022. After that, users will have to link their Nintendo Network ID wallet and Nintendo Account wallets and use the shared balance to purchase content.
Can I still redownload my games
In late March 2023, the eShop will close. Content will not be available for purchase, and download codes can’t be redeemed after that time. However, users will be able to redownload any games and DLC they already own, updates will still be available, and online play will continue as normal.
Why is the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS eShops closing?
The only reasoning Nintendo has given for shutting down the eShop on the Wii U and 3DS is:
“This is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.”
This is the future for all consoles. Eventually, support will end for them, and that’s the reality we’re having to face as the first wave of digital storefronts are closed.
