All good things come to an end. But sometimes this end unfortunately comes much quicker than expected, as we can currently see at Nintendo.
Owners of 3DS and Wii U devices were in for an unpleasant surprise over the holidays when Nintendo began removing online gaming functionality from these devices. This disappointment is all the greater because this decision does not really correspond to the schedule that the Japanese company had set some time ago. A surprise that comes with a small feeling of bitterness.
Nintendo is speeding everything up
In October, Nintendo announced that all online services for Wii U and 3DS would end in April 2024. However, according to Engadget, web access was removed earlier than expected. This decision is part of Nintendo’s plans to phase out this closure. So if you own a Wii U or 3DS, your device may not be affected yet. Engadget points out that the April closing date was never final. The Japanese giant had hinted that this might start “sooner than expected,” so this acceleration isn’t entirely surprising. However, it remains very unpleasant when you imagine that you still have many months to prepare yourself psychologically.
The end of an era
Nintendo also closed the 3DS and Wii U stores in March last year, preventing gamers from purchasing new games for several months. Online gaming and communication features will eventually be disabled for New Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL, New 2DS XL, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, 2DS, Wii U Deluxe and Wii U Basic. Although online gaming will soon disappear, the company plans to continue offering software update downloads and the ability to re-download purchased software and content “for the foreseeable future.”
The shutdown of online services was expected, but still caused great disappointment for many users. On Twitter, people are expressing their regret at the end of these features, especially for games like Splatoon 1 and Mario Kart 8, games that recently came back online. For others, the move is seen as further evidence of Nintendo’s decidedly future direction. Especially with the release of the Nintendo Switch 2.
