March 30, 2024

When is 3DS and Wii U Online shutting down? Nintendo eShop & Online Play Closing Guide

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Nintendo has shut down the Wii U and 3DS eShops in 2023, meaning you can no longer buy digital games on either platform. Online gaming for these consoles is scheduled to end on April 8, 2024.

Support for credit card payments on these eShops ended earlier on May 23, 2022, and Nintendo eShop Cards could no longer be redeemed as of August 29, 2022.

Here’s all the information you need in one handy 3DS/Wii U shutdown guide.

3DS and Wii U eShop/Online Shutdown Guide – When, How, WHY?!?!

Wii U / New Nintendo 3DS — *Image: Nintendo Life*

When does online play end for 3DS and Wii U?

Online play for 3DS and Wii U will no longer work after this April 8, 2024. Online features and functions in any game that has them will no longer work.

This means that online play and any other functionality that uses online communication will break for the 3DS and Wii U software. This includes PvP versus matches, co-op play, leaderboards, and data distribution.

Specifically, you won’t be able to play online races in Mario Kart 7 or visit friends’ towns in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Stuff like that.

Which 3DS and Wii U models does this apply to?

All of them.

So that includes the 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.

Which 3DS and Wii U games will be affected?

Well, a lot. But if you want a quick rundown of some of the most popular online titles on each system, here’s a quick breakdown:

Popular 3DS online games

Popular Wii U online games

Can I still play 3DS and Wii U games offline?

Yes, although all modes that require internet connections or communication of any kind will no longer work.

So you’ll be able to play Splatoon’s single-player component, for example, but online matches won’t be available.

What about StreetPass and Spotpass on 3DS?

StreetPass will work, but Spotpass will not.

StreetPass uses local communication between 3DS consoles, meaning it is not tied to online services. Theoretically, therefore, it should remain functional indefinitely, although we cannot claim this with 100% certainty.

SpotPass, however, works use online communication, so it will no longer work after April 2024. So you will no longer be able to receive new boards in Puzzle Swap (although you should still be able to get the missing puzzle pieces for boards you already have via StreetPass, if you meet someone who has the piece you need).

Here’s the correct answer via Nintendo its official support pagewhich also covers SpotPass:

StreetPass uses local communication between Nintendo 3DS family systems, meaning it will continue to be available even after the online services end. However, because SpotPass uses online communications, SpotPass features will no longer be available.
For example, you will be able to use StreetPass in StreetPass Mii Plazawhich 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 tiles in Puzzle Swap).

Will this also affect Nintendo Badge Arcade on 3DS?

Yes – Nintendo has stated that along with the discontinuation of online services for 3DS and Wii U, the Nintendo Badge Arcade features will also end in April 2024.

After the service ends, the app will display an error message when launched, so you won’t be able to use it at all, including Practice Catcher.

Nintendo also stated that it will no longer be possible to place badges in the badge box, meaning that users will only have access to a maximum of 100 categories and 1000 badges that are in the badge box. It is recommended that users finish setting up badges before April 2024 and also back up any additional data to multiple SD cards.

Can I still download the games again?

As long as you already own the game on 3DS or Wii U, you’ll be able to download it again from the eShop “in due course”.

This means that a retake is still possible after April 2024, but we don’t know for how long.

Can I still download software updates?

Software updates will also be available “in the foreseeable future.”

Can I still download the free software?

Freeware, including “free to run” software like Nintendo Badge Arcade, is no longer available for download as of March 2023. It’s gone with the rest of the games.

Can I still add funds to buy games?

No, from March 2023. adding funds to the 3DS and Wii U eShops is no longer possible.

Before that date, you could still add funds if your Nintendo Network ID (used on 3DS and Wii U) was linked to your Nintendo Account (used on Switch). If so, your eShop funds are split between the Nintendo Switch eShop and the 3DS/Wii U eShops.

You had until March 11, 2024 to link your 3DS and Wii U Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account.

Does it affect physical games?

No, network functionality aside, physical games will still work fine. As long as you take good care of them.

Can I still buy Nintendo eShop cards that say they are for Wii U/3DS? Will it work on Switch?

If you visit a store that still sells Wii U and 3DS eShop cards, you can still buy them — they’ll work fine on the Nintendo Switch, and you’ll be able to enter the codes on the Switch eShop.

Can I still buy in-game content?

After March 2023, you cannot purchase in-game content, including:

All from Nintendo Badge Arcade
StreetPass Mii Plaza DLC games
All themes from the 3DS theme store
Pokémon Bank Annual Pass
Passes and DLC for various Wii Sports Club sports

Pokémon Bank will become a free service after March 2023, though, so you probably shouldn’t be paying for it anyway. It will remain available after the final online date (April 8, 2024), although The Pokémon Company encourages players to transfer their collection to Pokémon HOME.

The Poké Transporter will also continue to function for an undisclosed period beyond April 2024.

Can I use codes to download the game?

You cannot redeem the download codes after March 2023.

Can I still download and buy 3DS themes?

Yes and no. You can’t buy new ones after March 2023, but you can download “a small number of free themes”.

Which means all those SEGA-themed baddies are gone, unfortunately.

Will I still be able to transfer my 3DS system after the online shutdown?

That!

System transfers between 3DS consoles — which migrate all your digital game purchases and licenses, saves and other information to different 3DS systems — require an Internet connection and authentication through Nintendo’s servers.

We asked for clarification and Nintendo UK confirmed it 3DS system downloads will continue to be possible after the online service shuts down in April 2024 with the following statement:

“Yes, Nintendo 3DS porting will continue to be available for the foreseeable future.”

When did the Wii U eShop close down?

The Wii U eShop is closed March 27, 2023. If you are wondering, ‘Why isn’t the Wii U eShop working?’ that will be the reason.

When did the 3DS eShop close?

Same here — the 3DS eShop is closed March 27, 2023.

Purchases of Fire Emblem Fates from the 3DS eShop were previously stopped February 28, 2023 thanks to the requirement that you play up to a certain point in the game before choosing a path and deciding which version of the game to play. Additional DLC was available until the date of the eShop’s complete shutdown on March 27th, though apparently that is no longer available now either.

Why is this happening?

Here’s Nintendo’s statement on the eShop shutdown:

“This is part of the natural life cycle of any product line as consumers use it less and less over time. We send this notice more than a year before the purchase is complete to give customers plenty of time to prepare.”

Does this affect the Nintendo Switch eShop?

No, the Nintendo Switch eShop will still work fine. Who knows, maybe it will work even better now that Nintendo has more free servers, but let’s not count our eShop chickens before they hatch.

But no. Realistically, it has no effect on the Switch eShop.

What about virtual console?

Unfortunately, Virtual Consoles — which featured more than 530 classic games available for purchase and download — will no longer exist as of March 2023.

Nintendo’s FAQ on the subject of eShop closures initially hinted at this, but the details were soon removed from the page. Here’s what they originally said (you can too click here to access the archived page yourself):

Once it’s no longer possible to purchase software from the Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, many classic games for past platforms will no longer be available for purchase anywhere. Will you be making classic games available to own in some other way? If not, why? Doesn’t Nintendo have an obligation to preserve their classic games by making them available for purchase all the time?

Our Nintendo Switch Online membership plans currently have over 130 classic games available in our growing libraries for various legacy systems. Games are often enhanced with new features such as online play.

We think this is an effective way to make classic content easily accessible to a wide range of players. Within these libraries, new and long-time players can not only find games they remember or have heard of, but also other fun games they might not otherwise have thought to look for.

We currently have no plans to offer classic content in other ways.

What do you mean they removed this section from the FAQ? We can’t say. We can hope that the Virtual Console will return one day, but for now it’s just a hope.

Nintendo’s position is that the Nintendo Switch Online service will replace the Virtual Console, and with the addition of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64 games, the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service has grown since launch.

So, in short: the eShop is already gone, and online gaming is about to be discontinued. All digital media is transient, so play video games while you can. And if possible, buy them physically — because who knows when they will be cruelly ripped from you.

We have guides for exactly who games you should have considered before they left the building (here’s our list of the best 3DS eShop exclusives to get you started, plus some Wii U and DSiWare equivalents), but sadly, they’re no longer available for purchase.

If you have additional questions, feel free to leave them in the comments, and we will do our best to answer them.

Table of Contents

When is 3DS and Wii U Online shutting down? Nintendo eShop & Online Play Closing Guide

3DS and Wii U eShop/Online Shutdown Guide – When, How, WHY?!?!

When does online play end for 3DS and Wii U?

Which 3DS and Wii U models does this apply to?