Update 1/24/24: Nintendo has now announced it will officially shut down the Wii U and 3DS online services by 7 a.m. ET April 8, 2024.
…as of 4/8, 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 3DS and Wii U online support is going away for good. We previously reported on the permanent closure of the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS shops, and it looks like online services for both platforms are now on the way out as well. It’s always sad to see the end of an era and Nintendo has now officially announced that “online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software.” That means that starting in spring of next year, just about all online action on these platforms using Nintendo’s servers will be no more. Head below for more details.
Nintendo 3DS and Wii U online support to shut down early next year
Nintendo said it will announce an exact end date for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U online support at “a later time” but we do know it will be in April 2024 as of right now. Nintendo also added that if “an event occurs that would make it difficult to continue online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software,” it might be forced to close it down even earlier than that.
We sincerely thank players for using the online services of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software over a long period of time and apologize for any inconvenience.
The Pokémon Bank will live on!
One thing Trainers are concerned with is the Pokémon Bank, fortunately that is the only exception Nintendo has officially listed under online services that will remain after the closure, adding that it, however, “may also end at some point in the future.”
Here’s some of the more important Q&A you might be interested when it comes to the 3DS/Wii U online shut down.
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 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).
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