At the end of last year, Nintendo revealed that 2024 would mark the end of online play for both the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Wii U. Now, the clock is ticking, as Nintendo has specified an exact end date to the online services for both systems. You have until April 8th, at 4pm PDT to get around to playing any old favorites online, before they're gone for good. Leaderboards, online play, and all other services that use the internet on either the 3DS and Wii U will no longer function after that deadline.

There is a single exception to the shutdown, with Pokemon Bank and Pokemon Transporter still staying up and usable, as Nintendo deems both software to be still relevant for fans importing their old Pokemon into new games.

For those looking to get some online play in after it's all over, both the Citra 3DS and Cemu Wii U emulators have their own form of custom servers that allow for online play.

Update: 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.

Find out more: https://t.co/VdIdewGmB5

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 24, 2024

 

[Kwyjor]

The Wii/DS servers shut down real quick in comparison after their consoles went into EOL.

That was famously a result of Nintendo licensing technology from Gamespy Technologies, which was bought by Glu Mobile, which apparently wanted more money.

I had high hopes that Nintendo would keep things going this time since they kept things in-house, but so much for that idea.

Still wanted to start playing Monster Hunter 4U, maybe in a few months, or something..

I understood it had adequate single-player content.

Tri Force Heroes is the thing to really start at this point, if you have the option. The single player experience there just sucks. (Of course, getting matched with a bunch of randos with no interest in playing properly also sucks.)

I think it could be helpful if people could video the gaming session when capturing packets & sent a YouTube video along with the captured data to Pretendo developers, that way they would get a better insight about what happened in the in-game session.

You did read the link, didn't you? If it was helpful to send a Youtube video of the session, then they would ask for Youtube videos.

 

[Delerious]

Because it looks good? It keeps people talking about the services and may provide further incentive for people to buy their products?

MAY provide further incentive, but it's not anything definitive when we live in a world where people forget about things a week later. I'd wager that most game companies who shut down their online services either do so because it actively loses money, or because the user base on that service is so extraordinarily small that they can probably afford to piss off those few people.

I can maybe understand people getting upset in the case of the 3DS IF the multiplayer base for that system is even significant at this point, but most people have jumped onto the Switch at this point, and the 3DS wasn't exactly known for having an awesome multiplayer experience to begin with. Plus, it hasn't been on the retail market for nearly 3.5 years now. As for the Wii U, that install base was already extraordinarily small to begin with, so I wouldn't expect Nintendo to keep that dead-ass console on life support more than they already have. The only thing I do get upset about is shutting down storefronts, because that actively kills game preservation at its core.

As for multiplayer servers? At this point, people should know that the multiplayer aspect in any game they pay for has limited time access for its online services. It's been that way since the days of the MSN Gaming Zone, so I genuinely don't get why people are so shocked and upset when it happens two decades later.

 

[Kwyjor]

I just realized that I never opened the Professor Layton 3DS games, and they all have extra content too, apparently! Better get to it.

Helpful Reddit thread here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1996to2/this_video_lists_all_stuff_that_will_be_lost_in/

Associated Youtube video:


I never started Luigi's Mansion 2 either.

Does anyone here know about the "progress symbol" in Kid Icarus?

 

[TomSwitch]

Was it in the terms of sales that Nintendo can do that and not give our money back?

 

[Error-1-2435-8325]

The official online play might die, but fan projects and private servers will keep it running for as long as possible.

 

[Bladexdsl]

Was it in the terms of sales that Nintendo can do that and not give our money back?

havn't you heard nintendo can do whatever the fuck they want and their idiot fans will still support them!

 

[TomSwitch]

havn't you heard nintendo can do whatever the fuck they want and their idiot fans will still support them!

speaking for yourself?

I fully support asking for money back

 

[stanleyopar2000]

does that also mean "no more stability update"?

Not until MIG is designated as a threat

 

[Noctosphere]

Not until MIG is designated as a threat

???

 

[stanleyopar2000]

???

Whoops this is Wii U not switch

 

[Noctosphere]

Whoops this is Wii U not switch

 

[DarkCoffe64]

I measure my height in melons.

If you don't get it, it's a facade meme, look up "facade melon", lol

 

[impeeza]

America: Month/Day/Year

Nop, on my country we use the ISO dates (YYYY_MM_DD) and we're on America too.

 

[DungeonS1]

Well pretendo it is, though they have to hurry up

 

[DefeatOf13]

does that also mean "no more stability update"?

I really hope so. LOL

 

[Cacho]

I still remember getting the 3DS XL a few months after it launched, and playing the hell out of it, like mad (with what I could grab here in Argentina) and the getting the WindWaker edition of the WiiU and playing my first zelda game there. It was magnificient.

 

[Pachee]

Another reason to leave my switch collecting even more dust than it already had. The wii u homebrew and modding community has been quite active despite nintendo's obvious attempts at killing anything left.

 

[a_username_that_isnt_cool]

Can't wait to hear about Pretendo launching on April 4th!

 

[SaddQ]

What DLC that I can't get elsewhere must I download before the deadline? Things like weekly puzzles for the Layton games? Other stuff?

 

[Kwyjor]

What DLC that I can't get elsewhere must I download before the deadline? Things like weekly puzzles for the Layton games? Other stuff?

See my previous post.

I just realized that I never opened the Professor Layton 3DS games, and they all have extra content too, apparently! Better get to it.

Helpful Reddit thread here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1996to2/this_video_lists_all_stuff_that_will_be_lost_in/

Associated Youtube video: