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

 

[SylverReZ]

Pretendo.... please hurry up! There's not much time left, and I don't know if the service is available to everyone yet...

I don't think Pretendo can keep up with support lol.

 

[DragonMals]

I don't think Pretendo can keep up with support lol.

What makes you say that? I haven't been keeping up with them (or homebrew at all lately) and I don't even know how it's going to work

 

[SylverReZ]

What makes you say that? I haven't been keeping up with them (or homebrew at all lately) and I don't even know how it's going to work

Games like Mario Kart 7 and services like NEX have been partially worked on. I haven't seen much updates from the team.

 

[DragonMals]

Games like Mario Kart 7 and services like NEX have been partially worked on. I haven't seen much updates from the team.

MK7 being partially worked on? Well, that sucks.

Good thing Citra has their own different services. I dunno if it's for sleected games, however.

 

[SylverReZ]

MK7 being partially worked on? Well, that sucks.

Good thing Citra has their own different services. I dunno if it's for sleected games, however.

MK7 is at 50% completion on their progress status apparently.

 

[DragonMals]

MK7 is at 50% completion on their progress status apparently.

Honestly, I don't even understand why this would be much of a problem if I haven't been successful finding genuine people on the Animal Crossing islands, and for any other game, I haven't played enough online on the 3ds. Pretty much one year before the Switch's release was the time I was able to.

Let's just say.. Parental Controls limited my access to it.

 

[SylverReZ]

Let's just say.. Parental Controls limited my access to it.

Its very easy to bypass on 3DS and DSi, dunno about Switch.

 

[DragonMals]

Its very easy to bypass on 3DS and DSi, dunno about Switch.

I know (and have done it myself once) but I was too late for me to bypas the lock..

Post automatically merged: Jan 30, 2024

At this point, I just play Singleplayer games cause outside of one person (and sometimes my family), it's hard to find people that appreciate the old systems on a level that I do.

 

[Metoroid0]

i mean they can just not end it....

 

[Kwyjor]

i mean they can just not end it....

Brilliant! You solved the issue! Write to Nintendo right away to inform them of your trenchant insight.

 

[Gehrschrein]

What does this mean for System Transfer functionality, I wonder?

 

[Kwyjor]

What does this mean for System Transfer functionality, I wonder?

System Transfer is strictly an eShop thing, which will be unaffected. I'm sure this is in Nintendo's documentation if you're wondering.

 

[Waddleclaws]

View attachment 415820​

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.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1749963072998166670

It's never been more over than it is now

 

[Xyonix]

Those servers are paid for by game freak, and they don't run "other" software on them. Do remember that those servers are virtual ones in a data center somewhere, not physically distinct machines sitting in an office somewhere.
Chances are the pokemon bank and home servers specifically run on hardware that's also running other pokemon related crap, and thus can just stay running without any further considerations.

I believe that there are several reasons why Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter are still for now (no idea when they'll go down) online.
The biggest is simply, it's not Nintendo's decision (alone) to make, it's The Pokemon Company that decides when they go down. Afaik, TPC is basically a 3 way joint venture between Nintendo, Gamefreak, and Creatures Inc.
The topic of closing PB and PT was probably brought up but decided against (for now).

My honest hope is that they continue to stay up in some form. Even if Bank is updated (yes that is still possible, don't know for how long though) into what basically amounts to a PokéTransporter for Pokemon Home.

It's been a dream of mine to eventually gather all the stuff needed and then go on an epic Pokemon binge transfering Pokemon from Gen I all the way to Gen IX and beyond.

It's sad that the Online Services for Wii U and 3DS are being executed, but Pretendo Network Gives me hope that it won't truly be the end.

As for Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter, that is what scares me the most. As there is no alternative official method of transfering Gen I through to Gen VII (excluding LGP/E) into Pokemon Home.

 

[Kwyjor]

The biggest is simply, it's not Nintendo's decision (alone) to make, it's The Pokemon Company that decides when they go down. Afaik, TPC is basically a 3 way joint venture between Nintendo, Gamefreak, and Creatures Inc.

The shutdown of online services is also affecting numerous games from Capcom, Level-5, and Atlus, among others, so it wouldn't be Nintendo's decision alone in those cases either.

 

[Gehrschrein]

System Transfer is strictly an eShop thing, which will be unaffected. I'm sure this is in Nintendo's documentation if you're wondering.

Thanks but I've not been able to find this referenced explictly anywhere. There seems to be a "System Transfer FAQ" on Nintendo's support website but it clicks through to a 404.

What I don't quite understand is that if it's strictly an eshop thing:

a. How come it still works given the eShop's been shut down last year?
b. System transfer works (and has always worked) even on systems without a configured NNID - which is used for eshop authentication.

I guess more to the point - has Nintendo stated explicitly what happens with System Transfers following this year's discontinuation of online services?

 

[Kwyjor]

Thanks but I've not been able to find this referenced explictly anywhere. There seems to be a "System Transfer FAQ" on Nintendo's support website but it clicks through to a 404.

Surely you don't think you're the first person to have such questions, at least? There's https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2...ill-still-be-possible-following-eshop-closure , for starters.

a. How come it still works given the eShop's been shut down last year?

The eShop is still available for downloading previously-purchased games. and will be for the foreseeable future. That much is absolutely documented.

b. System transfer works (and has always worked) even on systems without a configured NNID - which is used for eshop authentication.

It does? Seems somewhat pointless. In cases like that, does it need to connect to Nintendo's servers at all?

 

[Gehrschrein]

Surely you don't think you're the first person to have such questions, at least? There's https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2...ill-still-be-possible-following-eshop-closure , for starters.

The eShop is still available for downloading previously-purchased games. and will be for the foreseeable future. That much is absolutely documented.

It does? Seems somewhat pointless. In cases like that, does it need to connect to Nintendo's servers at all?

That nintendolife article refers to the _closure_ of the eshop last year, not to the permanent closure of online services for the 3DS/WiiU consoles, which might or might not include System Transfers.
It then in turn links to a Nintendo support article that has no mention of System Transfer.

As far as I can still tell there is no official Nintendo documentation on the future of this feature.

And to answer your second question - yes it does in fact connect to some online services, potentially to check if the console hasn't been banned and do carry out some region checks. I'm no expert so this is all gathered from my own experience using the System Transfer.

While I genuinely do appreciate you trying to be helpful feel free to turn down the pointless snark.

 

[Kwyjor]

That nintendolife article refers to the _closure_ of the eshop last year, not to the permanent closure of online services for the 3DS/WiiU consoles, which might or might not include System Transfers.
It then in turn links to a Nintendo support article that has no mention of System Transfer.

Nintendo UK has confirmed to us that in addition to redownloading games, receiving software updates, and playing online, should a user choose to transfer all of their content from one 3DS console to another, you'll be able to do so with no fuss.

 

[Bladexdsl]

i mean they can just not end it....

like they never did on the wii or DS huh?