Wii U and 3DS eShops Closing on March 2023

[chomper94]

Here’s the link for details: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847/~/wii-u-%26-nintendo-3ds-eshop-discontinuation

I honestly knew they would do it at some point, but I didn’t expect them to say it this quickly.

As a Wii U and 3DS user myself, probably gonna have to use a TON of eShop gift cards to get Virtual Console games before those shops go bye bye.

Edit: Fixed a sentence

[Loire]

Auch it was eventually bound to happen. At least you got a year ahead of you to prepare and ultimately choose your yearned content for those systems. But it sucks nonetheless 

[chomper94]

Auch it was eventually bound to happen. At least you got a year ahead of you to prepare and ultimately choose your yearned content for those systems. But it sucks nonetheless 

I know, I mean the 3DS was my first ever console I played, so this news upsets me a lot.

[StardustSoldier]

Dang. Yeah, I too had a feeling this was bound to happen sooner or later, but I am still saddened to hear about this.

[CappyGaming]

My tummy is all grumbly about this news

I'm gonna have to buy out the virtual console games while I can

[chomper94]

My tummy is all grumbly about this news

I'm gonna have to buy out the virtual console games while I can

I’m doing the same.  If you own a Wii U, I recommend getting Super Mario Bros. 3 for GBA, since that has some levels that are exclusive to Japan that was never released in the USA until it arrived on the Wii U.

For 3DS, I recommend getting some of those Pokémon games that were released for the GB and GBC.  They may be more pricey than the $3 and $4 GB games, but it’s worth getting.  Trust me.

[StardustSoldier]

I think most people have grumbly tummies about this. I certainly don't approve of the decision myself, but at least they did give everyone a one-year head's up first.

And yeah, good advice here:

I’m doing the same.  If you own a Wii U, I recommend getting Super Mario Bros. 3 for GBA, since that has some levels that are exclusive to Japan that was never released in the USA until it arrived on the Wii U.

For 3DS, I recommend getting some of those Pokémon games that were released for the GB and GBC.  They may be more pricey than the $3 and $4 GB games, but it’s worth getting.  Trust me.

[CappyGaming]

You know, I once wrote to Nintendo about Miiverse shutting down, and I'm really considering doing it again

[Flathead770]

I've already basically sold all my 3DS, Wii, and Wii U games before I moved so I guess I'm not too effected by this. Though this is another great lesson as to why you should always go for physical copies of games when possible, especially for Nintendo systems as there is no guarantee Nintendo will bother keeping it available to download.

Though it seems Nintendo is keen on joining the trend on subscription based payments to continue playing their older VC games, something I'm not the biggest fan of.

[chomper94]

Though this is another great lesson as to why you should always go for physical copies of games when possible, especially for Nintendo systems as there is no guarantee Nintendo will bother keeping it available to download.

That right there is a true statement.  Physical media will always be better than digital media.  It’s like purchasing a movie on Prime Video.  Sure, you can now watch the movie whenever you want because you purchased it, but it doesn’t mean you own it, you just have a license to see the movie, and any deletion of your Amazon account means you lose access to the movie, so that’s why most of the movies and TV shows I buy are on DVD and Blu-ray because it’s physical media.

I’ll be a physical media guy always, even when I have to make digital purchases of games when necessary (since some games are digital-only, another reason why physical is better than digital).

Though it seems Nintendo is keen on joining the trend on subscription based payments to continue playing their older VC games, something I'm not the biggest fan of.

Another present-day problem with Nintendo, in fact, they even said a statement about this in the same support page, but removed it quickly.

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

• Across our Nintendo Switch Online membership plans, over 130 classic games are currently available in growing libraries for various legacy systems.  The games are often enhanced with new features such as online play.
• We think this is an effective way to make classic content easily available to a broad range of players. Within these libraries, new and longtime players can not only find games they remember or have heard about, but other fun games they might not have thought to seek out otherwise.
• We currently have no plans to offer classic content in other ways.

So therefore, Nintendo has moved on from selling games like Virtual Console, now they want you to subscribe to their subscription just so you can play them.  And since this statement received lots of backlash from fans of Nintendo, I can understand why Nintendo quickly removed the statement, but it’s strange why they would do that, but it’s just a thought.

Luckily, I believe the Switch has the Arcade Archives on the eShop, which contains classic Neo Geo games, and the arcade versions of classic Nintendo games which never has been released until the Switch put the arcade games up on the eShop.  They’re $8 each (maybe a different price point), but it’s worth it.

[chomper94]

Update on how I’m doing since the eShop closure announcement was made…

So far, I believe I’ve almost finished getting the virtual console games I need for 3DS and Wii U on the consoles, and I think I’m almost done with the DSiWare list as well.

I’m getting close every day, so I’m not that scared anymore about the eShop closing that much, but I’m still sad that it’s closing still.

[chomper94]

Bumping up the thread to give a quick update…

It’s now been almost 2 months since the Wii U and 3DS eShops lost credit card support, you can now only use eShop gift cards to add funds to your account to continue buying stuff until August 29, 2022.

Although, I found somewhere online that if you merge your 3DS/Wii U and Switch funds into one singular funds and add funds on the Switch after gift card support on 3DS/Wii U ends, it’ll transfer over to the 3DS/Wii U eShops, so keep that in mind after August 29, 2022.

As for how I’m doing so far, I’ve been going at a good pace.  Snagged some more NES, N64, and DS games off the shops, including Super Mario RPG for SNES.  I also grabbed Wii U games such as Octodad: Dadliest Catch, and Art of Balance which was a Wii U exclusive.

Over on the 3DS, I got a new Game Boy game titled Alleyway (which is a clone of Breakout made by Nintendo), and the Game Gear version of Sonic the Hedgehog.  I also got DSiWare exclusives like Photo Dojo (which I can’t stop playing), and Extreme Hangman (which will probably be more fun with another player).

Anyways, next on my list is some Minecraft Wii U DLC (because I have Minecraft on the Wii U now), and some more Virtual Console games to grab before it’s too late.  I’m almost there!

[chomper94]

We now have an official date on when the eShops for 3DS and Wii U.  It will be officially shut down on March 28, 2023.

Additionally, it’s also been revealed that Pokémon games on those eShops will be delisted on March 27, 2022, one day before the closure.

Here’s the official statement from Nintendo Japan (translated to English by Google):

Regarding the termination of the "Nintendo eShop" service for the Nintendo 3DS series and Wii U, the termination schedule has been updated.

 "Additional Balance" will end at 1:30 pm on August 30, 2022.
 In addition, "Purchase (sale) of download software, etc." will end at 9:00 am on March 28, 2023.

For those who still have games to buy, make sure to do it fast.

Edit: My apologies, it looks like I accidentally made a mistake.  The actual date for the eShop’s closure is on March 27, 2022.  Apologies for getting it wrong.

[Gentle Sharptooth]

I always question why Nintendo closes the shops? Why not leave doors of revenue open?
I suppose its so you’ll buy the next console or handheld and buy the content all over again. I mean how many times have people bought Ocarina of Time and SMB?

[chomper94]

Quick update regarding apps on Wii U.  On August 29, 2022, Crunchyroll will be shutting down on the Wii U (apparently this will also affect other old-gen consoles like the Xbox 360), and YouTube on the Wii U will shut down around October of 2022.

That means by October, the Switch will literally have no major streaming apps except for YouTube and Hulu.

[Gentle Sharptooth]

Quick update regarding apps on Wii U.  On August 29, 2022, Crunchyroll will be shutting down on the Wii U (apparently this will also affect other old-gen consoles like the Xbox 360), and YouTube on the Wii U will shut down around October of 2022.

That means by October, the Switch will literally have no major streaming apps except for YouTube and Hulu.

So this signals the end of the Switch? That Nintendo’s next console is on the way?

[chomper94]

A reminder that this is the last day to add funds to the 3DS/Wii U eShops.  After that, you can only add funds to 3DS/Wii U using Switch until March 27, 2022, which is the day the eShop closes.

Additionally, some games will be delisted by the time adding funds is removed, so buy them quickly if you want to keep it after the closure.

[MF217]

I didn't mention this prior, but regarding my ability to ultimately want to hack my 3DS to install Custom Firmware? I had made a promise to myself many years ago I would refuse to do so until I knew for absolute certainty that virtually all major support for the system would come to an end. Considering the fact hacking the 3DS relies on a game that requires the eShop to get a hold of? I decided that last year was the time I'd ultimately hack my 3DS and begin to go to town with it. The adventures I had with my 3DS in the years before that were a fun little adventure.

[chomper94]

I never ended up being here that day when the eShop closed, but in case you haven’t heard already, the 3DS/Wii U eShops have officially shut down since March 27, 2023.

Whatever you purchased before the eShop closed is what you’re living with now for the rest of your lives.  You can’t do anything on the eShops anymore unless you need to update/redownload software.

It was nice while it lasted.  I guess I’ll go home knowing I purchased Cube Life: Island Survival for the Wii U…for some reason…