LogInEven though online services for the Wii U and 3DS consoles will be discontinued, offline features will still remain accessible.
Image credit: Nintendo
On September 4, Nintendo made a surprising announcement regarding the discontinuation of online services for its Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U software. Starting from April 2024, online play and other functionalities, including online cooperative play, internet rankings, and data distribution, will come to an end for both consoles.
This decision follows the earlier closure of the online Nintendo eShop for these consoles, which ceased operation in March 2023. Despite online multiplayer functionality being available for a short period, it's now evident that all services will eventually come to an end. This development is especially noteworthy as it will render certain titles unplayable, with the original Splatoon being one of the most significant examples affected.
While an exact date for the shutdown of online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles has not been provided, Nintendo's FAQ states that in case of any unforeseen circumstances that would affect the continuation of online services, an earlier discontinuation may become necessary.
"Please note that if an event occurs that would make it difficult to continue online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software, we may have to discontinue services earlier than planned," Nintendo stated.
Image credit: Nintendo, Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Speaking of StreetPass and SpotPass, StreetPass functionality on Nintendo 3DS family systems will continue to be available even after the online services are discontinued. This is because StreetPass relies on local communication between devices. However, it's important to note that SpotPass, which uses online communication, will no longer be accessible once the online services end.
"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)."
Some other news on Nintendo, the release of the Batman Arkham trilogy for Nintendo Switch is delayed since the developer needs more time to "bring the best possible experience". If you want to learn more, you can read our latest article.
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