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All good things must come to an end. In the case of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops, there’s an argument to be made that neither service needed to be ended any time soon, but I digress. Sadly, both shops will be shuttered today, something that Nintendo warned fans about all the way back in February of last year. The official shutdown will occur at 8 PM EST. A few things to note about these eShop closures:
- Add Funds Via Your Switch or Online: It is no longer possible to add funds to your account on either a 3DS or Wii U. Any additional funds must be inserted by way of the eShop on a Nintendo Switch, or Nintendo’s website. Your Nintendo account must also be linked in order for the funds to appear on either your Wii U or 3DS.
- You Can Still Redownload Software (For Now): Although new purchases won’t be allowed after tonight, users can continue to redownload software at their leisure. Nintendo hasn’t said when this ability will be cut off, but for at least the foreseeable future this feature will remain available.
- Software Can Still be Updated: If you have games that still need various patches and updates, these will continue to be supported.
- Online Play Remains Supported: Games like Mario Kart 7 with online play will continue to be supported.
- Some In-Game Purchases Will Continue to be Allowed: Purchases for things like paid passes, plays, and content will still be supported in select games.
There’s a bit more that Nintendo has outlined in this handy FAQ that you can read right here. There are a number of excellent games that will be forever lost after these eShops close, including all of the various Virtual Console titles that have now become restricted to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription-based model of access. Have you made all of the pertinent purchases you were hoping to before the closure? Tell us in the comments and online!
Source: Nintendo of America Support Page
