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It was only a matter of time. Nintendo has finally officially announced that the 3DS and Wii U eShops will be closing down come March of 2023. This pertains to all members of the 3DS family of systems, not just base model 3DS handhelds. This means that every game and piece of software in both shops will be so much dust, lost to the ether.
We thank you for supporting Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
Additionally, you may also look back on your time with them via various play statistics: https://t.co/YCkkVFaQ7i
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 16, 2022
It’s a major blow for game preservation, as much of the software in both the Wii U and 3DS eShop is native to those platforms and no other. This is especially true of Nintendo’s catalogue of games on both services; many of the titles have yet to appear on Switch, and with Switch only offering its rental model via the Nintendo Switch Online service, ownership of the company’s classic software is becoming a thing of the past.
There’s one bright spot to be had, which is heading to the My 3DS & Wii U Memories website, where players can look at a variety of playing stats from their usage across the years. There’s a little over a year to get hold of any games that you have yet to purchase on either system, so be sure to act now or regret it later.
Source: Nintendo of America Twitter Page
