Nintendo is Closing Wii U and 3DS eShop Next Week, Here’s What You Need to Know

On Monday, March 27th, Nintendo is closing the Wii U and 3DS eShops. As of that date, users will no longer be able to purchase games from either marketplaces or available pieces of DLC. 

The news of the closure came last year. Nintendo gave players notice of the company’s plans to sunset its widely adopted digital marketplace. For years, the eShop on Wii U and 3DS held an ample library of over 2,000 games combined. Last year, Nintendo began to disable the ability to add funds via their credit card. After that, gift cards were no longer acceptable.

At the time, Nintendo claimed that the closure was “part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.” Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any indication Nintendo plans to offer the many games elsewhere such as the Nintendo Switch. Of course, this raised red flags to many over concerns of video game preservation.

Moving forward, classic Wii U and 3DS titles will not be available to purchase and play. These include:

  • Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U)
  • Wii Sports Club (Wii U)
  • Golden Sun (Wii U)
  • Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation (3DS)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3DS)

As the countdown to the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShop continues, what can you do to prepare? If you’re looking to make some last-minute purchases, you’ll have to jump through a few hoops.

As mentioned, Nintendo no longer allows players to add funds via a credit card on Wii U or 3DS. Instead, you’ll have to go through the My Nintendo Store and redeem an eShop gift card to add funds to your account. Alternatively, you can purchase the game you want with a credit card through Nintendo’s website. 

You can also merge your old Nintendo Network ID and your Nintendo Account. This way, when you add funds, you can purchase 3DS and 2DS games via the handheld. For Wii U games, specifically, you’ll have to go through the hardware. Unfortunately, the search interface is pretty archaic and sluggish. These hurdles are also in place when securing any virtual console titles or pieces of DLC on the respective platforms.

Thankfully, once a game is purchased, you’ll be able to install and play your library of games as long as your account is active. Plus, players can redownload any purchased game and DLC to their hardware, even after the closures. Nintendo also states that online games will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future.

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