Nintendo will shut down the digital storefronts of Wii U and 3DS shops on March 27, 2023, at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. Today is the last chance to purchase your favorite Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games or their DLCs since you won’t be able to make new purchases. However, players will still be able to redownload the games that have already been purchased.
The discontinuation of Wii U and 3DS eShops was first announced last year on August 29, 2022, which had fans rushing to the stores to purchase their favorite titles. For those who’ve been asking reasons for this shutdown, Nintendo stated:
This is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.
Nintendo
With these eShops being shut down forever, players must say their goodbyes to thousands of game titles. Therefore, it will be impossible to buy the complete range of console games for Wii U and 3DS. Therefore, buy your favorite games now while there is still a chance.
Furthermore, Nintendo eShop cards with 3DS and Wii U labels on them will able available at retails as long as the supply lasts. These eShop cards can be used to add funds to your Nintendo Account balance to use on the Nintendo Switch systems via My Nintendo Store.
Players who have already purchased the games will be able to receive the updates and will have online access to those games on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems. In addition, Nintendo mentioned that they have no plans to discontinue any other functions or services regarding the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles.
