Nintendo announced a date for when they’re shutting down the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS eShops.
Both the Wii U and 3DS eShop services are being shuttered on March 27th, 2023. While the company previously confirmed they would be shutting down the Wii U and 3DS eShops, they didn’t confirm a solid date until now.
Here’s the word from Nintendo:
As of March 27, 2023, it will no longer be possible to make purchases in the eShop for the Wii U system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. It will also no longer be possible to download free content, including game demos. Furthermore, as this date draws closer, related services will cease to function:
- As of May 23, 2022, it is no longer possible to use a credit card to add funds to an account in the eShop on Wii U or the 3DS family of systems.
- As of August 29, 2022, it will no longer be possible to use an eShop Card to add funds to an account in the eShop on Wii U or the 3DS family of systems. However, it will still be possible to redeem download codes until March 27, 2023.
Users who link their Nintendo Network ID wallet (used with Wii U and the 3DS family of systems) with their Nintendo Account wallet (used with the Switch family of systems) can use the shared balance to purchase content on any of these systems until March 27, 2023. After that, the balance can only be used to purchase content for the Nintendo Switch family of systems.
No changes are planned for the eShop on the Switch family of systems.
The changes to eShop on Wii U and the 3DS family of systems will simultaneously take effect in software on these platforms where it is possible to make purchases, such as StreetPass Mii Plaza, Theme Shop and Nintendo Badge Arcade.
Even after March 27, 2023, and for the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to redownload games and DLC, receive software updates and enjoy online play on Wii U and the 3DS family of systems.
We thank you for supporting Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the 3DS family of systems. While we hope that you will continue to enjoy using these systems, we have taken this opportunity to prepare a website where you can look back on your time with them via various play statistics.
