Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation Q&A

Applies to:  New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL, New Nintendo 2DS XL, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 2DS, Wii U Deluxe, Wii U Basic

As of March 27, 2023 at 5:00 PM Pacific Time, it is no longer possible to make purchases in Nintendo eShop for the Wii U system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. It is also no longer possible to download free content, including game demos. Furthermore, related services also ceased to function at various dates:

  • As of May 23, 2022, it is no longer possible to use a credit card to add funds to an account in Nintendo eShop on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
  • As of August 29, 2022, it is no longer possible to use a Nintendo eShop Card to add funds to an account in Nintendo eShop on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
  • As of April 3, 2023, it is no longer possible to redeem download codes in Nintendo eShop on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
  • As of March 11, 2024, it is no longer possible to combine the Nintendo eShop fund balance between a Nintendo Network ID and a Nintendo Account.

No changes are planned for Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch family of systems.

The changes to Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems simultaneously took effect in software on these platforms where it was 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 and receive software updates on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

We thank you for supporting Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, and we hope that you will continue to enjoy using these systems.

Q&A

Q&A

Why did this happen?

This is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.

Are any other services or functions of Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems going to be discontinued, such as online play?

As of April 8, 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication has ended for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family software.

There are no plans to make any further changes at this time.

How long will it still be possible to redownload previously purchased content in Nintendo eShop for Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems?

For the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to redownload games and DLC and receive software updates on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

There are still Nintendo eShop Cards at retailers that show the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS logos. What will happen to them?

  • These cards will continue to be at retail while supplies last.
  • All Nintendo eShop Cards can be used to add funds to a Nintendo Account balance for use on the Nintendo Switch family of systems.
  • This can be done via Nintendo eShop on the system itself or via web browser at the My Nintendo Store.

If someone visits Nintendo eShop and wants to download something on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family systems after March 27, 2023, what are they able to do?

  • On both platforms, users are still able to:
    • Redownload content they own
    • Download existing software updates
  • On both platforms, users are not able to:
    • Purchase any content
      • On Nintendo 3DS, this includes paid content, plays and passes in software such as StreetPass Mii Plaza, Theme Shop, Nintendo Badge Arcade and Pokémon Bank.
      • On Wii U, this includes passes in software such as Wii Sports Club.
    • Download demos
    • Download free-to-start software
    • Redeem a download code (this functionality ended on April 3, 2023)
    • Add funds to their Nintendo eShop balance
  • On Nintendo 3DS family systems, users are still able to:
    • Download a small number of free themes from Theme Shop

After March 11, 2024, what can I do with my existing eShop balance on Nintendo 3DS or Wii U?

If you have an unused balance in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U, but you did not link your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account and merge your wallets on or before March 11, 2024, you will not be able to use the balance or merge your wallets.

What was the My Nintendo 3DS/Wii U Memories site?

As a thank you for supporting Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, we created a website where you could look back on your time with them via various play statistics. This site was available for a limited time, and is no longer available.

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