Nintendo is officially ending support for the Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Read on below to learn more:

Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation – Managing Unused Balances

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

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Information

As announced previously, sales of software and DLC for the Nintendo 3DS family and Wii U via Nintendo eShop will end at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on Monday, March 27, 2023.

If you have an unused balance in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U, linking your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account and merging your wallets will allow you to continue to use your balance to purchase digital download titles, DLC, content passes, and other similar items for Nintendo Switch.

Important: The ability to link wallets will be available until March 2024. Make sure you complete the steps described below by March 2024.

For more information on the discontinuation of the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, read the Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation Q&A.

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 Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

Complete these steps

1. Create a Nintendo Network ID (NNID) on your Nintendo 3DS or Wii U, or link your existing NNID to your Nintendo 3DS or Wii U.
   • If you are not sure whether or not you have a NNID or if it is linked to your system, read Forgot Nintendo Network ID.
2. Create a Nintendo Account if you do not have one already.
   • Keep in mind that you can create a Nintendo Account even if you do not own or use a Nintendo Switch system at this time.
3. Link your Nintendo Account and your Nintendo Network ID together and combine the fund balances.
   • After combining the balances, any funds remaining in your Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U can be used in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch.

Source: Nintendo Support

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

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As of March 27, 2023, it will no longer be possible to make purchases in Nintendo 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 Nintendo eShop on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
• As of August 29, 2022, it will no longer be 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. 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 Nintendo 3DS family of systems) with their Nintendo Account wallet (used with the Nintendo 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 Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch family of systems.

The changes to Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the Nintendo 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 Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

We thank you for supporting Nintendo eShop on Wii U and the Nintendo 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. Please visit https://my-nintendo-3ds-wiiu-memories.nintendo.com/.

Q&A

• Why is this happening?
• Why are you announcing this now?
• Are any other services or functions of Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems going to be discontinued, such as online play?
• 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? How long will those systems still support online play?
• There are still Nintendo eShop Cards at retailers that show the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS logos. What will happen to them?
• If someone visits Nintendo eShop and wants to download something on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family systems after March 27, 2023, what will they able to do?

Q&A

Why is this happening?

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

Why are you announcing this now?

We are providing this notice more than a year in advance of the end of purchases so users will have plenty of time to prepare.

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

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? How long will those systems still support online play?

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 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 will they able to do?

• On both platforms, users will still be able to:
  • Redownload content they own
  • Download existing software updates
• On both platforms, users will not be 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
  • Add funds to their Nintendo eShop balance
• On Nintendo 3DS family systems, users will still be able to:
  • Download a small number of free themes from Theme Shop

Pokémon Bank Services Will Be Available at No Cost to Players

Paid passes will be discontinued, but users will still be able to access some features—including transferring their Pokémon to Pokémon HOME.

With the discontinuation of the Nintendo eShop service for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, the Pokémon Bank service for Nintendo 3DS will become available at no cost to users. You will still be able to transfer the Pokémon you’ve deposited in Pokémon Bank to Pokémon HOME even after the paid service is discontinued, and you’ll still be able to bring Pokémon into Pokémon Bank from compatible titles. However, you’ll need to be enrolled in a paid Pokémon HOME Premium Plan to do so.

In late March 2023, Pokémon Bank‘s paid passes will no longer be offered for purchase, at which time Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter will no longer be available to download. On the same day, Trainers will be able to start using Pokémon Bank at no cost. Be aware that there will be no refunds for paid passes that have already been purchased.

There is no end date planned for this no-cost service. Any further changes will be announced in advance on Pokemon.com and elsewhere.

Source: Nintendo Support and Pokemon.com