Nintendo is ending online access for new 3DS and Wii U users ahead of schedule

a Nintendo It has taken a radical decision by bringing forward the closing date of online servers for 3DS and Wii U users. Thus, the company is preventing new players from accessing the online features of these popular platforms.

Although the official shutdown date is set for April 2024, the early outage, confirmed by findings by the Pretendo portal, is already preventing new users from connecting to the servers.

Gradual closure and immediate effect

The early shutdown of servers reflects Nintendo's efforts to deny access to online games to new users.

Recent attempts to join online matches on 3DS or Wii U have resulted in error code “006-0303”, indicating no account syncing with the servers.

Nintendo will permanently shut down its 3DS and Wii U online services – Image: Nintendo/Reproduction

This early action comes after the 3DS and Wii U digital stores closed in March 2023, halting the purchase of new games through the official Nintendo Store.

Impact on online services

Shutting down the servers will deprive both platforms of supporting online competitive or cooperative play.

By making it impossible for users to enter the servers, Nintendo is effectively preventing the use of the services by new accounts until the final shutdown in April 2024.

The measure will also end game ratings, Data updates and other forms of online connectivity in 3DS and Wii U games, though offline games continue to function normally, as Nintendo itself has confirmed.

Considerations and reflections

News of the early server closures raises concerns about historical preservation of titles and access to online resources that enrich the players' experience.

With an immediate ban on new people and a future shutdown already scheduled, existing users will be able to continue using the servers until April 2024.

Although the 3DS and Wii U consoles have already been discontinued, this unexpected decision from Nintendo to postpone the shutdown of online servers could have a major impact on the gaming community and fan experience.

By taking such action, Nintendo signals a premature end to the era of online gaming on these platforms, thus ending a great chapter in the gaming world. History of video games.