The past decade of Nintendo’s console gaming has been marked by the great success of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Eshop. As these systems have reached their end-of-life, so too have their respective digital stores. It’s inevitable that a time will come when the Eshops on both systems will be shut down, but when exactly is this set to happen? And what will happen to our beloved digital purchases once the service is gone? This Nintendo Eshop Closure guide aims to answer those questions and more.
When Will The Eshops Close?
Currently, there has been no official announcement from Nintendo regarding the exact dates for the closure of either system’s Eshop. However, based on past experiences with retired consoles such as the Wii and DSi, we can expect both services to be shut down within a few years. Furthermore, it’s likely that once one store closes (presumably 3DS), then the other (the Wii U) won’t be far behind shortly after.
Based on prior evidence from discontinued models like the original DS and Gameboy Advance, it is likely that both stores may remain available until late 2021 or early 2022. That being said, in order to prevent losing access to your purchases before then, all users are encouraged to download any games or content they want while they still can.
What Will Happen To My Purchases After The Closure?
Any purchased items that were downloaded before either store closed will still be accessible in their respective libraries. Other than this however, no new content can be purchased or downloaded from either store after its closure. Re-downloads of previously purchased items is also not possible due to necessary deactivations of accounts related to those purchases.
Fortunately though,