As of March 27th, the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS eShop have officially closed, meaning that gamers can no longer purchase digital games for these consoles. While players can still download games they already own, the closure of the eShop means that any digital-only games or those not easily available on other formats will become unplayable. Some titles that will no longer be available include Xenoblade Chronicles X, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Star Fox Zero, Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii U, and several older Pokémon games and the Etrian Odyssey series on the 3DS.

The closure of the eShop highlights the issue of game preservation and the tendency for games to become unavailable on modern formats. EA has recently delisted or shut down online services for multiple games, while fans of Animal Crossing: New Horizons have discovered a built-in expiry date. Nintendo has been criticized for making little effort to stop games from becoming unavailable on modern formats.

The closure of the eShop serves as a reminder that nothing lasts forever in the gaming world, and gamers who were meaning to buy certain titles should act quickly before they disappear. While there has been speculation about when the eShops will shut down, Nintendo has not provided any specific information on the closure.

Therefore, gamers who want to get their hands on some of the titles available on the eShop should do so as soon as possible. It’s worth noting that the closure of the eShop does not affect physical game copies or games that are available on other platforms.

Despite the disappointment among some gamers, it’s not entirely surprising that the Wii U and 3DS eShop have closed, given that both consoles are over a decade old. However, the closure of the eShop means that certain games will no longer be accessible, potentially leaving a void for gamers who enjoyed playing these titles.

The closure of the eShop serves as a reminder of the importance of game preservation and the need for publishers to make more effort to ensure that games are available on modern formats. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, gamers and publishers alike must find a way to balance the need for innovation with the need to preserve classic titles for future generations of gamers.