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Nintendo Ends Online Functionality for 3DS, Wii U in Early April 2024

Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe announced on Wednesday they will end "online play and other functionality that uses online communication" for the Nintendo 3DS handheld and Wii U console platforms in early April 2024. The functions ending will include co-op play, internet rankings, and data distribution. Nintendo will announce the specific end date later. Update: The specific end date is April 8, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

Nintendo shut down the eShop online store for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U in March.

The Nintendo 3DS launched in February 2011. The Nintendo 3DS XL variant launched in 2012, and the Nintendo 2DS variant launched in 2013 (2016 in Japan). The New Nintendo 3DS along with its XL variant launched in 2014 in Japan, and in 2015 in North America. The New Nintendo 2DS XL variant then launched in July 2017. Nintendo ceased production of the handheld platform in 2020.

Nintendo launched the Wii U system in 2012. The console sold poorly relative to its predecessors, and especially compared to its successor, the current gen Nintendo Switch. Nintendo ceased production of the console in 2017.

Source: Nintendo of America's website and Twitter account, Nintendo of Europe's Twitter account via Siliconera