Nintendo confirms date 3DS and Wii U online play shuts down

Nintendo is ending online play services for both the 3DS and Wii U on 8th April, the company confirmed earlier today. Previously, this shutdown was simply slated for some time in early April.

This shutdown will include online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution

The only exception to this termination of online services (for now) are Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter. While these won't be affected immediately by the end of service, Nintendo has said online services "may also end at some point in the future". For other, non-Nintendo published releases with online features, the company asks users to contact the game's publisher directly.

As previously confirmed, players will still be able to play games on their devices offline after online services end. It will also remain possible for users to "download update data, and redownload purchased software and downloadable content from Nintendo eShop" for the foreseeable future.

It also said that StreetPass will still be available as this uses "local communication between Nintendo 3DS family systems". SpotPass, however, will not be available, as it depends on an online communication to work.

"For example, you will be able to use StreetPass in StreetPass Mii Plaza, which is pre-installed on Nintendo 3DS family systems, but you will no longer be able to use features that use online communication (such as receiving new panels in Puzzle Swap)," the company explained.

"We sincerely thank players for using the online services of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software over a long period of time and apologise for any inconvenience," Nintendo wrote.

This news follows the closure of the eShop on Wii U and 3DS in March last year, so new purchases can no longer be made.

But while the sun is gradually setting on Nintendo's previous consoles, current suggestion is the company's next device will be released later this year.