Nintendo 3DS eShop Shutdown Is Imminent

ByWill Quick

Nintendo may be one of the more crowd-pleasing game companies, but they’ve been known to make some questionable decisions. This includes the upcoming choice to shut down the Nintendo eShop for 3DS for good. On Monday, players will no longer be able to buy and download titles directly to their portable consoles. Although it has been proven that titles from other Nintendo platforms are playable on the Switch, it appears that making DS and 3DS games available on it is not happening any time soon. Once the shutdown happens, 3DS owners will have to resort to buying physical games instead.

Nintendo 3DS eShop Shutdown

With the establishment of online gaming platforms, companies like Nintendo decided to release older titles digitally. Unlike physical discs or cartridges, this meant players could download games to their systems directly. This method was applied to the portable 3DS console, letting players download 3DS, DS, and other classic titles. However, on March 27, 2023, this eShop will be shutting down forever, meaning players will have to return to physical copies.

Although the eShop is available on Switch, that version is separate from the 3DS, having completely different software. However, Nintendo has recently made N64, SNES, NES, and GBA games available on the Switch through Nintendo Online. Unfortunately, Nintendo currently has no plans to make 3DS or DS games available on Switch. This means that soon, a lot of major 3DS and DS titles will no longer be available for download.

The good news is that there is still time to buy titles before the shutdown happens. It’s no longer possible to add credit directly to the 3DS eShop, but we’ve written this guide on how to add funds to your Nintendo account. It’s more complex than should be, the method is still effective for now. By doing so, players will have access to multiple Pokemon entries, including Sun and Moon, along with plenty of Zelda games and other RPG standouts like Bravely Default.

The Nintendo eShop is one of the most-visited marketplaces, but it’s about to lose a huge chunk of revenue. While players remain adamant that they would be willing to pay for digital copies of handheld games, the 3DS eShop will be closing its doors on Monday.