Nintendo Japan posted an official announcement about the future of their Nintendo Zone/Nintendo 3DS Station. The service is permanently being shut down at the end of the month.
While the service has an ending date, stores may remove the physical machines before the end of the month. Gamers in Japan should check their local game stories as soon as possible before the machines are removed.
[任天堂HP]「ニンテンドーゾーン/ニンテンドー3DSステーション サービス終了のお知らせ」を掲載しました。 https://t.co/eC3wDlLVfY
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) February 3, 2020
Nintendo Zone is a service that launched in 2008, but was ended in North America in 2014. The Nintendo Zone is where gamers can connect their Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch to access content for their handheld. This includes demos, free DLC, and any other exclusive content. Players could also use the service to pass communication-related data to anyone that passed by.
The Nintendo 3DS Station service was specific to the 3DS handheld. At these kiosks, players could access videos and other information wirelessly through their devices. Unfortunately, in 2013, the 3DS Browser service was suspended, but at these kiosks, players could buy and download games or demos before making a purchase decision.
Once the service shuts down, players can continue to use the Pokémon Center via wireless access points at some stores. This is especially useful for those who don’t have stable internet in their homes. At these handy access points, players can use the Nintendo eShop or “Update Device.”
The end of Nintendo Zone isn’t a surprise to most gamers. As the Nintendo Switch gains more popularity, players are spending less time with their 3DS.
The service seems to be the start of the end of service for the 3DS. There are occasionally new releases for the handheld, but Nintendo seems to be turning more attention towards the Nintendo Switch.
The company recently announced they were ending repair service for the Nintendo Wii, due to it becoming harder for the company to find parts to repair the console and accessories.
While older consoles are seeing less use by some, there’s plenty of upcoming games for owners of the Nintendo Switch to enjoy. One of those titles includes Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which will be the first game in the series to be released on the Nintendo Switch. The game is scheduled to launch on March 20, 2020.
The Nintendo Zone and the 3DS Station Service will permanently end in Japan on February 28, 2020.
