Nintendo set end date on unlinked Wii U & 3DS balances after eShop shutdown

With just over a month until Nintendo shuts down the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops to new purchases, an end date has been announced for using the balance on those systems.

Nintendo has announced that after March 28th 2024, the ability to link your Nintendo Network ID and Nintendo Account balances will be shut down as well. If you haven’t yet linked your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo account, and consolidated your balance before then, well it might be gone.

A Nintendo Network ID is an older Nintendo login used on the Wii U and 3DS. A Nintendo Account is a newer one used on the Nintendo Switch. If you never had a 3DS or Wii U you don’t need to worry about this.

If you’ve linked your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account, and have been using that balance to buy things on the Switch, 3DS or Wii U eShops. Your balance is fine and safe.

If you haven’t linked these two accounts you’ll want to as soon as possible. If you haven’t got a Switch, and don’t want to buy anything on the 3DS or Wii U using your remaining balance you can sign up for a Nintendo Account and have it synced across even without a console.

A reminder, you will still be able to redownload purchased content for some time after Monday 27 March 2023. The ability to purchase new content ends then.