Nintendo has announced that it will be closing down online multiplayer services for its Nintendo Wii console and Nintendo DS handheld in May.
The company revealed in an official statement that it would be shutting down Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection on May 20. This means that Wii and DS games will no longer be playable online.
Other online services, such as the Netflix and YouTube apps, the internet browser, and Nintendo’s online stores (Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop), will remain in operation. Naturally, any offline functions (such as single player games) will be completely unaffected by the closure too.
Though the original Nintendo Wii was a massive success, it was never had a massive online gaming profile. This was partly because of its social same-room multiplayer approach, and partly because match-making was a complete chore.
Games like Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl made much of their online multiplayer modes, however.
This move follows Nintendo’s announcement last April that it would be steadily closing a number of Wii channels and services from June 2013.
Just prior to that announcement, Nintendo launched the Wii Mini here in the UK. This was a stripped down Nintendo Wii console with a knock-down price and no online capabilities whatsoever.
In retrospect, it was a sure sign that Nintendo was about set to ditch its online support for the ageing console.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
