Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop Closure: How to Merge Your Funds with Your Nintendo Account

As the digital era of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U draws to a close, Nintendo is reminding its dedicated user base about crucial steps for safeguarding eShop funds.

With the 3DS and Wii U eShop stores set to close in March 2023, Nintendo of Europe has issued a timely advisory on how players can retain access to their digital funds and continue enjoying Nintendo Switch content. Both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U platforms have been cornerstone hardware systems in Nintendo’s storied history, offering a diverse range of first-party titles and many memorable moments for fans worldwide.

However, the ongoing focus on the Nintendo Switch means that support for legacy platforms is winding down.

As part of this transition, Nintendo is sunsetting the eShop purchase capability on 3DS and Wii U, effective March 27, 2023. According to an official statement from Nintendo of Europe shared on Twitter, players with unused funds on their Nintendo 3DS or Wii U eShop balance can still transfer these amounts to their current Nintendo Account.

This is made possible by linking one’s Nintendo Network ID—which is associated with 3DS and Wii U profiles—to their Nintendo Account, which is used for the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo explicitly clarified, "After March 27, 2023, linking your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account and merging your funds will allow you to continue spending your remaining balance on Nintendo Switch content, including digital downloads, DLC, passes, and other similar items.

This service is available until March 2024." For those who have not yet merged their accounts, the company strongly encourages completing the process as soon as possible to ensure all funds are preserved.

Merging funds is a straightforward process (detailed in official Nintendo support guides), and once accounts are linked, users can seamlessly carry over their eShop balance from the outgoing platforms to their Nintendo Switch profile, ensuring ongoing access to the ever-expanding Switch library. The closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops marks the end of an era for two of Nintendo’s innovative platforms.

Since their respective launches—2011 for the Nintendo 3DS and 2012 for the Wii U—millions of users worldwide have enjoyed extensive digital libraries, with the eShop becoming a central hub for discovering and purchasing new experiences.

As the industry moves forward, legacy content access remains a concern for video game preservationists and fans alike, but Nintendo’s fund migration policy helps ease the transition for customers invested in the brand’s digital ecosystem. Players interested in retaining access to their eShop balances are advised to complete the account linking and fund merging process well before the final March 2024 cutoff date.

Once that deadline passes, any unmerged funds remaining on the 3DS or Wii U eShop will no longer be accessible or transferable to Nintendo Switch accounts. Nintendo’s support for moving legacy digital funds highlights its commitment to customer experience as it shifts its primary focus to the Nintendo Switch and future hardware initiatives.

For full details on the eShop closures and step-by-step instructions on merging funds, visit the official Nintendo support website.

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