Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to be Discontinued - May 20th, 2014

[Smashboards]

In an unprecedented move, Nintendo announced yesterday that it will be terminating the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The service provides online functionality to most Wii, DS and DSi software titles, including the likes of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii and all Pokémon titles on the Wii, DS and WiiWare.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was launched in November 2005 and is set to end on May 20th, 2014.

It's important to note that only software that runs on Nintendo Wi-Fi connection are impacted. This means that the Wii Shop Channel, the Nintendo DSi Shop and video-on-demand services, and the very few Wii and DS games that didn't run on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection are not affected and will run as normal. You can read the full list of games affected here.

Perhaps it's time to play that one last game of Mario Kart Wii, or if you want something a bit more, dare I say, smashing, try your luck finding some Brawl Wi-Fi over at the Arena!

 

[DaDavid]

Was looking for an outlet to discuss this.

The article where I first read about this had a statement saying that they were doing this as part of an effort to focus on gearing up for online support of titles like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Guess it says something if they're allocating every last resource to online on Wii U/3DS.

 

[ChikoLad]

Yeah, I heard about this news this morning. I only recently got back into the online Brawl scene, thanks to this website, and I have been busy lately and will be until April, so I have little time to make use of this. Anyone who wants to fight in Brawl, feel free to let me know!

And I also heard about them doing it in order to implement matchmaking into games like Mario Kart 8 and Smash 4. This is a good thing to me. I want them to start making use of the Wii U's online capabilities, and hopefully this is the start of it.

Regardless, it was a very nice nine and a half years for Nintendo WFC. It will be remembered!

 

[Morin0]

R.I.P. taunt parties

 

[Deleted member]

All good things come to an end.

 

[xXDarkRisingXx]

Well looks like I'm about to lose the only reason I have brawl time to sell brawl

 

[ndayday]

this is why local play is important.

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

It was bound to happen eventually, since the Pokemon Global Link did get discontinued for the 5th generation Pokemon titles over a month ago.

 

[KuroganeHammer]

It was bound to happen eventually, since the Pokemon Global Link did get discontinued for the 5th generation Pokemon titles over a month ago.

Yeah, but no one expected it to be this soon. Most people thought it would be at least a few months after Smash 4 was released.

Personally I was shocked to hear this news.

 

[thebaum64]

why Nintendo .-.

 

[JbrockPony]

Well... it was a good run. Had my share of fun online while playing brawl to project M. Guess I'll be converting to Dolphin netplay soon.. >_>

 

[xXDarkRisingXx]

this is why local play is important.

the problem with that is there's no local tournaments in my area, i live in tampa.

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

I don't really use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection much nowadays. In fact, Pokemon White 2 was pretty much the last game that I've ever used the Wi-Fi Connection for, thanks to the Pokemon Dream World.

 

[ndayday]

the problem with that is there's no local tournaments in my area, i live in tampa.

But if imagine if no tournaments existed at all because of online only. it's crummy that it's going down but I mean at least there are alternatives. Also we have a pretty dedicated fanbase so I imagine at some point it could be restored (not by Nintendo of course).

 

[DaDavid]

I don't really use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection much nowadays. In fact, Pokemon White 2 was pretty much the last game that I've ever used the Wi-Fi Connection for, thanks to the Pokemon Dream World.

Yeah, can't say I've touched any NWFC game habitually in years. Certainly not at all since X/Y came out.

Still, I know others will miss it more deeply than I will until there's good replacements. Hell, the cynic in me makes me think maybe this is a ploy to get people to upgrade. It's gotta be the deciding factor for at least some people out there.

 

[xXDarkRisingXx]

But if imagine if no tournaments existed at all because of online only. it's crummy that it's going down but I mean at least there are alternatives. Also we have a pretty dedicated fanbase so I imagine at some point it could be restored (not by Nintendo of course).

Hope so lol

 

[deadjames]

I wonder what this means for the Project M launcher updates via wifi.

 

[Gunla]

I wonder what this means for the Project M launcher updates via wifi.

I wouldn't be shocked if they remove those versions.

I personally see this as Nintendo telling consumers they should get a Wii U and not treat it as some sort of upgrade.

 

[CardiganBoy]

I still have my best friends, the CPUs, so this is not a problem.

 

[ChikoLad]

I still have my best friends, the CPUs, so this is not a problem.

Story of my life, man.

 

[LF2K]

Well, it was a good run. All good things must come to an end. It's kind of funny, Mario Kart DS kicked off the service, and Mario Kart 8 is coming out just a week after they pull the plug. It's coming full circle.

Perhaps I'll take May 19th off just to play Mario Kart Wii online one last time. Kind of like what Bungie did for Halo 2.

 

[Pékaßlu]

TT_TT nobody i know is into smash like me.

 

[BladerDaBrawler]

NINTENDO, WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!

 

[BladerDaBrawler]

Wait, would this affect Project M? Does it run on the Nintendo WFC or other severs?

 

[κomıc]

So sad D:

 

[ShaDoW4408]

This is so sudden and i just joined this site not to long ago well i guess i better make the best of it while i can

 

[N.T.A.O ChangeOfHeart 死の剣]

Make a pet tia ion and threaten to not buy Smash4.

I'm also not going to buy Smash4.

 

[Domo-dono]

I'm not gonna lie, I freaked when I first saw this. I thought this was going to affect Wii U and 3DS as well. I guess they're allocating funding towards Nintendo Network and trying to provide more incentive to purchase the newer consoles. No way to tell for sure though.

 

[BigHairyFart]

I wonder what this means for the Project M launcher updates via wifi.

I was wondering this myself... It'd be a shame if they let us update P:M through the Wii, only to have the service rendered unusable shortly after.

 

[Louie G.]

Aw...
On my birthday too...
Such a great part of my early life I must say. Mario Kart racing online was a blast, really.

 

[Zach R.]

Not Mario Strikers.... Anything but that... =( my favorite competitive game of all time...

 

[Satoru Iwata]

In an unprecedented move, Nintendo announced yesterday that it will be terminating the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The service provides online functionality to most Wii, DS and DSi software titles, including the likes of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii and all Pokémon titles on the Wii, DS and WiiWare.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was launched in November 2005 and is set to end on May 20th, 2014.

It's important to note that only software that runs on Nintendo Wi-Fi connection are impacted. This means that the Wii Shop Channel, the Nintendo DSi Shop and video-on-demand services, and the very few Wii and DS games that didn't run on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection are not affected and will run as normal. You can read the full list of games affected here.

Perhaps it's time to play that one last game of Mario Kart Wii, or if you want something a bit more, dare I say, smashing, try your luck finding some Brawl Wi-Fi over at the Arena!

How can this be?

 

[ITALIAN N1NJA]

I had a mini heart attack and then remembered it's not the same as Nintendo Network. Personally I don't play PM online because even the chance of lag irks me. Local play is how I love playing. Sucks for people who play online all the time. I'm curious what's going to happen to the online functionality in PM now. Is it going to be stripped? Same goes for launcher online capabilities.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but If the Wii can still use on demand services wouldn't that mean it's still able to use Wifi? (At least for PM launcher downloads and switching between full and wifi code sets)

 

[Renji64]

end of a era.

 

[Prim3MavericK]

Perhaps they're making way for something else bigger and better? Trying to be optimistic about this. What does this mean for 3DS Smash4? Will Street Pass and stuff still work?

 

[K.Louis]

I was wondering this myself... It'd be a shame if they let us update P:M through the Wii, only to have the service rendered unusable shortly after.

IIRC the P:M updater doesn't use Nintendo Wifi, it just downloads and installs from a file at projectmgame.com just like the Wii web browser (which will still be working) so it's unaffected.

 

[DaDavid]

Perhaps they're making way for something else bigger and better? Trying to be optimistic about this. What does this mean for 3DS Smash4? Will Street Pass and stuff still work?

Nintendo WFC is just what Wii and DS used. Nintendo Network has been the online service for Wii U and 3DS, so all that stuff is unaffected.

 

[PillsBuryDopeBoy]

Well looks like I'm about to lose the only reason I have brawl time to sell brawl

BUT THEN U CAN'T PLAY PROJECT MELEE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

Well hey, at least Nintendo cared enough to support online services for two years past the Wii and DS lifespan unlike how they just dropped support for them. Understandably though, the transition to the Wii U and to a lesser extent, 3DS, is much more needed. Here's to the Nintendo Network!

Might as well play a few sessions of online Mario Kart Wii for one last time. And **** online Brawl.

 

[xXDarkRisingXx]

BUT THEN U CAN'T PLAY PROJECT MELEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Na . Im think of hosting a tournament one of these days around my local area since there isn't one in Tampa, its the only way I'll continue to play Smash Brothers at least brawl anyways