Six dedicated players are hanging on to the last threads of shut-down servers in beloved 3DS and Wii U games.
Nintendo officially ceased servers for 3DS and Wii U games on April 8, signaling the end of online functionality for popular multiplayer titles like Kid Icarus Uprising and Animal Crossing New Leaf. However, in a bid to defy digital demise, six die-hard fans are seemingly persevering until the very end by keeping their systems connected and online.
YouTuber GaffsNotLaffs has meticulously archived over 40 hours of footage capturing the servers’ final moments and is now monitoring the remaining players through a dedicated Discord channel tracking the shutdown. According to a recent social media update, “six known players remain on the Nintendo Network.”
Among these stalwart players, Pokemon X and Y, Mario Kart 8, Super Mario Maker, and Splatoon each have one solitary player navigating the virtual void. Meanwhile, Mario Kart 7 stands out with a bustling community of two players still racing across its tracks. These figures may not be exact, as some players might be active in unaccounted-for games.
The scene evokes memories of Halo 2’s last days, where a handful of players discovered they could continue playing online by leaving their Xbox consoles powered on and connected. That small community persisted for three and a half weeks after the official server shutdown. In comparison, the final six 3DS and Wii U players have held out for 11 days, and I wish them a fond farewell, albeit with a tinge of envy.
For months, players have mourned, celebrated, and fought to preserve the legacy of 3DS and Wii U servers. A Super Mario Maker community achieved the impossible by completing the game’s toughest level just before the server shutdown. The SpotPass Archival Project rallied to collect 23,000 data dumps, preserving nearly-lost DLC. And a devoted Dragon Quest 7 fan rushed to safeguard the game’s DLC before time ran out. Here’s to their valiant efforts.