LEGO City: Undercover Games Removed From Wii U And 3DS eShops

They shut down all the Wii stuff in 2019, why can't my boy Wii U get the same amount of time fam? The best Nintendo Console ever, str8 pooped on.

But why though. No reason to take those games down. I doubt anyone was going to buy them instead of the switch version. Maybe that’s why.

I assume the cost of keeping them on there outweighed the gain. Nintendo won't let them live on there rent free I guess.

That’s a shame, it’s not as if the games are undermining Switch sales. Nintendo are getting really quite annoying when it comes to delistings.

I guess it's a sign that more 3DS and Wii U stuff will soon be gone.

Not a good move at all. I don't own a Wii U but Nintendo are giving players a solid reason to hack their consoles.

Can you still re-download the games, if bought previously?

Nintendo published these games and not WB as normal with Lego games, I would imagine it's a simple case of the agreement having an end date

Probably a licencing thing. Nothing more. The DSi stuff before was probably exploit related.

That leaves the Switch version at £49.99.

Until a Nintendo sale that is, then it gets used as a 70% off game to make the sales look attractive.

It's the most expensive Lego game there is, when it not in a sale.

I have LEGO CITY Wii U, 3DS and Switch version in physical.
My order the PS4 version likely will be arrived tomorrow, so i will Triple dipped LEGO CITY Undercover once i got the PS4 version.

Oh no..... not my childhood lego game......

@AbejaGrande Best ever?! Well, I guess it had to be someone's favorite. Crazy that I got to meet that person.

@Anti-Matter You are already triple-dipped with Wii U, 3DS, and Switch. Quadruple is when the PS4 copy arrives. My question is... why?

This wouldn't be done unless there were figures to back it up. I am guessing they haven't been touched on either system in donkeys so Nintendo/Warner Bros decided to cut their losses.

Did anyone in the world ever intend to buy the game for either system in the future? Doubtful.

This is just the digital version of games no longer going to print (if that is the right term for physical).

Edit: Or as others have pointed out just the publishing agreement ending and both Nintendo and Warner didn't see a need to extend, again backed up by figures.

How hard can it possibly be to announce these in advance?

The fact that it took over 2 weeks to report on this speaks volumes about how much this really means.

Games get delisted all the time, big whoop.

It’s available on all other major platforms because that’s where WB Games published it themselves.

Nintendo’s publishing license for this game probably ran out, so that’s likely the cause of this.

This happens on other platforms too. One of the more recent games I learned about was Forza Horizon 3.

Just 4 years after its launch it reached the “end of life status” and was removed from digital storefronts entirely.

Most likely licensing expired and users had plenty of time to buy. That actually reminds me that I need to get the Switch version. I have the originals but if I do a replay it will be on Switch. Been buying dlc and vc that I forgot about on both systems lately.

ok but why tho

As if anyone was going to download it on Wii U or 3DS at this point.

At least physical versions of these games are out there. This is annoying, but possible to circumvent. It’s so much worse when digital-only titles are canned.

And people wonder why some of us prefer buying physical.

Delistings are always annoying, but they happen. What irks more is lack of a heads-up in the case of DSiWare or these heads-up flying under the radars of newsblogs you frequent. Surely the cited message about December 22 wasn't released by Nintendo on January 6? But alas, unofficial aggregators were likely in full holiday mode when it happened, and official newsmails don't seem to work in my region (I keep getting them for my US account instead... yay).

@dres yes, you can. Delisting only makes a game unavailable for future purchase; once you have it, the redownload option should live every bit as long as eShop servers themselves.

@Bret I think it's the best Nintendo system by far. It has better social interactions, better functionality with the gamepad, better user interface (though load times were admittedly atrocious), better backwards compatibility. Anyways in many areas the Wii U was the best Nintendo has put out. Unfortunately it also had the worst marketing of any Nintendo system. I actually own every Nintendo system, including virtual boy, and the Wii U is the only system I own two of... Because I moved overseas and got one that was compatible with the region I moved to.

i've already own the game on PC and PS4, and recently pick up the 3DS version. might go back and play it later on PC.
it sucks that they had to remove it off the eshop, i enjoyed the Wii U version of Lego City Undercover, however my CD was scratched quite awhile ago (and sadly the 2nd copy that i bought on amazon for Wii U, didn't have the disc.) so, i went with the PC version, as for the PS4 version that i picked up, my Brother had the console and his room at the time, but nether of us has used the PS4 awhile since we both got gaming PCs .

@AndyC_MK84 Most every Nintendo released Switch game is a Wii U port... Even 3 years later. The Wii U had the virtual console and full Wii functionality. Most other games are ports available on PC at a lower price. If you only care about the number of games available you should just stick to PC gaming. If you want to play Nintendo games the Wii U is the system with the most Nintendo games available. Your argument doesn't seem to hold up when you think about it.

@Bret
That was the only LEGO games i like for NON Western superheroes stuffs on it.
Each version are different.
Wii U version requires Gamepad to play and touch screen feature to quick travel.
3DS version was the prequel so it was completely different games.
Switch and PS4 version has better display 1080p with some new additions and normal stick controller play, but the PS4 version has the Non Nintendo stuffs so i want to see the different parts.
I like them all for 1 reason... To play as Shirtless Six pack Chase McCain in 8 different disguises by customize his looking from head to toe. 😘

@AndyC_MK84 Yes removal of the DLC and even the game for a time was ridiculous. My only hope is that they were preventing unknowing parents from getting it for their kids on the wrong console around release date on the switch.

@AndyC_MK84
Read my answer above.

@AndyC_MK84 Nintendoland, Batman Arkham, Assassin's Creed, Xenoblade, Skylanders, Mario kart, Call of Duty... Honestly it's harder for me to think of games that didn't have extra futures with the gamepad than games that didn't. But you're right that some didn't use the feature.

As far as social interactions I guess it depended on having friends that also had a Wii U... But at it's release you could even comment on sports games while watching TV and the gamepad would show you where each shot was attempted in basketball at least.

@nhSnork
Thank you for the answer.

Then I really do not see the big problem with this. As long as it can be re-downloaded by people who already bought it.

Who would go back now and buy these games on Wii U and 3DS? Not many. You can always look for the physical copy if you really want it still.

Delisting for purchase of digital content is something we have to live with. It happens on all platforms.
This could be a bigger problem in the future, though. Because many games only get distributed digital these days.

People really need to stop being quite so surprised when third-party licensed games/content get removed - this is expected

@dres I actually bought The Chase Begins last year - it's a prequel. And I own the first Project X Zone by sheer luck since the digital version got delisted before I got a 3DS to begin with. I know how it feels, but I just wish this was announced and covered in generous advance - preferably earlier than a few weeks away.

Anyone who wants them for the Wii U or 3DS has had 7 years to get them. Not a shock, especially for a console as dead as the Wii U. Note, I still love and play my Wii U regularly, but I've bought all the games I'm ever likely to for it. I was always annoyed the 3DS title was never made available as dlc for the recent console versions, but I heard it wasn't as good. Really enjoyed getting 100% on the main game.

@AndyC_MK84

Agreed. The Switch is the vision of the WiiU fully realized. WiiU has always been a highly flawed product in search of an audience rather than a solid machine with "bad marketing" as its core problem.

@AndyC_MK84 I didn't say they haven't put out any new games on switch. I only said that the majority of the games on switch are Wii U ports. Mariokart, Pikmim 3, Super Mario Bros U, Zelda Breath of the Wild (which they took away gamepad functionality so that it would be the same on switch), Captain toad as you mentioned. Mario Maker 2 though technically not a port is clearly a port because it still has the exact same glitches from Mario Maker. But like most of the ports they added some new functionality of levels and took away some as well, as is the case of Captain Toad and others.

Please don't make a habit of posting articles about each game yanked from the online service of a dead console nobody even plays or can purchase new anymore

@AndyC_MK84 yeah f zero was bad, but Zelda, Metroid, Luigi's Mansion, and others used the gamepad exceptionally. Many are still a blast if you get a group of 3-5 people together.

@AndyC_MK84 So then the PC is the best place to game in your opinion because it has essentially an infinite catalog?

Definitely agree with what you said to killer Bob

@AndyC_MK84 yes where one person with the gamepad was the ghost and the others tried to catch the ghost. But yeah I recently played them all and the out of I believe 12 games only 2 or 3 were bad for me.

People: hmmm, Lego games, how quaint.
Removes games from eshop
Those same people: HOW DARE THEY?? I WAS GONNA GET AROUND TO MAYBE BUYING IT, BUT NOT REALLY! GRRRRR!

@AbejaGrande Amen to that, or at least give us a heads up and timeline. There were a couple of wii games I have been holding out on that I may need to buy before they are surprised removed from the eshop.

@AndyC_MK84

"It wouldn't typically be brought up" because it's a non issue. Anyone who had any interest in buying this game digitally on a Wii-U did so several years ago. I'd be shocked if this game sold more than 20 downloads in the past year.

NOOOO i just got my Wii U and wanted to buy this game!!!

Thankfully, you can still get a used physical copy of the game $10 - 15. Stinks that the publishing agreement ended, but I have an easier time accepting this than when Nintendo pulls a game they made because they re-released it on Switch.

What exactly is worrying? You can't buy the game any more, big deal. It's not like they are deleting it from your system or in any way making it unplayable. Most of the time when this happens the game is still there for re-download even.

It's 2021, I thought we would be over crapping our pants at all the fake, completely stupid and made up fears of digital media by now. Steam is 18 years old and you can still play the games you registered in 2003 ... hell, that's more then I can say about most physical media I bought 2 decades ago. As long as your game isn't running on a server that can be shut down, you're good.

@TheFullAndy these games were also free at some stage or another on Wii U and 3DS (that is how i got the 3DS one). I just think it is sad how digital stores will eventually close over time. I'll have to buy a few last games before they close the service for good.

This is why I increasingly favor XB - few games seem to get deslisted there, ever, the ones that do come with ample warning and almost always involve music licensing or publisher closure/buyouts/etc, and more older games have actually been added for sale. I kind of "get it" with the Nintendo licensing, but this is the problem with phasing out consoles and one-and-done disposables rather than building the whole environment as one platform.

@Mushvision The Forza games are due to hard licensing dates. They're always about 4 years, and a new one always replaces it so there's no gap in the catalog. All the car brands, logos, models, the music, etc are a fixed term licensing that can't be distributed beyond the contract. That's common with racing games and music games since it's all content that needs to be licensed. It's why Ubisoft and some others don't use real car brands and models in The Crew and Watch_Dogs. But they do still license music for games. Apparently under "indefinite" terms of some sort the car mfrs won't offer.

Sony lucks out with music licensing. They happen to be the rights holder to the majority of published music worldwide, anyway via Sony Music/BMG. So they can kind of cheat the licensing and use a lot of real music. They only have to pay themselves.

LCU is a weird one though since it's still available in general, and still available on Switch. Hardware-specific and not platform/ecosystem-specific delistings are kind of weird.

As per a lot of people said in the DSiWare take down...

This is why physicals are superior

@Anti-Matter “why triple dip on this?” – what a great answer. That has me smiling so hard. I hope the PS4 version further extends the joy you’re getting from this title!

Might have to check it out myself now…

@Yorumi
I think the benefits of PC gaming are understood by literally everyone at this point; however, consoles are still easy benchmarks to grab for relatively cheap, require very little tinkering, have a pile of fun exclusives. Plus, if your friends play in the respective online environments, you are probably going to flock together.

So basically games that nobody would buy anyway are being removed, so what?.

@HeadPirate,

What worries me more than any of this is the sheer amount of click-bate type article posted on this site, you can always tell when it's a slow news day.

@FargusPelagius

I think moving forward with the one platform model with Switch the digital titles will be available for longer as there is no way the next system wont be backwards compatible (I think anyway).

But 3DS and Wii U are dead platforms so this isn't much of a surprise. If the Switch version disappeared then that would cause me to raise an eyebrow.

COVID is worrying. Games being delisted from a digital storefront isn't. It's the digital version of going out of print, and is a basic feature of commerce.

Also, business models like Limited Run's, printing 1,000 copies of a game so that in a decade there will be a single copy on eBay going for $200, aren't game preservation. It's exploitation of FOMO.

I would have guessed licensing issues, but the fact the Switch version remains says otherwise.
Wouldn't licensing usually affect ALL versions?

I noticed a week or so ago that it Lego City Undercover wasn't available, but wasn't sure if it was a new development. The article answers that

I would imagine that they're going to let the Wii U and 3DS shops live for years to come, but only for games that aren't ported to Switch and thus competing with Switch's bottom line. The idea would be to let you get the games you can't get on Switch with the older consoles but if you can get it on Switch, why not 'switch' over to the actually-supported console?

In any case, they can't shut down the 3DS wifi connectivity / nintendo eshop accounts anytime soon because they just last summer launched Pokémon HOME, which has a key feature of letting you bring forward Pokémon from Pokémon Bank to HOME. If you're going to do that, you need an active membership in Bank as well as in HOME, so you need your 3DS eshop. And a key feature of that connectivity is getting RGBY/GSC Pokémon into Sword & Shield via the Virtual Console Pokémon Games. Yes, it's also to get RSE/FRLG > DPPt/HGSS > BW/B2W2 > PokéTransport > Bank > HOME, and it's to get XY/ORAS > Bank > HOME, and to get GO > HOME, and from LGP&E > HOME, and GO > LGP&E > HOME, but almost all of these purposes rely on 3DS apps. We currently can get Pokémon from every main series Pokémon game AND Pokémon GO into HOME and thus, if allowed by SW/SH, can get them into the Gen VIII games and beyond. HOME is a key part of their long term goals for Pokémon. They're not going to shut down the possibility to get older titles' mons into HOME after they spent years working out how to fix the non-connectivity between Gens I & II and the rest of the series and finally resolved it with the virtual console and Bank.

The Wii U is close to becoming a lost cause. I wouldn't be surprised if multiple companies are starting to drop support or stop renewing eShop licenses on a console that ultimately failed. As much as I love the Wii U, the statistics are beginning to show.

I'm amazed the WiiU has any online services still available! I'd have thought Nintendo would want to file it in the same vault as the Virtual Boy...

@AndyC_MK84
Free online service, large Virtual Console library (which includes DS games) and Wii backwards compatibility, and unique 5-player multiplayer games (most notably, Nintendo Land).

Other than that, there's virtually no reason to play on a Wii U. As you mentioned, most Wii U games are being ported over to the Switch.

The Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop were only the beginning of digital armageddon... this is what we physical only peeps were afraid of and this is why we prefer physical best. Unfortunately most all the current games now rely to much of digital updates which will (eventually in the distant future) also become unavoidably unavailable someday thus meaning buying used physical copies of games will grant us broken and partial versions of those games. At this point getting physical copies is mostly just for collecting or saving space on the system's memory, nothing is fully physical anymore, we only get half physical games now, the other half is all DLC...

(Animal Crossing: New Horizons is going to suck once it stops getting online support in 2050... assuming the world hasn't ended and we're all still alive by then...)

They aren't gone for good. Because PHYSICAL! Down with digital. We give up too much for it to work.

$5 used - $18 new on Amazon.

Why I do not buy any digital only consoles tied to 1 store as the only option.

@Chibi_Manny
I honestly wouldn't worry about physical games disappearing. For the record, there are many people out there like us who would always go for a physical copy if possible. It's also still the primary solution to saving space on the console storage, which means there would be less issues involving external storage expansion, if physical still exists.

Is this a licensing issue?

Glad I have Lego City on physical. With the Wii U gamepad, its better there than on Switch.

@NEStalgia Yeah, probably a poor example there, but Nintendo (AFAIK) published the Wii U and 3DS versions of LCU, back when they were Nintendo exclusives.

I’m assuming that their license to publish the games ran out and didn’t bother to renew them with WB. I could be wrong though.

In fact, I’m not even sure if the Nintendo-related content is present in the Switch version. Can anyone clarify if it is or not? Would be interesting to know.

EDIT: Thanks for the clarification on Forza though. Guess I should actually buy Forza Horizon 4 before it suffers the same fate. I’ve played a bit on Game Pass PC and enjoyed what little bit I’ve played.

@TheFullAndy well that is just the thing, if the Wii shop went (Nintendo's best selling home console) then in five years time what will stop the Switch shop being discontinued?
8 years of Wii U is good considering it's failure, however the eshop was Nintendo's attempt at consolidating a modern digital eco system. They even designed the Wii U to encourage digital gaming, compatible with older HDD and big discounts on digital games the first year of launch. To start to "shut it down", actually is a bad sign for the future of Switch's eco system.
Maybe Nintendo will refresh the eshop so Switch is compatible with all the older titles? That was the aim with the Wii U as it "would" have carried over Wii's VC entirely had it been successful.
Switch is sat there with hap hazard re releases of some games that would have actually fit perfectly in a VC eshop eco system. It looks like a total mess up to my eyes.

@AndyC_MK84 Oh I don't know. Media is quite cheap these days. Imagine how awesome video game stores would be!!!

@FargusPelagius

The Gamecube was wildly different from the Wii which was wildly different from the Wii U both in physical media and controllers and they were all different from the handheld consoles again.

I see Nintendo continue the hybrid, one screen Switch platform going forwards so Switch games will be able to play on Switch 2, 3 and so it won't be as much of a headache for Nintendo to keep older games available digitally.

Much like with PS5 and Series X backwards compatability is becoming the norm for consoles more in line with PC and their digital stores just add more games to the existing ones on the new systems and I see Nintendo doing the same.

Basically Nintendo constantly taking risks with different play styles in the past has mucked up the now because those games have so many hurdles to work on Switch properly today.

@AndyC_MK84 Amen mate

@AbejaGrande
Like someone else said in here, the Switch (and Wii) have both outdone the Wii U, so the Wii U services will start shutting down sooner than they will for Wii (or Switch even).

For everyone:
Also, this is probably going to start happening more and more often with games (and services) on Wii U and 3DS, so if you want a certain game (or service) I would say grab it now.
I'm not trying to scare anyone, I just want to warn you guys of what's to become "normal" for Wii U and 3DS stuff (IMO).

@AndyC_MK84 The Switch marketing is better, that's it.

@AndyC_MK84
I know, but sometimes getting the physical version of an older game is harder and more expensive to get, than just getting the physical version.
That being said, I do get physical games whenever I can, but I also get digital as well, when the game doesn't have a physical option or the physical version is 2 - 3 more expensive than the digital version.

@TheFullAndy The Wii U was actually "too much" like the Wii, compatible with all controllers and hampered by it's processor, it could run GC, Wii and Wii U games natively (GC with a easy Hack). But yeah, i hope the Switch remains a constant. In all honesty it should have been the Wii. They should have re marketed Wii U as a better Wii 1 year after launch (when it hadn't done the 9 million)and ditched Gamepad as default controller. Then switch would have played GC, Wii, Wii U and Switch digital libraries without starting from scratch 10 years after Wii.

@AndyC_MK84 yeah the Wii U has access to more and better games than the Switch. There i said it. I haven't actually played anything unique on Switch so far this gen, and most of the time my xbox has a better version.
Really hoping Nintendo come up with some exciting Switch games for year four.

2021 is the end of the world for the 3ds, if they remove the mario and luigi games We know for a fact its coming to the switch.

@AndyC_MK84 chill your beans. You forgot all the Wii library, Galaxy 2 hasn't made it to Switch for example. Everyone always assumes the Wii U had no games, it had 1000s at launch. But how dare i suggest it.

@AndyC_MK84 well i currently play a few games on Switch (liking the Sniper 4 port, well done Rebellion), but i mostly game on my Xbox and my Wii U, i have an SSD full of games for both and shelf full of "old" wii and 360 games which i still razz thru. some of the best destressing arcade games were made for Wii.
The Switch doesn't yet feel like it has any made "for Switch" games, even Age of Calamity looks like it could have run on Wii U or New 3DS with some elbow grease. I am hoping Metroid Prime 4 really changes that situation, or perhaps Bay 3 and No More heroes 3.
Edit: Galaxy 2 is odd as fairly sure that was released in China for Nvidia. The work is done.

@AndyC_MK84 the notion of those Switch games being on Wii U was very real. Nintendo made a deal with several publishers "if" they could sell 9 million Wii U's in it's first year it would have got games like, Dark Souls, Metro Last light, Warframe, Sniper Elite 3, Crysis, Ghost recon online (cancelled partly due to it), Rayman would have stayed "exclusive" and Batman Origins.
That didn't happen so funding was pulled and devs focused on PS4 and X1 instead. Fast forward, Switch is a hit, nails sales, all the old Wii U ports and projects appear on it in the first few years to "fill out" the library.
Edit: i have an OG xbox that i think still works, don't use it (even have a few games). It's a U.K one though with the power cable that killed people.

@AndyC_MK84 i totally understood the flak it got, Nintendo dropped the ball. It needed just a bit more "grunt" for the price (or a price cut like 3DS had)another processor core and 10 more watts and it wouldn't have been so hamstrung. If it had done 360 games better than a 360 AND provided gamepad features, it would have stormed it. I knew 3 people who got one at launch, had Black ops 2 "crash" (the dreaded noise of doom which required power off) then return it within 2 days. For the rest of the gen they'd say how ***** it was, despite, low and behold both X1 and PS4 also crashing on them. But just because they had prettier graphics, it was "forgiveable".
Also Bare in mind the CoD crowd were the people Needed to help sell the 9 million units.

@AbejaGrande You misspelled worst

@AndyC_MK84 Terrible gamepad utilization that was a DS on steroids. Made people's hands cramp. You couldn't buy a new one if it broke, lack of third party support, small HDD space, overpriced, confusing marketing, reliance on last-gen peripherals, under-powered compared to the Xbox 360 and PS3, too many terrible ports, the list goes on. This is tried and true facts too. Now, that's not to say the system was super awful, just no one asked for it.

@AndyC_MK84
Yeah, that's true.
I was talking about Limited Run Games and how their prices are definitely more than the digital price. An example of this was when I was wanting to get the Panzer Dragoon Remake on Switch physically, but it was $40 physically vs $20 digitally, and (IIRC) I don't believe there was any additional stuff that came with it, like Limited Run Games usually has when they release physical versions of games.
Microsoft and Sony tend to have more sales than Nintendo in general (although Nintendo is getting better on the sales end).
Dang, that's a pretty good deal to get for a new game, whether it's for Wii U or other consoles.
Also, you can edit your comments if you need to add something to them later, just wanted to let you know. 🤔

@AndyC_MK84
It definitely can be hard to decide on things at times. This brings in the cost vs. benefits scenario that we doing a lot of the time, no matter what it's for.
Seems like we both have the same stance on digital vs physical games. If people limit themselves to one or the other, then I feel that people are missing out on games they might end up liking.
I haven't played the Steamworld series either.
Wait, £100 for a physical version?! 🤔🤯

Did it come with anything else, or just the game?
You got it for like a 1/10 of the original cost, so it's the best of both worlds (IMO).

@AndyC_MK84
DANG, an additional £45 on top of the £100?! 🤔🤯

Who the heck was selling it? I'm asking because that's a ridiculous price to pay that much for a game, and not even have a Collector' Editon, or a Limited Edition, with that price. 🤔😐
That's the problem with indie games having to rely on companies like Limited Run Games, which is that they can charge whatever they want to and get away with it. I appreciate the fact that indies have options to have physical releases if they want to, but it also means the consumer gets hit the hardest, regarding price.
Sorry, I feel like this ended up turning into a rant, instead of just being a response to you.
Anyway, that's good that SteamWorld Dig 2 is available at most retailers.

@AndyC_MK84
Okay, that's good. For some reason, I thought it had turned into a rant.
Seems like we have a couple of similar beliefs, regarding gaming.
I get the fact that it would cost Limited Run Games a lot of money to keep the physical copies going until the end of said console, but I feel like they could have a better system of handling their physical games. I've heard that Limited Run has their copies being sold for 6 months to a year, but I don't know how accurate that is.
Actually, the indies that I've seen charge around half price ($20 - $30) with some games being higher and lower than that. I'm not really into indies, so I could be mistaken regarding the price.

The 3DS game is not a port but its own thing, so it is basically a game lost forever.
The Wii U version also did neat things with its double screen, too bad. I don't understand how this and the DSi purge haven't been told before they pull the trigger...

Why do I get the feeling that Lego City games on Wii U and 3DS were removed because of the anti-police rhetoric movement.

Sad, the Wii U version is the best because it has a map on the gamepad, and the 3ds one might be a bit short, but it is still fun.