Nintendo Removing Credit Card Support From 3DS And Wii U eShop In Japan

That kinda annoying. Just why?

Still play my Wii U.
Awesome console.

Still waiting for the Wii U OLED 4k announcement.
Now that I would buy

Oh damn

That probably means North America isn't far behind

I get the Wii U since most of its best games are now either on Switch or multiplatform, but why the 3DS?

Also RIP getting the MegaTen games on there for cheap now as well

Everyone go download SMT IV and the two Devil Survivors ASAP

I plan on buying as many Virtual Console games as I can afford. I actually re-purchased a Wii U in part for that very reason. It is clear that Nintendo, with products such as Nintendo Switch Online, plans to lock all old content behind a service. In the end, those services will cost more money than just purchasing the games now. Yes, I know the NSO service is cheap now but that is no guarantee that it will be in the future. This is great for Nintendo as it will bring in money to the company throughout the year and not just when they release new titles, so from a business standpoint it is great. As a fan… not so much. So, yes, I am planning to buy more items on my Wii U and use the Wii U e-shop. I really love the Wii U and have enjoyed it quite a bit (just finished playing Sonic All Star Racing Transformed and it is great! Best $5 eBay game I’ve played recently).

I'm not ready for these eShops to be shut down. I need a couple more years. There's too much good exclusive stuff and I have no money

So, I should probably buy some of the 3Ds games I wanna get while I still can. SMT 4, here I come!

It's been removed for a while in Australia.

You have to log into your online Nintendo account via the switch or desktop site, add funds then spend them on the WiiU or 3DS eshop.

I don't like this. If the gift cards stopped supporting Wii U, there would be no way to add funds (except if the Switch money is connected if they have switch and also as @Abes3 said logging in to something and adding money). What if they stop supporting credit cards from any remaining places like North America? They let you do credit cards on Wii shop at least where I am from up until you couldn't add funds. I hope this does not mean the end of the E-Shops.
If so, we lose a lot of stuff.

@Abes3 sorry to hear that about in Australia

The end of 3DS and Wii U eshop age is near.

Wii U Virtual Console is by far the best online thing big N has ever done. RIP.

@arnoldfranklin They'll probably keep the downloads open for a while, for already purchased software.

Between the 3DS and Wii U virtual console and those systems, it's possible to own pretty much any Zelda game released.

It's just stopping the credit card, though, which I don't normally use anyway. I can only use the eshop cards and use them with my main account, which is both on 3DS and Switch, so no problem to me as long as they don't actually shut down the whole thing for 3DS

Hmmm, seems like it'll slowly wind down. I better buy the games I want on 3DS.

I don't get the point of doing this. This option can't be costing them money.

Nintendo seemed to have been forced to remove European credit purchases due to the eShop’s lack of Two-Factor Authentication. It could just be the same ordeal in Japan, hence why North America doesn’t appear to be affected yet.

Calm down people, it just has become more annoying, but you can still buy by using funds from your Nintendo Network ID, just not directly from the Eshop for Wii u and 3DS, and in the West it is fine for now.

@Hikingguy which games are gone?

Nintendo and their walled garden...

I prefer the credit card option more because you can add what you need.

But with gift cards if you get a $10 card where you buying something for $5 then I have to add sale tax which about 7% to a dollar where I'm at that adds up to $5.35 and not sure what to do with the remaining $4.65.

At the end I'm losing more money when the shut down starts which why I hate the gift card adding option.

man this really makes me wonder how close we are to a full shutdown, and its really weird coming so soon after the ps3/vita store thing? i guess i thought nintendo wouldn't risk a backlash like that so soon after it went down

@solarstriker
Almost every single Zelda game, except for Four Swords and its partial sequel, Four Swords Adventures.

This is great actually, now nobody can pretend to be mad at me when they find out I have every eshop game torrented on my jailbroken 3DS and WiiU. So annoying.

It's almost time. If you are in North America, get a 3DS AND a Wii U whenever you can if you plan to play a lot of classic games. The huge library of Virtual Console games on both are not worth missing, ESPECIALLY the Wii U with its GBA and DS games.

I will likely end up skipping the Switch games coming after Metroid Dread this year and instead make sure I get what I want off the Wii U VC before this change occurs for the states. The Wii U has a lot available.

Man it is really quite sad that dead systems online stores are showing signs of shutting down. This is why all digital is not good and physical games will always exist

Thank you for the info Nintendo, it's a good reminder to not spend too much money on the Switch eshop and favor Steam instead.

My credit card has never worked on 3ds eShop. Declines it every time. prepaid card is my only option.

Meanwhile Microsoft & Xbox keep adding more classic titles to their storefront AND add free optimizations and enhancements occasionally. OG Star Wars Battlefront 2 anyone??

@TheFrenchiestFry By the way, have you tried Soul Hackers? I think it looks interesting but I have no idea if it's any good.

I never had a Wii U but the 3DS is still a fantastic handheld, I’m playing through the original Monster Hunter Stories just now, and I collect physical for this and the DS. I just find it really inconvenient that Nintendo removed the UK credit card option so early.

I have different accounts over my 3DS console collection due to Nintendo’s complicated and restrictive system so I can’t fund everything through my Switch nor can I swap games from one 3DS to another and continue playing where I left off. This is something they should open up on legacy consoles.

There are still a few games I want digitally that are restrictive, price wise, on physical due to rarity and I find the voucher system a bit unfair as it means topping up more money than is needed.

Hehe, all the doom and gloom about "killing the eShop". I wouldn't read too much into this. My guess is that the eShop app on the WiiU and 3DS simply don't support necessarily security features. In Europe, you are now required to use two factor authentication, which means, at least in my case with a Mastercard, that a separate website opens where you have to answer a security question and enter a TAN you received via SMS.

In fact even on the Switch (and on Steam) I had issues with this in the last few months and had to use the website to pay.

My guess is that Japan will introduce similar rules in 2022.

@zapswitch Good thing their is physical media, right?

Yeah been this way for ages in Europe. I just add funds on to the switch as sane account. ( you can do it online too but never bothered) it's based on security requirements here that 3ds and wii u didn't have and they weren't going update them.

I still need to decide which retro games to download on 3DS and Wii U virtual console. Am considering this is an indication the stores themselves will be closing maybe next year.

Does this mean I’ve missed the boat to download Metroid Prime trilogy on WiiU?

@zapswitch as was speculated upon a similar event in western regions, it's possibly due to the respective eShop apps falling behind some changes in financial operation requirements online and requiring a bigger under-the-hood overhaul to address that than Nintendo is motivated to invest in.

A bummer indeed but only really annoying when you're trying to buy 3DS DLC (like extra cases in the newer Ace Attorney games) - it's still only accessed via respective games and thus can't take the surviving advantage of the browser storefront's "add only the required amount", potentially necessitating a larger wallet shot (in Russian region, for instance, the minimal default is 750 rubles when the DLC piece in question might cost a tenth of that). Thankfully, the option to use leftover funds from Switch eShop wallet can mitigate this FWP at times.

@FatWormBlowsASparky no, Wii U eShop itself should remain fully functional - you just can't directly add funds to it from your console anymore. Nintendo website is the way to go.

Not a big story here... yet. The 3DS eshop will still be around for a few years. The DS eshop didn't close until July 2020.

For my recent 3DS purchases I have just made them online on a web browser and then they magically appear on my 3DS home screen. That should hopefully continue for a while.

I will raid the Wii U store like crazy as soon as this is announced in Europe.

The actual not taking credit card payments is a security issue, as they no longer update the consoles. They haven't taken credit card payments on the U.K eshop for years, i have to top up via the Switch (or mobile) then make the purchase on the 3DS or Wii U.
The problem is Nintendo have no alternative hardware to support Wii U and 3DS games (yet both were backward compatible). It's like Switch is the first time they are making a net store that can actually carry over. Which is ludicrous when you consider how well they did with the Wii and DS. MS still has the 360 store still going in comparison.

@JamesR But that's already the case on the European 3DS & Wii U eShop 🤷🏻‍♂️, they removed the option to directly pay with credit card ages ago and you have to visit the website in order to add funds.
I guess they removed it because the 3DS/Wii U can't handle modern security standards and thus using credit card data on it would be unsafe...

@Delycache I am actually surprised this article doesn't mention this was already the case in Europe, as i read it here years ago. Okay September 2019, but it has felt like years due to lockdown Haha

@Delycache arghhh!!! I noticed this on the 3DS but was not aware of the situation with Wii U.

The last time I booted up the Wii U was for a dash-and-grab on the Wii eShop a few years back.

@JamesR You're two years late then buddy.

No problem, just upgrade your balance using CC on the Switch and it will show on 3DS and WiiU.
Got no Switch? Shame on you! But you can also upgrade your balance with CC online.

@Nin10dood I have like 1500 dollars worth of games on my Zelda edition Wii U.

I'd part with that gem if they made a Wii U Pro
that would be dank.

Oh god. Don't let this be happening. I don't have the money to buy out half of the Wii U and 3DS E-shops, and I certainly don't have the storage space, concidering how miniscule the 3DS's maximum SD card size is. I have so many VC games to get, and so many 3DS indies to pick up before those shops go down.

@nhSnork
Brilliant thanks. I’ve saved myself some money by not knowing how to do it until now I guess. 😅

@alexybubble The 3ds can handle large sd cards, it's just not officially supported.

I'm pretty sure I just bought the last game I need on 3DS. That might change in the future, but I should be good.

I still buy games on my 3ds occasionally. The virtual console is so much better than the Switch

This is terrible business practice. If the shop is open, why can't I use a credit card? Is this 2003? Why am I forced to take the extra step of buying an Eshop card first? So Nintendo can make extra money from selling the cards? Nintendo loves inconveniencing its customers, while Sony makes things so easy for its customers to buy what they want.

@TheFrenchiestFry

Don’t forget Strange Journey Redux and Soul Hackers.

In addition to the MegaTen games, Atlus RPGs in general are going to get very, very expensive when the 3DS eShop closes down. I’d recommend people look into grabbing the Etrian Odyssey games, Persona Q games and Radiant Historia (hopefully there’ll be a few more Atlus eShop sales).

The 3DS Dragon Quest games have also gotten quite expensive recently, so don’t sleep on those digital versions either.

There’s also a lot of digital only 3DS games like Phoenix Wright Dual Destines and Spirit of Justice that’ll just be gone when the eShop closes.

Overall, the 3DS eShop closing so soon is a huge bummer.

Nintendolife, you might add why it is happening: not really a nintendo thing, more advanced safety in creditcard payments...

The VC roms I purchased for WiiU looked bad, played poorly, and were over priced for what they were. Much happier with the incredible selection of arcade classics available on Switch which have had maximum effort put into them to look and play as they did originally.

@Scrubicius
Yeah it'll be a sad day when physical games die out and digital takes over

For those asking why, this is to do with more countries mandating support for 3D Secure version 2 (the little box that pops up from your bank / credit card provider when you make an online payment), the 3DS and Wii U eShops only support the less secure 3D Secure version 1. This has already been in the case in Europe since September 2019.

@Charinzardon Yeah, i don't get why everyone is having a heart attack.

Nintendo removed my ability to use a credit card for absolutely no reason a month after I bought my wiiu and never re-instated it.

@YANDMAN If your credit card had an overdraft protection feature, then it's likely that feature may had prevented you from making purchase beyond that point. For example my Visa credit card had an overdraft protection of $150 so if my credit ever dropped down closed to that credit amount then Visa will prevent that card from working until I repay back some of the balance. That's to protect me from receiving overdraft charges and plummeting my credit scores.

Need to buy that Silver Falls Horror game and That one Ironfall shooter game. Also the Ace Attorney games that are exclusive? RIP

@solarstriker
I can play every Zelda game released on my Wii U and 3ds lol.
Except four swords on GC and the links awakenings remake

I need to buy these ones while there's still a time

• Fire Emblem Fates
• SMT 4 Apocalypse
• Kid Icarus
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Remake

I don't mind just no why?

@Minecraft_Master @deiongreenaway They are doing this because certain companies and regions are requiring better security methods such as two-factor authentication. The thing is that Nintendo isn't bothering updating the systems so that they work with the new security methods so Nintendo is just closing those methods.

remember when people bullied sony over this? let's do it again

Yeah I can see the eshops on the older consoles being easily compromised, so it's probably for security reasons. Either way, as long as the wallet is still shared with the Switch, I don't see it being much of a problem, it's more of a small extra step to buy stuff instead of an all out impediment.

@VoidofLight there's no rush even when credit card support is removed you can add funds on Switch then buy stuff on 3ds or Wii U the funds are shared

@CodyMKW Ah, I didn't know that. That just makes me question why they're even doing this in the first place then.

I will on 3ds, never had a wii u.

nintendo reminding everyone yet again how much they hate their fans.

I wonder if they run surveys before shutting down these services. Just reading through the comments here it seems plenty of people are still interested in the 3DS (and Wii). With Animal Crossing being released two years ago there was a huge surge in 3DS interest. Not sure why Nintendo feels the need to shut down everything. I guess it's not profitable in the long run.

Oh this sucks North America isn’t that far behind Nintendo life please make a list for eshop exclusives for 3ds and wii u

Someone else already said this but I suspect this has little to do with shutting down the eshop and more to do with security standards on the OS or hardware, or the store backend software that's probably not updated anymore by the vendor, not being able to be PCI compliant (or whatever the Japanese equivalent is) so they probably have to stop support. Probably less about closing the store, and more about not updating it to current payment security requirements.

That may or may not affect other territories, if so, as it depends on what exactly it was using before and what Japan requires now.

@Awesomebird25 Same thing with Sony. That having been said, 2FA is horrifically evil and needs to go away. If the best security they can offer is to have to be tethered to your phone and to be locked out if you don't have it, that's disastrous. I forget the name of them but there's those physical USB keys that really should have been the standard. I thought we'd be getting RID of 2FA by now, not mandating it. It's just sick. A phone is not a keyring, it's a phone.

rip pokebank and any connectivity between 8gen games and every other gens games.

Have they learned nothing from Sony?? I mean at least in Sony's case, a lot of those games on PS Vita were available elsewhere, but so many 3DS games only exist on that platform. It just seems very premature to stop selling those games alltogether, from both a business standpoint and a consumer friendly one.

@N00BiSH
Sony was about to shutdown the PSP/PS3/PSV digital stores worldwide until pushback saved the PS3/PSV digital stores from being shutdown.
vs
Nintendo will soon remove credit card support from the 3DS and Wii U eShops in Japan (which they have already done in Europe/Australia)

Completely different situation.

@McGruber
Except Nintendo isn't shutting down any stores whatsoever.

Read the title and the article.

@westman98 Not allowing gamers to purchase new games is essentially shutting down the store. Were you also in the comments arguing that the Wii shop wasn't getting shut down when they did the same thing? What's your point? lol

@McGruber But you CAN still buy games. That is literally not changing.

it's pretty trivial to hack a 3ds and pirate whatever game you want but why aren't more people mentioning pokemon bank? once that's shut down, it'll be impossible to transfer pokemon from anything before sword and shield.

and using the eshop gift cards on the 3ds and wii u is really annoying because it's impossible to not end up with an unused balance. on the wii, you paid tax when you bought the card in walmart and then you had 2000 points that you could use on games that were 500, 800, or 1000 points, so maybe you'd have like 200 left over sometimes but you could get to 0 with enough cards, but on the eshop, you pay $20 at walmart for $20 of credit and then the game is $21.59.

@Leej07 Not with a credit/debit card, which is how I'm sure 90% of gamers purchase games on virtual storefronts. Also if they are doing this, why would one not assume they might soon close off the ability to purchase games for 3DS overall? You don't have to answer the questions, I just don't get why you are basically apologizing for Nintendo here.

@McGruber
Credit card support is ending. You can still purchase digital 3DS/Wii U games via eShop cards or linked NNID accounts.

I'm not apologizing for anything, I'm just noting that this is not part of them shutting the shops down yet.
It also doesn't even affect North America, so it's essentially a moot point over there.
The Wii Shop stayed online for over 7 years after the Wii was discontinued, so we already have precedent of them keeping a digital storefront active long after a system is discontinued.

@westman98 fair enough.

As much as I love the Wii U, I can't say I'll miss it's e-shop all that much (Although I did just download that new Sturmfront game). But the 3DS e-shop, I've bought several games from there this year, and there's just so much more to explore.

@McGruber use the Nintendo website, it still accepts credit card payments.
and Nintendo isn't exactly doing this voluntarily.
they had 2 alternatives.
1: do nothing, and watch as customers complain about payments failing because the credit card security checks fail at some random point in the near future.
2: pull devs out of their switch OS dev team, dig up old source code, and overhaul the checkout process in the eShop on 2 systems that have been EoL for years now.

@Ghost_of_Hasashi No it was nothing to do with me, literally a mistake by Nintendo. I spent months on the phone getting nowhere. They re-instated it for about two weeks and then blocked it again, then they said i had made a fraudulent complaint against them? All complete fiction, they said I was lucky as they could of blocked my entire account??? I told them as a lifelong supporter of their products i was extremely angry and disappointed. I had to use cards from then on forwards. Not only were they completely in the wrong but my account had a pretty hefty purchase history, but also being a good customer didn't interest them. when i looked further into it it was absolutely not an isolated case and I assume an error with their system and the same thing happened to lots of people.

@Adamario

i guess its because unless they shut down the eshop itself on the 3ds, theres always the option of adding funds either though your switch if the accounts are merged or online, last time i renewed it, it was though funds i had put directly on my switch. in any case, this one of the 2 main issues people had with bank when it first came out: 1, the pay wall 2, the eventuality that it would one day get discontinued and shut down one of pokemons main features: cross generation transport. up til then, aside from the original gameboy carts, there was always some official way to transport pokemon that was reliable, done from system to system and didn't require being bound to game freak &/or nintendo's whims

i can also see what the 2 main reasons for why gamefreak would shut off the prior generations like that.
1. the abundance of hacks, i mean just go into 6th gens gts and look for a vivillon and you'll see this idiocy:

its even worse on gen 7's gts as the hacked mons will either freeze your game or in this case of this one, your entire 3ds

2.) game freak has had a pattern of making every pokemon available for each generation from the generation prior for each console by the time of the final games for the console(excluding mythical and event only or version exclusive forms)
on the gba games you could get all the gen 3 and prior pokemon from between FR/LG/R/S/E/C/XD
you could get all the pokemon from gen 5 and prior between D/P/PT/HG/SS/B/W/B2/W2
you could get all the pokemon from gen 7 and prior between X/Y/OR/AS/S/M/US/UM
so by once gen 9 starts, you will most likely be able to get all pokemon from it's games and prior switch games onto home

@Awesomebird25 Oh I see