Video Game History Foundation Criticizes Nintendo Following Decision To Close Wii U and 3DS Eshops
Nintendo's decision to close both the Wii U and 3DS eShops before March 2023 has led to not just fans airing their frustration, but the Video Game History Foundation as well, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving the history of video games.
In a scathing statement released on the foundation's official Twitter account on Thursday, Nintendo is accused of being "actively destructive to video game history" with its efforts to remove its legacy games from public access. The publisher is also accused of using its ESA membership to fund lobbying which keeps its games from being legally accessed.
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"What we don't understand is what path Nintendo expects its fans to take, should they wish to play these games in the future," reads the statement. "As a paying member of the Entertainment Software Association, Nintendo actively funds lobbying that prevents even libraries from being able to provide legal access to these games." The statement goes on to claim that Nintendo is "preventing institutional work" to preserve its video games.
It's understandable why Nintendo is shutting down eShops for its older consoles, but fan outrage is as equally understandable, with Nintendo seemingly trying to do its best to stop people from enjoying its older titles. Nintendo Switch Online's selection of retro titles is paltry at best, drip-feeding titles over several years, and the publisher continues to stamp down on piracy when soon that's going to be the only viable option to experience some of its digital-only games.
Thankfully, we still have a little over a year to load up on digital titles on both Wii U and 3DS before the eShops close. This is also a reminder to download
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