Several months after shutting down the Nintendo Network servers that were the backbone of the Wii U and 3DS’ online connectivity, Nintendo has dropped a surprise warning about making use of unofficial means.
Whilst not calling out any particular service by name, the company released a statement via X asking users to “please refrain from using such services.” The reason? “They may pose unexpected security risks.”
Party crashing
Nintendo pulled the plug on the Nintendo Network for Wii U and 3DS systems back in April 2024. The now deprecated service allowed users to play and interact online. While the active pool of Wii U and 3DS players is likely quite small, especially in comparison to the Switch, there are still folks who actively seek out matches across a few titles.
This is where alternatives like the well-known Pretendo have come in to fill the void left by Nintendo’s absence. The fan-made service was spun up before the Nintendo Network was even shut down, and quickly moved to offer a stable platform in the wake of its departure.
Despite such a service, which is just one of several, having been around for quite some time, Nintendo has randomly waited until now to address the matter and offer the aforementioned warning.
In lieu of Nintendo’s warning, X user “@Pablomf6”, who happens to be a 3DS Homebrew dev, interjected that Pretendo is actually responsible for fixing a “critical vulnerability” that Nintendo itself didn’t even address.
Nintendo has completely decommissioned the Wii U and 3DS in every official way (other than offering the ability to redownload purchased content from the eShop.) Consequently, its warning of refraining from using services like Pretendo due to the threat of “security risks” may be deemed unimportant by many.
Nevertheless, the timing of this statement is odd either way. After all, the Big N is currently gearing up to launch its next system, the successor to the Nintendo Switch—and that’s where most fans are keeping their attention focused on, as well.
