The Painful Truth: Why Nintendo Abandoned Core Wii Services
As a lifelong Nintendo fan, it has been tough to watch the company slowly peel away support for some of the Wii‘s standout services and channels over the past decade. What started in 2013 as a handful of discontinued apps soon snowballed into full-fledged shop and online closures that now leave the 14-year-old console lacking key features that once defined its friendly, connected gaming experience.
What Channels Did Wii Discontinue and Why Should You Care?
To answer the pressing question, Nintendo has officially discontinued the following Wii channels:
- News Channel – Ended June 27, 2013
- Forecast Channel – Ended June 27, 2013
- Everybody Votes Channel – Ended June 27, 2013
- Mii Contest Channel – Ended June 27, 2013
- Nintendo Channel – Ended June 27, 2013
Nintendo never provided detailed reasoning for winding down support for these specific channels, simply stating that discontinuing services is part of the "natural life cycle" of a product line. However, based on the integrated nature of these channels, it points to a larger shift away from the connected, multi-featured Wii concept.
| Channel | Key Features |
|---|---|
| News Channel | Global news headlines and stories, regional weather forecasts |
| Forecast Channel | Detailed local weather reports, graphical maps |
| Everybody Votes Channel | Participate in opinion polls, view global results |
| Mii Contest Channel | Submit Mii avatars to contests, vote on favorites |
| Nintendo Channel | Watch developer interviews, trailers, product info |
Why should loyal Nintendo fans care? Because losing these channels represented the early stages of Nintendo slowly choking the innovative flair that made the groundbreaking Wii so much fun in the first place.
The Steady Decline of WiiWare, Virtual Console and the Wii Shop Channel
Flash forward to 2019, and Nintendo stuck another dagger in the Wii‘s heart by confirming suspicions that the iconic Wii Shop Channel would go offline on January 31st of that year.
The closure of the Shop Channel meant owners lost the ability to purchase new WiiWare games or timeless Virtual Console classics. This was the final step in a gradual winding down of digital support:
- September 2017 – Nintendo ends purchases of DSiWare games
- March 2018 – Wii Shop Channel Removing Payment Options
- January 2019 – All Remaining Wii Shop Services Discontinued
With no way to buy new games and demos, the Shop Channel had become a hollow, irrelevant ghost town compared to its heydey over a decade prior.
Netflix, YouTube and Other Entertainment Apps Join the Graveyard
To pour more salt in the wounds of Wii owners hoping to continue enjoying their console, Nintendo announced on June 30, 2021 that:
"The Netflix app was removed from Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Family systems on Dec 31st, 2020 and discontinued on June 30th, 2021."
Unlike the individual channel closures initially, the death of Netflix signaled that even third-party partners were strugging to find value supporting aging Wii hardware and its barebones feature set. YouTube and other streaming apps had already left the stage as well over the years.
Could These Services Have Been Saved?
I can‘t help but wonder – did Nintendo have to abandon its Wii community so swiftly and decisively? Sure, from a business perspective, it makes sense to devote resources to newer Switch consoles. But comparesion to Microsoft‘s support for Xbox backwards compatibility highlights Nintendo missed an opportunity to sustain passion for the Wii platform.
Imagine if Nintendo offered a scaled down Wii Shop experience with greatest hits retro libraries. Or if popular channels like Forecast and Mii Contest were integrated into Nintendo user accounts for nostalgic fun. Would keeping a spark alive really have disrupted their bottom line?
| Key Milestones | Yes/No | Nintendo‘s Decision | Potential Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ending service for ancillary channels (News, Forecast etc.) | Yes | Part of normal life cycle | Maintain as account features |
| Shutting down the Wii Shop Channel | Yes | Stop game purchases/downloads | Scaled down eShop experience |
| Discontinuing media apps (Netflix, YouTube etc.) | No | Let partnerships lapse | Enable legacy support through deals |
What‘s Left for Wii Owners Today?
I wish I could close on a more optimistic note regarding the Wii‘s outlook. Unfortunately, the state of its declining ecosystem points to an console bound for obsoletion:
✔️ Can Still Play Disc-Based & Downloaded Games
✖️ No Way to Buy New Digital Content
✖️ Most Online Services Disabled
✖️ No Support for Entertainment Apps
❓ Unclear Server Lifespan
Rather than outrage however, I feel wistful longing for Wii‘s halcyon days. We‘ll always have the memories – even if modern convenience suggests settling for the Switch today.
Let me know if you still cherish your old Wii – and what you loved most back when its creative channels and games were humming full of possibility!
