Storefront shutdown: Difference between revisions
Improved the preamble and added more information about the Wii Shop Channel. |
reference formatting |
||
| (7 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
<!-- I'm thinking of having this page be handled as a Tier-1 Theme article --> | |||
'''Digital storefront shutdowns''', or the practice of discontinuing online storefronts for consoles and other devices, has become increasingly common. This often results in the removal of games exclusive to these platforms, such as ''Pokémon Picross'' for the Nintendo 3DS, ''Battlezone'' for the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation Portable (PSP) remasters of classic ''Final Fantasy'' titles. These shutdowns leave many games inaccessible to new users, raising concerns over digital preservation and the long-term viable usage of digital-only content. Especially as more recent closures mean that access to games that are reliant on servers end up being affected by these storefront closures. | |||
==Digital storefront shutdowns<!-- Reference this page for ideas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_distribution_of_video_games -->== | |||
===Wii Shop Channel (2006–2019)=== | |||
The '''Wii Shop Channel''', launched in 2006, allowed Nintendo Wii users to purchase and download a variety of content, including Virtual Console games, WiiWare titles, and other downloadable content. Users could load their accounts with '''Wii Points,''' a virtual currency, to make purchases. This system offered access to a diverse library of classic games and indie releases, however the service was officially shut down in 2019, and with it, many of the games and content became inaccessible. | The '''Wii Shop Channel''', launched in 2006, allowed Nintendo Wii users to purchase and download a variety of content, including Virtual Console games, WiiWare titles, and other downloadable content. Users could load their accounts with '''Wii Points,''' a virtual currency, to make purchases. This system offered access to a diverse library of classic games and indie releases, however the service was officially shut down in 2019, and with it, many of the games and content became inaccessible. | ||
===Wii U/3DS eShops (2012–2023)<!-- Consider discussing making a new post for this -->=== | |||
[ | Launched in November 2012, the [[Nintendo]] eShop for Wii U and 3DS was [[Nintendo|Nintendo's]] 2nd major digital storefront. The shutdown of this storefront in April 2023<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation Q&A |url=https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847/~/wii-u-%26-nintendo-3ds-eshop-discontinuation-q%26a |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=Nintendo Customer Support}}</ref> was directly connected to online gameplay services also getting shut down for titles such as Super Mario Maker and Splatoon. Roughly 1.5TB worth of games were delisted from the storefronts,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Purdy |first=Kevin |date=7 Mar 2023 |title=Wii U and 3DS eShops close down later today, risking hundreds of unique games |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/03/todays-the-last-day-to-buy-eshop-games-for-the-wii-u-and-3ds/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=ArsTechnica}}</ref> and preservation efforts were hampered through [[Nintendo|Nintendo's]] restrictions,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=The Completionist |date=18 Mar 2023 |title=I bought EVERY Nintendo Wii U & 3DS game before the Nintendo eShop closes |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujHUMG0Uovs |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> such as the $250 limit for account balance at any given time, no matter if it is via gift card or physical funds being transferred to the balance. The Completionist's video covering the event had also documented a limit for how many games can be downloaded at once, and account lockdowns if you redeem $1000 in eShop cards within a 24hr period,<ref name=":0" /> among several other anti-consumer problems that hampered the efforts of preservation. | ||
==== | Additionally, the VirtualConsole<ref>{{Cite web |title=Topic: virtual console |url=https://arstechnica.com/tag/virtual-console/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=ArsTechnica}}</ref> (VC) series, what was the only legitimate way to purchase new copies of vintage games for multiple [[Nintendo]] platforms ranging from the NES and GameBoy, to the Nintendo DS and N64, was among the litany of titles erased from servers, forcing consumers that missed out on purchasing these titles to only be capable of paying for a [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (NSO) subscription to play retro Nintendo games, which they wouldn't own, and various VC releases have remained to not be re-released on NSO.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=26 Mar 2023 |title=Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS eShops shut down today |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/26/23657431/wii-u-nintendo-3ds-eshops-shut-down |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> | ||
[ | |||
=== | ===PlayStation Portable Storefront (2008–2021)=== | ||
[ | Started in October 2008, the PSP storefront was the first digital storefront established for portable consoles. Despite fan backlash against [[Sony|Sony's]] attempts<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Gartenberg |first=Chaim |date=19 Apr 2021 |title=Sony admits it made ‘wrong decision’ and will keep PS3, Vita stores open |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/19/22392126/sony-ps3-ps-vita-stores-open-backtrack-psp-july-2nd-mistake |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> to shut down the PS3 and PSVita storefronts alongside this shutdown,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Sammy |date=29 Mar 2021 |title=Sony Confirms PS3, PS Vita, PSP Store Closures, Downloads Will Be Retained |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/03/sony_confirms_ps3_ps_vita_psp_store_closures_downloads_will_be_retained |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=PushSquare}}</ref> it was unfortunately still discontinued. Regardless if the storefront shut down, accessibility was dubious at best, since users' only methods to connect PSPs to the internet required either running a mobile hotspot without security enabled, or jury rigging older routers<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Astral_Strider |title=For anyone who still want to connect their PSP to internet in the present time, this is my workaround: |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/PSP/comments/mwk41s/for_anyone_who_still_want_to_connect_their_psp_to/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> just to function, and regardless, it was extremely risky for consumers to safely use their consoles while connected online due to the vulnerabilities caused by the PSP's lack of support for most modern network security protocols.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@wash1ng_machine |title=is it still possible to connect a psp to the internet? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/PSP/comments/xdqk0a/is_it_still_possible_to_connect_a_psp_to_the/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> Additionally, a lack of development for the web browser of the console made accessing the internet progressively more difficult and slow since its final update with version 2.70<ref>{{Cite web |title=Webbrowser |url=https://www.psdevwiki.com/psp/index.php/Webbrowser |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=www.psdevwiki.com}}</ref> in 2006, having 15 years of zero support between launch and shutdown, thus requiring hacked consoles to reliably surf the internet with community-maintained browsers. | ||
==== | ===Xbox 360 Marketplace (2005–2024)=== | ||
[ | In November 2005, the Xbox 360 Marketplace was [[Microsoft]]'s first digital storefront for their consoles. Nearly 20 years later, it was shut down,<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Dave |date=17 Aug 2023 |title=The Xbox 360 Store Will Close July 2024, But You Can Keep Playing Your Favorite Games |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/08/17/xbox-360-store-will-close-july-2024/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=Xbox Wire}}</ref> although unlike most other storefront closures, users could still reinstall games they purchased as long as publishers did not have their games delisted prior to the shutdown or later, so titles such as World Gone Sour published by [[Capcom]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=@ShawnS |date=27 Apr 2016 |title=World Gone Sour |url=https://delistedgames.com/world-gone-sour/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=Delisted Games}}</ref> or Assassin's Creed 3 published by [[Ubisoft]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=@ShawnS |date=30 Nov 2023 |title=Assassin’s Creed III |url=https://delistedgames.com/assassins-creed-iii/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=Delisted Games}}</ref> are entirely unplayable<ref name=":1" /> <!-- I want more examples, I expect that Ubisoft pulled something like this. | ||
https://delistedgames.com/xbox-360-games/ --> unless consumers happened to still have had the game installed to their consoles, or bought a disc if the title received an official physical release. | |||
=== | ===Stadia (2019–2023)=== | ||
Launched in November 2019, Stadia was the first cloud gaming service with a storefront. Its storefront was abruptly shut down for users in September 2022 without notice, and the entire service shuttered in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Joshua |date=30 Sep 2022 |title=Google Stadia's Storefront Has Already Been Shut Down |url=https://www.thegamer.com/google-stadias-storefront-already-shut-down/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=TheGamer}}</ref> As the shutdown of the service meant users who made purchases on the platform could not play the products they paid for, Google refunded purchases of both hardware and software for the platform,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Kyle |date=29 Sep 2022 |title=Google Stadia is shutting down in January, all purchases will be refunded |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/09/29/google-stadia-shutting-down/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=9to5google.com}}</ref> however many platform-exclusive titles<ref>{{Cite web |last=@SFBTom |date=29 Sep 2022 |title=Tangle Tower was due to launch on Stadia in 2 days time, and this article was the first I heard about it shutting down 😢 |url=https://x.com/SFBTom/status/1575558078367690752 |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=[[X]]}}</ref><!-- Someone archive this tweet so users can read it without potentially needing an account --> were never re-released,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schoon |first=Ben |date=22 Dec 2022 |title=What’s the plan for Stadia exclusive games? Here’s what we know so far |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/12/22/stadia-exclusive-games/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=9to5google.com}}</ref> so users couldn't reliably replace the software that they paid for. <!-- Maybe pile for things to list: | |||
Big Sea Games: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Fish_Games --> | |||
==== | ==Attempted storefront shutdowns== | ||
=== | ===PlayStation 3/PSVita storefronts=== | ||
In 2021, Sony attempted to shut down the storefronts of 3 of their legacy consoles, the PSP, PSVita, and PS3.<ref name=":3" /> Unlike the PSP however, backlash from the community<ref name=":2" /> made it so consumers currently remain capable of purchasing and downloading new digital copies of PS3 titles, so long as the release has not been removed from the platform storefront. The PS3 is to be the final home console of the [[wikipedia:Seventh_generation_of_video_game_consoles|7th console generation]] and the PSVita as the expected final portable console of the [[wikipedia:Eighth_generation_of_video_game_consoles|8th console generation]] to retain access to its manufacturer's storefronts. <!-- It is a gamble to see if the Nintendo Switch will see support from Nintendo for more than 5 years at this point. --> | |||
== References == | ==References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[category:Theme]] | |||
Latest revision as of 20:05, 8 May 2025
Digital storefront shutdowns, or the practice of discontinuing online storefronts for consoles and other devices, has become increasingly common. This often results in the removal of games exclusive to these platforms, such as Pokémon Picross for the Nintendo 3DS, Battlezone for the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation Portable (PSP) remasters of classic Final Fantasy titles. These shutdowns leave many games inaccessible to new users, raising concerns over digital preservation and the long-term viable usage of digital-only content. Especially as more recent closures mean that access to games that are reliant on servers end up being affected by these storefront closures.
Digital storefront shutdowns[edit | edit source]
Wii Shop Channel (2006–2019)[edit | edit source]
The Wii Shop Channel, launched in 2006, allowed Nintendo Wii users to purchase and download a variety of content, including Virtual Console games, WiiWare titles, and other downloadable content. Users could load their accounts with Wii Points, a virtual currency, to make purchases. This system offered access to a diverse library of classic games and indie releases, however the service was officially shut down in 2019, and with it, many of the games and content became inaccessible.
Wii U/3DS eShops (2012–2023)[edit | edit source]
Launched in November 2012, the Nintendo eShop for Wii U and 3DS was Nintendo's 2nd major digital storefront. The shutdown of this storefront in April 2023[1] was directly connected to online gameplay services also getting shut down for titles such as Super Mario Maker and Splatoon. Roughly 1.5TB worth of games were delisted from the storefronts,[2] and preservation efforts were hampered through Nintendo's restrictions,[3] such as the $250 limit for account balance at any given time, no matter if it is via gift card or physical funds being transferred to the balance. The Completionist's video covering the event had also documented a limit for how many games can be downloaded at once, and account lockdowns if you redeem $1000 in eShop cards within a 24hr period,[3] among several other anti-consumer problems that hampered the efforts of preservation.
Additionally, the VirtualConsole[4] (VC) series, what was the only legitimate way to purchase new copies of vintage games for multiple Nintendo platforms ranging from the NES and GameBoy, to the Nintendo DS and N64, was among the litany of titles erased from servers, forcing consumers that missed out on purchasing these titles to only be capable of paying for a Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) subscription to play retro Nintendo games, which they wouldn't own, and various VC releases have remained to not be re-released on NSO.[5]
PlayStation Portable Storefront (2008–2021)[edit | edit source]
Started in October 2008, the PSP storefront was the first digital storefront established for portable consoles. Despite fan backlash against Sony's attempts[6] to shut down the PS3 and PSVita storefronts alongside this shutdown,[7] it was unfortunately still discontinued. Regardless if the storefront shut down, accessibility was dubious at best, since users' only methods to connect PSPs to the internet required either running a mobile hotspot without security enabled, or jury rigging older routers[8] just to function, and regardless, it was extremely risky for consumers to safely use their consoles while connected online due to the vulnerabilities caused by the PSP's lack of support for most modern network security protocols.[9] Additionally, a lack of development for the web browser of the console made accessing the internet progressively more difficult and slow since its final update with version 2.70[10] in 2006, having 15 years of zero support between launch and shutdown, thus requiring hacked consoles to reliably surf the internet with community-maintained browsers.
Xbox 360 Marketplace (2005–2024)[edit | edit source]
In November 2005, the Xbox 360 Marketplace was Microsoft's first digital storefront for their consoles. Nearly 20 years later, it was shut down,[11] although unlike most other storefront closures, users could still reinstall games they purchased as long as publishers did not have their games delisted prior to the shutdown or later, so titles such as World Gone Sour published by Capcom[12] or Assassin's Creed 3 published by Ubisoft[13] are entirely unplayable[12] unless consumers happened to still have had the game installed to their consoles, or bought a disc if the title received an official physical release.
Stadia (2019–2023)[edit | edit source]
Launched in November 2019, Stadia was the first cloud gaming service with a storefront. Its storefront was abruptly shut down for users in September 2022 without notice, and the entire service shuttered in 2023.[14] As the shutdown of the service meant users who made purchases on the platform could not play the products they paid for, Google refunded purchases of both hardware and software for the platform,[15] however many platform-exclusive titles[16] were never re-released,[17] so users couldn't reliably replace the software that they paid for.
Attempted storefront shutdowns[edit | edit source]
PlayStation 3/PSVita storefronts[edit | edit source]
In 2021, Sony attempted to shut down the storefronts of 3 of their legacy consoles, the PSP, PSVita, and PS3.[7] Unlike the PSP however, backlash from the community[6] made it so consumers currently remain capable of purchasing and downloading new digital copies of PS3 titles, so long as the release has not been removed from the platform storefront. The PS3 is to be the final home console of the 7th console generation and the PSVita as the expected final portable console of the 8th console generation to retain access to its manufacturer's storefronts.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation Q&A". Nintendo Customer Support. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Purdy, Kevin (7 Mar 2023). "Wii U and 3DS eShops close down later today, risking hundreds of unique games". ArsTechnica. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Completionist (18 Mar 2023). "I bought EVERY Nintendo Wii U & 3DS game before the Nintendo eShop closes". YouTube. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Topic: virtual console". ArsTechnica. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Roth, Emma (26 Mar 2023). "Nintendo's Wii U and 3DS eShops shut down today". The Verge. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gartenberg, Chaim (19 Apr 2021). "Sony admits it made 'wrong decision' and will keep PS3, Vita stores open". The Verge. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Barker, Sammy (29 Mar 2021). "Sony Confirms PS3, PS Vita, PSP Store Closures, Downloads Will Be Retained". PushSquare. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ @Astral_Strider. "For anyone who still want to connect their PSP to internet in the present time, this is my workaround:". Reddit. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ @wash1ng_machine. "is it still possible to connect a psp to the internet?". Reddit. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Webbrowser". www.psdevwiki.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ McCarthy, Dave (17 Aug 2023). "The Xbox 360 Store Will Close July 2024, But You Can Keep Playing Your Favorite Games". Xbox Wire. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 12.0 12.1 @ShawnS (27 Apr 2016). "World Gone Sour". Delisted Games. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ @ShawnS (30 Nov 2023). "Assassin's Creed III". Delisted Games. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Robertson, Joshua (30 Sep 2022). "Google Stadia's Storefront Has Already Been Shut Down". TheGamer. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Bradshaw, Kyle (29 Sep 2022). "Google Stadia is shutting down in January, all purchases will be refunded". 9to5google.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ @SFBTom (29 Sep 2022). "Tangle Tower was due to launch on Stadia in 2 days time, and this article was the first I heard about it shutting down 😢". X. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Schoon, Ben (22 Dec 2022). "What's the plan for Stadia exclusive games? Here's what we know so far". 9to5google.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)