The Tartan

On April 8, Nintendo shut down online services for the editions of the 3DS and Wii U. Games can still be played as long as they do not require the internet, and updated data and purchased software can still be downloaded. Instead of spending resources to keep the 3DS and Wii U servers online, Nintendo will redistribute them to the Nintendo Switch. While this may bring profound sadness to the many 3DS and Wii U players, it has been unavoidable since the release of the Nintendo Switch. 

Whenever companies make a new invention, it is in their best interest to make a profit from it. This means they will often stop advertising or producing older models in the hopes that people will buy the newest version. This fact is exhibited on many different game company’s websites. On PlayStation’s website, they are only advertising the PS5 and PS4. With Xbox, only the Series X and Series S are in the consoles section. This phenomenon doesn’t apply only to video game consoles, but also to other electronics. If you look at Apple and Samsung websites, older devices are not in stock, but the new versions are bright and in your face. These companies add changes to these devices from the previous game console in order to attract returning and new customers. This idea of innovation for profit is identified as the innovation theory created by Joseph A. Schumpeter. The theory states that by creating innovations, one will be rewarded with profit. Some examples of the innovation theory in action in video game consoles are the change from black and white to color or from 8-bit to 16-bit. 

Because these companies are always innovating, the older models become obsolete to make room for newer consoles. That does not mean you can’t use your older video game consoles — many of them still work. However, how long the company will prioritize these consoles until they’re discontinued offers interesting insights. For the 3DS, its lifespan was nine years, and for the Wii U, it was five. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 both had a lifespan of 11 years. In contrast, the Atari 2600 had a 15-year lifespan. However, these consoles still retained functionality after their companies halted all future production. For instance, the PlayStation 3 still has access to the online store after it stopped being manufactured until July 29. 

All these new consoles may bring a lot of frustration which can cause people to choose online gaming instead. With these video game consoles, you can choose if you want to purchase a hard copy of the game you want or a digital version to be played on the console. With online gaming through Steam, the App Store, or even just downloading a game off a website, there is no physical copy to purchase. There is a large debate about the merits of physical ownership of a game and the convenience of simply downloading it. However, when downloading a game, remember that games on Steam and the App Store can be shut down or deleted. 

Many of us love video games, and the consoles we play on bring joy. However, there may come a time when video game consoles become niche or even obsolete. With the short lifespans of consoles and how convenient downloading a game online is, computer and phone gaming may be our future. Hopefully, this will be in the far future. Nintendo is currently working on the second iteration of the Nintendo Switch, so for now, video game consoles are here to stay.