Nintendo's network problems roll on. After the network was rendered inaccessible on Christmas Day from gamers with shiny new Wii U's and 3DS trying to log on, Nintendo has temporarily taken down the eShop for a round of maintenance.
Nintendo announced the down time earlier today on its Facebook page. The post reads:
"We sincerely apologize for the connection problems in the Nintendo eShop. We understand this is taking longer than expected, but we can assure you that providing a solution is our top priority. We are determined to make sure everyone can enjoy all that Wii U and Nintendo 3DS have to offer. In an effort to manage the high volume of traffic and ultimately improve your experience, we are temporarily taking the Nintendo eShop services offline between the hours of 4 p.m. - 4 a.m. ET. Thank you so much for your continued patience. We will keep you updated."
Some gamers were reporting success with being able to access the eShop, but not everyone was as lucky. As such, Nintendo would rather everyone be able to access the shop, instead of a select few, hence taking the shop offline.
Thankfully, there is a silver lining in this particular cloud of bad news. Despite the inavailability, the eShop has been updated with a selection of new games for players to enjoy on both the Wii U and 3DS once everything's back up and running.
According to a press release, the games include the SNES smash hit Super Punch-Out!! for the Wii U, and the N64's Mario Tennis for the 3DS. The release also noted that Dr. Luigi would be arriving just before New Year's, December 31. Other games include CastleStorm for the Wii U, as well as EDGE, Bird Mania Christmas 3D, and Cubit the Hardcore Platformer Robot.
Interestingly, the release also notes that the Pokémon Bank will be available later today, despite the news that it has actually been delayed for the foreseeable future. It's unknown how this will affect the free 30 day trial for anyone who downloads and activates the service prior to January 31, if at all.
Nintendo blamed the Pokémon Bank's popularity in Japan coupled with the bevy of Nintendo products received as gifts for the problems with the Nintendo Network and eShop. The company has tweeted its apologies for the interruption of services, and is "working to resolve the situation."
