Fans were left surprised and saddened by the fact that the Nintendo Switch’s online services are temporarily down. It seems that both the multiplayer services, as well as the Nintendo eShop facilities are not working for the time being. Here’s a look at why this has happened and what Nintendo plans to do regarding the same. multiplayer services are not working.
Officially Down
The company’s official Twitter account, which is in Japanese, has confirmed the news, by tweeting that the incident is true. The Twitter account also confirms that they have taken all the necessary steps to make sure that the site will be up in no time. The company has confirmed that repair work is underway regarding the website and portal. Furthermore, the company’s updated status confirms they are not able to connect to their services over their network. The message also urges users to try again later. The news also shows that the outage is worldwide and not specific to a certain area or nation. Also, the outage has affected various Nintendo services such as the Switch, 3DS, and Wii U. However, certain users have confirmed that while they are unable to access the eShop, many are being able to play the Rocket League online without any issues.
Aftereffects of COVID-19
Some experts believe that the Xbox Live and PlayStation services have suffered as a result of an increase in user base. The hard-hitting effects of the COVID-19 have left many people without work or school, meaning more people than ever before are turning towards entertainment facilities to stay occupied. This has put undue network strain on such services, leading to discrepancies and inefficiencies within the system. For instance, the gaming platform Steam, recorded a new all-time record for the number of users with 20 million people signing in last weekend. It is unfortunate that such an outage has occurred now when it is most needed with most people staying indoors to prevent the spread of the virus.
As more and more people choose to stay at home and avoid social gatherings, they are turning to online streaming services and video games to fill their time. However, it has not been confirmed whether or not this is the reason for the break-in service by Nintendo. But, most online multiplayer service portals are facing a severe network strain due to the excessive number of users. Both IGN and Downdetector have both stated that both the Switch Online and eShop are inaccessible to them. March 15 had also witnessed Microsoft’s Xbox Live network going down. However, this news comes at a bad time for Nintendo, who is coming out with their new release, Animal Crossing: New Horizons very soon. Fans are eagerly awaiting the services to start normal operation, and are hoping this does not delay the release of the new game. The outage seems to have occurred somewhere between 4:56 AM and 1:45 PM ET. The outage was experienced both in the UK, Japan, and the US, with Nintendo Mario Kart’s online facility being affected severely.
Other Failings
However, Nintendo isn’t the only tech company having problems keeping their services online. Last week, Microsoft was in the same position when the Xbox Live went down for almost 2 hours. Similarly, the gaming chat application Discord has been facing difficulties in recent times as well. This definitely comes as bad news for all the people who are self-quarantining themselves in the wake of the COVID-19. While nothing has been officially stated, certain players tweeted today morning that they were able to open the eShop. This suggests that at least some of the services were back on track, much to the delight of fans from all over the world. However, if you are still unable to access the eShop or any other online facility, do not worry, because Nintendo is doing all it can to fix the issue.
Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.