This 8-Year-Old Console Keeps Trending On Twitter
Despite being officially discontinued in 2017, the Wii U just can't seem to get out of people's heads. Just last week, the 8-year-old console was trending on Twitter due to a possible port of Banjo-Kazooie and Blast Corps for the Wii U Virtual Console. While that bit of news ended up being a bust, it still hasn't stopped the console from making rounds again on Twitter. This time, however, the Wii U is trending for an entirely different reason that does not relate to possible games.
Nintendo recently made an announcement that Netflix will no longer work on the Wii U and the 3DS. The company released an official statement on its customer support page regarding this removal. In the statement, Nintendo said that the streaming app was removed from the Nintendo eShop for both systems on Dec. 31, 2020, and is no longer available for new users to download. However, Wii U owners who had the console before the new year will still be able to re-download Netflix, but they have only until June 30 to enjoy it. After that date, the Netflix app will cease to exist entirely for both consoles.
Many took to Twitter to discuss this breaking news from Nintendo, hence why the Wii U began trending for the second week in a row. Tweets regarding Netflix's discontinuation on the console were mostly jokes jabbing at the Wii U's lack of popularity. One user tweeted that they couldn't "wait for someone to complain about Netflix leaving the Wii U and 3DS on a device that can most likely watch Netflix just the same." While there are a few users out there who claim to still use Netflix on their Wii U, the overall sentiment regarding the removal of the streaming app seems to be mildly amused apathy.
However, this move from Nintendo does spark a conversation regarding the general lack of streaming services on the Switch. The console has been out for almost four years now, and the only streaming platforms that are supported are Hulu and YouTube. This is especially lackluster considering the Wii U had both of these services, in addition to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and Crunchyroll. Whether or not Nintendo will add other streaming services to the Switch is currently unknown.
While the Wii U had its problems, at least the console was able to provide owners with a way to stream Netflix for a few years after its discontinuation. The same can't be said right now the Switch, but hopefully that will change soon.