Nintendo has reopened online play for Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon on the Wii U. The reveal comes after months of extended maintenance to patch a security issue.
This is the first Wii U update in quite some time. Splatoon and Mario Kart are available on the Nintendo Switch as Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The update seems relatively random, though; for those who still own a Wii U, it’s certainly an unexpected treat.
Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon Online on the Wii U
The update will be available on August 2, 2023, at 6:00 pm PDT or 9:00 pm EDT. Nintendo’s official statement on the matter is as follows:
“In March 2023, Nintendo paused network services for the Wii U games Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 to address a vulnerability related to online play. The issue has now been fixed, and so we will resume online play for these games based on the schedule below. Please accept our sincere apologies for the extended waiting period.
To resume online play, downloading a new update will be necessary for each title per the release timing noted above.
If further issues occur which make it difficult to continue supporting online play, we may have to discontinue the online play service for the Wii U games Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 at short notice. Should this occur, please note that offline play would continue to function normally.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
While Nintendo eShop services were discontinued on the 3DS and Wii U a few months ago, those that still own games with online compatibility can still play them to their heart’s content. Time will only tell if Nintendo will discontinue online services for the Wii U as well at some point. For now, though, if you still own Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon, revisit the game’s multiplayer for old-time’s sake.
Otherwise, Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are available now on the Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned for more information about the games mentioned above in the future.
