Nintendo Video
Nintendo Video[a] is a video on demand service for the Nintendo 3DS which streams hand-picked[1] 3D and 2D video content from CollegeHumor, Aardman Animations, Blue Man Group, Channel Frederator Network, and other studios.
Developer
Discontinued (all platforms) as of June 29, 2015[b]
Nintendo Video official website (Archived)
History[edit]
Previously, the service was available as a separate app that utilized SpotPass, downloading videos to the console's SD card via Wi-Fi Internet access for offline viewing.
The Nintendo Video app launched in Australia, Europe, and Japan on July 13, 2011, with initial videos including Oscar's Oasis and Magic Tricks for the Nintendo 3DS.[2][3] The app became available in North America a few days later on July 21, 2011.[4]
In 2012, Nintendo created a joint venture for Nintendo Video Original Series and distributed their first Original Series for Nintendo Video, Threediots.[5]
New content could be automatically downloaded via SpotPass, replacing the old content.
Since June 29, 2015, the app is no longer functional and videos can no longer be downloaded. In the following month, the Nintendo eShop offered most of the videos for streaming on demand, with a total of 164 videos available. However, the Nintendo eShop closed its doors on March 27, 2023, and this, too, is no longer an option for viewing the app's exiled content.
Shutdown[edit]
On February 27, 2014, Nintendo Australia announced the service would be terminated in the Oceanian region (Australia and New Zealand) as of March 31, 2014.[18] Nintendo of Europe also announced on the same day that they would be terminating the Nintendo Video service on the same date.[19] Nintendo also announced the end of the service on that date, ending it on March 31, 2014 as well.[20]
On June 5, 2015, Nintendo of America sent out a SpotPass notification to all of the app's active users informing them that the app was being phased out in favor of an eponymous category on the Nintendo eShop's main page (already available at the time), where users could watch most past videos as well as future ones.[21] To replace the Nintendo Video feature, a few months after the My Nintendo service released, videos for permanent download became a common reward that could be bought with My Nintendo coins. Videos would commonly make returns due to popularity or stay longer due to positive fan reception. EShop for 3DS shut down on March 27, 2023, making the remaining videos unwatchable.