By late March 2023, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS owners will no longer have access to the Nintendo eShop.

Why it matters: Closing the eShop on these consoles could make some games impossible to find.

Driving the news: Nintendo announced the news yesterday in a blog post, saying, "This is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time."

The big picture: Preservation is a persistent issue in the video game industry, as some technology becomes obsolete and some games are lost forever.

• As pointed out by Wario64 on Twitter, there are 1,799 games available to buy on Nintendo's website for the 3DS and Wii U. VGC reports that up to 1,000 digital-only games will vanish when the change goes into effect.
• Some preservation advocates, including Xbox head Phil Spencer, have called for measures like emulation to help keep games alive.

Details: In an FAQ, Nintendo said it's providing notice far in advance to give players time to prepare.

• You'll still be able to re-download content you already own and access existing software updates.
• Access to the eShop will be gradually limited. By May 23, 2022, users will no longer be able to add a credit card or funds to their eShop accounts on the Wii U and 3DS. By Aug. 29, it will be impossible to use a Nintendo eShop card.

The changes will apply to New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL, New Nintendo 2DS XL, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 2DS, Wii U Deluxe and Wii U Basic.

Adding to the intrigue: Nintendo appears to have deleted part of its FAQ that addresses concerns over the loss of classic games.

• The company had pointed to its Nintendo Switch Online membership as "an effective way to make classic content easily available to a broad range of players."

Hello Games released its first No Man's Sky update for the year today, a massive free addition called Sentinel.

Why it matters: Hello Games has continued to release significant updates since No Man's Sky's 2016 release that have greatly expanded its lifespan.

The details: Sentinel focuses on overhauling the game’s combat system, including adding new weapons and upgrades, in addition to new missions, enemies and robotic companions.

• “No Man’s Sky is a game about exploration, but our universe has always been one filled with hazards and danger,” the developer said.
• “Sentinels police the planets you explore, and have long been an element of the game we wanted to make more interesting, deep and fun — whilst also allowing players to defeat and overcome them in a more meaningful way.”
• The update is available for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, GamePass and VR. With Sentinel, No Man’s Sky has also been optimized for Steam Deck.

What’s next: Hello Games co-founder Sean Murray told IGN that the developer isn't "done yet by a long shot."

• For "as many updates as we've done since launch and as many bucket list items we've checked off, our list of things we're excited about never seems to get any shorter," Murray said.

Nintendo still hasn't announced plans to release the much-wanted Mother 3, but YouTube channel Curiomatic has a stunning new tribute for fans to comfort themselves with.

Catch up quick: Despite the company's recent news that EarthBound Beginnings and EarthBound are available on the Switch, the third game in the series remains a pipe dream.

• Released in 2006 for Game Boy Advance, Mother 3 has never become available in territories outside of Japan.
• Still, it's developed a cult following abroad thanks to fan-driven localization efforts and love for the original games.

What we have: Curiomatic's video is beautiful but also required many resources, as well as two years to complete.

Unfortunately, you can't play it. But it does look like something that would fit neatly into Nintendo's roster, invoking the aesthetic of games like 2019's The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Bonus: A good dog.

🎥 The "Halo" TV series has already been greenlit for a second season, ahead of its release. Paramount will also release a third Sonic the Hedgehog movie, as well as a live-action series focused on Idris Elba's Knuckles.

🤔 Sebastien Puel, co-founder of Haven Studios — a studio made up of former Stadia and Ubisoft developers co-founded by Jade Raymond — departed the company after less than a year. GameIndustry reported the news today, and Haven announced it on LinkedIn early last month.

⚡️ A California judge overruled Activision's argument that the state wrongly added temp workers to its big discrimination suit against the company, Stephen notes.

🐺 A group of former CD Projekt Red developers has formed a new studio called Rebel Wolves. Its first project is a "AAA, story-driven RPG saga for PCs and next-gen consoles."

🙈 Over 6 million players have downloaded ‘The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine Experience" over the past two months for Xbox Series S/X and PlayStation 5.

🤫 Registration to participate in Nintendo's Switch Sports Online Play Test is now open — though players are forbidden from sharing details about their experience.

• The Making of the Hilarious Grunt Voices in Halo Infinite (George Yang, Fanbyte)

What makes the Grunts so compelling is the humorous moments of brevity they add in between the serious setpieces. Some of the funniest ones in Halo Infinite come from Glibnub, an Unggoy communications officer who serves the Banished and operates the propaganda towers. Protagonist Master Chief can destroy these towers to weaken the Banished’s influence and earn Valor points to upgrade his equipment.

These lines are occasionally self-aware, referencing the franchise’s title screen Gregorian chant theme or how there are just too many Halo games to keep track of. Even the game’s difficulty setting can affect Glibnub’s dialogue, such as the line: “Ok, ok, you beat us, but did you do it on LEGENDARY?”

I need to lie down.