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Nintendo pulls the plug on making more SNES Classic, NES Classic systems

After having very little supply of the NES Classic plug-and-play system in 2016, and only slightly more supply of the SNES Classic in 2017, Nintendo decided to bring both systems back this year, and they’ve been much easier to find in stores. However, if you still haven’t gotten your hands on one, you’re going to want to act fast, as Nintendo won’t be making any more.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé reiterated that Nintendo was never planning to make the “Classic” line a permanent fixture in its business.

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“We’ve said that the current systems are the extent of our classic program,” Fils-Aimé said. “We’ve also been clear that, at least from an American perspective, these products are going to be available through the holiday season, and once they sell out, they’re gone. And that’s it.”

Holding the SNES Classic Edition in our hand
Les Shu/Digital Trends

In the systems’ place is the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, which offers a selection of retro games as part of the $20 annual price. However, only NES games are available as of now, and you must stay subscribed to the service in order to access the games. They also require having the Switch itself, and there is no “virtual console” program to buy these games outright on the Switch.

Rapper Soulja Boy has recently begun selling his own “SouljaGame” console, which comes preloaded with several Nintendo games from the systems, but they are almost certainly illegal and we don’t expect the console to be an option for too much longer.

Fils-Aimé’s comments also seem to confirm that we won’t be getting a Nintendo 64 plug-and-play system, either. The original didn’t see the same massive success as either of its predecessors, but still built up a library of acclaimed games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64.

Now, Nintendo’s efforts are almost entirely on the Switch. The system had an enormous Black Friday this year, and the recently launched Super Smash Bros. Ultimate managed to sell more than a million copies in Japan in just three days. These numbers already put it above some of the highest-selling games in the country, and the Switch itself is approaching 23 million consoles sold already.

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Claim these free 3DS and Wii U games before the eShop closes
free 3ds wii u eshop games nintendo and

The eShops on the 3DS and Wii U will shut down on March 27, so players are splurging on great games that they want to pick up in the final days of each storefront's life span. If you can't drop any cash on games for these systems before then though, you're probably wondering what's available from them for free. For the most part, it's demos, as the 3DS and Wii U weren't really known for their free-to-play offerings. Even then, many of the available free-to-play games -- or "free-to-start" titles as Nintendo called them in that era -- won't have much use after the eShops cease game sales because most of their content is gated by microtransactions.

Some might be a little more time-consuming due to in-game timers and other microtransactions, but are still worth checking out regardless. If you're wondering what full games you can play on 3DS and Wii U for free ahead of the eShop storefronts' discontinuation on March 27, we recommend checking out the following six titles.
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe

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Sonic Frontiers is getting a free update this week, including new modes
Sonic holds his heels during a midair trick in Photo Mode.

Sonic Frontiers will receive its first of three planned updates on Wednesday, March 22. The free DLC -- dubbed Sights, Sound, and Speed -- has a load of new features, including Photo Mode, Jukebox, and new challenge modes.

Sega previously detailed its plans to support Sonic Frontiers in the long term last November, but it didn't share a timeline for when the updates were coming. Now that first wave is finally here, giving the game it's first significant update since it launched last year.

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Netflix expands its game lineup with new titles from Ubisoft and more
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Netflix is doubling down on its commitment to gaming. During a presentation attended by Digital Trends, the streaming service's games team teased four new titles. It highlighted how many games are in the works for Netflix as it continues to put its mark on mobile gaming and ramp up its efforts on its cloud gaming service.
The four games Netflix discussed were all from external studios. Following Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, Netflix is collaborating with Ubisoft again on the action roguelike Mighty Quest: Rogue Palace, which is based on the game Mighty Quest for Epic Loot and launches on April 18. 
Ustwo Games is bringing complete versions of both Monument Valley titles to Netflix in 2024, building on the partnership established with Desta: The Memories Between. Netflix also confirmed that it is working with Catalyst Black and Vainglory developer Super Evil Megacorp on a tie-in game for an unannounced Netflix IP.
Finally, Netflix confirmed that it is working with developer Nanobit on another game based on the show Too Hot to Handle. Their previous tie-in game for that show is the most popular Netflix game.

Netflix made it clear that it understands that people like games that tie into known franchises and that there are plenty of titles still in the works. Leanne Loombe, vice president of External Games, confirmed that Netflix is currently working on 70 games with external developers, in addition to 16 titles that are in "early ideation" at its internal studios. She explained that the ultimate goal is for Netflix to release batches of new games that appeal to a wide variety of gamers every month.
"It's going to require us to release a variety of different games and take some risks, and not everything we launch will be a hit," Loombe explained. "But everything is going to be a great opportunity for us to continue to evolve our strategy and also our approach around games to make sure that we're bringing those most-played games to our members."
In the near term, that means the focus will remain on mobile games that players download on the App Store and Google Play Store before authenticating them through Netflix. Loombs also reaffirmed Netflix's efforts to build a cloud gaming platform, albeit slowly and steadily.
"We are very early in that side of our journey, but we are very committed to making sure that games can be played wherever you have Netflix," Loombe said. "We do believe that cloud gaming will enable us to provide that easy access to games on any screen, be frictionless, and provide that accessibility into gaming experiences. But we do want to be super thoughtful about how we build that and how we bring it to our members, ... just like we're doing for mobile games, we will take it slow."
Don't expect Netflix to be an immediate competitor for Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo, but don't be surprised if it ends up becoming very relevant in the mobile and cloud gaming spaces in the future. 

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