Nintendo ends repair support for 3 more platforms

Key recommendations

Nintendo will no longer repair the Famicom Classic, Super Famicom Classic, and New 2DS XL once parts run out.
Customers should act quickly if these consoles need repair before parts become unavailable.
Nintendo's decision to discontinue repairs raises questions about the fate of the classic mini-systems.

Nintendo has revealed that it will end repairs on three other consoles as soon as the current supply of spare parts runs out. Nintendo fans with a system in need of repair should consider getting help soon.

Nintendo has discontinued its repair service for numerous consoles over the years, one of the most recent being the New Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo usually allows customers to send in Nintendo systems to fix whatever is wrong with them, or instead for a full system replacement. However, after a system reaches a certain age, parts tend to wear out, and manufacturing new parts for old systems is either impossible or no longer a cost Nintendo is willing to pay.

Now, the Famicom Classic, Super Famicom Classic, and New 2DS XL systems are fast approaching the end of serviceability with Nintendo. According to a message from Nintendo, all three of these systems will no longer be accepted for repair once the company exhausts its current supply of parts. Nintendo didn't provide a date or estimate for when this might happen, as it's difficult to determine since the company doesn't know how many repairs users will request. However, it is advisable that anyone who has one of these units and knows it needs work to send it in soon.

What about these systems in the United States?

While Nintendo hasn't issued an official message to English-speaking territories regarding these products, it's normal that the alert applies everywhere. While there are some visual differences between the Famicom Classic and its western counterpart, the NES Classic Edition, the internals should be largely the same. If gamers miss this window to repair their Nintendo consoles, there's still a chance they can fix some issues themselves with a little DIY and unofficial parts. But this requires a certain level of skill and time-consuming effort that may not be accessible to everyone.

While it's quite understandable for Nintendo to discontinue repair services on systems that are over five years old, some fans may still be puzzled by Nintendo's choices with the “mini” versions of its classic systems. Despite their extreme popularity, Nintendo quickly discontinued both, bringing back only the NES Classic for a limited time. Chances are Nintendo would have continued to sell these devices for many more years with success, which might also have extended how long the products could be repaired.