Nintendo is saying goodbye to its Miiverse social network.
The gaming giant said Tuesday that it would shut down Miiverse on Nov. 7, after debuting the social network alongside its Wii U video game console in 2012. Owners of the Nintendo 3DS mobile gaming console could also access the service.
Miiverse users could create cartoonish versions of themselves known as avatars that could chat and interact with others in a digital lobby. Part of the social network’s appeal was that users could play certain Wii U video games or other online games with one another.
Nintendo closure of Miiverse comes as it heavily pushes its Nintendo Switch gaming console, which debuted earlier this year.
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The Switch is incompatible with Miiverse and instead relies on the Nintendo Switch Online to accommodate gamers who want to play against each other online. Currently, people can play Switch Online for free, but Nintendo plans to debut a paid version in 2018.
Before the Miiverse closes, Nintendo said it would let people could use their personal computers to download their messages to friends or other social postings for a “limited time.”
As gaming publication Nintendo Life notes, the Miiverse was a divisive social network, with many users appreciating the service’s playful interface. But others complained about its slowness in loading games and sometimes confusing navigation.
Still, Nintendo’s decision to close Miiverse caused some users to mourn. On a Nintendo technical support page, several Miiverse users expressed sadness about the planned closure, with one recalling how the service helped him connect with other people.
“Miiverse is a place which has helped me to become more socially confident, and enable me to talk to others without having to actually physically talk to them,” the person wrote. “I’ve met so many wonderful people here, and I’m trying to get to grips with the fact that I may never see these people again when it ends.”
