Pretendo Network, the fan-run group that has developed an open-source replacement for online servers for the Wii U and 3DS, is discussing plans to "accommodate" the shutdown.
In a statement shared on social media, Pretendo Network said that it had been "made aware" of the company's plans to shutter the Nintendo Network in April 2024 and that the team would be factoring it into their roadmap. Pretendo uses "clean-room reverse engineering" to recreate the Nintendo Network for the two consoles.
While it's not currently ready for public use, the aim is to allow players to download and run a homebrew patcher onto the console to access these fan-made servers.
In response to player concerns, Pretendo Network has reiterated that it plans to release the servers for free "once they are stable enough for wide spread use".
Members of the Mario and Sonic speedrunning communities have pointed out that closing the Nintendo Network means that some games, which rely on online services for competition, will lose their leaderboards. Pretendo has responded to this and said it will help preserve any historical data that relies on online servers.
The closure of the Nintendo Network is the next big step in Nintendo's gradual phase-out of the Wii U and 3DS. In March 2023, the eShop on both consoles was shut down.