Animal Crossing: New Leaf Players Share Final Moments as 3DS Servers Shut Down

For months, 3DS and Wii U players have been anticipating the dreaded online server shutdown, which finally took place on April 8, 2024. In its wake, those on 3DS family systems can no longer use a local internet connection to link up with friends and other players around the world. This effectively puts an end to a slew of beloved features from many of our favorite games, but that didn’t stop Animal Crossing: New Leaf players from using their final moments online to share one last day of fun together in commemoration of their time spent playing.

With the server shutdown, Animal Crossing fans have taken to TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to post some of their favorite moments over the course of the last decade. From popular pathing and design mods to Harvey’s arrival at the campsite, New Leaf holds tender memories across the board. Feelings of nostalgia certainly ran high as I thumbed through countless videos of players making their final trip to the train station to say their goodbyes.

New Leaf Players Share a Happy Ending

In line with Animal Crossing’s long-standing themes of friendship and community, the server shutdown wasn’t all sad. Many New Leaf fans took the opportunity to crowdfund ongoing Public Works Projects, spending long hours fishing and bug-catching to scrounge up the extra bells. Others lit leftover sparklers to join in on the countdown together, hit up Club LOL, or sat in silence as they watched the sun set over Main Street.

You can still work on new projects, visit Harvey, and spend your bells in New Leaf’s shopping district. But I think we can all agree it’s certainly bittersweet to disconnect from the game’s online servers and the friends we’ve made for good. Moving forward, Animal Crossing fans can continue to visit other towns and spend time exploring alongside friends in New Horizons.