Nintendo 3DS Game Removed From Sale Years After Release

Nintendo has confirmed that Disney Art Academy will be removed from the 3DS eShop on Tuesday March 30th. According to one of Nintendo's official Twitter accounts, the game will no longer be available in Japan, and Nintendo's website confirms the same for Europe. Nothing has been announced for North America as of this writing, but it seems likely that the game will be pulled in all territories. No reason was given for the removal, but it's possible that it could be a licensing issue between Disney and Nintendo. It's impossible to say for certain, but those interested in purchasing the game will want to do so before it's gone!

The Tweet from Nintendo can be found embedded below.

ニンテンドー3DSソフト『ディズニーアートアカデミー』のダウンロード版は、2021年3月30日(火)23:59をもって配信を終了します。 https://t.co/1OdO9jb6MU

— 任天堂サポート (@nintendo_cs) March 23, 2021

The announcement of the game's removal from the eShop comes during a week when there's been a lot of focus on game availability through digital marketplaces. Sadly, when games are removed from sale digitally, it makes it much harder for fans to discover and experience them. Fortunately, Disney Art Academy did receive a physical release, so fans can always try to track that down if they happen to miss the chance to obtain it digitally. The same cannot be said for a lot of other games that have released on the 3DS and DS platforms over the years.

Disney Art Academy launched on Nintendo 3DS in 2016. For those unfamiliar with Nintendo's Art Academy series, it trains players how to draw. True to its name, Disney Art Academy trained players how to illustrate various Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Stitch, Woody, and more. There have been a number of different entries in the series over the years, but Disney Art Academy is the last game in the series, thus far.

Unless Nintendo decides to offer a concrete reason for the removal, fans will just have to speculate about the reason. In the past, games have been added back to the eShop after being removed, so hopefully that will prove the case this time, as well!

Are you a fan of the Nintendo 3DS? Are you disappointed that Disney Art Academy is being removed from the eShop? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!