Update: Nintendo's Online services should be back in working order as of Tuesday night (PT). Nintendo's Online Services page says "all servers are operating normally," and I was able to access the Switch eShop and online games without issue.
Nintendo tweeted out the following announcement, clarifying that "some" players might still experience issues with the online network intermittently.
Access to the Nintendo eShop has been resolved. However, some may still experience intermittent errors. We appreciate your continued patience.March 17, 2020
Original story:
Nintendo Online network servers are currently down across the globe for Nintendo Switch players, as the company's Japanese Twitter confirm that its services have "failed" since the early hours of this morning.
The official statement comes after thousands of Nintendo Switch players began reporting an "Error code 2813-0990" when attempting to access the Nintendo eShop, play online games, or download updates to existing games in their library.
3月17日17:56頃より、Nintendo Switchなどのネットワークサービス全般で障害が発生しています。申し訳ございませんが、復旧までしばらくお待ちください。 https://t.co/KzPYKdtkpOMarch 17, 2020
The 25 best Switch games you can play right now
While Nintendo hasn't specified the cause of the downtime, it's potentially because a sharp spike in online traffic due to self-isolation measures imposed around the globe in response to the spread of the COVID-19 disease are the cause.
The Xbox Live servers have also been struggling in recent days, for instance, and Xbox head Phil Spencer has confirmed on Twitter that this is the result of a sudden influx of players logging online as they stay indoors.
The good news is that Nintendo is actively addressing the situation, and is currently asking its players to "please wait for a while until recovery", though it's unclear how long "for a while" will be.
With the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons just days away, here's hoping that the company can get things back and running online before thousands of new villagers starting aching to visit each other's islands. We'll keep you updated once we hear anything more.
See what else is on Nintendo's horizon with our guide to upcoming Switch games, or watch the latest episode of Dialogue Options below.
