Nintendo has unexpectedly suspended the online services for two of its most popular Wii U games, after discovering a security flaw in them. Fans of Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon will have to wait patiently until the company fixes the issue.

Nintendo announced in an official statement that it has temporarily halted the online services for two of its most popular Wii U games, because it found a security flaw in them. Players of Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon can no longer compete or team up with each other over the internet.

The company did not specify what kind of security flaw it detected, but it said that “the vulnerability is related to online play”. The statement also said that “this network service requires urgent maintenance”, and that it is “currently unavailable”. Nintendo added that it is “working on resolving the problem”, and asked for “understanding and patience” from its users.

Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon are both very popular games among Wii U owners. Mario Kart 8 is a racing game, where players can speed through various tracks with their favorite Nintendo characters. Splatoon is a shooter game, where players have to spray paint over their opponent’s territory. Both games received outstanding reviews from critics and fans alike.

The Wii U console has been lagging behind newer generation consoles for a long time. It has received less attention from Nintendo since the launch of the Switch. However, many people still use and love this device. Therefore, many may be disappointed that they cannot play these games online.

It is not known how long the maintenance will last, and when the online service will be available again. Hopefully, it will soon succeed in fixing the security flaw, and restoring the original state. In the meantime, there are other options: such as playing these or other Wii U games offline; or switching to other platforms or other Nintendo Switch games.

Source: Engadget