NicoNico has revealed its app won’t have all of the functions people have come to expect on Nintendo devices soon. In March 2020, both the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch versions of the viewer will lose the ability to watch livestreams. The official website confirmed that this feature will be removed on the Nintendo 3DS on March 25, 2020, while the Nintendo Switch will no longer offer the ability to watch live broadcasts as of March 26, 2020.
This only has an effect on one part of the NicoNico app. People won’t be able to watch any livestreams or set up notifications to alert them when one of these broadcasts might start. The search option will also be gone. However, the regular NicoNico video functionality will still remain in both versions.
The NicoNico Switch and 3DS apps are both free to download and allow people to create free accounts to watch videos on the systems. There is no need to use a VPN to use either one on a system outside of Japan. (Be careful when setting up an account, as there is a premium account option.)
The NicoNico Switch and Nintendo 3DS versions of the app are immediately available for free in the respective Japanese eShops.
