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Nintendo has officially announced that they are shutting down the Wii U, and the 3DS eStores. I own a fair amount of digital games on my Wii U (they are on an external hard drive).

In the event that the hard drive dies or something and I can't redownload my games, is there any way I could back these digital games up from the hard drive to my computer?

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You will still be able to download anything you've previously purchased according to Nintendo "for the foreseeable future":

How long will it still be possible to redownload previously purchased content in Nintendo eShop for Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems? How long will those systems still support online play?

For the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to redownload games and DLC, receive software updates and enjoy online play on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

Thus, there isn't any immediate need to backup your Wii U. I did however find this site, which requires a FAT32 USB or SD Card. It uses your Wii's browser to run an application for you to download your data to your computer. It sounds like a lengthy process, but it's something to try at least. As always, do this at your own risk!

You'll need to follow these steps:

Launching dumpling

  1. Turn on your Wii U console
    • If prompted, do not format any USB devices through the Wii U
  2. Ensure that the title you want to dump has the latest update and any relevant DLC installed
    • Some games, such as Breath of the Wild, require an update to function correctly in Cemu
  3. If using a disk, ensure it is inserted before launching dumpling
  4. Insert your USB storage device or SD card
  5. Launch the internet browser and open dumplingapp.com
  6. Tap Launch dumpling
    • If your console freezes for more than 10 seconds, hold down the Power button for 4 seconds and reboot
    • Once rebooted, reset the browser's save data and try again

Using the dumpling app

  1. Select Dump digital games or Dump a game disc depending on your scenario
    • For Digital, select your games then press (START)
    • For Disc, continue below
  2. Verify that the dump's destination is correct (SD or USB)
  3. Ensure your desired Wii U Account is set
  4. Select Start to begin dumping
    • This can take a very long time, we encourage you to dump one game at first.
  5. Once finished, dump your next game at Step 1 or turn off your Wii U and put your SD or USB that you dumped to into your computer
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    "For the foreseeable future" -> It's been two years since the Wii eStore closed up shop, and you can still re-download purchases today. So big emphasis on "isn't any immediate need"
    – Wondercricket
    Feb 21, 2022 at 19:24

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