Part of the online functionality of the Nintendo 3DS generation of Pokémon games is being taken down next year, as it has been announced that the Pokémon Global Link will end its service in February 2020.
The Pokémon Global Link service has been available since the days of Pokémon Black & White, but the difficulties that the Nintendo DS had with connecting to routers meant that many gamers were unable to use it The improved online connectivity of the Nintendo 3DS hardware meant that more people got to experience it during the Pokémon X & Y era. The Pokémon Global Link allowed players to compete in Rating Battles and online competitions against other players around the world.
The Pokémon Global Link won't be available for much longer, as the official website for the service has confirmed that it will be shutting down in late February 2020. A similar service will be made available for Pokémon Sword & Shield on the Nintendo Switch in the future.
The demise of the Pokémon Global Link doesn't mean that all online functionality will be gone, as online battling and trading will still be possible for the foreseeable future. Those features will likely stick around for as long as the Nintendo 3DS' servers are still operable, which likely won't be shutting down anytime soon, especially as Pokémon Bank is expected to remain in service for years to come.
Nintendo has slowly been shutting down the online modes for its older systems, as the fans have gradually moved on to the latest games and the newest consoles. The Pokémon Global Link was one of The Pokémon Company's early experiments with online functionality and it had plenty of issues throughout its run. There will still be fans who are disappointed that the Pokémon Global Link is shutting down, as it marks another nail in the coffin of the Nintendo 3DS generation of Pokémon games.
The Pokémon Global Link will be shutting down in late February 2020.
Source: Pokémon