The Ghost Land team is thrilled to announce today the grand return of a 3DS scene legend.

What would the history of the 3DS be without the legendary freeShop? This application marked an entire generation of players and is an integral part of this iconic console’s heritage.

Today, we are proud to unveil the result of over 2 years of relentless work.

Project Background

Just three days ago, we introduced 3DServer, a project dedicated to bringing the Nintendo eShop 3DS back to life while fixing many of the issues Ghost eShop had.
If you missed that announcement, check it out here:
👉 Ghost eShop 3DS Dev Server

Today, we’re taking things one step further with a major announcement:

💫 The grand return of freeShop, now fully connected to 3DServer!

🚀 Introducing freeShop v5.0.0

After a long break, freeShop is officially back, fully integrated with the 3DServer project.
We’ve worked tirelessly to make it cleaner, faster, and more stable.
Our goal: preserve content, improve the player experience, and keep the 3DS alive no matter what Nintendo thinks.
As long as the community exists, the console never truly dies.

👉 Check out freeShop

A Community Project, Maintained by Ghost Land

While freeShop is now maintained and hosted by the Ghost Land Team, it remains and will always remain a community project. We are committed to preserving the core philosophy that made freeShop legendary: accessibility, simplicity, and freedom for all users.

Our role is to provide the infrastructure, updates, and support necessary to keep the project alive, but the spirit of freeShop belongs to the community. We will do everything in our power to honor its original vision while bringing modern improvements and stability.

The 3DS scene thrives because of passionate contributors and users. FreeShop’s return is a testament to that dedication, and we’re honored to be stewards of this legacy.

Changelog – FreeShop v5.0.0

Logging system: Added file-based logging (disabled by default to improve performance). Option available in Settings > Other tab.
Auto-update system:
- Update server changed from pastebin.com to get.freeshop.app.
- Changelog now fetched from get.freeshop.app.
- Improved error handling with detailed HTTP status logs.
Settings cleanup: Removed title key download settings and URL management for a simpler interface.
API integration (3DServer):
- Games now loaded from 3DServer API endpoints (Ghost Land protocol).
- Game icons downloaded directly from the API when available.
- Improved JSON parsing for custom API responses.
Music: Added new eShop background tracks (boss_bgm1, boss_bgm2).
Download system: Improved queue management and error handling.
- Better compatibility with Ghost Land CDN endpoints.
Docker support: Added Dockerfile and docker-build.sh for easier development and deployment.
General improvements: Minor fixes and overall stability enhancements.

💬 Q&A

❓ Wasn’t freeShop permanently dead since 2018?

Yes, but a bit of magic happened 😉
Thanks to the Ghost Land 3DServer project, it’s now possible again.
From now on, the Ghost Land team maintains and updates freeShop.

❓ Is it stable?

Not fully yet. You may encounter some bugs or crashes, but stability improves with each version.

❓ Why bring it back?

Because freeShop is part of the 3DS’s legacy.
We wanted to revive it for nostalgia and to offer a new alternative for the community.

❓ Do I need a CFW?

Yes, Luma3DS is recommended.

❓ Is there a .3DSX version?

Yes: available here

❓ Why are some games missing?

Converting all content to CDN format (tmd/app) takes time.
Everything will be added gradually before the final release (planned before 2026).

❓ Why does DLC appear as installed when it’s not?

All DLC shares the same Title ID. Delete and reinstall to fix the issue.

❓ Can it download while sleeping?

Yes, but this still needs testing.

❓ Can I download games from any region?

Depends on your CFW, with Luma3DS: yes.

❓ Is it safe? Will I get banned?

Modding always involves some risk, but bans are rare if you only install games you own.
No bans have been reported so far.

❓ “Failed to install seed” error?

You’re likely using firmware below 9.6.
Update your system to play newer games requiring crypto seeds.

❓ Source code?

Not available yet, but will be released soon 😊

❤️ Thank You

This project represents thousands of hours of work over the past 2 years.
We truly hope you’ll enjoy this revival of freeShop.
If you have ideas, feedback, or bug reports, please share them with us. Your support keeps the 3DS alive!

Useful Links:

The Ghost Land team thanks the community for its continued support. Together, let’s keep the 3DS alive!