The 1 Side Benefit of Nintendo's eShop Approach

[musicpenguy]

Many if not all consumers complain about the lack of an account system with the eShop for Wii U and 3DS. I myself would love that to happen in case my system gets stolen.

I realized a huge side benefit to Nintendo's approach. It enables you to actually sell your digital games. Since the purchase is tied to the device instead of a person's account those purchased games can be deleted from the system and re-downloaded to it free of charge.

You can of course transfer your data to a new 3DS, but if you wanted to remove your personal information from the 3DS and keep the games there you could when you want to upgrade to the 4DS or whatever the next one is ... you could sell a fully loaded 32 or 64GB 3DS with tons of eShop titles and perhaps makeup what you did spend to buy those games.

I am someone that likes to hang onto their games, so this is not something I would want to do, but for those that do want to sell their games and systems it seems that Nintendo's approach will actually work for that.

Tim

 

[0098386]

Whoa yeah, that's not a bad system really.
I think the best solution would be to let users decide what they want: tie your new purchase to your account or to your device. If it's account based your games will stay with you, if it's device based you can get a bit more cash if you sell your system.

I wonder how it works with the Wii U now? Games are locked to the system, but can't you call up Nintendo and request your games go to your new system? I'm sure there was something like that in place for the Wii if your console broke.

 

[Jessica Lares]

The eShop isn't going to be around forever though. I'm buying my games through it, just because I don't want boxes all over my house, but I'm ready for the day where the channel stops working due to API changes and whatnot. They already got rid of channels on the original Wii, it's not like it won't happen again.

 

[musicpenguy]

Well an account based system would be no different there if the XBox Store or iTunes Store closes down it doesn't matter if you have an account or not at that point.

I'd say the eShop is fairly safe in not closing down - just as the Wii Shop remains open. Sure channels will stop functioning, but the store itself is there.

I'd wager that the Nintendo system of the 3DS is better off than other systems should there be no more eShop. As the 3DS System Transfer is done without any involvement of online mechanics. And you can backup your SD card quite easily to offsite locations etc.

As far as Wii U I think Nintendo will eventually release a Wii U System Transfer app and include things that have already come out for the 3DS like backing up downloaded games saved data etc.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Yeah, I have to agree that the 3DS is better off too.

I just hope there are SD cards 10 years down the line.

 

[musicpenguy]

Yeah, I have to agree that the 3DS is better off too.

I just hope there are SD cards 10 years down the line.

Well the fact that you can STILL buy floppy drives gives me some security that those will be around and perhaps still in wide use. It is a fairly ubiquitous storage medium. Much better than the proprietary Vita card.

 

[skottichan]

My complaint with this "benefit" is that when my launch 3DS was stolen, they still won't let me have my "We're sorry we dicked you on the price" games on my new 3DS XL. I fought to try and get the hand full of games I bought as well. It shouldn't be like that, there are times where you'll be unable to transfer from one DS to another, and a stolen DS is one.

 

[musicpenguy]

My complaint with this "benefit" is that when my launch 3DS was stolen, they still won't let me have my "We're sorry we dicked you on the price" games on my new 3DS XL. I fought to try and get the hand full of games I bought as well. It shouldn't be like that, there are times where you'll be unable to transfer from one DS to another, and a stolen DS is one.

Sure that does suck - it is treated like a physical cartridge if your stuff gets stolen it is transferred to the thief just as a physical good does since it is device linked.

Home owners or renters insurance covers this kind of stuff. I haven't had a problem with stolen goods and it seems like a rare thing or should be ...

 

[skottichan]

Sure that does suck - it is treated like a physical cartridge if your stuff gets stolen it is transferred to the thief just as a physical good does since it is device linked.

Home owners or renters insurance covers this kind of stuff. I haven't had a problem with stolen goods and it seems like a rare thing or should be ...

Actually, no, renters' insurance doesn't cover downloaded games. It does cover retail purchased games (for the most part, depending on age; my pristine Rule of Rose for PS2 was only valued for $7 by my insurance, the replacement cost me $120). At least when I installed Steam on my new iMac (and logged into my new PS3 and Vita) I was able to redownload my downloaded games with zero problem.

So again, there's zero benefit to Nintendo's eShop.

 

[Carlanga]

While what you say is true, I would not like this approach on a portable. I own a Vita and my digital purchases are on PSN. People lose, break or get their portable electronics stolen all the time. I think the system could be better suited for consoles, especially Nintendo consoles, they 'never' break like the others.

 

[musicpenguy]

While what you say is true, I would not like this approach on a portable. I own a Vita and my digital purchases are on PSN. People lose, break or get their portable electronics stolen all the time. I think the system could be better suited for consoles, especially Nintendo consoles, they 'never' break like the others.

A little known secret is as long as you have either the Serial Number of your lost or stolen 3DS or the credit card number you used to purchase your games Nintendo can restore those purchases.

I think people over blow the issue too much and forget about some of its benefits.

 

[0098386]

My complaint with this "benefit" is that when my launch 3DS was stolen, they still won't let me have my "We're sorry we dicked you on the price" games on my new 3DS XL. I fought to try and get the hand full of games I bought as well. It shouldn't be like that, there are times where you'll be unable to transfer from one DS to another, and a stolen DS is one.

I chased this up with Nintendo because it got me worried about my content! The Nintendo Europe policy is;

Stolen system: report to police, get report, scan+email to Nintendo.
Broken system: keep broken system, inform Nintendo, your games are transferred.

With both you'll be able to redownload your games and retain Ambassador status (should you have it).

 

[musicpenguy]

I chased this up with Nintendo because it got me worried about my content! The Nintendo Europe policy is;

Stolen system: report to police, get report, scan+email to Nintendo.
Broken system: keep broken system, inform Nintendo, your games are transferred.

With both you'll be able to redownload your games and retain Ambassador status (should you have it).

In USA the current policy to my knowledge is that if you have the SN of the 3DS and it gets lost/stolen then you can get them transferred.

 

[Carlanga]

A little known secret is as long as you have either the Serial Number of your lost or stolen 3DS or the credit card number you used to purchase your games Nintendo can restore those purchases.

I think people over blow the issue too much and forget about some of its benefits.

Nice!

Now, that is something I didn't know because I don't own a 3DS, have you used this policy, is it out in the open to read somewhere? Seems if it works this way then is definitely the best approach yet. I think I read someone here got their stolen and didn't get their games later on.

 

[musicpenguy]

Nice!

Now, that is something I didn't know because I don't own a 3DS, have you used this policy, is it out in the open to read somewhere? Seems if it works this way then is definitely the best approach yet. I think I read someone here got their stolen and didn't get their games later on.

I haven't been able to find any support pages with that info. If you call or email them they are able to help you out if you have the required info.

I wonder if the people that say those things simply haven't tried contacting Nintendo or if the policies have been updated since it has come up as a problem.

 

[skottichan]

I chased this up with Nintendo because it got me worried about my content! The Nintendo Europe policy is;

Stolen system: report to police, get report, scan+email to Nintendo.
Broken system: keep broken system, inform Nintendo, your games are transferred.

With both you'll be able to redownload your games and retain Ambassador status (should you have it).

Interesting, I have my police report and my serial number and was told by the gentleman on the support line that the will not restore any of my purchases. He was actually quite vehement that I was not going to get "something for nothing".

I'd try again, but it's been 8 months since the house break in, and I'm sure it'd be even more of a fight now. I just don't see why Nintendo can't do an account based system like Sony, Steam, EA, Microsoft, Apple, etc do.

 

[0098386]

In USA the current policy to my knowledge is that if you have the SN of the 3DS and it gets lost/stolen then you can get them transferred.

It seems like it's a little more complex than it should be. Games are tied to your hardware, but they're purchased from an account.
I think as Nintendo push for more digital users (they seem to be in the EU. They released a tool to transfer cart saves to digital saves and you get double "Nintendo Stars" for digital games) we'll see them adopt a nicer policy. Something like you phone them up and request a transfer, if you have the old 3DS you can open an app to verify or contend the transfer or it will auto verify after 1 week, and then the new 3DS can redownload your old games.

 

[musicpenguy]

If you have the old 3DS and you are simply upgrading colors or moving to an XL or LE - then it is pretty simple use the 3DS transfer tool and swap SD cards - I think that is it.

Once transfer tool does its thing redownloading games happens on the new system.