Nintendo Network Brings Universal Accounts To Wii U/3DS

Wii U

Nintendo is finally taking steps to meet the expectations of the modern gaming community. Wii U will be their first console in HD, and now we're hearing word that the rumoured unification of their digital account presence is going ahead. The fragmentary 'Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection' of old that required friend codes specific to individual games, and had little to no cross-platform connectivity between your DS and Wii, is getting a revamp. During an investor brief, president Satoru Iwata confirmed several details of their upcoming console.

The so-called "Nintendo Network" will offer a more sophisticated online profile system with individual user accounts. Of course, that means different people can log into the same system and bring up (presumably) different accounts for purchasing digital content and different friends lists. You can see the new logo on the corner of the upcoming Theatrhythm Final Fantasy box (the most impenetrable Engrish name yet - just try and decipher that box art).

Nintendo is also apparently fully capable of full game digital delivery now, but will feel out their relationship with retail partners and examine further the limitations of SD cards (in the 3DS's case) to see how to proceed further. It doesn't seem too implausible to suggest that Zelda on Wii U might be available for download on launch day. Paid downloadable content is also now possible, which comes as a surprise in that I forgot that the Wii didn't allow that already.

Yay! Tick those boxes off your Wii U wishlists, folks.

Reader Comments:

Posted by admeister 27/01/2012 12:51pm

It all sounds pretty good to me, it seems Nintendo are finally trying to get their online systems up to date.

Posted by zen 27/01/2012 2:07pm

bout bloody time ninty
way to catch up with 2008