Topic: 3DS eShop to Be Added on Launch Day in Europe

[Adrock]

Can't you buy points directly on the system without having to go to that Gamestop down the corner?  And I'm not 100% sure about the DS store, but can't you buy 1,000 points directly from the store instead of having to buy 2,000 at a time?

I didn't know that because I never downloaded a game or looked at DSiWare store prior to buying Shante: Risky's Revenge. That would have been convenient because Shante and Mighty Flip Champs would have been 2000 points even. Oh well. C'est la vie.

[Mop it up]

I wonder if they're doing it this way to gauge how many people use the shop? They can track how many people download it, and it's doubtful anyone will unless they plan to use it, so it seems like a way they could keep track of the number of people who use the shop.

[MaryJane]

Wouldn't they be able to do that by people downloading from the eShop?

If there's any ulterior motive to them not having it loaded into the system, it would be to advertise the SpotPass feature and convine people to leave it on.

[Mop it up]

I don't know how it works, but if they can only track the number of times that games are downloaded, that wouldn't tell them the total number of people who use the shop.

[BlackNMild2k1]

They would still know who accesses the shop considering they need to be online to do it. That's assuming that your 3DS is identifyable or attached to your My Nintendo account in one way or another.

[MaryJane]

It has to be identifiable in some way, so that if your 3DS breaks you can reclaim your downloads.

[Mop it up]

It has to be identifiable in some way, so that if your 3DS breaks you can reclaim your downloads.

You'd think so, but that isn't the case with the Wii. The Wii Shop Channel account is stored on the Wii system memory, so if it gets corrupted, it isn't recoverable. At least, that's what a Nintendo customer service rep told my friend when calling about corrupted internal memory, that it was likely they wouldn't be able to restore the account and downloaded games. So I should hope Nintendo have created a better way where it's also stored on Nintendo's servers, but you never know with them.

[TJ Spyke]

That's why you link it with Club Nintendo. When I had to get back all my downloads on my new Wii, I was able to get them to transfer the Wii Shop Channel account and re-download everything.

[BlackNMild2k1]

If your Wii is attached to your My Nintendo account then all your transactions should be recorded there. Its such a simple fix that it would be stupid of Nintendo to not just require everyone that gets online to either connect to their existing My Nintendo account our create one right there on the spot.

People are already so used to signing up to stuff the first time they need to use it, that spending a minute to create a profile is already expected.



edited to fix errors from posting on my phone.

[Mop it up]

That's why you link it with Club Nintendo. When I had to get back all my downloads on my new Wii, I was able to get them to transfer the Wii Shop Channel account and re-download everything.

This was before Club Nintendo existed in North America, so it wasn't possible. I like BlackNMild2k1's idea, I hope the shop gets connected to some kind of account because not everyone has heard about Club Nintendo.

[TJ Spyke]

I think when you first log onto the Wii Shop Channel account it asks you if you want to link it to a Club Nintendo account. Nintendo also puts a sheet into every first party Wii and DS game that talks about it. I do think they could do something like Sony and Microsoft do, but it's pretty hard to own a Nintendo system and not at least be aware of Club Nintendo.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Nobody reads that stuff unless they actually care what it says.... most people don't.

It needs to become a mandatory step in accessing the eShop.

How many people do you think would actually have profiles on myspace or Facebook if they weren't required to make one to use the service? Most people would just skim it to read up on whoever and contact whoever at their leisure, sort of like forum lurkers. If they require an account at first log log on, then people are more likely to participate in all that an account has to offer, such as rewards programs and product registration and things of that sort.

[Mop it up]

Club Nintendo is advertised as a rewards program, not as a way to keep track of your purchases in the unfortunate event that your system ceases to function, or as any kind of method of transfer, so most people probably don't know that. That was more my point, I should have articulated that more clearly.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'll assume you are talking to TJ since my point was more forward thinking and not specifically Wii related.

[Mop it up]

Yes, I was. I didn't see your post because it was right when I was posting mine, and I didn't get the message that someone else posted while I was writing like what usually appears. I like your idea, it seems you and I are on the same page when it comes to the shop.

[BlackNMild2k1]

No eShop, Internet Browser or DSi Transfers till May - Nintendo Investors Meeting