Topic: RUMOR: 3DS and Wii U to Receive Gifting Ability, Cross-Platform Virtual Console Games

[Adrock]

Nintendo recently unified their handheld and console divisions. I think that had a lot to do with having separate accounts. This rumor is more believable than ever.

I'm extremely skeptical of any rumor that Nintendo's suddenly not only bringing them together but also not taking an easy opportunity to make you buy a game twice for 2 different platforms (see: Nintendo charging you to play your Wii Virtual Console games outside Wii Mode on the Wii U).

Oh, this again. I disagree. Not that I'm against it, but I try to fair. First, Nintendo isn't making anyone buy anything. You do that on your own volition. Second, just because you buy a game on Console A doesn't mean you're entitled to it on Console B. We all go through this every generation. Nothing is stopping you from playing the game on the platform you originally bought it on. Third, you're paying for extra functionality and convenience while Nintendo offers the transfer to Wii U at a discount with the transfer from Wii to Wii U Wii Mode being free. Nintendo didn't have to do either. If you want to take this even further, should we not have had to pay for VC games if we still own the original cartridge? We all want a good bargain, but where does it end?

"But Steam lets me X, Y, and Z." Good for Steam and good on Valve for instituting that. I think it's great, personally. I would love for Nintendo to do the same. I understand why people don't want to pay for a game twice or pay extra in general, but that's nothing more than blatant consumerism. Being admittedly cheap as ****, I'm all about consumerism and savings and whatnot, but it has its limits. If you keep following that path, eventually you're going to want almost everything free all the time forever.

[pandaradox]

There is another issue: Getting the Nintendo Club rewards off of a game you bought your parents/significant other.  I wonder if the purchase will count for the buyer or receiver. Moreover, what about the deluxe digital credit? 

[UncleBob]

That's not really an issue (the Club Nintendo thing).  Nintendo doesn't see Club Nintendo coins as being given for buying games (I know, crazy, right?) - but in exchange for taking surveys.

Since the questions posed are ones about playing the games, then the person who receives the games will be the ones to take the surveys and get the coins.

This is what was done with the Wii Shop and Gifting.

As for the Digital Promotion... I'd vote for the person buying the games to get the "cash back" - is it is a reward for making purchases.

[Ian Sane]

Cross-platform VC is what we all want and it really is the ideal service that makes sense.  But there is just such an obvious incentive for Nintendo to have two stores and make it so that those that want to play on both platforms need to make two purchases.  It isn't consumer friendly but it isn't unfriendly enough that Nintendo would really suffere from it.  Historically if Nintendo has the chance to squeeze an extra nickel out of you they typically take it.  While I would be thrilled if they unified the VC, I would be very surprised if they did.  It just doesn't seem like the Nintendo way to go about things, you know?

The seperation of console and handheld is largely arbitrary.  It is the hardware limitations that has kept them seperate.  But no one really wants to have two systems for different purposes with different games.  The ideal future is to have one videogame system (per company) that you can buy in a handheld model if you wish so you can play on the go and then when you come home you can hook it up to your TV or continue playing it on the handheld or connect it to some tablet for that off-TV play if that really proves to be an essential service.  One system with multiple ways to play.  In that sense the unification of the VC is an obvious step towards that.  I believe that having one system is the future of videogames and Nintendo will have to sync these things up sooner or later anyway and might as well get some of that infrastructure in place now.

[Fjurbanski]

But no one really wants to have two systems for different purposes with different games.

Damn straight. Nintendo not having to divide their resources between handheld and home console. Me not having to buy a portable system that I don't actually want just because that's where the games are. None of this great 3DS, horrible Wii U garbage. Just one (hopefully) great console. That would be ideal.

[Mop it up]

Gifting will be nice, I liked the secret Santas that used to go on here. I don't personally care about the VC though, but that would also be a good step in making it a better service.