Wii U, Nintendo 3DS Receiving Gaming Pre-Download Support

After Nintendo posted their Q2 2014 financial results, the Japanese gaming company held their semi-annual investor meeting to discuss more about what’s in store going forward. One of the advancements for their gaming platforms is more of a catch-up with the PS4 and Xbox One, in providing pre-download support to the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.

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To kick off the pre-download support, Super Smash Bros for Wii U will become the first title available for the service. Meanwhile, the Nintendo 3DS version will receive this service in 2015. To pre-download games on your Wii U, one can enter their NNID and password on the Nintendo online store when making a purchase. The game purchased will then download itself on Wii U or 3DS devices without having to accessing the eShop within each console. The service will see expansion to other online retailers in the future, at the discretion of Nintendo.

If there is one aspect of Nintendo’s gaming business model that was evidently lacking in comparison to its other facets, it’s definitely in its online support. It’s great to see pre-downloading make its arrival, however there is still more work to be done. I’m still waiting for a comprehensive account-based system that makes downloaded game titles easy to restore on a new device without having to jump through hoops at the customer service level. It’s 2014; games tethered to a console and not to an account is upsetting.

h/t Siliconera

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