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So buying a used WiiU has its advantages

So is digital content tied to the console or the NNID? Or is everything tied to the NNID, which is tied to the console? I'm confus.

The purchase history is tied to the NNID, which can be linked to a Club Nintendo account (that just lets you get loyalty points on the Nintendo rewards site), but I think both NNIDs and downloads themselves are tied to consoles presently. Probably so multiple users on the same system can play the DL without Nintendo having to keep track of multiple user authorizations on their end. Its pretty short sited because its stopping people from swapping games they own to other systems, and even stopping them from using their Nintendo ID on other systems. They have an option for 'existing user' when you register a new user, but you can't recover an NNID Xbox 360 style yet, for some reason.

Essentially if you want to be nice when selling your Wii U, you might want to figure out how this was done and pass the games on!
 

Eric C

Member
So is digital content tied to the console or the NNID? Or is everything tied to the NNID, which is tied to the console? I'm confus.

I'm thinking it MIGHT be this. Everything is tied to the NNID, but that NNID is tied to the console so ever other user on the console can play the same games

Because people that got the Wii U repaired were just sent a brand new Wii U and they were able to redownload all their games after they put their previous Nintendo ID on the new system.

So it seems even if you erase it, your Nintendo ID is always locked to the console, and only Nintendo customer service can release it from the console. At least right now it seems it's that way.


I hope when Nintendo ID's come to the 3DS they'll be more portable across both the Wii U and 3DS.
 

Shinobi

Member
whoever owned the console before me purchased multiple games, meaning all the games he purchased are available to redownload for free....This is with a new account btw I setup as well. Games are clearly linked to Console itself. Advice to those buying a second hand WiiU's...check all the games on the Store...you might be in for some "free" games!

oj-welp.jpg
 
As far as I'm concerned you SHOULD be able to give your digital downloads with a system, at least until you decide to register and redownload those games to a new system. I hate this era of not owning purchased content, no matter what the terms have always said. I pay that much money, I should own what I buy.
 

Garou

Member
Instead of going through the catalog one by one, just go to the profile-page -> bought contents.
 
This is going to be fun for the original owner if they get another wii u. Dude will probably assume he can just login with his old account info and nab the stuff he purchased, even though the content is technically still in use.
 

MormaPope

Banned
This is the same on 360 fyi. Anything bought on the marketplace is tied to both the gamertag and console independently.

It's not really the same, if I buy Fez on a friends 360 using my own gamertag, I can only play the full version of Fez when logged in as myself. If I log in as my friend I can only play the trial.
 
This is the same on 360 fyi. Anything bought on the marketplace is tied to both the gamertag and console independently.

There's no way of knowing what was previously purchased on the 360, and unless you log in with the gamertag of the person that originally bought it, you won't see the "Download again" message.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
This is the same on 360 fyi. Anything bought on the marketplace is tied to both the gamertag and console independently.

Yeah.....no. What the two above me said.

It's actually tied to both. The license is per console and per gamertag. I can buy a game on my downstairs 360, and then every gamertag on that 360 can play that game online or offline. On my upstairs 360 I will need the gamertag that I bought it with logged in to play it AND the console will need to be always online for it to continue to work.

Yeah I realized I was wrong as soon as I posted.
 
Yeah.....no. The game is tied to your profile, not the console.

It's actually tied to both. The license is per console and per gamertag. I can buy a game on my downstairs 360, and then every gamertag on that 360 can play that game online or offline. On my upstairs 360 I will need the gamertag that I bought it with logged in to play it AND the console will need to be always online for it to continue to work. So you could sell your 360 to someone and all the games you had purchased without giving them your gamertag, but it's a violation of the TOS, and also dangerous to the buyer since the seller could simply transfer licenses later and all those games will stop working.
 

Mudkips

Banned
Whatever happened to that shit where I'm supposed to get 10% rewards on shit I buy on the eShop or some shit?
 

NinjaBoiX

Member
Same shit with the Wii, decide to jump back in after selling previously? Tough, no WiiWare games for you. It's so stupid.
 

Row

Banned
Nintendo clearly has some Yakuza roots, except in this case when you try to leave the group they take your games instead of your fingers
 

pestul

Member
This is going to be fun for the original owner if they get another wii u. Dude will probably assume he can just login with his old account info and nab the stuff he purchased, even though the content is technically still in use.
I think he created a new NNID on the system though and still had access to all that stuff lol.
 
Damn. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe this was an issue on the original Wii. I think once you format the system it's impossible to download the previous owner's games.
 

DjRoomba

Banned
Isnt this standard for consoles? I sold my 360 with all my games, and account still on it (changed email/password obviously). Advertised it to make some more off the sale. What does it matter, if youre selling, you clearly dont want anything anymore.
 

enzo_gt

tagged by Blackace
Wait, why are downloads tied to the consoles and not accounts?

What is the Nintendo account for? Is it an alphanumeric replacement for friend codes and nothing else?
 
Yup Nintendo's digital sales policy is horrible. We've had multiple threads on this. It's why I haven't bought anything in the Wii U's eShop and won't in the future.
 

Camp Lo

Banned
Wait... does the 3DS have the same issue??

I sold my 3DS a while ago with a ton of games downloaded via that eShop shit.

I'll have to get another 3DS.
 

DSFan1970

Member
Nintendo will never get the fucking online portion right. Never. They were light-years behind in 2006. They're arguably worse even today with the advent of the Wii U.

Can't someone on here or in the gaming media confront Reggie in an interview about this? This 2013 dammit.
 

Skyzard

Banned
That's nice as I would only buy a WiiU used anyway seeing as it's too overpriced and outdated for my liking.

Glad to see there might be extra bonuses...but I can easily wait, probably a few years too, if it is still alive/remembered or gets some games by then I might get to snag quite a few extras.
 
This is insane. So if your wiiu is stolen there is no way for you to lock someone out from your games AND you lose your account?

What the fuck Nintendo.
 

enzo_gt

tagged by Blackace
Step-by-step process.
Feels like something you should roll out at once, the most functional stuff about having an account. The mobile apps and whatnot can come later, but I feel like it was rushed (which also begs the question as to how it was so rushed when they've had so much time since the Wii came out) and they're planning a relaunch later. Launching a console with accounts and implementing account-tied ownership after people can buy stuff is a slippery slope and massive oversight.

And even when Nintendo's next console comes out, my guess is that it will only have parity with 360's DRM, which isn't that great either.

Wait... does the 3DS have the same issue??

I sold my 3DS a while ago with a ton of games downloaded via that eShop shit.

I'll have to get another 3DS.
Seems like it. And this is before
 

MrDaravon

Member
While we already knew that purchases were tied to the console alone (which is stupid but has been discussed), if doing a full system wipe still doesn't wipe out the purchase history as the OP has since indicated then holy shit.
 

Kerub

Banned
Holy shit that's great. Imagine in a couple of years, when most people that decide to sell their systems already has made lots of purchases. Used Wii U's will be A LOT more valuable than new Wii U's.
 
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