[hyduK]

It's a horrible system, but at the same time it's well documents and shouldn't come as a surprise.

[Tunavi]

I got nailed on this when trading in my DSi towards a 3DS but I didn't have that many games so I wasn't too bothered. At the time, it was a bit more of an unknown quantity. Sorry that you got a bit screwed but it sounds like in this scenario you have only yourself to blame.

but still, you can't deny Nintendo has to change this shitty shitty policy.

[Hero]

Nintendo's philosophy of tying a game to a system instead of the account/owner is straight up dumb but honestly you should have a) done a little research, as a GAFer you should've known since we talk about it in basically every 3DS eShop thread b) listened to the clerk who warned you about it.

I would try going back to the store and seeing if they could help you. Otherwise Nintendo in rare circumstances might offer to put the games onto your new system but I think that requires you to send the new system in.

[Jackano]

The thread title needs to be changed to "I declined to transfer my eShop purchases and now I try to live to tell the story" or something.

Edit: +1 at trying to go back to the shop and beg for a transfer. But it could lead to an akward situation if the retailer actually "stole" your account already.

[djSyndrome]

More telling is there is at least one clerk in this world that gives a shit about their customers.

[Dehumanizer]

Well done, you were warned

[Vyse The Legend]

is it really helpful for 10 people to post shit like "you should have known," "it's all your fault, fuckface," etc? jesus christ you neckbeards act like sharks when there's blood in the water. OP, could you perhaps go back to the gamestore and try to complete the transfer? if not, call nintendo and yell up a storm. they might (but probably won't) help.

Why should he yell at Nintendo? Their system is broken, but...

The store clerk was actually informed and warned the OP to do the transfer first. The OP should beg/plead for help, not demand it. And, if he doesn't get it from either party, no one should shift the blame to Nintendo or the clerk. The store clerk especially has no obligation whatsoever to go "dumpster diving" for his old system.

[Shotgun Kiss]

Well that sucks for you guys over in the UK. GameStop (or at least the ones in my area) have Wifi.

Meh, even with Game's 3DS trade-in deal, it's still much better to just buy a 3DS XL cheaper elsewhere, do the transfer, and sell the old 3DS on eBay/privately.


Anyway, Nintendo's lack of online accounts does indeed suck, and it's something they seriously need to catch up on, but OP has nobody to blame but himself. The store assistant specifically told him to do a transfer, and he didn't.

[Daydream Sequence]

Because that's not what it's for. It's collection list data not a secure store of license information.

Except it is. It's the list they use when your Wii or 3DS/DSi breaks and you ship it to them and they put all your games back on the hardware they send back to you.

[Vane_MagicCity]

So, you can download NSMB2 in a little under 3 weeks, will they have a proper account system in place or will that also be tied to the hardware? If it's tied to the hardware, who would bother downloading it for the same price as retail (which can be played on multiple 3DS's)?

[9thwonder]

Nintendo's online services is definitely the one of the worse I've seen in my entire life and they are waaaaaaaaayyyyyy behind the curve (worse than 2006 psn and xbl on original Xbox is arguably better) but with that being said having your old 3ds to transfer your old games to a new one should be common knowledge. Especially if you visit gaf.

[djSyndrome]

So, you can download NSMB2 in a little under 3 weeks, will they have a proper account system in place or will that also be tied to the hardware? If it's tied to the hardware, who would bother downloading it for the same price as retail (which can be played on multiple 3DS's)?

People who don't like carrying around multiple game cartridges would be my only guess. Sure isn't any financial incentive for doing so.

[SovanJedi]

Pretty sure GAME had a thing going on whereby if you purchased the 3DS XL at full price, you could take it home, do the transfer, and then take the 3DS back in the next day and they would refund the price of the trade-in to you.

Yep, GAME's time limit is 2 weeks to trade in your old 3DS. Take the XL home, transferred the stuff over a weekend, then take the old 3DS in for £100.

[Anteo]

OP, your fault, you were warned. You can beg to the clerk to let you do a System Transfer though, so there may be hope.

So, you can download NSMB2 in a little under 3 weeks, will they have a proper account system in place or will that also be tied to the hardware? If it's tied to the hardware, who would bother downloading it for the same price as retail (which can be played on multiple 3DS's)?

Because stores can offer a download code at a reduced price.

[djSyndrome]

Because stores can offer a download code at a reduced price.

For game stores there is little incentive to do this. The physical copy can potentially come back as a trade-in and be monetized again; the digital copy is gone forever.

EDIT: at least here in the states I see the digital cards taking off at places like 7-11. They already sell points cards and these would be a quick way to get into game sales with minimal shelf space commitment.

[Somnid]

Except it is. It's the list they use when your Wii or 3DS/DSi breaks and you ship it to them and they put all your games back on the hardware they send back to you.

I'm pretty sure they use the serial number and look up the transaction record.

[Vane_MagicCity]

OP, your fault, you were warned. You can beg to the clerk to let you do a System Transfer though, so there may be hope. Because stores can offer a download code at a reduced price.

Stores can also put a discount on the retail copy too so that kind of makes your point mute. Also, if retail store are threatened by digital downloads, why would they discount digital downloads more than the retail copy?

[Neuromancer]

Most people would tell this story in a way that makes themselves seems better/smarter.

Ouch haha

is it really helpful for 10 people to post shit like "you should have known," "it's all your fault, fuckface," etc? jesus christ you neckbeards act like sharks when there's blood in the water.

I don't think anyone called him a fuckface, also no need to insult everyone else with your neckbeard comment. Just in case you forgot you're on a video game message board too.

Tell me... Did you also kick over a magazine rack?

Can someone point me to the original that this meme came from? I've always wondered.

[CorvoSol]

Yep, the joy of Nintendo not adopting a proper account system. Word on the street is the Wii U will fix that, but who knows if the 3DS and Wii purchases will somehow be granfathered into that program or not.

I wouldn't hold my breath, although the chart provided in this topic does give hope.

[Trogdor1123]

You can call them and get them to switch all the stuff from one hardware to the next. I had to do it with my Wii when I lost it and bought a new one. They had no issues doing it.

[MarkMclovin]

Umm... Isn't this common knowledge on GAF?

Yes. Yes it is.

[Metroid Hunter]

I wouldn't hold my breath, although the chart provided in this topic does give hope.

Scott Moffitt already confirmed Wii games will be transferred to the Wii U account. No word on 3DS yet though.

[tkscz]

I wouldn't hold my breath, although the chart provided in this topic does give hope.

Look through the thread and be amazed!

Can someone point me to the original that this meme came from? I've always wondered.

I looked on google and this thread was the first thing that came up.

[Vane_MagicCity]

You can call them and get them to switch all the stuff from one hardware to the next. I had to do it with my Wii when I lost it and bought a new one. They had no issues doing it.

Will they switch everything from my white Wii to my shiny red one even though my white Wii has not been stolen or lost?

[Of All Trades]

Scott Moffitt already confirmed Wii games will be transferred to the Wii U account. No word on 3DS yet though.

Has there been any verification of that from anyone else at NOA/NOJ?

[Somnid]

Has there been any verification of that from anyone else at NOA/NOJ?

Katsuya Eguchi also confirmed it.

[TheMan]

I don't think anyone called him a fuckface, also no need to insult everyone else with your neckbeard comment. Just in case you forgot you're on a video game message board too.

no one said fuckface, but that word adequately captures the spirit of many of the comments.

as for the neckbeard comment, i never said i wasn't one as well (haven't shaved a few days now). if it makes you feel better, you can pretend that i changed neckbeard to "unhelpful jerks"

[Snuggler]

Surprise or not, it's hard to believe that DD games aren't tied to your account the same way DD games are tied to your Steam, XBL, PSN, iOS etc etc accounts. It's 2012, and that's some fuckin' stone age shit.

[Glix]

Wait...

I need to be connected to the internet to do a system transfer?!?!?!

[Inferno313]

Wait... I need to be connected to the internet to do a system transfer?!?!?!

Yeah, how else would their servers know that your account is now tied to a new system?

[Glix]

Yeah, how else would their servers know that your account is now tied to a new system?

It could update next time it gets a connection???

It is just pulling stuff off the 3DS, it has no reason to connect. Also, what account? There is no account system.

[Shurayuki]

Look through the thread and be amazed! I looked on google and this thread was the first thing that came up.

Well there was that ad where somebody got angry in a game store and flipped over all stands and threw the master chief out of the window, don't remember where that was from though, some DD service (GOG?). Spawned many a gif and laugh.

[ActStriker]

It could update next time it gets a connection??? It is just pulling stuff off the 3DS, it has no reason to connect. Also, what account? There is no account system.

The eShop account is tied to the system.

[impact]

It's 2012 and Nintendo still doesn't internet?

[phosphor112]

Umm... Isn't this common knowledge on GAF?

Clearly not. Also, Nintendo's online is trash, and them only showing "Wii Verse" or whatever at E3 is laughable. They have been behind in technology ever since they released the 64.

[Somnid]

It could update next time it gets a connection??? It is just pulling stuff off the 3DS, it has no reason to connect. Also, what account? There is no account system.

Naivity. There is a server-side tracking for this. It's not just moving data, it's literally verifying data with Nintendo's servers.

[Glix]

The eShop account is tied to the system.

It still doesn't make sense that it needs to go online at that very second. Just another bad decision for an online system that is archaic and terrible.

And its also absurd that I have an "account" that it completely restrictive. It only hurts me, but can never be used to help me/make things more convenient? Insane.

[Neuromancer]

no one said fuckface, but that word adequately captures the spirit of many of the comments. as for the neckbeard comment, i never said i wasn't one as well (haven't shaved a few days now). if it makes you feel better, you can pretend that i changed neckbeard to "unhelpful jerks"

Haha OK.

Well unfortunately I don't think there's much we can do for the OP at this point, calling Nintendo has already been suggested.

[Somnid]

It still doesn't make sense that it needs to go online at that very second. Just another bad decision for an online system that is archaic and terrible. And its also absurd that I have an "account" that it completely restrictive. It only hurts me, but can never be used to help me/make things more convenient? Insane.

Well it needs to verify the transfer is legit. There's not necessarily a "next time" it goes online. Also if the transfer is interrupted it needs to know which system the content belongs to otherwise it may duplicate or simply be lost to the ether. It's like Pokemon trading with real money on the line.

[soldat7]

Umm... Isn't this common knowledge on GAF?

Nope

[tuffy]

It is just pulling stuff off the 3DS, it has no reason to connect. Also, what account? There is no account system.

Somewhere at Nintendo HQ, there's a database that indicates which 3DS has purchased which software, based on some hidden 3DS system ID. When you do a system transfer, both 3DSes connect to Nintendo and update its database to point software from the old system to the new one based on both of their IDs. They both have to connect at the same time to ensure somebody doesn't attempt to transfer software from one to another without being authorized.

[ShockingAlberto]

There absolutely should be an account system, but there was an avenue for you to use that you declined.

[UnaiGamer]

Thread title is so misleading. I got worried for a minute.

[Vane_MagicCity]

Somewhere at Nintendo HQ, there's a database that indicates which 3DS has purchased which software, based on some hidden 3DS system ID. When you do a system transfer, both 3DSes connect to Nintendo and update its database to point software from the old system to the new one based on both of their IDs. They both have to connect at the same time to ensure somebody doesn't attempt to transfer software from one to another without being authorized.

So there is an account system at work but not one that works to the consumers benefit. How about this:

- You start the transfer wizard on the outgoing system.
- Tell the system that you want to put your games in limbo until you get a new system
- Let the transfer wizard verify your titles with it's database (a few minutes at most) and then reformat the outgoing 3DS.
- You take the outgoing 3DS to the shop to trade and then bring the new one home and tie your new system to your Club Nintendo account to tie your licenses to your new 3DS and start downloading your old games.

I am figuring this shit out for free, surely someone at Nintendo can do it too. I've used the transfer wizard twice and it's slow as piss. It would have been faster to re-download the games manually than to transfer them. I could even choose not to download them all at once since the license would be tied to the new 3DS and not the old one.

[OldJadedGamer]

It's a horrible system, but at the same time it's well documents and shouldn't come as a surprise.

Just because someone tells you a turd smells bad it doesn't stop it from stinking when you smell it yourself.

[Raptomex]

I never sell my games or consoles so I guess I won't have that problem but I do agree Nintendo should do something about that. Get with the program, Nintendo.

[Lothars]

Just because someone tells you a turd smells bad it doesn't stop it from stinking when you smell it yourself.

Nobody denies that it's a bad system that needs to be fixed but especially in this case he was offered to transfer but didn't and than bitches about it.

He has nobody to blame but himself.

[marcurius]

So I was planning to do the same trade in tomorrow, and was wondering if anyone has a clue how long the transfer takes. I'm not sure if GAME in Sweden allows me to do the transfer at home and return my regular 3DS for a refund, but I can activate the hotspot on my phone and do it in the store if that's the case, as long as it doesn't take way too long (and if they let me). I'll uninstall all my games tonight so there shouldn't be any data other than a few saves and settings to transfer, I hope.

And yeah, this is a bit of a pain in the ass, honestly...

[Crewnh]

one of the guys at 8-4 play said it took him an half hour. I'm assuming he had a decent amount of downloadable games.

[DeviousAngel]

My heart goes out to you, man. I'm surprised you didn't know, or even bothered to do some research, though... considering all the discussion here on GAF about Nintendo's wacky online infrastructure.

I really hope that Nintendo eventually wises up and includes some sort of account system on the 3DS. I'd expect it to happen either when full downloadable games are available on the e-shop starting later this month, or when WiiU releases. Fingers crossed.