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[alienator]

Just a reminder:

Dear Nintendo fans,

On January 30, 2019, we plan to close the Wii Shop Channel, which has been available on Wii systems since December 2006. We sincerely thank our loyal customers for their support.

You can still add Wii Points until March 26, 2018, and purchase content on the Wii Shop Channel until January 30, 2019. In the future, we will be closing all services related to the Wii Shop Channel, including redownloading purchased WiiWare, Virtual Console titles, and Wii Channel, as well as Wii System Transfer Tool, which transfers data from Wii to the Wii U system.


So.. as this will be history in 15 days.. and my wii breaks down, and correct me if im wrong, because i hope im wrong.. i cannot download my beloved wii ware games to my wii ? games i payed for ?

so heres a bunch of "but:" 's i have been thinking about:

- U can transfer everything to your wii-u !
Yes. but i like my 240p output on the wii with VC titles and such.
also:
"Transferred data is permanently deleted from the Wii console. Once you have transferred data to the Wii U console, it cannot be transferred back to a Wii console. Data cannot be transferred from your Wii U console to a Wii console. "

so if i buy a new wii , i still have NOTHING. and the wii mode on my wii-u looks worse on my lcd tv than my wii on the crt does. (yes im weird like that)

I love my wii for the VC and wiiware, but Nintendo FORCES me to mod my wii console to have acces to my own content i bought online, which i still have to download not very legally it seems as they are hunting down every rom site on the planet.

I feel eventually this will happen to xbox/ps3/ps4 aswell, but atleast ms offers me backward compatibility at the moment , without rebuying my owned content. (and my very wild guess is the PS5 will also feature this, maybe even for PSN/vita/psp content only, but still , a man can dream )

All of this makes me very very wary and paranoid of buying digital content.. or worse, the streaming future.

How can we let this happen as consumers? does nobody care anymore about their games? or am i just an old sentimental fool yelling at the cloud? (im 43 btw)

It feels to me a big part of Nintendo history is gonna be swepped away from the internet, with no legal ways of holding onto your content.

:sad:

 

[The Elite]

I thought the Wii shop was closed last year.

 

[Alexios]

Use PC tools to back up your whole Wii (game installs and everything too) then you can hopefully restore it onto a new Wii if yours breaks. That's all ya can do, I'm sure eventually PS3 and PSP stores will do a similar full shut down for the devices if not already (I know some services shut down but maybe you can still redownload games, I dunno as my PSP died). How about XBLA, other than the specially selected games to be part of the back compat patches? Hopefully newer online platform implementations from all companies will be more forward thinking but eventually there's gonna be some paradigm shift.

 

[Nut]

Discontinuing redownloads and severing access to existing purchases is the ultimate argument against digital distribution.

Clearly, companies are willing to do it, even though it's indefensible and insufferable, and it's not like not using digital distribution channels is a reasonable option for the majority of consumers.

I really wish that the software and gaming industries would accept that even though they have the right to discontinue sales, they have an ethical obligation to indefinitely maintain access to redownloads and access to already purchased content.

 

[Kamina]

Makes me uncertain on how i should feel about the games i own digitally on Switch. I‘ll probably be buying more physical games again...

 

[Mochilador]

Welcome to hell. At least they improved things with the Switch.

 

[juliotendo]

I don’t see this happening with current generation consoles and onwards.

With PSN, XBL, and eShop, it seems all 3 companies have the proper infrastructure to carry purchases well into the future a la Valve’s steam.

However... I could be wrong.

 

[dolabla]

That's terrible but was predictable. This is why I will never support the horrible idea of an all digital future. What a disgrace. Just think if you spent $100's on the Wii shop and now all your stuff is about to disappear.

 

[Antoon]

I have a lot of bought E-Shop games, but there are still all on my Wii, so nothing will be lost. IT was bound to happen, Miiverse is already dead.

 

[Pejo]

This is why I'll always love emulators. I do understand what you're saying though, OP, about the CRT/240p stuff. it just doesn't look the same.

 

[AstroRhino]

I’ve just go back to physical for this very reason. From now on I’ll only be buying digital if there is no other choice.

 

[TheDuskwalker]

Why I avoid digital as much as possible, and games that require a constant internet connection, at least on consoles. Games with a lot of licensed stuff especially (music, crossover content, game itself being someone else's intellectual property, etc.), they're regularly pulled and delisted. There is just no guarantee for long term, and I still regularly play games 10-30 years old. Hardware issues can happen no matter how careful and protective you, not to mention your accounts can be banned for many arbitrary reasons.

 

[ROMhack]

Not gonna lie. Wii Shop lasted longer than my Wii (RIP).

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Yep.

Sorry that you're losing your games. Serves us right for trusting the company and paying for digital.

That's why I buy physical if I actually want to own it.

 

[Lightsbane]

Always physical.

And when the digital-only future comes (and it will come)?
Say hello to my poor backlog with thousands of games.

 

[cubicle47b]

This is one of the reasons I'm hoping the Switch is a platform that gets iterated on for quite a while. But it's Nintendo so probably not.

 

[EDMIX]

Discontinuing redownloads and severing access to existing purchases is the ultimate argument against digital distribution.

Clearly, companies are willing to do it, even though it's indefensible and insufferable, and it's not like not using digital distribution channels is a reasonable option for the majority of consumers.

I really wish that the software and gaming industries would accept that even though they have the right to discontinue sales, they have an ethical obligation to indefinitely maintain access to redownloads and access to already purchased content.

This.

Its why I'll always buy the majority of my content on disk. Nothing wrong with digital, something wrong with ONLY digital and we need a physical option to always keep the digital one in check. We can't have a either or, it must always be both.

 

[EDMIX]

This is one of the reasons I'm hoping the Switch is a platform that gets iterated on for quite a while. But it's Nintendo so probably not.

lol good luck with that.


Wii sold over 100 million and they clearly had no issue dropping that online support and doing this, why would they not do it to Switch? So i'm never buying jack for digital for a Nintendo platform. The best you can do is just buy all carts instead of digital.

 

[SlashBringingHasher]

people are ok with this only if nintendo does it. if someone else did it hell woulda broke loose.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

people are ok with this only if nintendo does it. if someone else did it hell woulda broke loose.

Sony did it to me on PSN. They did it with several games, actually.

 

[SlashBringingHasher]

Sony did it to me on PSN. They did it with several games, actually.

i dont think sony ever removed ps3 or psp or any old console games from the store and made them undownloadable.

if your an isolated case that doesn't matter. doubt they did it for no reason

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

i dont think sony ever removed ps3 or psp or any old console games from the store and made them undownloadable.

if your an isolated case that doesn't matter. doubt they did it for no reason

I can't download X-Men Arcade, The Simpsons Arcade, and TMNT Reshelled.

They didn't do it for "no reason". Sony's licensing agreement for those games ended. So, their licenses got pulled and I can no longer use the games I've legally purchased. They're still sitting installed on my harddrive, even.

 

[EDMIX]

i dont think sony ever removed ps3 or psp or any old console games from the store and made them undownloadable.

if your an isolated case that doesn't matter. doubt they did it for no reason

Only few times I recall are stuff like P.T, but even then that was the publisher, not Sony saying the whole network would not allow anything. PSN on PS3 still running and still has content to download from. We'll have to see how long that last. Same with MS with XBL.

 

[SlashBringingHasher]

I can't download X-Men Arcade, The Simpsons Arcade, and TMNT Reshelled.

They didn't do it for "no reason". Sony's licensing agreement for those games ended. So, their licenses got pulled and I can no longer use the games I've legally purchased. They're still sitting installed on my harddrive, even.

I can download my de-listed games just fine. and no. thats not upto them if thats the case. you seem like an isolated case. did you own these games already?.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I can download my de-listed games just fine. and no. thats not upto them if thats the case. you seem like an isolated case. did you own these games already?.

Yes, of course I did. In fact, I first noticed the issue when I booted up one of the games and it said "please visit playstation store to use this software" (or some such warning, which I'd never seen before). Turns out the games' licenses were pulled due to the X-Men license changing hands again. It's the same reason that the digital copies of Marvel vs Capcom 1 and 2 were pulled from digital storefronts, if I'm not mistaken.

It was the same situation with TMNT Reshelled: Ubisoft lost their TMNT licensing (or something) and one day I simply couldn't play my downloaded copy of the title.

 

[SlashBringingHasher]

Yes, of course I did. In fact, I first noticed the issue when I booted up one of the games and it said "please visit playstation store to use this software" (or some such warning, which I'd never seen before). Turns out the games' licenses were pulled due to the X-Men license changing hands again. It's the same reason that the digital copies of Marvel vs Capcom 1 and 2 were pulled from digital storefronts, if I'm not mistaken.

It was the same situation with TMNT Reshelled: Ubisoft lost their TMNT licensing (or something) and one day I simply couldn't play my downloaded copy of the title.

can't say that upto sony probably was the same for other digital fronts.

 

[dolabla]

Yes, of course I did. In fact, I first noticed the issue when I booted up one of the games and it said "please visit playstation store to use this software" (or some such warning, which I'd never seen before). Turns out the games' licenses were pulled due to the X-Men license changing hands again. It's the same reason that the digital copies of Marvel vs Capcom 1 and 2 were pulled from digital storefronts, if I'm not mistaken.

It was the same situation with TMNT Reshelled: Ubisoft lost their TMNT licensing (or something) and one day I simply couldn't play my downloaded copy of the title.

That's weird. I don't own X-Men or The Simpsons (I do kick myself for not buying this one), but I do have TMNT Reshelled and just tried it and it works fine on my PS3. It also shows up on my download list to re-download it.

I'd call Sony if I were you cause it should be working.

 

[Airola]

I put 50 euros on the Shop Channel a day or two before the possibility to do that ended.
I've kinda waited any news of games like Castlevania Rebirth being released on PC or other consoles so that I know if some interesting games will be something that probably won't be available anywhere else in future. I think of going through all the games available on VC and WiiWare and use my 50 euros to get some of the games that aren't available anywhere else.

I wonder if anyone has put up a comprehensive list of all of the VC and WiiWare exclusives.

I can download my de-listed games just fine. and no. thats not upto them if thats the case. you seem like an isolated case. did you own these games already?.

Wait, I can still download Last Ninja 3? :O

I was bummed when it didn't transfer with the other games when I made the Wii -> Wii U transfer. I guess I haven't checked my downloaded games list on the Shop Channel.

 

[AstroRhino]

I understand why these companies have to take the odd game down due to licensing eg Alan Wake.

However, I find it distasteful that they should remove an entire library of games because the store longer makes them money, as with the Wii shop. Don't these companies make enough money from us??!

I also think it's incredibly short sighted. Imagine if Sony or MS or Nintendo were able to announce that they guarantee that your digital purchases would be available to download for say 100 years (as long as licenses didn't expire). Effectively, that would be for your lifetime.

The goodwill would be amazing. It would more or less eliminate the major concern people have with digital and they would make more digital sales, which are more profitable to them.

I'm not saying I want this, I'm one of those people who likes to see a physical library of games on my shelf. But I feel so very sorry for those who have a library of games on the Wii shop

I almost feel the big three should be forced to address this before they are allowed to carry on selling digitally!

 

[Bonfires Down]

I'm pretty sure not a single Steam game has been removed from users libraries, unless it was an online only game.

 

[Mr Hyde]

A good reason to keep buying physical copies.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

The Service was good for offering expensive Cartridge based games at an affordable price but it is a crying shame that Nintendo dropped the ball on tying not them to your account and instead to the console itself which can and will break.

I have spent £300 over the years on the service and will never do that again unless they can guarentee to keep the servers up just for redownloading.

Should be enshrined in law that you cannot charge a customer for digital goods and revoke it at any point as you have been offered a service that should last the life of the product (in this case, eons).

Should they revoke your licenses then the companies should reimburse you for the price of what you paid on each individual item. That way they cannot just have their cake and eat it and would have to keep their promise on the product lasting until either you die or the product does.

 

[KingPoopa]

It’s truly a frustrating issue. Even the physical disc market will face broken installs due to lost launch-day updates. It’s going to be a growing issue across the industry over the next decade.

 

[Vawn]

Well, like others said, this only an issue if your Wii breaks, but you can backup your saves to a PC.

It is annoying. Obviously, Nintendo wasn't going to keep the Wii shop up for the rest of time, but maybe it's a bit early.

 

[deriks]

That's why roms are a thing

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

A good reason to keep buying physical copies.

How dare you imply the digital future has flaws. Now let me regale you with anecdotal stories about how physical is bad and digital is good.

 

[StormCell]

The simplest fix to this issue is a piece of legislation that makes it perfectly legal to freely distribute softwares no longer available for purchase.

 

[Spukc]

Just pirate whatever you lost bought from nintendo store.
I see no wrong in this.

i paid for super mario world on my snes bought it again on the wii then wiiu then 3ds and then again snes classic.
ninty can fuck right off with this practice .
i am done with rebuying old stuff i own .

 

[PSFan]

This is what happens when a company is too incompetent to come up with an online service they can stick with gen after gen like Sony and MS do. I can still access anything I have bought on PSN and Live and will be able to for a long time yet. Hell, I can still buy PSP games on PSN and actually play them on my PSP.

 

[StormCell]

This is what happens when a company is too incompetent to come up with an online service they can stick with gen after gen like Sony and MS do. I can still access anything I have bought on PSN and Live and will be able to for a long time yet. Hell, I can still buy PSP games on PSN and actually play them on my PSP.

Except Sony doesn't transfer your purchases from one gen to the next, either. And Nintendo isn't incompetant. They're just getting everyone to pay more money than their competitors do.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Discontinuing redownloads and severing access to existing purchases is the ultimate argument against digital distribution.

Clearly, companies are willing to do it, even though it's indefensible and insufferable, and it's not like not using digital distribution channels is a reasonable option for the majority of consumers.

I really wish that the software and gaming industries would accept that even though they have the right to discontinue sales, they have an ethical obligation to indefinitely maintain access to redownloads and access to already purchased content.

Very well said, waiting for corporate apologists to attack this from multiple angles.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Except Sony doesn't transfer your purchases from one gen to the next, either. And Nintendo isn't incompetant. They're just getting everyone to pay more money than their competitors do.

Well... chat solution on Switch? How would you call that though?

 

[PSFan]

Except Sony doesn't transfer your purchases from one gen to the next, either. And Nintendo isn't incompetant. They're just getting everyone to pay more money than their competitors do.

I can still see and make my other console/ handheld purchases on PS4. It's all the same PSN. Nintendo, however, had different services for Wii, Wii U, Switch, and 3DS. And they aren't getting everyone to pay more, I've spent way more money on PSN than on Nintendo's services. Hell, most of my VC games and stuff I got for free from promotions like Club Nintendo, so I didn't give them much money at all for my digital stuff.

And who knows, PS5 may allow us to access our PSOne classics and stuff again. We don't know yet. We only know that it will be using the same PSN that their other consoles have used.

 

[Toe-Knee]

I can't download X-Men Arcade, The Simpsons Arcade, and TMNT Reshelled.

They didn't do it for "no reason". Sony's licensing agreement for those games ended. So, their licenses got pulled and I can no longer use the games I've legally purchased. They're still sitting installed on my harddrive, even.

Yes you can.

Don't do it from the store you have to do it from the download list. I just checked Simpsons arcade right now and it works fine from the download list

 

[StormCell]

I can still see and make my other console/ handheld purchases on PS4. It's all the same PSN. Nintendo, however, had different services for Wii, Wii U, Switch, and 3DS. And they aren't getting everyone to pay more, I've spent way more money on PSN than on Nintendo's services. Hell, most of my VC games and stuff I got for free from promotions like Club Nintendo, so I didn't give them much money at all for my digital stuff.

And who knows, PS5 may allow us to access our PSOne classics and stuff again. We don't know yet. We only know that it will be using the same PSN that their other consoles have used.

On your first point about still being able to see and make purchases on your older devices, you could still do the same for Wii. The point is that they're ending that. Also, they've chosen not to build any of this support. They made no effort to support purchases on Wii U. It's not that they can't or couldn't, as any developer knows that could have been done with just a little bit of effort. They choose not to.

Btw, I'm not excusing their poor effort. It's more that there's a difference between ignorance and deliberate dickery. They are the latter, IMO.

Second point: you're only citing yourself as having spent more money. Way more people than us are buying Switch and online subscriptions. Those people are paying full price or more for Wii U ports.

Last point: Man, I sure hope so. I would rather not bother with my PS3 just to play some PSOne and PS2 games I purchased on the PS3. It irks me that the PS4 doesn't have nearly the amount of classics support, and IN FACT it reminds me a lot of Nintendo.

Something about these Japanese console makers and seemingly offering less classics support.

 

[Azelover]

This concern is legit. The only thing to do is to continue voicing your opinion. Maybe call customer service, and let them know...

For me personally, I only like my Nintendo games physical. So it's not necessarily an issue for me. But it is something that needs to be fixed, eventually.

 

[Vawn]

Except Sony doesn't transfer your purchases from one gen to the next, either. And Nintendo isn't incompetant. They're just getting everyone to pay more money than their competitors do.

Yes, they do. Its just PS4 doesn't have BC.

But, any digital PS1 games I bought, for example, I can download on my PS3, PSP, PS TV or Vita without repurchasing.

 

[Afro Republican]

I mean the issue with the Wii is just having a wii broken would make you lose all your games unless you had your friend code written down and even then it wasn't guaranteed.

The original Wii was a compromise on online and it was inevitable we would see this day come to be honest. Best bet it to just go the SD cart solution of backing up the games.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

sure it would be nice if all consoles logged into a Netflix style service that gave us every game emulated for a low yearly rate. that is an awesome fantasy. but it won't happen.

i think it's a bit unreasonable to expect every Nintendo console to support and play all the games and to continue to work forever. 13 years of support is incredible. imagine if Nintendo were still supporting the SNES in the year 2003!

if you have the games on your system, you can still play them, no? if not, then yes i guess that is a flaw of digital only, you might have to repurchase a game 13 years down the line. which really isn't a whole lot to ask, IMO, if you are still playing a game 13 years later then it must be worth the money.

I'm pretty sure not a single Steam game has been removed from users libraries, unless it was an online only game.

Dark Souls 2 just stopped working on my machine and has never worked again. 207 hours into it, i get a white screen and it freezes while starting up, and the Steam forums are no help at all, of course. this game came out only 4 few years ago and it has been unplayable for the past year.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Yes you can.

Don't do it from the store you have to do it from the download list. I just checked Simpsons arcade right now and it works fine from the download list

I'll give this a try, though I swear I've gone this route before to no avail.

But I'd rather be wrong and playing games instead of right and without the games.