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(Kotaku) Nintendo Fan Unhappy With Nintendo’s $200 Answer to His $400 Wii U Problem

http://kotaku.com/5982965/nintendo-fan-is-unhappy-with-nintendos-200-answer-to-his-400-wii-u-problem

Jon is an enthusiastic Nintendo fan. He buys all of Nintendo's systems. He buys many, many Nintendo games. But he's gotten himself into a jam that he says has cost him access to more than $400 worth of downloadable games he's purchased from Nintendo over the several years.

How does one lose access to $400 worth of games?
Unfortunately for Jon, who asked that I not use his last name but who was hoping some coverage might wake Nintendo up about this issue, it doesn't seem to be that hard. It's partially a result of Nintendo's strict policies about downloadable games—policies that differ from other industry leaders such as Apple's, and don't seem set to change any time soon.

For several years, Jon used to download lots of old Virtual Console games to his Wii. He bought a bunch of Wii eShop games, too. Recently, with the enthusiasm any Nintendo fan has for a new Nintendo machine, he bought a Wii U. He set up a Nintendo ID on the system, transferred his Wii games to that Wii U and then discovered that he'd bought a lemon.

"My Wii U console would flash its red power light when I tried to turn it on," he told me in an e-mail. "I let it go for days, and kept trying. It just was not a reliable system."

At that point, what Jon should have done was contacted Nintendo. He didn't. He did something that seemed like a perfectly natural reflex: he took his Wii U back to the store he bought it from and swapped it for a new one. Problem solved? Not at all. He'd just created his new problem.

He took the new Wii U home and discovered he couldn't set up the same Nintendo ID he'd used on the first system. He had to make a new ID. Then, he said, he found out that he couldn't get those $400+ worth of games onto his new Wii U. They were locked to the broken one... the one he didn't have anymore. As far as Nintendo's online infrastructure was concerned, he wasn't the Jon of old. He was new, and he didn't have a right to those games.

"I called Nintendo and spent weeks talking to them about the problem," Jon said. "The lady, who helped me, was one of the nicest ladies, and was incredibly sweet to me. She wanted to help me, so I sent in my receipt to prove which systems I did the exchange for. After weeks of her reviewing everything, they gave me $200.00 of credit on the Wii U marketplace."

The problem with the $200 offer from Nintendo wasn't just that it was half of what Jon had spent. It's that the Wii U online shop is a different digital store than the Wii online shop. They use different online wallets. Both can be accessed via a Wii, but only one—the Wii shop—sells the games Jon had already paid for and wanted to have access to again. That $200 of Wii U shop credit couldn't buy any of the $400 worth of games he'd bought.

Nintendo's own Wii U instruction manuals have also made clear that Nintendo IDs will lock content, though the company has suggested that users will someday be able to transfer their Nintendo IDs—and, presumably the content locked to them—from one device to another. If that was available to Jon, he wouldn't have a problem. But, I asked Nintendo, why does Nintendo lock content to an account that is locked to hardware? Why not adopt a system that allows the transfer of Nintendo IDs?

"Different companies take different approaches to preventing the resale of downloadable games," a rep for Nintendo of America told me in response to these questions. "Anyone who experiences any issues with a Nintendo system or game should contact Nintendo Customer Service at 800-255-3700 or http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/index.jsp. Once a system has been sold or traded in, and the system is no longer in possession of the original owner, the downloadable content cannot be recovered."

Mock if old.

Edit:

What a confusing thread! The guy I wrote about in the OP's post is not the guy in the second post. In fact, the guy in the second post e-mailed me about his happier encounter with Nintendo, which I'll post about on the site today. But, yeah, the original guy is still unable to access the $400 worth of games he downloaded.
 

liger05

Member
NOTE: THIS IS A DIFFERENT PERSON UNRELATED TO THE OP.


The account systems needs changing but they did hook the dude up.

http://nintendofunclubpodcast.wordpr...service-rules/

Nintendo Customer Service Rules
Posted on January 11, 2013

If you follow this blog or the podcast, you may know that I had some, uh, issues with my Wii to Wii U transfer process.

Well, I spoke with Nintendo again earlier today, and it’s been worked out.

And then some.

Basically, Nintendo remotely deleted the licences for my Virtual Console and WiiWare purchases remotely from my Wii system, and credited my Wii shop on the Wii U with 57000 points ($570, the value of my Wii Virtual Console/Wiiware library). Then they gave me a bonus $50 to my Wii U account for “the inconvenience.”



I now have the freedom and means to build the ultimate Virtual Console library on my Wii U.

I loved my Wii Virtual Console library and felt it was a very strong one, so 75% of what I buy will likely be the same. But I bought some duds along the 6+ year journey I spent cultivating the library, mistakes I certainly will not be repeating. There are also quite a few titles on the shop that I want, but never purchased, so all my “man, I kind of wish I would have bought X rather than Y” regrets are now moot. My Wii VC is getting a second chance, a clean slate.

So really, this turned out to be a blessing of sorts. It was a a bit of a pain, but this really was the best possible outcome for a seemingly hopeless and unprecedented scenario.

I’m incredibly satisfied with the way this turned out, but if I said this great customer service and very generous gesture by the company made me a lifelong customer and supporter, I’d be lying.

I was made a lifelong customer and supporter of Nintendo in 1988, when I first played The Legend of Zelda on the NES and it changed my life and made me fall completely in love with not just Nintendo, but the medium in general. Since then, Nintendo, like any creative/tech company has had its ups and downs, but they have always brought my life more joy and positivity than frustration in the decades since I first placed that gold cartridge into my NES.

In the end, this issue was resolved in a satisfactory way that, while there are some downsides (bye bye Last Story and Super Smash Bros. Brawl save data), the benefits of cherry-picking my Virtual Console library and basically getting a free Wii U game certainly outweigh the negatives.

Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end.
 

Rich!

Member
Along with the shitty treatment of us in Europe/UK/AUS with the shitty 50hz VC games, this is exactly why I'm never purchasing anything digitally from Nintendo ever, ever again.

Totally unacceptable.
 
Something's rotten in mushroom kingdom.

Edit : oh, the story ends well. But things have to change though. This is ridiculous all the circonvolutions they make to find incredible ways for making you re purchase what you already own...
 

BGBW

Maturity, bitches.
Shitty yes, but surely as "an enthusiastic Nintendo fan" you'd know the situation by now.
 

Magnus

Member
Good. At least Nintendo avoided a full out mess and did the guy a solid amid their archaic DD systems.

Will continue avoiding pretty much all Nintendo downloads until an account system is introduced. It's 2013. Jesus.
 

Omikaru

Member
No doubt now the story is on Kotaku, Nintendo will fix this problem and contact them to let them know how amazing they are, if they haven't done so already.

But it's all bullshit. Their online policies make retaining your games more difficult than keeping physical copies. It's like they decimated pretty much every convenience digital purchases add, whilst keeping the pitfalls of it.
 

Nibel

Member
Nobody loves Nintendo as much as Nibels

But this is pathetic - unacceptable - disappointng. 2000 fucking 13, there are 15 year olds who can program working account systems by now
 
The account systems needs changing but they did hook the dude up.

http://nintendofunclubpodcast.wordpr...service-rules/

"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."

He sounds like someone who married someone who is abusive towards him and sooner and later the abuse seems normal, so when they see something normal it seems like the best thing that has ever happened to them.
 

Magnus

Member
"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."

He sounds like someone who married someone who is abusive towards him, and sooner and later the abuse seems normal, so when they see something normal, it seems like the best thing that has ever happened to them.

Hahahaha, amazing.
 

SovanJedi

provides useful feedback
That's a pain in the arse, but at least they got him sorted out with compensation.

Of course if the Nintendo ID did what it was supposed to, Nintendo wouldn't have to be doing this for everybody making this sort of mistake. I can't imagine it being anything less than a headache to fix it every time it happens.
 
Such a fucking mess. Why does Nintendo seemingly get away with stuff like this?

I won't buy any Nintendo hardware until they unify their online stores and accounts.
 

SmokyDave

Member
"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."
.....for fucks sake.

Such a fucking mess. Why does Nintendo seemingly get away with stuff like this?

"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."
 

Azure J

Member
Really sad to see that the Nintendo ID isn't where your content is locked to from the start, but at least it's happening... Guy also got lucky with all that bonus money from them.

Nobody loves Nintendo as much as Nibels

But this is pathetic - unacceptable - disappointng. 2000 fucking 13, there are 15 year olds who can program working account systems by now

Yeah, pretty much
 

Slayven

Member
"The company has suggested that users will someday be able to transfer their Nintendo IDs"

Oh thank god. I'm glad there was a happy ending to this mishap. [/sarcasm]
Well the tech is just not there yet man. One day, one day.

"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."

He sounds like someone who married someone who is abusive towards him and sooner and later the abuse seems normal, so when they see something normal it seems like the best thing that has ever happened to them.

But they love him man. It's just sometimes he makes Nintendo so mad.
 

VOOK

We don't know why he keeps buying PAL, either.
He sounds like someone who married someone who is abusive towards him and sooner and later the abuse seems normal, so when they see something normal it seems like the best thing that has ever happened to them.

Yes, we are Nintendo fans.
 
This is exactly why I'm not buying anything digitally for my new 3DS. No e-shop, no virtual console. Nothing. Cartridges all the way, until they come out with some unified account system like Sony has.
 

erpg

GAF parliamentarian
"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."

He sounds like someone who married someone who is abusive towards him and sooner and later the abuse seems normal, so when they see something normal it seems like the best thing that has ever happened to them.
Sounds like Edmund McMillen's relationship with Nintendo as well. Still hoping to get something on the eShop after being denied, rejected, and earning fame elsewhere.
 

moozoom

Member
This is how I lost about 200€ when my first wii died out of warranty, and I replaced it with a new one. It's incredible you have to put the story on Internet and have a media site report it to finally be compensated. The way they handle virtual goods must change, there's no way around it.
 

SmokeMaxX

Member
Eh, you guys are ridiculous.
Microsoft makes a mistake (RROD) -> Whatever
Sony makes a mistake (PSN hacked, YLOD, otherOS issues) -> Whatever
Nintendo makes a mistake -> Gives dude $50 extra dollars on top of crediting him for everything -> LOL ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP!
 

BGBW

Maturity, bitches.
They got his stuff back, and gave him free 50 dollars; What's the problem ?
One should be able to deactivate an account on one system and sell it on and then log in on a new system and have everything there ready for you to download again.
 

Glass Rebel

Member
Me and my brother plan to buy a 3DS in April or May for Fire Emblem but one of the reasons I want it (Crimson Shroud) will have to wait until they fix this turd of a system.
 
Are you seriously asking this question?

Stockholm Syndrome up in these Nintendo DD threads.




Indeed, I'm seriously asking what's the problem. For sure, that tied account hardware system is fucked up. But I don't see what's wrong with that guy comment.




One should be able to deactivate an account on one system and sell it on and then log in on a new system and have everything there ready for you to download again.





Sure, I totally agree, but my comment was about the reaction about that guy comment, saying he was happy. I mean, in the end, he got all his stuff back AND free 50 dollars. so I don't see what's the problem with that guy comment. But I clearly see that the tied account system is just bullshit.
 

1-D_FTW

Member
OP should update OP (since I'm sure many will skip post #2.) Still, an unacceptable solution and Nintendo needs to stop trying to be unique with their online and get with the effing program.
 
They got his stuff back, and gave him free 50 dollars; What's the problem ?

Because that was only a goodwill gesture from Nintendo. Their official policy is that any games you buy are bound to the console you buy them on. Bending the rules whenever Kotaku runs a story on it is not a solution - changing their policy is.
 

erpg

GAF parliamentarian
Eh, you guys are ridiculous.
Microsoft makes a mistake (RROD) -> Whatever
Sony makes a mistake (PSN hacked, YLOD, otherOS issues) -> Whatever
Nintendo makes a mistake -> Gives dude $50 extra dollars on top of crediting him for everything -> LOL ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP!
You must've had some very effective selective reading abilities during those meltdowns.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
So unhappy costumer that claims: "Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."
So unhappy...
 

liger05

Member
I had an ambassador 3DS and lost it. Lost all my digital content. GBA games never to be seen again!!

I still download stuff on my 3DSXL but I do wish Nintendo just got with the times and unified it all under one account.
 

Akkad

Banned
"Just add this to the list of reasons why I love Nintendo and will remain a loyal customer and supporter to the end."

He sounds like someone who married someone who is abusive towards him and sooner and later the abuse seems normal, so when they see something normal it seems like the best thing that has ever happened to them.

Nintendo went to Jared.
 
They got his stuff back, and gave him free 50 dollars; What's the problem ?

It took hours of talking on the phone and a headline on a minor news site to achieve what is done with a simple login and password on every other digital market?

I don't know why Nintendo thinks this system deters resale of digital content. When you sell a Nintendo console, the other dude gets all your digital content! On XBox the items revert to demos and the original owner keeps them.
 
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