Wii U will let you buy games on the go, have them ready when you get back home

You'll be able to access Miiverse from the web on PC and mobile phones. However, you'll be able to do much more than look at status updates. You'll even be able to purchase games and queue them up for delivery while your system is on standby.

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Nintendo has traditionally been the most closed off of the big three. While Microsoft has opened up Xbox Live to iOS, and Sony has a games platform for Android devices, Nintendo has avoided broadening its reach outside of its proprietary hardware. At E3, however, the company announced plans to open up Miiverse--its upcoming social network--beyond Wii U.

You'll be able to access Miiverse from the web on PC and mobile phones. However, you'll be able to do much more than look at status updates. You'll even be able to purchase games and queue them up for delivery while your system is on standby.

"Our goal is that, in the future, you will also be able to purchase games found in the Miiverse from that smartphone or tablet device and, by the time you arrive home, that game will already have arrived on your Wii U system through SpotPass," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained at an investors Q&A.

Like 3DS, Wii U will support games both at retail and via digital delivery. And while Miiverse on mobile devices may not be available at launch, "games in the digital format will be available from the launch time," Iwata said. "For the Wii U hardware system, from the beginning, we've planned to make it possible for people to release their games as either an optical disc or as digital content... There are no technical restrictions."

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    June 13, 2012 10:30 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Wii U will let you buy games on the go, have them ready when you get back home.

    You'll be able to access Miiverse from the web on PC and mobile phones. However, you'll be able to do much more than look at status updates. You'll even be able to purchase games and queue them up for delivery while your system is on standby.

    • reply
      June 13, 2012 10:33 AM

      it's a nice idea, Steam is doing the same thing. I don't think I'll use it ever, but still, it's an option.

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        June 13, 2012 11:28 AM

        Glad to see Nintendo embracing this kind of thing, definitely necessary going forward.

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      June 13, 2012 11:41 AM

      [deleted]

      • reply
        June 13, 2012 11:46 AM

        i think the only thing they've said on it is that they are still looking into it.

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        June 13, 2012 11:46 AM

        they did say your Wii purchases will transfer to the Wii U

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          June 13, 2012 11:47 AM

          though they didn't go into detail or anything about it.

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            June 13, 2012 11:50 AM

            Transfer fee. Per Game. I can only be pleasantly surprised from here.

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              June 13, 2012 11:53 AM

              is that how it was for the DS to 3DS purchases?

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                June 13, 2012 12:41 PM

                No, the DSi to 3DS transfer was just a program that you downloaded on your DSi that transfered licenses to your 3DS. I hear it has a progress bar with pikmin moving your items from one to another. Totally free of charge. I expect the one for Wii-Wii U transfer will work the same way.

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      June 13, 2012 11:53 AM

      They really need more storage on the WiiU, 8GB isn't enough!

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        June 13, 2012 12:43 PM

        It will support USB external harddrives so its not that big of a deal. I'll probably get a 500GB drive off of Amazon and never have to worry about storage again.

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          June 13, 2012 12:51 PM

          yah kinda annoying you need another piece of hardware sitting on your entertainment center though.

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        June 13, 2012 12:52 PM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        June 13, 2012 12:52 PM

        At least you'll be able to attach a hard drive through USB, albeit it's only 2.0.

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