3DS gets Nintendo Network and Miiverse support in next update

The next Nintendo 3DS system update will bring Nintendo Network accounts to the handheld, Nintendo announced in today's Nintendo Direct presentation. This'll finally let people who own both a 3DS and Wii U combine their two separate eShop balances, and Miiverse is coming t'boot.

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The next Nintendo 3DS system update will bring Nintendo Network accounts to the handheld, Nintendo announced in today's Nintendo Direct presentation. This'll finally let people who own both a 3DS and Wii U combine their two separate eShop balances, and Miiverse is coming t'boot. Oh, and the 3DS is getting its own YouTube app.

After the update in December, 3DS folks will need a Nintendo Network account to download demos or other free software. If you're really reluctant to create an account, for whatever reason, you'll still be able to download paid software without one.

"Moving forward, we will continue to improve our offerings with Nintendo Network IDs," Nintendo's Bill Trinen said. "Eventually, more of our services will use them, so we hope this encourages you to create your own ID." Miiverse is one of these, launching alongside the system update.

Miiverse, if you haven't paid attention because you didn't own a Wii U, is Nintendo's social portal. It builds communities around games, letting people post comments and share pictures.

Arriving before both of those, later this month, is a proper YouTube app. As one would hope with two screens, viewers will be able to watch videos on the big screen while browsing on the other.

Skip to 15:30 in today's Nintendo Direct for all the minor details:

From The Chatty
  • reply
    November 13, 2013 9:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, 3DS gets Nintendo Network and Miiverse support in next update.

    The next Nintendo 3DS system update will bring Nintendo Network accounts to the handheld, Nintendo announced in today's Nintendo Direct presentation. This'll finally let people who own both a 3DS and Wii U combine their two separate eShop balances, and Miiverse is coming t'boot.

    • reply
      November 13, 2013 10:15 AM

      Alice/other Shackers who own a U or 3DS: does a Nintendo Network account keep a history of my purchases so I could log in and download my games on another system should one bite the dust?

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        November 13, 2013 10:28 AM

        Your ID has a history (meaning you can redownload things you've already purchased if you delete them), but your ID is tied to your hardware. If you sell your machine to someone else, they're going to inherit your ID and all the games. You'd have to send it in for repairs if stopped working, I've heard that support will transfer your games to a new system if they've got your old one.

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          November 13, 2013 11:29 AM

          Good to know. Thanks!

        • Ebu legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
          reply
          November 13, 2013 11:38 AM

          Wow, that's bullshit.

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            November 13, 2013 11:43 AM

            You can just buy carts/discs. Since I'm not ever going to resell my system, I like digital.

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      November 13, 2013 11:33 AM

      Fucking awesome!

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      November 13, 2013 11:37 AM

      I can guarantee that for the Youtube App for 3DS the top screen will be the video and the bottom/touch screen will be video controls/options while watching a video.

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      November 13, 2013 1:30 PM

      They really need to convert the vanilla Wii Shop to regular currency.

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