Topic: Restrictions on downloaded games

This may have been discussed at some length but I'm new here so please bear with me.
I recently totalled my vc/wiiware/dsiware games and it was well over 80. My son is getting to the age where he wants his own dsi/wii etc and he loves some of the games I have downloaded- bit trip runner for example. If I get another wii do I really have to dl and pay for the game again? If this is the case then it is absolutely ridiculous- do Sony and Microsoft have similar policies?
What if my dsi or wii are stolen- does this mean I have to spend £100s dl games that I have already bought? What about all of us who have dsis crammed with dsiware games and won't upgrade to 3ds as we can't transfer games that we have paid for and owned?
I find this mind boggling- surely everytime you dl a game there is a record against your Nintendo account so there really shouldn't be any problems putting paid for games on multiple systems that you own. I was actually going to trade in my dsi for an XL until I realised that I may have to buy all my games again!
Again-sorry if I have missed the discussion on this-if so can you please point me in the right direction. Nintendo relented under constant pressure about SD cards and wiis- do we think they may with this?

If you buy a new console, you have to buy all your Wii/DSiWare again. Sony and Microsoft don't have similar policies. Yes, if your Wii/DSi is stolen, you hve to buy all your Wii/DSiWare again. We don't know if there's a transfer solution for 3DS. And I just have one question, why would you buy another Wii for your son? How old is he? You don't really need another Wii. Wait, 2 questions.

At this point in time, you do have to DL and pay for the same games if you have two separate Wiis. Should your Wii or DSi get stolen, I do believe that I've read before how Nintendo requires a police report in order to transfer your information onto a replacement system. The bottom line is that we just don't know if/when Nintendo will implement any kind of transfer solution. They're so freaked out about piracy that it's gotten in the way of making things easy for the customer, and unfortunately there seems to be no happy medium just yet... who knows what may be coming down the pipes, though, with the online revamp they mentioned back at E3. :3

that said, Sony allows you to link your PSN account to a set number of consoles, and iirc Microsoft links all your purchased content to your gamertag (as well as allowing you to transfer your licenses from one system to another for offline play once a year).

I could see maybe getting him another DS, but why would you need two Wii's? Do you have two TV's, and one REALLY needs a game system with it?

Just have him play those VC/WiiWare games on your Wii. If he really wants the same DSiWare games on his own DSi, you'll have to repurchase them, although you could let him borrow your DSi if he wants to play them.

If your Wii or DS breaks or is stolen, there is a method to get your downloaded games transfered to your repacement system.

OR you could buy 2 sd cards, one for you and one for your son, that way youd onlky have to purchase them once and you could each have your favoite DL games on your own, since youre allowed to download things for free if you've already done so (on the same system)

It sucks that i have bought, for example, Tv Show King 2 and can´t play at my brother's unit when he throws a party at his house. Its not piracy, i just wanted to play the games i downloaded to my SD card at any Wii. Hell, i can get my discs and do that, why can´t I do the same with my wiiware stuff?

And therein lies the main reason most people still prefer buying games on physical media as opposed to via download.

The games won't work if taken to a different Wii on an SD card, and most games allow you to have multiple profiles, anyway.

I'm really hoping I will be able to transfer my DSi games to the 3DS. My Club Nintendo account recognizes when I buy a game so I don't see why I shouldn't be able to link my 3DS to the same account and download them again for free. Here's hoping! crosses fingers

However, this is one reason why downloadable games are cheaper than games on a disc or card. If you buy a physical game, you can take it anywhere, pack it in a box for your grandkids, or sell it to a used game store.

Nintendo doesn't live in the real world sometimes....and I think in the end something like this could bite them in the butt, and cause ppl to switch to PS3 or XBox. Customer service is large part of a successful business, and it could lead to their downfall if they don't watch it.

Microsoft and Sony do what Nintendon't.

Honestly, sometimes it seems Nintendo forgets that WE are the customers. They are supposed to adapt and change to fit our needs, not the other way around. Companies like Blockbuster have found that out the hard way. We provide the cash, they provide the products we want. With a "take what we give you" type attitude...which is how they come off...customers will be turned off.

Nintendo actually has great customer service. Have you ever called them and needed to get a system fixed or replaced?

This is more because they are afraid of piracy. If they make it easy to re-download games for free, people will share their games with friends and they will lose out on a lot of money. They need to do it like Microsoft and have games tied to an identity that can't be shared or come up with a different solution.

People are always more likely to get something for free than pay for it. This is why piracy is such a big problem.

Everytime these discussions comes up somebody mentions the Nintendo Club as an answer to all problems. But... one problem that nobody mentions is that Nintendo Club isn´t available in all countries.

Locking downloaded games to a specific console is really stupid and Nintendo need to come up with a solution to it. How hard can it be??? My guess is that they have opted NOT to.

If it´s true that I with a little hassle with the police can get my games back if my Wii got stolen then that´s ok. But I really like Nintendo to offer some sort of transfer of license, for example in the case that I want to bring a game to a friend. When transfering I also should be able to set a time limit so the license bounces back to me after set time. If no time limit is set the license should be transfered as in sold.

They don't like that because they lose out. They want both you and your friend to each download the game.

Say, I download a game and play it until I get bored of it. Then I send it to you then later you send it to Taya who sends it to Luke and so on.... Thats several people playing the same game for only one download cost to Nintendo. Game companies don't even like people doing that with retail games

You should be able to gift games you've already purchased, so you could "borrow" a freind a game, so long as he gives it back.

Once you own something you should be able to do what you like with it. Sure who wouldn't want to make more money but I find the way of the future to be the wrong way. There will always be piracy and much of the anti-piracy mostly hurts everyone else. Sure if copying was dead easy everyone would be doing it much like what Napster did for downloading music but there has to be a middle ground. They shouldn't allow copying but they should allow moving/sharing a single copy. If I bought a Ferrari I would want everyone at Nintendolife to have a turn to borrow it.

I don't think you should be able to share a downloaded game among friends (it's like $10, not a full priced game) but you should be able to transfer your games to a new system if you own that new system.

Except you never "own" games. You are only licensed to use them as directed by the publishers/developers, etc.