Most would agree that the 3DS eShop, as a platform, is an improvement over its predecessors on DSi and Wii. That's to be expected, of course, but for developers intent on publishing downloads with Nintendo the enhancements in layout, functionality and the easing of restrictive file size limits have all been very welcome. As is always the case, however, there's still more that can be done.
The Wii U eShop may still be a mystery to most, but with Nintendo showing more of a willingness to modernise its online platforms, it's only natural for developers to hope that further improvements will arrive to help them reach more gamers and better sell their games. As part of a full interview to be published here later today, Nic Watt of download developer Nnooo explained that the company is "really pleased" with the eShop, but explained how Nintendo could free the platform from the shackles of 3DS and incorporate some functionality on other web-enabled devices.
I would also like to be able to browse, buy and gift content outside of the eShop and have it downloaded to my Nintendo 3DS (or the 3DS of the person I have gifted to) via Spotpass. This would help users and would allow developers like ourselves to be able to provide direct URLs to our software for marketing purposes.
While links to game pages on the eShop are sometimes distributed in the form of QR codes, this idea of buying and gifting content online — via a dedicated website — is comparable to services offered on platforms such as Steam on PC. This would, in all likelihood, require a user account system, something that many believe to be on the way in a future update that'll bring 3DS in line with Wii U. Let's not forget that Miiverse will eventually have a web-based extension — accessible on smartphones and computers — that ties into the Wii U account, so similar ideas with the eShop on both systems must surely be under consideration.
Would you like to see online access to buy and gift eShop games when away from your 3DS, or would you rather see Nintendo keep it simple and on the system? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments 25
Wow, yes please. That would be swell. Good idea, NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!
I actually hope it was a crap idea,so I could just say.
NNOOO!
Didn't Nintendo confirm this at some point...
I thought this was going to happen. I think this was mentioned in some of the early Nintendo Directs about eShop. I was certainly under the impression it was going to happen.
And yes, it's a great idea.
@cammy: yeah, I'm pretty sure they said this was going to happen too.
@SkywardLink98 @cammy @McHaggis
Yes, it was mentioned earlier in the year, during one of the shareholder meetings prior to E3 [not Nintendo Direct].
Meh I'm not fussed. What will it honestly do? All it means is I don't HAVE to go onto the eShop via the WiiU anymore, I could do it from any device. So the only ones who REALLY benefit there are the developers. Makes it easier for us? Maybe, but not so much easier that it'll make any practical difference.
I'd like to be able to download them onto my SD card, and then put it back into my 3DS. I don't have wireless at my apartment and am too broke to buy one
@LavaTwilight You hear a game's out, you purchase from phone/office PC and are able to kick off the download on your Wii U remotely [through WiiConnect24/Sleep Mode]; thus saving the time of a several gig download by the time you get home.
That be the practical difference.
I like it as long as it is done right of course. I like it because I do it all the time for my Xbox360.
Remember the Sunday before E3 when Nintendo held that surprise Nintendo Direct broadcast? Do you also remember the hipster who was commenting in the Miiverse from his smartphone? This isn't even news, it's just a fact that people forgot about.
What I'ld like is to get to the eShop on my 3DS.
I live in the NY metro area and am surrounded by wifi hotspots which I can easily get onto in 2-3 seconds on my iPod Touch but I have been unable to get onto any of them with my wife's or 2 sons 3DSes. It's like the 3DS needs to have internet access to get to the webpage where you have to sign in to get internet access.
Thanks in advance for anybody who can point me to a tutorial.
It's much more like how the Google Play store functions rather than Steam. Besides, Nintendo already said last year that they intend to have this sort of system ready at some point, which made people hopeful of a real online account system for 3DS from Nintendo.
Here's something just post E3 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/30737
But could've sworn they mentioned browsing the eShop via a web browser earlier than that. No time to search at the mo tho.
If they did this properly, imagine buying a game download code in a shop, scanning/entering it into a mobile app/website on your phone while there, then it auto-downloading at home - and might be ready by the time you get home!
that'd be so perfect.
Yyeeessss
Tthhhaaaattttt ssooouuuunnnnnddddddsssssss lliiikkkkeeeee aa ggoooooooddddd iidddeeeeaaaaa.
I'd love to link all my eShop games to an account at least.
@SkywardLink98 Yes, but it's a matter of when and if.
Nintendo says they'll do a lot of things, but they don't always do them.
@Hardy83 They've never said anything that they never lived up to, except for delaying games or moving them to the next gen system (TP, Pikmin 3, SSBB, ect.)
@drdark
Hm yes ok that does sound like a pretty decent deal! I guess I could live without it but it's also a pretty neat factor!
What a smashing idea! The only problem I could see would be that it could potentially present a security risk. By purchasing outside the confines of the system, there is a possibility of spyware piggy backing on your password entry to gain account access. This threat however is no greater than any other online computer purchase, and is negated by proper anti spyware/phishing software. I like that thinking though, and I think it should be explored immediately!
I would like it.. I like having more options..
That would be pretty neat. Even if your just sitting at home it'd be nice to just be able to open another tab or app and do some one-stop shopping rather than play hot potato with your consoles trying to get everything setup.
At any rate I'd be happy as long as purchases are linked to one account, and I only have to buy a game once and be able to play it on any compatible console.
YESSSSSSS They should do this
it would be cool to do this because if you could gift an item and pay for it for your friend for his birthday say it was paper Mario sticker star and that was one of the things you could gift on your nintendo 3ds and send it to your friends 3ds and once it downloaded on his nintendo 3ds all he would have to do it play it and say hey my friend paid for it would be cool
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