Shrugging Guy

We've previously grumbled a bit about the fact that Nintendo currently does not employ a proper ID-based system for its downloads. Instead, the content you purchase on your Wii U and 3DS via their respective eShops is tied to the system itself.

Stories have been circulating that Nintendo is prepared to replace digital content if your console is stolen and you can produce a police report stating that fact, but there doesn't seem to be any concrete rules in place to determine what happens in this situation. As if to prove this, check out the reply which a NeoGAF user received when they enquired about what would happen if they lost their 3DS console and all the lovely eShop titles contained on its SD card:

All virtual content downloaded on the Nintendo 3DS is tied to the system itself. As our warranty doesn't cover lost or stolen game cards and systems, if this were to happen regardless of your games being virtual or you owning the physical copies, they would not be covered for replacement.

One of the benefits of choosing digital over physical games should be that they cannot be "lost" as such — you should be able to re-download previously purchased games to any new system. We're pretty sure that Nintendo is working on some kind of solution to this issue, similar to the one used by Sony, Microsoft, Apple and Google when it comes to buying content on their respective platforms. However, for the time being you may want to ensure you keep your 3DS close at hand whenever you take it out of the house — because if you happen to misplace it, you may lose all of the games you've paid for.

Do any of you have any experience in this area? Have you lost a Nintendo console and been successful in getting the company to replace your digital games? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

[source neogaf.com]