Some interesting comments have come out of a recent Nintendo investor call: namely that Nintendo wants to help you shop for digital products even when you don’t have your 3DS around.
In a translation from: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/111028/index.html
We would like to solve this issue by making the Nintendo eShop accessible via PCs and smartphones as well. At the beginning, you will not be able to directly purchase software from your PC or smartphone. Instead, you will need to take a photo of a QR code at the Nintendo eShop by using the camera of your Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo 3DS will then open that specific page of the Nintendo eShop. That function is already included in the upcoming system update for the Nintendo 3DS. In the future, we will make it so that you will be able to purchase software by using your PC or smartphone.
Which means, obviously, Nintendo is taking baby steps with getting its digital content shopping up to date, but at least it’s trying. Being able to shop for Nintendo games regardless of where you are or what devices you have with you is precisely the convenience that Nintendo has been missing out on.
Still no word about the Virtual Console games from the Wii being playable on the 3DS, though. Which is something Nintendo really should be doing.
In other news, when it comes to next year’s Wii U release, it looks like Nintendo is very worried about getting the launch right, and making up for the mistake that was the 3DS launch:
“We are also planning to launch the Wii U, which is the successor to the Wii, during the next fiscal year. We would like to show the final format of the Wii U at the E3 show next year. As we learned a bitter lesson with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, we are trying to take every possible measure so that the Wii U will have a successful launch.”
Fingers crossed that launch actually includes the download portal this time.
