The Nintendo Switch will tie one's eShop purchases to one's Nintendo account, instead of tying it to the system, as past Nintendo consoles were set up.
This means that those with a Nintendo account may be able to redownload their purchases from the eShop, which means that if misfortunes happen to one's Switch — if, God forbid, the system is stolen — the user may just easily redownload titles if a new Switch unit is bought.
Nintendo Improves Its eShop Purchasing System
The tidbit comes from a fine print seen in a recent Nintendo Switch leak, in which the user interface was laid out for everyone to see, thanks to an individual who had been sent a Switch unit early by a retailer. If true, the new system is a huge step for Nintendo, donning away with a hardscrabble accounts and purchases system.
A leaked unboxing video of the system reveals the major eShop improvement. It comes right around the three-minute mark of the video, a few moments after the unboxing video transitions into a brief tour of the system's UI, as spotted by Polygon.
It reads:
"Your Nintendo Account contains your Nintendo eShop purchase history and current balance. By re-linking your Nintendo Account after initializing the console, it will be possible to redownload any software or DLC purchased using that account. (Software that has been discontinued may not be available to redownload in some cases.)"
A Unified Account System, Finally
The move, if true, brings the Nintendo eShop up to speed with modern digital retailers. The lack of a unified account system has been one of the major complaints with Nintendo's consoles, which has made it difficult for owners to manage their libraries and easily redownload previously purchased titles onto a new system.
The announcement of Nintendo Accounts last spring poised to change that, although it still remains to be seen how Nintendo will implement redownloading previous purchases on its current systems, the 3DS and the Wii U.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch comes out March 3, retailing for $299, although rogue units have already been circulating. The Switch will launch with a number of titles, most especially Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which will also be released for the Wii U on the same day.
The game, however, is the last first-party title to be released on the now-discontinued flagship console, which struggled to gain significant market fanfare after spending four years with measly sales figures.
Also, for the first in Nintendo's history, the Switch will implement a paid online subscription, which will open up multiplayer features, alongside voice chat, exclusive deals, and free monthly game "rentals." The online services will start its free trial when the Switch launches, with the paid service officially launching come fall, reportedly costing just around $30, which seriously undercuts its competitors's asking prices.
What do you think about the notion of a unified account system for the Nintendo Switch? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
