Nintendo gives preliminary details on new account system, membership program
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Nintendo has given preliminary details on its new account system and membership system, and confirmed that a Nintendo Direct will be held by the end of the year.
Nintendo has confirmed that Nintendo Directs will continue, with at least one before the year ends. Nintendo has not published a Nintendo Direct since before Iwata's passing in July this year.
Nintendo's new account system will be called "Nintendo Account". Users will be able to log into their Nintendo Account with their Facebook account, Twitter account, Google+ account or Nintendo Network ID, or create an account using an email and password. The Nintendo Account will connect to smart devices, PCs, and Nintendo's dedicated video game systems.
The Nintendo Account will allow users to log into a new service, named "My Nintendo". My Nintendo covers various roles, including replacing the old new membership program Club Nintendo.
My Nintendo will allow customers to purchase digital games for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U from the Nintendo website and have it automatically download to the system. Based on each member's profile (such as which games they own), Nintendo will send them notices and gifts; one example provided is that players will be notified about new DLC for games they own. Nintendo also suggests they may offer discounts to customers on their birthday.
In addition, in the new rewards program, customers will be able to earn points by purchasing software and playing games (the latter of which was not the case for Club Nintendo). These points will be able to be spent on digital add-on content, original merchandise, and discount coupons.
Furthermore, a user's friends will now be connected to their My Nintendo account, rather than bound to a specific system. Only users who know each other will be able to become friends.
Nintendo also discussed plans to use My Nintendo to allow cloud storage of save game data, to allow the same data to be shared between systems. Finally, Nintendo mentioned they plan to have My Nintendo interface in some way with theme parks, movie theaters and retail outlets.
My Nintendo will be released in March 2016, alongside Nintendo's first major application for smart devices, Miitomo.