Wii U Account Management Detailed

As we get closer to the much-anticipated launch of Nintendo's latest console, even more information is being disclosed. Including how households with multiple users will be accommodated.

The first video has Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explaining how it all works. When it comes to account management, the list of complaints aimed at Nintendo is justifiably long. Wii U finally address some of these issues, and also exhibits a change in attitude, a realization of the times we live in. But it's hardly perfect either:

First is how the Wii U employs a user account system, which is represented by a Mii. Whomever fires up the console in their home will have to chose their Mii first. All save data, preferences, and history are tied to that one person's Mii and has no affect on anyone else. Pretty standard, simple stuff.

Where things get complicated is how a person will need a second form of identification to go online. The Nintendo Network ID allows one to surf the web, chat with others via the Miiverse and Wii U Chat, plus make purchases via the Nintendo eShop.

It is not clearly explained, but it would appear that one's user account is not intrinsically tied to a Nintendo Network. It's also a bummer to not hear anything about Club Nintendo integration as well. At least its nice to know that the Nintendo Network ID finally does away with the horribly implemented friend code system.

On a brighter note, Iwata mentioned how the Nintendo Network ID can be used elsewhere, via PC and smart phone apps that are yet to be revealed. Though the most curious revelation is how one must prefer a network update every single time the Wii U is powered up.

It was mentioned how this could take a while, depending on how much data must be processed and one's bandwidth. Iwata then apologetically bows for the inconvenience. Not a good sign of things to come.

Several other videos from the latest Nintendo Direct have been posted, but this one is perhaps the most entertaining. It’s Iwata simply unboxing the system, in a rather surprisingly unrehearsed and lighthearted manner: