Nintendo eShop: download codes now redeemable via internet from Europe

On October 13th, 2014, the https://eshop.nintendo.net/ page went live (before, it led to a 404 error page). However, it’s pretty empty, and the only thing in there was a mysterious “Redeem” button leading to https://eshop.nintendo.net/redeem#/ (which still works, and can be used in order to redeem download codes and have them be downloaded automatically to your Wii U or Nintendo 3DS).

The following day, on October 14th, Nintendo launched a new service on Nintendo.com: North American users can purchase and pre-purchase games directly from Nintendo’s website, and either get a download code or have the game downloaded to a Wii U or Nintendo 3DS console.

Of course, the timing of the two things was no coincidence, as a few days after the Redeem page went live in Japan, it became possible to have games downloaded directly to a Wii U or Nintendo 3DS via several online retailers in Japan (such as Amazon.co.jp). Satoru Iwata actually announced this new feature during a meeting with investors on October 30th, 2014.

And last week, Nintendo finally updated its Nintendo eShop “website”, and the https://eshop.nintendo.net/redeem#/ page now works using a European Nintendo Network ID. If you have a download code, you can enter it there, and have it automatically added to your Wii U or Nintendo 3DS without having to go through the Nintendo eShop.

Hopefully, this means that Nintendo will soon allow for remote download of games in Europe, just like in North America and Japan (most likely via GAME, who is already selling download codes for various Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games). Then maybe, one day, the fabled web Nintendo eShop will finally be launched!

Thanks norfair for the screencap!