Pre-Loading Coming to Wii U/3DS

[Trent the Paladin]

According to GoNintendo, we can begin to expect pre-loading digital titles ahead of their launch dates starting with Super Smash Brothers U on Wii U. 3DS sometime next year.

For those not in the know, pre-loading is the pre downloading of a title ahead of the release date. This is a useful tool to those who like going digital but hate waiting days or even weeks to download the title thanks to poor internet. You won't be able to play it once it's downloaded completely until launch when a patch or update is downloaded.

It'll be interesting to see if the 3DS can even handle this properly, I know it can download minor things but full games?

 

[Jake]

i just saw this, seems cool.

i probably wont use it since I prefer physical copies but it's cool for people who like to digitally download

 

[Serine_Sapphire88]

i just saw this, seems cool.

i probably wont use it since I prefer physical copies but it's cool for people who like to digitally download

Ditto on that. I'd rather have physical copies of games than digital downloads. Though I didn't mind getting Pikmin 3 as a digital download. It will probably be the only big game I have downloaded onto my Wii U.

 

[n64king]

I don't see why the WiiU & 3DS can't support this, they already do "Download later" which is stepping stone to preloading.

 

[Elise]

Sounds cool. Hopefully they don't only make it available for New 3DS...

 

[Trent the Paladin]

i just saw this, seems cool.

i probably wont use it since I prefer physical copies but it's cool for people who like to digitally download

Likewise. Until they get rid of physical completely, I refuse to go digital only.

I don't see why the WiiU & 3DS can't support this, they already do "Download later" which is stepping stone to preloading.

Can't do this now? Probably because it's not built into the firmware. While Download Later exists for both for already released titles, pre-loading is downloading the game before release. Nintendo cracks the whip hard on stores who sell copies of a game early, I'm sure they want to make sure that it won't happen with their own shop first.

Sounds cool. Hopefully they don't only make it available for New 3DS...

Hopefully, though I have little faith in the current 3DS capabilities.

 

[FancyThat]

i just saw this, seems cool.

i probably wont use it since I prefer physical copies but it's cool for people who like to digitally download

Agree, I also prefer physical copies but it's a great idea for those who use digital.

Likewise. Until they get rid of physical completely, I refuse to go digital only.

I hope games never go fully digital tbh, I enjoy buying and keeping physical games, and I like collectors editions of games with physical items.

 

[Stevey Queen]

So it downloads slowly and finishes on launch day? If I read that correctly, the only benefit is not having to wait like an hour for it to download.

I don't really do digital anyways except for smash bros.

 

[Colour Bandit]

I'd probably use this as I have a really bad download speed so downloading larger games takes ages- plus I am starting to go more digital with my games as I really don't have space for games cases (I only go physical for games I really like and want to display the cases for)

 

[Trent the Paladin]

So it downloads slowly and finishes on launch day? If I read that correctly, the only benefit is not having to wait like an hour for it to download.

I don't really do digital anyways except for smash bros.

Not really slowly, as you could have it done a few hours after pre-loading and it could be like three days before launch. But yes, the benefit is not having to wait "like an hour". Ideally this is great for people in rural areas with poor internet connection. If you live in an area with great internet connection, then you won't notice a difference other than not having to wait an hour or two.