Wii U FW Update Adds Account Transfer, Wii U Pro OS Support

Wii U to Wii U System Transfer

Users can now transfer (move) all software and data from one Wii U to another

A “System Transfer” option has been added within System Settings

Click here for additional information on this feature

Changes to Nintendo eShop:

Users can now navigate the Nintendo eShop using a Wii Remote, Wii U Pro Controller, or Classic Controller

Improvements to system stability and usability:

Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience

The Wii U to Wii U system transfer feature, implemented with the system update released July 21st, 2014, allows you to transfer content from one Wii U to another Wii U. Content from the source console, including any users, Nintendo Network IDs, save data, and digital content, will replace that on the target console.

As part of the system transfer process:

All content from a Wii U must be transferred. You cannot transfer just a single user or Nintendo Network ID through this process

All content on the target Wii U will be lost when the console is formatted and replaced by the content from the source Wii U, with the exception of Wii Menu content, Internet connection settings, TV settings, Wii U GamePad TV Remote settings, and Wii Remote and Wii U GamePad pairing

The source Wii U will be formatted once the transfer is complete

Nintendo Network IDs that previously existed on the target Wii U can be relinked after the transfer How to

If these Nintendo Network IDs are relinked, content purchased by them on the target Wii U will become available for download. The save data for IDs that previously existed on the target system will be deleted as part of the system transfer process, and any USB Storage devices that were previously used will need to be formatted to work with the Wii U again

There is a limit of 12 Nintendo Network IDs that can be linked to a single Wii U at one time

Wii Menu digital content is transferred, but it is not deleted from the target Wii U. Wii Menu digital content from both consoles will be combined

Basically,

• You can now use the Wii U Pro, Wii Remote, and Wii Classic Controllers to navigate the Wii U OS (is this a precursor to a Wii U Pad less Wii U?)
• You can now transfer your purchases and accounts from one Wii U to another, although the process is fairly complicated and requires both Wii Us to be present.

SOURCE

This seems like an excellent firmware update, that adds some long requested features to the console (and is the second big update this year, after the May one that added Quick Start).

I saw you say controller support and I for a brief, fleeting moment became excited at the prospect of controlling Wii games on the gamepad using the gamepad controls.

I don't know why I set myself up for disappointment. Probably because I'm playing Xenoblade right now and wish it could be controlled with the gamepad.

I imagine for them to do this they would have to instal software to get the WiiU pad to emulate a Wiimote with a classic controller attached. Also, their whole shitty $2 fee to get gamepad support for VC games would be useless. Bastards haha. Basically I don't see it happening. Xenoblade is pretty dope though at least :P

I know. :( It's so disappointing!

And now that I'm getting into it, I've gotta say Xenoblade is getting good. Pretty alright at the start but it's getting better. Definitely need to get through this game!

Nice! I always wanted to use the pro controller to control the OS and the shop. Downloading now.

About goddamn fucking time.

That was the one thing that pissed me the hell off about the Wii and why I never bought a single thing on the Virtual Console.

What location are you at?

Unified virtual console.

Where is the ability to buy Wii VC games, and 3DS vc games on the WiiU?

@ActicEdge: The Bionis Leg, gonna go head to a tribe next. Only 7.5 hours into the game at level 18 or 19 so I know I have pretty much the entire game to go. :P

And vice versa. Would love to play some Golden Sun or Minish Cap on the 3DS instead of on my phone.

So, question guys...

Why is it that Microsoft and Nintendo have been so on the ball with their firmware updates, yet Sony won't release a proper one for the PS4, even now?

Not sure how I feel about having to reformat the Wii U you want to transfer to, and then reformat the Wii U you are transferring from.

You should just be able to log into any Wii U, and play your games.

You don't reformat anything, the process does it for you.

It's still ass backwards though, yeah, but I was making a distinction clear.

Oh man, Bionis leg is a sight. So big the first time you get there. However, some of the upcoming scenery. Oh man, I'm jealous.

We still can't log in with a Procontroller. That upsets me.

I dunno why they are so damn stubborn about making a proper account system. I don't see why they can't give you like 3 downloads or something for new hardware so if you don't do a system transfer you can still play the game on different hardware. It's ridiculous. I know they don't want game sharing but they have to be able to come up with a better way to do it than what they currently have so you can get your games regardless of system without a damn phone call.

A proper account system does exist, with all the pros that come with it. It's just, where Microsoft and Sony let you manage you account for yourself, Nintendo won't let you, instead choosing to do it themselves.

So all of this would stop being an issue if Nintendo only allowed account management on the user's end.

I call it first place syndrome.

The lead console manufacturer just lays back and reap all the sales while the other two fight to earn consumers attention.

Last gen people begged Nintendo for Earthbound on virtual console and they was like "ha, nope!" Now fast forward, when things are looking grim for the Wii U, "Hey look guys, we have Earthbound!"

The fact that you can't manage it by yourself is why it isn't seen as proper. You should just be able to log into any system and download your games. I dunno if maybe they do an authentication check so that you can't game share but they need to do something because calling nintendo whenever there is an issue with your account or you wanna switch systems is just stupid.

A lot of people will be happy with the WiiU to WiiU transfer. I thought Nintendo would never care about that. :P

Finally, still, I wish this had been done before. I felt kind of guilty when I smurfed in Mario Kart 8 because I got a new Wii U, since I couldn't transfer over my old account. Now to see how I can fix this 2 accounts mess.

I don't understand the point of that transfer thing. You're still fucked if the console breaks, as you couldn't transfer off a busted WiiU? Maybe if the disc drive or summat broke, but the console still booted, it'd be useful? What other scenario would one use that for?

Why can't they just copy the 360 and allow you to redownload data to a non hardware linked account?

you can buy Wii VC games on Wii U, but only through the Wii menu on the console

Back up saves for just in case something happens?

"The source Wii U will be formatted once the transfer is complete"

This.

I know it's a long-shot of an update request, but throw me a bone, Nintendo.

Ah, so that's what took 20 minutes to download and install last night. Cool I guess?

Both Wii Us must be present? Completely worthless, you people foam at the mouth over something that wouldn't have been acceptable on LAST GEN CONSOLES.

Guess I'll get this update over with. Takes so long to update.

I will update after work today.

Touche.

Um, didn't Nintendo say themselves that the unified account thing isn't happening this gen? To my understanding, it's WAY too late for the Wii U to be receiving that anyway, considering how the hardware was built. They'd have to wait until next gen.

About time. Sounds like a good update!

Didn't say it was. What I am saying that, for the Wii U's sake, it IS too late. Besides, I think an update like that could delete every game file once you consider it would be going from being tied to the hardware to a unified account.

It's not too late, it has nothing to do with hardware, software can be rewritten, but you are almost certainly correct it's not happening this gen. I wouldn't even expect it the one after. Nintendo just don't care about this stuff.

I doubt it.

Alright great

Next update, Message Notification Icon and quick view and respond options.

I'm surprised it took them this long to add support for all the controllers on the eShop. Considering you can navigate the dashboard with all the mentioned interfaces, porting the code should have been an easy task.

What has MS and Ninty added which Sony lacks? This particular thread gives off the impression that Ninty is way behind the curve.

Lol. Why? More random fantasies?

Excellent Update. I'll have to update mine when I get home.

Or how about the fact that, like the Wii, the Wii U and 3DS saves are tied to the systems? I'm sorry, but how can that be just a software thing? Hardware HAS to have played a part in that too.

@charizard1605: is the PS4 in need of a software update? is there anything lacking on the OS side? i dont have a PS4 so i dont know. but updating just for the sake of updates is a bit pointless. if the PS4 has the features it needs, if the OS is fast and reliable then no point in updating.

as for this update. tis grand but nintendo still have some serious power lifting to do with the wiiu OS. its slow. everything about it is slow. even quick launch (which is a kludge of a workaround) is slow. they need to be smarter about how they manage the wiius resources to make the system feel more responsive.

an embedded OS with 1 core to itself and with 1GB of ram at its disposal should not take so long to load up things like settings. never mind getting a game started.

things they could do:

1) pre cache more applications to the reserved memory. what is in the OS that is taking up so much? the wiiu main menu (the wara wara) should always be there and ready so that switching from from game to game is a lot faster.

2) every wii u game has a splash screen that can last up to 10 seconds and its there every time you load the game. pre cache that data to ram and leave it there until the disc is removed/another game is started. even if the wiiu is shut down (not truly shut down of course. ram is volatile. but standby mode) just leave whatever its loading during that splash screen in memory. thats a good few seconds taken off the load time. it would be like a mini install to ram. PCs do it all the time which is why launching an application the second time is faster than the first usually.

3) clock up the processor during very busy periods (temp willing) and maybe give the OS more access to the processors while a game is not running.

Thank you, great response, saved me the time :P

Short version @nintendoboy16: Hardware don't have dick to do with data being "locked" to a system. That's purely, 100% a software thing. And despite that being changeable, Nintendo are NOT good at functional, OS level software* so I won't hold my breath for a change.

*cough maybe they should just make games and leave hardware and OS to people who are good at it cough cough ;)