Wii U Issue - Sold on eBay...

wingman

wingman

wingman

Soldato
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27 Dec 2011
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Hi guys,

Looking for a bit of help.

I recently sold my Wii U on eBay with the download versions of Zelda Wind Waker and Super Mario World (SNES). This was noted as part of the sale.

I had looked into the topic to a small degree and was under the impression the games are saved to the console rather than the user and therefore wiped everything clean relating to my card details and the Nintendo user I had created.

I checked afterwards and booted up Wind Waker and it seemed fine - it had deleted my saves, which I wanted, but the game was able to boot up.

The buyer has contacted me today and said all is fine with the console however neither game will boot up and is asking for my log on details.

I've said in the interim to try and redownload from the store.

Can anyone offer any advice, should that fail? Obviously I am not happy about passing my account details and password out.

Thanks!
 
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Has the buyer made their own NNID at all? Maybe they need to log in with their own ID. Seems strange, because you tested it after removing your details, and it worked.
 
As I understand it they should work as you have stated. The downloads are linked to the actual console itself.

The buyer could try deleting the games, accessing the eshop with their account and then the games you had bought previously should be available to download in the previously downloaded titles page. Also the eshop game pages should say you already own the game and have a redownload button instead of a purchase button.
 
I don't have first-hand experience but it won't work as described above. As noted from Bordersdown UK forums:

This is what I did when I sold mine. I explained if they were to wipe the HDD it would be gone forever but you can:

1. Wipe the Wii U to default.
2. Add your account to the Wii, then redownload the game.
3. Add a second account to the Wii U.
4. Delete your old account.

Then the game should be available for them to play but if it gets deleted obviously they lose it but at least they get it for that time.

Link with further link here

As you've not formatted the console and games are still saved to the machine it looks like you could give him your account and then a 24-hour window for him to add his own account, and then change your password.

The difficult bit is then trusting the buyer doesn't change your recovery details or attempt to take over your Ninty account but I imagine the risk is low. Or negotiate some money back if they play hardball.

For me personally this is why digital downloads (generally) are of zero value or at least I wouldn't pay extra for. Did the final price reflect the extra game or was it about what you would have got for hardware only (I appreciate you listed the games)?

Anyway good luck hope that helps.
 
Timber, very much appreciate your response however I followed what you said last night and you are indeed spot on. The buyer was able to download the game again with my Nintendo ID and is now fully functional.

I've "given" the buyer my ID and he has changed the e-mail. The password I used is one I use regularly but I've changed it on all of my log in devices/sites now.

The price I sold the console for was a touch over what they were selling for without the game however on hindsight I wish I'd have sold it back to factory settings.

It's stupid, because, the Nintendo ID isn't transferable. That's the issue with digital downloads on the Nintendo eStore. With an Xbox 360/PS3 (and assuming the same with the current gen), you could just log in and download again.
 
Ah good stuff. Sounds like it's sorted, although not as ideally as you'd have wanted. It never occurred to me to suggest giving up the Nintendo account.

Still the thread might help others if they are in the same boat.
 
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