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Nintendo's Miiverse lives on in a giant internet archive
Nintendo's Miiverse is dead. However, that doesn't mean that all your message board posts have disappeared into the ether. Drastic Actions and the Archive Team have launched Archiverse, an unofficial but very thorough collection of Miiverse posts. There are roughly 133 million posts, 217 million replies, 76 million screenshots and 72 million drawings -- all told, just shy of 17TB of data. It even includes developer-specific communities and the E3 communities that Nintendo delisted.
Nintendo is killing the Miiverse in Japan
The Wii U will go down in history as one of Nintendo's least successful consoles. It had one great idea, however: Miiverse. A system-wide message board that players could post drawings, messages and screenshots to. Better yet, some titles displayed Miiverse posts as friendly advice (New Super Mario Bros. U) or expressive speech bubbles (Splatoon) directly inside the game. Now, of course, Nintendo is focused on the Switch, so it's killing the Miiverse in Japan. On November 8th, at 3pm local time, it will no longer be available on either the Wii U or 3DS family of consoles.
Nintendo Switch ditches StreetPass and Miiverse
You'll have to say goodbye to your StreetPass collection if you decide to completely abandon the 3DS in favor of Nintendo's hybrid console. David Young, assistant manager of PR at Nintendo of America, told VentureBeat that the Switch won't have access to the StreetPass feature and the gaming giant's social network Miiverse. He said that it "plays into the idea of the Switch as a home console." It's likely to establish the Switch as a gaming device for your home -- a replacement for the Wii U -- even though you can take it out of its dock for on-the-go gaming. That's in line with the company's earlier revelation that it's still considering a separate successor to the 3DS. If the absence of both StreetPass and Miiverse doesn't bother you, the Switch is arriving on March 3rd and will set you back $300.
Nintendo revamps Miiverse site with more social features
The MiiVerse website is about bringing Nintendo's online community together, among other things. But up until today, the virtual hub was missing features that could have made it even more useful. Thankfully, Nintendo has revamped the site (again), adding a handful of social tidbits that users are bound to appreciate. Along with now being able to see what's trending on MiiVerse, you can also get a quick glimpse at how other players across the network are doing on their games -- via the Play Journal feed. And in case you've never visited it, you can check out the refreshed site at miiverse.nintendo.net.
Nintendo redesigned Miiverse because you were using it wrong
You know how everyone completely loses it every time Facebook pushes a redesign live? It's happening again -- except this time it's happening on Miiverse, Nintendo's quirky social network. On July 29th Miiverse will be given its first major overhaul: a total redesign that adds new features, changes how game-specific communities work and, weirdly, imposes a daily post limit on all users. Why all the changes? According to Nintendo, the community has been using Miiverse, well, wrong.
Stealth Inc 2 to slink in October's shadow with returning level editor
When Curve Studios told us about Stealth Inc. 2, its Wii U-exclusive return to a series that never reached Nintendo platforms with its debut title, 2014 was the targeted release window. A month later, during a meeting with Nintendo Life, Stealth Inc. creator and Curve Studios CEO Jonathan Biddle has considerably narrowed the studio's target to the month of October. Nintendo Life also learned that, like its predecessor, Stealth Inc. 2 will allow subjects to create and share custom deathtraps with its community. Just because Stealth Inc. 2 will trap its player base in a labyrinth of hazardous rooms doesn't mean its subjects won't have anyone to talk to, though – Miiverse posts will be displayed on the walls of other players' main campaigns, allowing for bonding over difficult stages or an exchange of tips to keep fellow subjects alive. Of course, there's the potential for purposely sharing bad advice to get another player killed, but who would even do that? Other than Dark Souls players, anyway. [Image: Curve Studios]
Miiverse users can now embed posts elsewhere on the 'net
If you've ever found yourself wishing you could share your collection of Mario Kart 8 stamps with the rest of the Internet, you're in luck: The latest Miiverse update allows users to embed posts outside of Nintendo's nascent social media hub. "We've added a feature that lets you embed a Miiverse post in a web page," reads a recent Miiverse update. "Just open the web version of Miiverse, select a post and then click on 'Embed this Post' to obtain the HTML code for embedding on your web page." The only caveat attached to this new, user-friendly feature is that anyone attempting to view your embedded post must have Javascript enabled within their web browser. That's a pretty standard requirement for many web-based technologies, but keep it in mind if you opt to share your clever Miiverse musings but find you can't see the results on a decade-old smartphone. [Image: Miiverse]
3DS update is live, adds support for Miiverse, combined eShop balances
3DS owners can finally doodle sweet nothings on Nintendo's Miiverse network, thanks to a system update that went live after maintenance yesterday. As detailed in last month's Nintendo Direct, the update also lets users tie a Nintendo Network ID to their 3DS systems, meaning they can register their handhelds under the same IDs used on their Wii Us. In turn, that means users can combine 3DS eShop balances with Wii U ones. Once the update's completed, you'll find the green Miiverse icon in the top toolbar of the 3DS menu. You won't be able to access Miiverse without a Nintendo Network ID, so you'll have to create one for the 3DS, or register an already created ID, such as one your Wii U is tied to. After that, it's Miiverse city: You'll be able to post, scribble, attach screenshots, and browse to your heart's content. One contentment your heart has to wait for is Friends functionality, which isn't available on 3DS Miiverse at the mo. We hoped to check out how the update affected the 3DS eShop, but at the time of writing we couldn't access it. According to last month's Direct, the update lets users purchase Wii U content on the 3DS eShop (but not play it on the 3DS!), and vice versa.
Nintendo finally updates 3DS with Miiverse, Nintendo Network ID support and unified eShop wallet
A year and a half ago, Hideko Konno hinted that Nintendo's Miiverse might eventually find its way to the 3DS. Now it finally has. The stereoscopic handheld's latest update is a doozy, not only brining the quirky social network to the dual screen, but integrating the handheld into its unified account system too. This is more significant than it sounds -- it's Nintendo's first major step towards unifying its fragmented eShop system, which currently maintains different storefronts for both the Wii U and 3DS devices. The console-specific eShops had their own separated digital wallets too, a frustration finally relieved by sharing funds through the linked Nintendo Network ID. The update does a decent job of walking users through the account linking process, and explains that credit card information, Club Nintendo details and even Mii data (when used in Miiverse) will be handled through the unified Network ID moving forward. The Miiverse app works just like its Wii U counterpart. Players can launch the sharing community in-game by pressing the system's home button and tapping on the Miiverse icon, which takes them directly to the relevant game's community. From here, text, doodles and screenshots can be shared in the normal fashion -- and yes, some shared screenshots (like those from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds) are even 3D. Nintendo says the update also provides minor tweaks for stability and user experience, including removing the limit on 3DS system transfers and requiring users to press L and R simultaneously to toggle the camera (a move designed to prevent accidental launches). All in all, the 3DS winter update seems solid, if long overdue. Planning to check it out? You may want to wait until morning, users on Twitter say that Nintendo's servers are a bit overloaded.
Wii U update prepares Miiverse for December 3DS debut
Nintendo's homegrown social network Miiverse has been updated with new aesthetics options in preparation for its imminent jump to the 3DS handheld. Three key changes have been employed in this update. Most crucially, the communities found in Miiverse can now be sorted according to a number of different criteria, such as "Virtual Console" or "Wii U Software." This is even more helpful than you'd expect as the update also increases the number of communities a player can view at once to a level that would seem unwieldy were it not for the new filters. Nintendo has also instituted changes to your Miiverse profile page and to the communities themselves. Now, instead of seeing the total number of Yeahs you've offered other players' posts, you'll only find a number indicating how many Yeahs a post has received. Viewing posts in communities has also changed, as now Miiverse will first display posts from those who have actually played the community's game of choice, instead of displaying newest posts first, regardless of who they came from. Miiverse is slated to hit the 3DS in December. There's no solid date on when that might happen, but a new 3DS social network delivered just prior to Christmas might help bolster Nintendo's holiday revenues.
Upcoming Nintendo 3DS, Wii U system update will combine eShop account balances [Update]
As part of a system update set for release next month in North America and Europe, Nintendo announced that users will be able to share account balances between the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U using a unified Nintendo Network ID. Nintendo revealed that players will have the option of combining funds from the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops, and will be able to purchase content from either device using shared funding. The new functionality requires a Nintendo Network ID, which is not currently required for eShop purchases on the the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo additionally notes that players will need to create or link a Nintendo Network ID with the Nintendo 3DS in order to download free software and demos from the portable's eShop following the release of the next system update. Paid software will not require a Nintendo Network ID. [Update: Nintendo of America announced that next month's system update will also add Miiverse support for the Nintendo 3DS.] [Update 2: Nintendo has detailed the Nintendo Network ID account migration process, warning that only one NNID may be associated with a Nintendo 3DS system. In addition, a single account cannot be duplicated across multiple 3DS systems. If a new NNID is associated with a Nintendo 3DS system, players will be unable to combine balances with an existing Wii U eShop account.]
Wii U's Miiverse now lets you post directly from the Activity Feed
The Wii U Miiverse has been updated to allow posting directly to your own Activity Feed, your friends' feeds and that of your followers. Previously, Miiverse users were only able to post messages directly to the communities surrounding specific games. Unlike the Miiverse communities surrounding individual games, Activity Feeds serve as a social networking vehicle on Wii U and are tied to your Wii U friends, not particular games. Your Activity Feed, for example, is only displayed to your friends and those who follow you on Wii U. Nintendo has been steadily iterating upon the Miiverse since its introduction last year. The last significant update doubled the amount of characters each message could contain and prior to that, web profile customization was added. Nintendo has said that it expects to launch Miiverse on 3DS sometime this year.
Animal Crossing Plaza community launches on Wii U
Nintendo announced an Animal Crossing-themed app for Wii U during its Nintendo Direct presentation this morning. The app, titled Animal Crossing Plaza, allows players to post messages with screenshots and QR codes from 3DS game Animal Crossing: New Leaf via SD card to the series' new Miiverse community. The plaza itself is similar to the Mii Plaza, except adorable critters from the Animal Crossing series now run around instead of Miis. The Animal Crossing Plaza is available now for free in the Wii U eShop. Nintendo says the service will be available through the end of 2014.
New StreetPass games make $4 million in a month
StreetPass enthusiasts have spotpassed $4 million to Nintendo by purchasing its four new Mii Plaza games for the 3DS, Siliconera reports. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata shared the sales data with Toko Keizai Online during an interview this week. Mii Force, Flower Town, Warrior's Way, and Monster Manor mark Nintendo's first experiment with pay-to-play Miiverse games. The previously released Find Mii 2 was introduced in a free firmware update. The new Miiverse games are $5 apiece or $15 bundled together. With the exception of Warrior's Way, we were generally pleased with what they offer. Considering Nintendo's plans to store StreetPass relay data in Nintendo Zone stations, these games might be enjoyable for those of you unable to cross paths with 3DS owners during your daily routine.
Miyamoto: Pikmin 3's hidden memos lead to a secret code
Scattered across Pikmin 3 are ten hidden memos which, when they're all discovered, will reveal a secret code to players. Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto revealed as much in a Miiverse post, promising more information on how to use the code in a future post. Pikmin 3 launches August 4 on Wii U in North America. In our review, we wrote "its cute exterior belies some inner sophistication, even if it is sometimes let down by little troubles."
Miiverse doubles its chattiness
Nintendo increased the character limit for Miiverse posts and comments from 100 to 200 this week. The switch, made "by popular demand," applies to both the Wii U and web versions of the social network. Nintendo also fiddled with the 'popular posts' filter this week, allowing users to now see highly Yeah-ed posts going further back. The character limit increase may seem a little trivial because Nintendo's social network is still in its infancy, but just imagine if Twitter decided to up its limit from 140 to 280. It would be pandemonium with a capital panda, we tell you.
Miiverse update lets web users post and edit profiles
After coming to smartphones and tablets last month, the web version of Miiverse now allows users to post as well as browse. You still need the GamePad stylus if you want to doodle all over the Wii U's social network, but this week's update does bring other welcome features. The web version now lets users follow and unfollow profiles, display friends and followers, and adjust profile and Miiverse settings. Also, for those curious about the Wii U world but without a Nintendo Network ID, any Miiverse post is viewable even if you're not signed in, as long as you have the URL. Test that out by clicking that source thingamajig just below.
Nintendo updates Miiverse web app, lets users post on the go
When Miiverse first hit the web, Nintendo called it a beta experience. It was an apt description -- the web app lacked the ability to manage friends, tweak user details or create new posts. Today, things are looking a bit better: Nintendo quietly pushed an update for the service this week, adding in all those features and the ability to view most posts without logging in. Users itching to send private messages or share drawings still need to boot up their Wii U. Nintendo hasn't said if this means if Miiverse's web presence is out of beta, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Now, where's that 3DS support we were promised?
Wii Street U update brings Miiverse support with favorites, emotional tags
Not exactly earth-shattering news in the weeks leading up to E3, but Nintendo Japan announced some nice little additions to its Google-powered Wii Street U. The panoramic mapping service is getting support for the proprietary Miiverse social network, letting you share favorite locations and tag images with emotions like "amazing," "beautiful," "fun" and "scary." And for those times when you don't want to give too much away, you can set things to "spoiler." More update spoilers can be found in the source link below.
Miiverse makes its way to 3DS this year
The Miiverse is expanding (just like the universe) and is scheduled to launch on the 3DS this year, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced in a financial presentation. Miiverse launched in Bowser browser form yesterday."We are also planning to make available a system update for Nintendo 3DS to allow its users to view and post content on Miiverse on the system within this year," Iwata said. Nintendo hopes Miiverse on the 3DS will prompt users to "understand the charm of the other platform, Wii U."Miiverse was initially announced for the Wii U in June 2012 and launched with that console in November. The newest version of Miiverse is accesible via desktops and smartphone browsers, in beta form, currently allowing users to interact with their friends' feeds. It doesn't yet support creating new posts or new accounts, but Nintendo will "enrich the service incrementally."Iwata wants the browser Miiverse to also influence user perception of the Wii U: "It will play an important role in having those who do not have Wii U understand the appeal of the platform through Miiverse."