RighteousSavant
CAGiversary!
About 2 and a half years ago, I sold my original 3DS (Ambassador certified) after formatting it due to a dire financial situation. Recently I acquired a 3DS XL and am quite happy with it..except with Mario Kart 7, also known as the hand killer (I need a grip, I know).
I read all the FAQs out there telling me that the software is tied to the specific hardware. I dived deeper into the language to discover that the majority of the statements were in relation to devices that were lost or stolen. Again, it is heavily documented and proven that Nintendo will not transfer the games to a new 3DS when your original device is lost or stolen. It is also confirmed that if your device suffered any damage, in or out of warranty, as long as you contact Nintendo for a replacement, the transfer of content is standard operating procedure.
Never once did I hear about the conditions of restoring your content onto a new device following selling your old device. So, I gave Nintendo a call and was honest about what happened with zero expectation of anything being possible concerning my old content. The lady asked me clearly to repeat about the steps I took to format it. After answering the lady's questions, she placed me on hold and took a couple of minutes. To my delight, the representative returned on the line and informed me all of my content would be transfered.
I thanked her for coming to this decision, but I had to ask how I qualified in detail. She stated the following:
1. I formatted the old 3DS prior to the sale which meant the content was not on the device today.
2. She was able to verify the old device in the current hands and spotted the content never appeared on it since the time I sold it.
3. She confirmed that while Nintendo does not replace eShop purchases for a lost or stolen device, I sold it "properly."
4. She did not have to get a supervisor or manager to provide the approval to transfer my original content.
5. I pushed a bit further, but she stated the remaining reasons could not be said.
Warning! Speculation! I cannot confirm the following:
I have a LOT of purchased and registered systems and games with Nintendo. Being in customer service for many years, I know that a customer's purchase history does come into play when requests for replacement or services come into a service center. The associate did respond with the following, when she brought up my list of registered hardware and software:
"Wow! That is a LOT of games, sir! Seriously!"
On a personal note, she scored points with me for throwing in "seriously."
In addition, the original device was out of warranty over a year. Another customer service cavet when dealing with issues is that cases can get handled with exception policies. I believe this played a role in their decision making process. Without knowing the specifics, I could only guess how exactly this contributed. Regardless, every company has ways to help customers they will never print or speak aloud.
As of today, my 3DS XL is sitting here with all of my old eShop purchases and my Ambassor status (NES and GBA games combined.) I wanted to share this with everyone, because perhaps, a few of you may not even know you might be able to get your games on your current device. After all, what former Ambassador would not want his or her titles back? As the old saying goes, it never hurts to ask.
Also, to those who sell 3DS systems with the eShop games left stored on the memory as if they were real game cards..stop it!
I read all the FAQs out there telling me that the software is tied to the specific hardware. I dived deeper into the language to discover that the majority of the statements were in relation to devices that were lost or stolen. Again, it is heavily documented and proven that Nintendo will not transfer the games to a new 3DS when your original device is lost or stolen. It is also confirmed that if your device suffered any damage, in or out of warranty, as long as you contact Nintendo for a replacement, the transfer of content is standard operating procedure.
Never once did I hear about the conditions of restoring your content onto a new device following selling your old device. So, I gave Nintendo a call and was honest about what happened with zero expectation of anything being possible concerning my old content. The lady asked me clearly to repeat about the steps I took to format it. After answering the lady's questions, she placed me on hold and took a couple of minutes. To my delight, the representative returned on the line and informed me all of my content would be transfered.
I thanked her for coming to this decision, but I had to ask how I qualified in detail. She stated the following:
1. I formatted the old 3DS prior to the sale which meant the content was not on the device today.
2. She was able to verify the old device in the current hands and spotted the content never appeared on it since the time I sold it.
3. She confirmed that while Nintendo does not replace eShop purchases for a lost or stolen device, I sold it "properly."
4. She did not have to get a supervisor or manager to provide the approval to transfer my original content.
5. I pushed a bit further, but she stated the remaining reasons could not be said.
Warning! Speculation! I cannot confirm the following:
I have a LOT of purchased and registered systems and games with Nintendo. Being in customer service for many years, I know that a customer's purchase history does come into play when requests for replacement or services come into a service center. The associate did respond with the following, when she brought up my list of registered hardware and software:
"Wow! That is a LOT of games, sir! Seriously!"
On a personal note, she scored points with me for throwing in "seriously."
In addition, the original device was out of warranty over a year. Another customer service cavet when dealing with issues is that cases can get handled with exception policies. I believe this played a role in their decision making process. Without knowing the specifics, I could only guess how exactly this contributed. Regardless, every company has ways to help customers they will never print or speak aloud.
As of today, my 3DS XL is sitting here with all of my old eShop purchases and my Ambassor status (NES and GBA games combined.) I wanted to share this with everyone, because perhaps, a few of you may not even know you might be able to get your games on your current device. After all, what former Ambassador would not want his or her titles back? As the old saying goes, it never hurts to ask.
Also, to those who sell 3DS systems with the eShop games left stored on the memory as if they were real game cards..stop it!
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