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Cobretti2 on 17 September 2025
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Phenomajp13 said:
Cobretti2 said:

Steam let's me install my games on multiple devices. It is tied to your login not your hardware. If I want to play it on my desktop at home I can. If I want to travel and take my laptop with my games I can.

If my hardware dies, I simply buy new hardware log into steam and can just install the games.

The problem is longevity as modern consoles no longer become a device for retro gamers.

Say I like the Wii U for example and the game experience it offered. I got all my games digital, the services are now off in my country for Wii U. If my Wii U dies, I am screwed. I can no longer redownload the games nor can I use backups to put them on another Wii U (say a second hand I bought one). This is a big issue.

At least with Wii U discs, I can play those games on any Wii U.  

All I want if games are to be digital only on consoles, is for them to be easy to manage as I could with retro consoles.  

Sorry for the late response. Can't I do all of this on another Switch/Switch 2? I move games back and forth all the time between my Switch consoles. That's what the virtual cards allow. As for WiiU/3DS, we no longer have assess to purchase games via WiiU and/or 3DS but my understanding is the servers are still up to redownload games you have already purchased. I'm not sure why posters are acting like Nintendo is going anywhere anytime soon. Those servers aren't shutting down anytime soon because Nintendo is a proven successful and longterm brand. Mario turns 40 this year!

If that is the case, they need to advertise this better. I have been under the impression once services are shutdown nothing works for that console. Like on my WiiU it won't let me log into the eshop, so I took that as how do I get my games on a replacement Wii U.

Anyone interesting, I will have to research it on reddit.

I wouldn't be against if you did it all via a computer too. Log into your Nintendo account via web browser, download a purchased game in your catalogue onto a storage device, then plug it in and install.