pretty sure you can transfer DSIW games to 3DS, just not another DSi

Hmm, you appear to be correct. I guess I jumped the gun on this one.

Yes there is! What are you talking about?

I know this was a issue with the Wii at one point, I would hope Nintendo would get over this by the time the Wii U is out.

I'll be pissed if I can't use my 80+ XBLA titles on the 720 for example.

Same here. Also glad to know there's hope for a Wii->Wii U transfer tool.

There will be a transfer tool.
Believe me, I knoww...

Because I assumed at the time that Nintendo would later provide a method for transferring the games to new hardware. Lack of such a method at the 3DS launch, plus my own frustrations trying to migrate save games to a new Wii (drives me bonkers how hard Nintendo makes this. For some savegames, it's blocked altogether) have since reduced my faith that Nintendo will take care of its customers.

When I heard Nintendo was pushing download codes as an alternative to retail discs, I was initially enthusiastic, until I realized that disc-based Wii games are the ones which are guaranteed to work on a new Wii U, while digital games are still up in the air.

Glad to hear about the DSi to 3DS tool, though. Clumsy, but acceptable. Nintendo probably will release a similar tool for Wiis in the months after the Wii U launch.

This is total bullshit. All they have to do is tie it to an online account - if they don't want people to abuse the feature then simply tie the online account to one piece of unique hardware. Basicallyall your content can only be on one wii or 3ds etc, and not on two wiis or 2 3ds.

They don't want people playing their friends' games at their house for free. fine, tie the online account to one piece of hardware and I can deactivate my account when I buy a new piece of hardware for whatever reason (maybe I need a 2nd wii u because the first one accidentally breaks!).

I can't believe these people, who I respect, don't see how it is an industry standard in today's age to have your shit in the cloud, not on hardware.

It should be available right at launch.  The reason the DSi > 3DS transfer service took 6 weeks to launch is because the network backbone was still in the works and being tested.  The transfer service uses the Internet.

For the Wii U, the network system will be ready day 1 as it runs on the same backbone as the 3DS service.

EDIT:

Robzo, you've not read the whole thread, have you?

This is exactly how I feel.

The transfer tool solution is clumsy, if not perfectly retarded.