http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=180736

Coming from a Nintendo customer service rep...

A unified account system will be implemented later this year with the launch of the Wii U. Eventually this same account system will be made compatible with Nintendo 3DS systems. At this time we have no additional details to offer and nothing to indicate how or if this will work outside the United States and Canada. In the meantime, if the system has a problem, taking it to an Authorized Service Center will maintain the Nintendo eShop account. If the system is stolen, we can transfer the account to a new system once we are provided with a valid police report.

Of course, you asked this question because of the upcoming launch of New Super Mario Bros. 2 in retail and digital formats. What you need to know is that the digital format will only be available in the United States and Canada. We have nothing to announce regarding Latin American availability. NoC customer service member, David Marshall

Well, that's a huge bit of information that I haven't heard. Unless I missed this while roaming the floor of E3, I'd say this is great, new info! Thanks to Felipe Mac Knight for the heads up!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have to admit, I'm skeptical about how true this is, seeing as how it's coming from a customer service rep instead of official channels. But it'd be neat if it was true. Mostly, anyways: sorry for those south of the US for getting screwed yet again!

There is an account system rumored for the Wii U, but I doubt a customer service rep would leak it. If it 's true, he will get fired. Also, how will the Wii U accounts link into the 3DS system? That's something I still don't get.

They have realized it, 6 years too late. 

I'm assuming it's something similar to PS3 -> PSV stuff, but who knows? I'm more surprised that a customer service rep supposedly knows about that step...

FUUUUUUUUUU!!!

Firmware update, likely.

I hope so. I would love to put snes games and nes games on my 3ds.

That's not a rumor--it was confirmed by Nintendo quite a while ago.  One system will hold up to twelve accounts, and you can log into that account from another system and redownload anything you've purchased.

However, the official story regarding the 3DS right now is that (while MiiVerse will eventually be added), accounts will remain system-based as they always have been.  Really, it's always been a silly system, and it will be even more so once they already have the infrastructure in place to maintain people's accounts vis a vis Wii U.

Then again, MiiVerse likely needs an account in order to operate, so maybe this report is accurate and Nintendo realizes how stupid that sounds.

Please make this a real thing for South America!! I wan't to play console games at a decent price T_T

 :'(