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Amazon Begins Sales Of WiiWare Titles
by David Jenkins

8 comments

April 22, 2009

Online retailer Amazon.com has begun to offer WiiWare titles on the company’s website, following the launch of an Xbox Live store.

Unlike the Xbox Live store no official announcement has been made and currently the only available game is cult title World of Goo. This may suggest that the title is merely a test, with a dedicated store yet to come.

As with the Xbox Live Arcade offerings, users purchasing the game are provided with a game code which can be redeemed through the Wii’s online shop to download the game.

The game is priced at $14.99, with no reference made to the Wii/Nintendo Points which are required to purchase downloads through the Wii Shop channel. Like many other retailers, Amazon does already sell various denominations of Wii Points cards.

As with the Xbox Live store, Amazon.com is currently the only destination other than the Wii Shop channel that downloads can be purchased. It is unknown whether other retailers will also begin to offer downloadable titles in the future or whether the offer will be extended outside of the U.S.

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Comments

Mike Smith

22 Apr 2009 at 10:06 am PST

Why go to Amazon to purchase a game on a console? Why not just buy it off the console were you can actually play it after you buy it? I'm so confused. Can someone explain to me why this might make sense?

The only two things I can think of are maybe gift giving and extra marketing... but really... I'm not seeing a lot of potential in this.

Roberto Alfonso

22 Apr 2009 at 10:16 am PST

Because I cannot use my Visa (even thought it is International) at the Nintendo shop since I don't live in USA, but can use it in Amazon. This is a great service for all those who want to buy from Nintendo but are rejected due our location.

Sharleen Hii

22 Apr 2009 at 10:25 am PST

It's also another use for Amazon gift cards.

Tom Krausse

22 Apr 2009 at 10:33 am PST

Also avoids monetary waste from unused points. On Wii shop, I can only buy points in 10, 20, and 50 dollar amounts. If I decide I want just World of Goo, I have to buy an extra 5 dollars of points. While sure, some of us will just accumulate those points for later, not everyone will.

Now, if Ninty allowed us to by points based on product cost, I'd agree this is completely unnecessary.

Roberto Alfonso

22 Apr 2009 at 11:38 am PST

Bah, never mind. There are two checks when buying: an IP check to ensure you are from USA, and then a credit card check. I was first stopped at the IP check, so I used a proxy to bypass that. But they don't accept international cards anyways. So I kind of agree with Mike now, it is a waste of time for me (and anyone with my same problem).

Fábio Bernardon

22 Apr 2009 at 12:33 pm PST

@Roberto Alfonso: When I was in Brazil I was able to buy Wii Points using my Visa International. But it was more than an year ago, before Nintendo renamed it to Nintendo Points. I'm not sure what is the state of this matter as of today.

Roberto Alfonso

22 Apr 2009 at 7:15 pm PST

There is a Nintendo Brazil and your card is likely from Brazil. My problem is using an Argentine card to buy USA points. I can only buy the cards and wait for Amazon to ship them (which is why I had high hopes for this side product).

Ivan Marguin

22 Apr 2009 at 11:19 pm PST

@Mike Smith: as Roberto said, depending on your card (mine's european), your console region (my Wii is US) and where you live (I'm in Asia) it can get very complicated to buy anything and shipping prepaid cards that fit your console might be the only way to get a game. It's true with all consoles (360, PS3 & Wii).
I'm a big fan of region locked things, games in particular : (