First Club Nintendo North America details unexpectedly awesome [update]

by Chris Greenhough { Nov 15th 2008 at 12:00PM }

Last month, Nintendo revealed that Club Nintendo, Japan and Europe's ace consumer rewards program, would launch in North America. Weeks of silence followed, but now Cammie Dunaway has started talking up the service. Here are five crucial facts she divulged to MTV Multiplayer:

Club Nintendo in North America is still on schedule to launch before the end of 2008.
It will be more like the Japanese program than the European, in that there will be more physical products than digital.
As is the case in Europe, you gain points (known as gold coins in North America) by purchasing a product and entering a code on the Club Nintendo site, and can reap further points by completing surveys on the product you bought. In Europe, it's worth mentioning that these are hardly time-consuming: just five or six questions with tickboxes.
Unlike in Europe, you can gain points for indicating an interest in purchasing before buying. Noice!
Some items from the Japanese service will make it to North America (Yay! And also: please include this).

If you'll excuse us, we're now going to randomly hit our keyboard in a fit of wild, unabated excitement. YAKJFDAIWOQBHKJGFEDRYUVBEIUQ

[Update: A clarification: the service will be coming to North America as a whole! Apologies for the geographical confusion!]

Want to see Club Nintendo's greatest gifts to Japan and Europe? OF COURSE YOU DO. So go here.

Tags: cammie-dunaway, club-nintendo, freebie, freebies

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Bowser the Baptist @ Nov 15th 2008 12:12PM

What surveys on the EU Club Nintendo? It's not like I frequent the site, but if I could boost my stars balance, then trade them in for Wii Points, I'd be up for it.

I'm still waiting for that Game and Watch Collection. The Japanese Club Nintendo had it ages ago.

maattp @ Nov 15th 2008 12:21PM

Does anyone know if club nintendo us also is for Canada? Wii fanboy always leaves us Canadians out in the cold.

JC Fletcher @ Nov 15th 2008 1:42PM

But you guys LIKE cold, right?

TheOverlord#2 @ Nov 15th 2008 2:30PM

Sorry that you guys don't get it. It's Nintendo of America's(NoA) Club Nintendo, not a North America thing.

Tyrone Rugen @ Nov 15th 2008 2:32PM

Yes, I resent how "States" and "America" is typically shorthand for "North America"—there's more than one country in this continent, video game bloggers! Or have you all been playing too much Fallout lately?

But yes, Club Nintendo is coming to NORTH America: that's America *and* America Jr. From the press release (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/10/02/nintendo-sf-event-wii-music-not-a-game-lots-of-new-games-announced-for-us/):

"Club Nintendo is set to debut in North America this holiday season."

Tyrone Rugen @ Nov 15th 2008 2:34PM

Oh wait, Chris Greenhough's post says NA too. I guess just I've been playing too much Fallout. Apologies!

Tyrone Rugen @ Nov 15th 2008 2:39PM

Er, though the post title needs to be corrected. Damn! I wish I could edit my comments.

Sonic_13 @ Nov 15th 2008 2:51PM

"I resent how "States" and "America" is typically shorthand for "North America"—there's more than one country in this continent"

"States" and "America" typically shorthand for the US, not North America. Also, while there may be more than one country in North America, only one has America in its name and only one is comprised of states.

Maattp @ Nov 15th 2008 3:34PM

I looked into it and it IS coming to Canada.

Eric @ Nov 16th 2008 4:44PM

Actually, Mexico has states... the full name of the country is "United Mexican States," or "Estados Unidos Mexicanos."

reptar. @ Nov 15th 2008 12:32PM

noice? spell check!

Chris Greenhough @ Nov 15th 2008 12:37PM

Deliberate:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=noice&defid=7745

Emily @ Nov 15th 2008 12:44PM

How does Club Nintendo work? I realize that you register first-party products for rewards and do some of the other things mentioned above, but how to you become a "Platinum Member". Or even gold and silver for that matter?
Is it random, or does it have to do with how long you've been a member, or how many points you have?

Eric @ Nov 15th 2008 1:04PM

What about all the games I've already registered?

Will I get points from those?

iofthestorm @ Nov 15th 2008 2:33PM

Exactly, I was wondering this too. Hopefully either the site is the same and they automatically transfer the points to your account or it's not and you can manually reenter your old stuff. I'm not entirely sure whether I still have those little slips of paper, which is annoying, but hopefully it's the first one. And personally, I wouldn't mind digital rewards if we could cash them for Wii points, although (damnit Nintendo) my Wii is nearly full with only 6 downloaded games (and every free channel available except I think everybody votes, and Mario Kart).

Drahken @ Nov 15th 2008 3:05PM

Yeah, anyone heard the word on this? They better grandfather my registered products in. I have 30 games and 4 systems registered on my MyNintendo account. It's too bad they don't offer registration codes in all games, or I'd have a shitload more on my account as well. But yeah. If I don't get points for these puppies, I'ma be pissed.

Erik Stroud @ Nov 15th 2008 3:38PM

That is a good point. Wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo doesn't do this and forces us to buy more games.

hvnlysoldr @ Nov 15th 2008 4:06PM

There's no telling which games will get points nor if they will have less points value then any future game will hold. There will be some support but it's not known how much or which titles.

MowDownJoe @ Nov 15th 2008 4:09PM

Didn't they say a while ago that you'd only get partial Coin, at most, for games you already registered?

Atlantis1982 @ Nov 15th 2008 4:13PM

I think, if they want to go the nice, but were still douche bag route; think the only retroactive stuff we'll get points is from VC and WiiWare products. I hope I am wrong and they just be nice instead of being douche bags. :>

Drahken @ Nov 15th 2008 5:09PM

Well I suppose partial points is better than no points. But logically, you'd think they'd be worth MORE points. Like,
" 'Hey Nintendo. I registered all of my first party games for the last eight years for your data gathering purposes even though there was no incentive for me to do so.'
'Oh really? Well thanks! Here's some bonus points for you!' "

Wouldn't that make sense?

bug frawg @ Nov 15th 2008 6:18PM

@drahken: Basically being an incentive program, it makes more sense to give more points for current and future loyalty than for past loyalty.

Drahken @ Nov 16th 2008 12:59AM

I have to disagree, bug frawg. Unwarrented past loyalty seems more commendable than future loyalty based on rewards. If someone was loyal only because they thought they were going to be getting something out of it, it's not really loyalty so much as self-interest, is it? At least, that's how I see it.

Timerider @ Nov 16th 2008 1:10AM

I hope so. I want my dozens of registered games to count for something.

RICANJO @ Nov 15th 2008 1:13PM

I thought there was a system where you gained points for registering interest in Europe? Or am I missing something here?

Mr Khan @ Nov 15th 2008 1:13PM

Joy. Great Joy.

Especially considering i've never registered a damn thing. Everything i have that still has the packet with the PIN attached to it is going to get registered at once, and i'm going to rake in.

An excellent consolation for the little abuses they've been feeding the North American market, certainly

Josh @ Nov 15th 2008 1:19PM

ZS KRDH AEWQ BMIY3US9999

Nick @ Nov 15th 2008 10:22PM

GREAT! Now all we need it down here in Australia and i'll be bloddy happy

ZombiePikmin @ Nov 15th 2008 10:42PM

You're gonna get it within the next. . . I'd say 10 years

Cirelinkman @ Nov 15th 2008 3:13PM

JHSFKJSALFKSHFIIJCVHNDSIE

Espiox @ Nov 15th 2008 3:27PM

"Unlike in Europe, you can gain points for indicating an interest in purchasing before buying. Noice!"

Actually, we've got that here. It's called Stars Bonus or something.

Papytendo @ Nov 15th 2008 4:04PM

Why aren't one of the tags "F!#@ Awesome"?

Mr. Mee @ Nov 15th 2008 4:52PM

I have 40+ games registered under my nintendo and if they don't transfer it I'm going to probably cry as I have thrown all of my registration serials away....

esposch @ Nov 15th 2008 5:01PM

Cool.
Any news on Club Nintendo Australia?
They claimed they just had to put the finishing touches on the site on ANZAC day!!! God, Nintendo is getting more like Valve every day...

CJLopez @ Nov 15th 2008 8:39PM

So, i get point if i issue 'll be buying a game, i register my game, and give feedback on the game?

AWESOME!!!!! Good thing I hadn't registered any of my nintendo products, and can issue an interest on buying the ones i have downloaded. (wich 'll be buying, but need to see my xmas bonus, :P)

Shadow31 @ Nov 15th 2008 8:54PM

1. I assumed it was still coming out by the end of the year, but nice to be reassured.
2. Physical products are nice, but that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't crap, so no real reassurance for me there.
3. I figured we get points the same way the other regions do.
4. I don't really understand what they mean by showing an interest. How do they know if we're interested and not just faking it? And how do they check our interest anyways?
5. Well, Japan has some crappy things, so once again, still doesn't necessarily mean we'll get nice things. So once again, no reassurance.

And they still haven't answered my two biggest questions:

1. Will I get credit for my already registered products? I have over 70 things on that list, including every system but the GBA Micro. Partial credit is okay I guess, but I'll still hate them if I don't get full credit because I registered them already.
2. Some examples of items we'll get at launch please?

Really, I feel like this was more of just assurance that it's coming intact, rather than new info or clarification.

AshStampede @ Nov 15th 2008 9:37PM

"Unlike in Europe, you can gain points for indicating an interest in purchasing before buying. Noice!"

that is incorrect, certain titles on the nintendo site have a bonus star offer. If you check you are interested in a game under the scheme.(recently only four titles so far, brawl, prof Layton,trauma center new blood and disaster )
You have a 2 week window to register the star code for that game. You will then receive an additional 50 stars, these stars are what can be turn in to nintendo points for the vc or the rubbish prizes in their star catalogue.