Nintendo Account is a

single sign-on Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication scheme that allows a user to log in with a single ID to any of several related, yet independent, software systems. True single sign-on allows the user to log in once and access services without re-enterin ...

user account system used for Nintendo services on various platforms. Introduced in February 2016, it is used as the account system for Nintendo-published

mobile app A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...

s, as well as the Nintendo Switch console and other services such as

My Nintendo is a loyalty program provided by Nintendo and the successor to Club Nintendo. The system rewards allows players to earn points from using software or purchasing games, which can then be spent on rewards such as digital games or discounts. The ...

History

Prior to his death in July 2015, Nintendo president

Satoru Iwata was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer, video game designer, and producer. He was the fourth president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Nintendo from 2002 until his death in 2015. He was a major contributor in broadening the app ...

secured a business alliance with Japanese mobile provider

DeNA Dena (in Luri and fa, ) is the name for a sub-range within the Zagros Mountains, Iran. Mount Dena, with length and average width, is situated on the boundary of the Isfahan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Prov ...

to develop mobile titles based on Nintendo's first-party franchises. During a presentation related to this business alliance on March 17, 2015, Iwata announced that a new membership program would be jointly developed by Nintendo and DeNA that encompasses the existing Nintendo 3DS and

Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. Th ...

systems,

smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...

s and tablets, as well as a new gaming platform later revealed as the Nintendo Switch. According to Iwata, the new membership service would "create a connection between Nintendo and each individual consumer regardless of the device the consumer uses." In anticipation of the launch of Nintendo's first app, ''

Miitomo ''Miitomo'' (ミートモ in Japanese) is a discontinued freemium social networking mobile app developed by Nintendo for iOS and Android devices. The app, Nintendo's first, allowed users to converse with friends by answering various questions ...

'', as well as the launch of its new

loyalty program A loyalty program is a marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop at or use the services of a business associated with the program. Today, such programs cover most types of commerce, each having varying features and ...

, Nintendo Account registration opened on February 17, 2016. Nintendo Account was extended to video game hardware with the March 2017 release of Nintendo Switch, where user profiles can be linked to an account for services such as online multiplayer and Nintendo eShop. In preparation for its release, the Nintendo Account ID system was introduced for display names. As of September 2018, Nintendo Accounts can no longer be unlinked from profiles on a Switch console. Nintendo eShop balances can also be merged between Nintendo Network and Nintendo Account profiles. In April 2020, Nintendo confirmed that up to 160,000 Nintendo Accounts were affected due to a leak of Nintendo Network ID (NNID) user and password information gained via

credential stuffing Credential stuffing is a type of cyberattack in which the attacker collects stolen account credentials, typically consisting of lists of usernames and/or email addresses and the corresponding passwords (often from a data breach), and then uses t ...

from other breaches, which led to malicious users to use these accounts to purchase digital content on the owner's credit card or stored payment. By April 24, 2020, Nintendo disabled the NNID means to log into the Nintendo Account, emails affected users to change their password, and recommended all users enable two-factor authentication for their Nintendo Account.

Availability

Pre-registration for a Nintendo Account began on February 17, 2016, in 16 markets. A Nintendo Account is required to sign up on My Nintendo. On March 31, 2016, the Nintendo Account, and consequently My Nintendo, was released in 39 markets, and has since been released in more. As of March 2019, Nintendo Account recognizes up to 167 territories. Similarly to predecessor Club Nintendo, as well as the Nintendo eShop, the Nintendo Network ID and My Nintendo, the Nintendo Account is not IP-restricted, and users from unlisted territories (as well as from listed territories with lesser services) can sign up for a Nintendo Account and use the service, in a country address different from their own without any known repercussions. However, persistent limits of the selected regional Nintendo eShop of choice applies. Regardless, the Nintendo Account is supported in more territories than Club Nintendo was, albeit many of the territories added later may be limited to only Nintendo mobile app support.

References

External links

* {{Nintendo Switch Federated identity Nintendo 2016 introductions