The new Nintendo Account service - designed to identify gamers across all the company's various platforms - has begun rolling out in Japan. It replaces the old Nintendo Network ID scheme, and users can either transfer their accounts or sign up for brand new ones.
The service is going to allow gamers to log in on future smartphone apps released by Nintendo, as well as the Japanese outfit's upcoming Nintendo NX console, which we're expecting to go on sale sometime in 2017.
We don't know much about that console yet, and nor do we know when the Nintendo Account system will go live outside of Japan - it's definitely coming to other regions too, but Nintendo has no reason to rush.
Sign up, start spending
If you're a Japanese Nintendo user then you can head right over to the brand new sign up page that went live today. As you would expect, you'll be able to earn points and unlock special offers through your various gaming activities on your new Nintendo Account.
It's taken Nintendo a while to get its act together with this newly unified online identity portal, so let's hope all of its engineers are busy making some truly exceptional hardware and games for the future.
New accounts can be created using Facebook, Twitter and Google accounts, as well as existing NNIDs, and Nintendo is currently running a launch promotion that boosts any early spends made in the Nintendo eShop: with any luck similar goodies will be on offer when the service goes live elsewhere.
