Nintendo Network

The Nintendo Network is an online gameplay network for Nintendo consoles which acts similar to 's and 's, providing online play for compatible games on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. It was announced on January 26, 2012 and became available later that year.

The Nintendo Network is the second online network created by Nintendo, after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (which launched during the release of Mario Kart DS). Unlike its predecessor, which focused on specific functionalities within games and a largely de-centralized environment, Nintendo Network aimed to establish a central platform where consumer services, such as user accounts and Miiverse, were connected. While Nintendo Network offers similar features to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, including online gaming and digital purchases, additional features such as downloadable content for specific games,, and user account control are also present.

Nintendo dropped long-term plans for Nintendo Network after establishing their partnership with DeNA, which helped them develop the single sign-on Nintendo Account system, My Nintendo, and other online services that function beyond Nintendo's own hardware.

Pre-announcement
On January 20, 2012, an image of 's box art was shown showing a "Nintendo Network" icon in the corner of the box.

Names in other languages
Nintendo Network