As Nintendo continue to push onwards with successful hardware, the impending release of the Wii U has raised a lot of question; a common on focusing on the aspect of online. Whilst the Wii is technically on Internet connected console, it functions to the bare minimum, making any experience frustrating and difficult.

Thankfully, that will be a thing of the past when its successor is release, as Nintendo has announced the Nintendo Network. The new networking functionality will cover both the Wii U and the 3DS, rather than the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection that plagues Nintendo’s previous hardware.

“Unlike Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which has been focused upon specific functionalities and concepts, we are aiming to establish a platform where various services available through the network for our consumers shall be connected via Nintendo Network service so that the company can make comprehensive proposals to consumers,” Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata said. ”For example, competitions and communication among users, as well as the sales of digital content, will be covered within the Nintendo Network.”

Digital sales of retail games, add-on content and personal accounts are all part of the Nintendo Network, bringing the service, in theory, more aligned with the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live services.

The core reason for the inclusion of personal accounts seems  to be to help gamers share a Wii U. Something that will undoubtedly be popular, given Nintendo consoles focus as a family machine.

“With this, for example, the ease of using a video game system when the hardware is shared by multiple family members, which has been a challenge we needed to tackle, shall be improved, and we will also be able to construct and offer the system by combining a variety of different services and content,” Iwata said.

“Whether it’s our first-party titles or third parties’ titles, for a number of games, we will actively attempt to achieve compatibility so that our consumers can enjoy our online services that we will deploy under the name of the Nintendo Network.”

As for the digital distribution of boxed games, while it is heading to the Wii U, Iwata highlighted that there is no “concrete timing” on when it will launch.

Other than that, the service still sounds rather lightweight, especially when compared to what’s on offer from Sony and Microsoft. Hopefully, there’s more still to come.