14 DAY TRIAL // One of the biggest innovations coming alongside the DSi, the new handheld model released by Nintendo earlier in the year all over the world, is that it can actually receive content via its WiFi connection. Nintendo has exploited this by offering a DSiWare service, modeled after WiiWare, which allows users to create unique identities and get small games for low prices.
But even if the inclusion of DSiWare made the platform more competitive against the PlayStation Portable, it seems that there's one major flaw related to it: those getting a new DSi cannot, at the moment, transfer their purchases to the new machine.
The statements were made by Nintendo of Australia to fan site Nintendo Life and reveal that users are effectively locked into using their first purchased Nntendo DSi until it breaks. The reason is that Nintendo will actually transfer content for those who get a new handheld in order to replace a broken one. This means that the technical possibility to move content around is there but the Japanese company is just not interested in allowing users to have access to it when they buy a second DSi.
In contrast, the PlayStation Portable from Sony is more user friendly. Players can connect to the PlayStation Network if they are looking to get content that they bought on another console using the same identity and can even make the transfer between the devices using the PSP Media Manager on any PC.
At the moment, the Nintendo DSi is selling better than the PSP but it will be interesting to see whether this changes as initial purchases slow down and more people become aware of the limitations of owning a second DSi. There's also the chance that Nintendo will modify its policy and allow content to be transferred.