Nintendo details premium membership for Wii U deluxe owners

Nintendo has announced a benefit program for those who will purchase the Wii U Deluxe Set, in which premium members will receive discounts for buying certain games digitally. Premium members will then be given points that can be redeemed through the eShop. In addition, the points received can be redeemed anytime after November 18, 2012 until to March 15, 2015.

For more information, Nintendo has provided the full breakdown below:

All Wii U Deluxe Set owners who purchase digital content for Wii U, including downloadable games in the Nintendo eShop for Wii U and download codes sold at select retail stores, will earn points with a value equivalent to approximately 10 percent of the Nintendo eShop list price of each purchase. For example, a game priced at $59.99, such as New Super Mario Bros. U, would earn 599 points. For every 500 points they earn, participants will receive a code worth $5 in credit to be used in the Nintendo eShop for either Wii U or Nintendo 3DS.

Points will be earned on all digital purchases made on a Wii U Deluxe Set from Nov. 18, 2012, until Dec. 31, 2014. When the Deluxe Digital Promotion website launches in December, participants can see the points they’ve earned and receive codes for Nintendo eShop credit by signing in with their Nintendo Network ID and password. Codes must be received at the website by March 31, 2015. Received codes must be exchanged for Nintendo eShop credit on Wii U or Nintendo 3DS by June 30, 2015. Nintendo eShop credit on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS does not expire.

Qualifying Nintendo eShop purchases in the Deluxe Digital Promotion include games and content published by Nintendo as well as games from third-party publishers. Digital content purchases from the Wii Shop Channel are not eligible for Deluxe Digital Promotion points. Purchases from the Nintendo eShop via Nintendo 3DS hand-held and Wii U Basic Set systems are also ineligible.

So, for those who have pre-ordered a Wii U Deluxe Set, does this incentive program give you high hopes for Nintendo’s yet-to-be-unveiled online infrastructure?

Harrison Milfeld is a writer, editor, and freelance journalist from Missouri. Ever since he could walk, Harrison has been an avid fan of the world of Nintendo. For years, he has purchased every one of the company's subsequent products (yes, including the Virtual Boy and eReader). It wasn't until he was a young teen when he bought a PS2 that he began to embrace cross-console relations, a decision he doesn't regret. When he's not gaming, Harrison is looking to break into the magazine journalism industry and realize his dream of becoming a features reporter.