In the wee hours (for those of us in North America, anyway), the Nintendo Direct broadcast revealed plenty of information on the forthcoming Wii U user accounts and the intriguing Nintendo Network ID. Satoru Iwata let us know that users will be able to have 12 accounts per system, each account saving its own data and things like internet bookmarks and personal settings. Sounds like it really will be fun for the whole family, with everyone able to make their own account!
When the system comes home with you and boots up for the first time, you’ll be prompted to set up an account first, and a Nintendo Network ID. The ID will be the thing that allows user interactions in the Miiverse, Wii U Chat, and eShop purchases—but any purchases made on one particular ID will be accessible by all accounts on your Wii U (avoiding multiple purchases of the same game).
With the Nintendo Network ID, the intention is for all Nintendo platforms to use this feature, and it will also be on its way to computers and smartphones, for related services, suggesting that sooner or later, you may be able to access the eShop and buy a game for your Wii U or 3DS while using your phone.