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3DS

Club Nintendo Reduces Coin Earning Window

by Aaron Kaluszka - March 28, 2011, 11:04 pm EDT
Total comments: 8 Source: http://club.nintendo.com/

Surveys now have much shorter response time limits.

Just in time for the 3DS launch, the US version of Club Nintendo introduced shorter expiration periods for product registration and post-play surveys. Their updated Frequently Asked Questions page, dated last Friday, but actually posted today, details a severe decrease in the allowed response time of newly earned surveys, but the change does not apply to existing surveys.

Q: Do surveys expire?

A: Yes. In general, Product Registration surveys expire after 7 days, and Post Play surveys expire 120 days after registration. Please review the date listed next to the survey in your To-Do list to ensure that you take the survey before it expires.

Members of Club Nintendo complete surveys to earn virtual coins that can be redeemed for Nintendo goods. In the past, such surveys had expiration dates set years in the future. By waiting to respond to these surveys, members could delay the earning of coins until future years in order to earn Gold or Platinum status without necessarily purchasing and registering enough games in that year to otherwise receive that status. Elite status holders receive a bonus from Nintendo each year, which encouraged such behavior. Under the new system, members could still wait to register their games, but Nintendo provides an early registration incentive of 10 bonus coins that would be forfeit.

The Nintendo 3DS system is the first product affected by the policy change. 3DS launch games appear to fall under the old survey regime, giving players until 2016 to complete the surveys.

Thanks to UncleBob for the news tip.

Talkback

EnnerMarch 29, 2011

Not much of a difference for me since I usually take the product registration survey right after I register the Club Nintendo code. Whether I finish the campaign or just feel like logging in, I usually take the post play survey within a month after the product registration survey. I need to get my coins or else it feels like I'm wasting an opportunity to maximize the value of my Club-Nintendo-qualifying video game purchase

TanshinMarch 29, 2011

Eek, I do not like the sound of this. I tend to rely on those surveys for when I need the extra coin boost. For example, this Club Nintendo year. I haven't even made it up to Gold status yet and I usually reach Platinum.

It's amazing what the economy does...

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorMarch 29, 2011

Yeah, I definitely have about 30 surveys in my account right now. I leave them until the end of the Club Nintendo year and then use exactly as many as I need to to get platinum.


At least those ones won't expire any time soon. =P

yoshi1001March 29, 2011

Also, consider the fact that the data from those surveys is less relevant the longer it is after the game comes out.

MorariMarch 29, 2011

Maybe people would be more keen on taking the surveys if the end goals were better. The Club Nintendo prizes are laughable, at best. It's not even worth striving for Platinum level when the best they can offer is a calendar or something.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorMarch 29, 2011

errr... Platinum level doesn't get a calendar...  The statue we got last year was pretty darn awesome.

EnnerMarch 29, 2011

Laughable?! I can get a tote bag or a messsager bag. Or a pouch or wrist straps. Those are cool and extra stuff on top of the video game purchases. Also, the surveys are so quick to go through since they always ask the same questions and you can just crap out text in the write-in sections.

TanshinMarch 29, 2011

Yeah, they even have that figurine on display at Nintendo World Store.

And that DS pouch is perfect. It holds my stylus (I don't have my DS styli anymore and I far prefer the one I have now from my old Palm Pilot. Much more ergonomic), my DS, my earbuds (which was handy for when I wanted to listen to Okamiden music while people were watching Enchanted on the bus), and some games. AND it zips shut too. What more can you want?

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