FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

I decided to make this post because when people purchase Pretendo accounts from me, I am generally asked the following questions more than once.

Also join the Discord server for support if needed: https://discord.gg/uREw9A97FQ (permanent invite)

1. Q: Can I change the name on the account after purchasing?

A: Yes. You can change the mii display name on the account but not the Pretendo Network ID. It's easy to do this, go to cemu General settings > account settings tab > click account information, then scroll down to mii name > type whatever you want in the text box. A mii name can be 3-10 characters, don't use any uppercase characters or special symbols, and the username should update in-game after 24 hours. I have no idea why it takes a day for that to update, but regardless, it should work.

Update: This method of changing your Mii display name no longer works for all games, and I have recently discovered a new method of changing the in-game Mii display name more effectively. Please join my Discord server (linked above) and look at the announcements channel, I uploaded a video there explaining exactly what to do since describing it in text would be difficult, especially since this new method of changing your Mii name in Cemu is a bit complicated. As always, message me directly if you have further questions regarding this.

2. Q: How do you make all of these accounts? Are they all yours or what?

A: The short answer is yes, all of these accounts are created by me. It would be a violation of Patreon TOS if I were to sell accounts that belong to other people. I have multiple Wii Us, and I spend about 20-30 minutes per day putting new files on the store when purchases are made. I am able to create as many accounts as I desire, and any accounts on this store that have monthly Pretendo beta subscriptions are paid for by me.

3. Q: Is this illegal? I don't want to get banned from Pretendo! Can I cheat using these accounts?

A: No. The services I provide here are not illegal since these accounts are created by me. Pretendo is not fond of it, but as long as you don't go around telling the mods & developers in Discord that you bought an account from me, you will not get banned unless you blatantly cheat online. Additionally, if one of my buyers gets banned for cheating/exploiting, only their account will get banned, and then they will have to purchase a new one. This is not like the Nintendo network where the entire console is banned if only one user is banned. I've already dealt with this exact situation multiple times, and I am yet to experience a console ban, but, if one of my Wii U consoles is banned by Pretendo, all affected customers will receive a new account. Otherwise, if you cheat via Cemu using one of the accounts I sell, there isn't anything I can do about it. The only stipulation is that if you are caught hacking in Splatoon, MK8, or any other Pretendo online games, then your ban is justified, and I will not give you a new account for free.

4. Q: How long do these accounts last?

A: The Pretendo accounts I sell will last as long as the Pretendo network exists. As long as you behave in online servers and use common sense, your account will be fine. If, for whatever reason, your account stops working randomly due to certificate corruption or any other related issues, I will be able to redump the account for you. Feel free to contact me directly via Patreon messages or Discord if you have any issues.

5. Q: Upon purchasing, do I receive an email & password for the Pretendo account? What files do I receive?

A: When you buy any of the accounts listed on my store, you will receive 2 files that are downloadable from the store page at any time. These 2 files include a .zip and a .txt. The .zip file contains all of the account data (an mlc01 folder, an otp.bin file, and a seeprom.bin file). The text file is just setup instructions and other useful information. If you want the website login for the account you bought (not necessary since the account is pre-made), you will have to request it from me directly. Additionally, the account #'s listed on the store from 1-10 are all the same. This number is just the product listing number. Hence, there is no difference between accounts #1 and #10, or #2 and #6. The only difference is the username (which is randomized and can be changed at any time upon purchasing). All accounts function the same except for the Pretendo beta accounts, which will be discussed in another question. Also, feel free to contact me if you believe you purchased an account that is also being used by someone else. This happens very rarely, and I can provide you with a new account whenever this occurs.

6. Q: I have done everything properly to set up my account with Cemu. Why are both Splatoon and MK8 loading infinitely when trying to connect online?

A: This is a multifaceted issue. This error indicates there is something blocking/buffering Cemu's connectivity to the Pretendo friends server when trying to play online. There are a few solutions to this.

Solution 1: Make sure your game ROM is updated. (v272 or v288 for Splatoon, v64 or v88 for MK8) Having an out of date game typically causes this problem.

Solution 2: Download the friend list app (linked at the bottom of my instructions .txt file) and open it. If there are friends added already, know that they are just other accounts that I've sold. If you have more than 3-4 friends, try unfriending some people because having too many friends can sometimes buffer Cemu's connectivity to the online game servers. After you've cleaned your friend list, try booting up the game again.

Solution 3: If you are on linux/SteamOS, you might have to try a different Cemu version. As far as I am aware, the latest Cemu experimental version (2.2) does not have issues connecting online on linux. If that version does not work for you, try Cemu v2.0-88 or earlier.

Solution 4: Your account might need to be redumped if none of the above worked for you. Contact me directly via Patreon or Discord if you feel this is the case, and I can help you further.

7. Q: I keep getting disconnected randomly when playing online. Why is this happening, and what can I do to fix it?

A: If you are playing Mario Kart 8 online and you keep getting disconnected, it could either be because the game host quit or your connection was dropped. With Splatoon, this is shown in the form of a 118-xxxx error code or a popup stating "A communication error has occurred". Generally, these are server-sided issues, but solutions do exist to make them occur much less. What worked for me was making my NAT type "open" instead of "moderate" when playing online games. This can be done in multiple ways. If you have access to your router settings panel, you can DMZ your device to open up connection ports, which may have been closed previously. This guarantees an open NAT type and a smoother connection overall. To further ensure better connectivity, make sure that your game ROM's region listed in Cemu (US, EU, or JPN) matches your actual location. Often, however, these issues stem from Pretendo server problems rather than anything on your end. If errors persist to the point that the game becomes unplayable, consider reaching out to me directly for additional help or check Pretendo's Discord server to confirm if their servers are experiencing issues or not.

8. Q: What is a Pretendo beta account, and what are the benefits of buying that instead?

A: Pretendo beta accounts are just like normal Pretendo accounts, but they have an active subscription to the Pretendo "Super Mario" upgrade tier. This gives these accounts access to the Pretendo beta servers, which essentially just lets you play more games. With a Pretendo beta account, you can access the experimental online servers for Super Smash Bros, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, and Minecraft: Wii U Edition. At some point, these servers will be opened to the public, but for now, they are locked behind beta access. Since beta subscriptions are a monthly cost for me, I do not sell that many of these accounts, and the price for them may vary at any time.

9. Q: How come the friends I add get removed on my friend list sometimes? How come I see random people on my friend list, and then they disappear?

A: There are a few reasons why this could be the case. Unfortunately, Pretendo's friends server is not always running smoothly. This can result in your friend list randomly being cleared or rolled back to what it was at a previous date. This could happen every day or every few weeks. It is a Pretendo issue and heavily varies in occurrence. The only solution to this (until Pretendo fixes the error) is simply re-adding the friends who were removed previously. But, if you see new people every single day, then there might be a rare chance that someone else is using your account. Again, if you believe this is the case, contact me as soon as possible, and I will provide you with a different account.

10. Q: Why isn't this free?

A: Providing a service like this for free is not feasible. It requires a significant amount of my time to maintain, and each Pretendo account takes up a slot on one of my Wii Us. Offering it for free would create financial and mental strain, making it unsustainable in the long run. Making this free would also open more opportunities for cheaters to wreak havoc, and the price tag prevents this by ensuring that when you purchase your account, you will take good care of it, and use common sense.

11. Q: Who are you? Is one guy doing this whole thing?

A: I go by multiple aliases, but TacosTM is my primary username online. I've been in many Wii & Wii U modding communities through the years. I started selling Nintendo Wii U account dumps to a very select group of people back in August of 2022 (that's when the Reddit post you may have found me through was posted). In November of 2023, I started selling Pretendo account dumps. But, I didn't get much public attention until April of 2024 since that's when the Nintendo Wii U official servers were shut down. The demand to play Wii U games online through Pretendo is evergrowing, and since so many people do not have a Wii U anymore, and/or want to use their PC instead to play these games, I created this service to make it a lot easier and cheaper for people to play Wii U games online in 2024 via Cemu without a Wii U. I will keep this going until the Pretendo network either dies or makes it impossible for me to continue this service.
Much love to everyone who has supported me!
-TacosTM

MY FAQ FOR 3DS PRETENDO DUMPS IS STILL IN THE WORKS. IT WILL BE POSTED HERE SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.