Getting started with Pretendo for Cemu

[@GameXData]

After this video went live, Pretendo updated their site to also include adding Pretendo accounts to Wii U consoles without installing custom firmware. (Check the Wii U Setup guide linked in the description.) The new method may be more convenient for anyone not looking to modify their hardware. However, since the Wii U's past the end of its life, most people will likely benefit from installing custom firmware for reasons outside Pretendo.

[@veghesther3204]

BUT UNTIL they do this so I don't have to HACK the 3DS I won't attempt it.

[@Maxim67459]

i dont even have a wii u

[@Vallelel]

I played a few Splatoon matches yesterday for the first time since 2015. I totally forgot how fun the game is, so thank god people are preserving the online mode. And I LOOOVE that they also brought Miiverse back to life! It was such a unique and fun experience back in the day, I wish nintendo had kept it with the switch

[@SMDylanYT2]

This does work on Cemu very well which makes me happy. I do wonder what will happen with the Splatoon 1 rotations since the last official one is in less than a week.

[@GameXData]

I'm curious too. Based on the Pretendo team also working on custom Splat Fest implementation, I'm hoping it's a solved problem, but it'd suck to only have access to most maps in private matches.

[@igzibi1]

excellent video! Just small update for aroma users : you cannot safely dump to SD card from Aroma, so just use some USB stick (fat32) and dump files there. Much easier then rebooting outside of aroma and going to app via browser.

[@kylespevak6781]

Is there no way to use Pretendo with Cemu unless I have a Wii U to get the necessary files? I'd love to play online, but I have had a Wii U since the launch years

[@IrenicCherri]

I don't have my Wii U anymore so this makes me sad knowing I need my files

[@KarmaticFluff]

You can look up fake online files and they work all the same

[@fatojanota1]

@@KarmaticFluff can you please send a link for these files?

[@InFrontEntry]

@@KarmaticFluff or at least point us in the right direction. I wanna play splatoon

[@Cartrigger]

Very informative, even though I have all of this set up already

[@TheG_Boy]

I always wanted to experience Splatoon 1 online God bless edit: nvm you need a whole WII U to use Pretendo RIP good tutorial still

[@GameXData]

It might sound like a hassle, but it's actually a great time to pick up a Wii U. Splatoon 1, in particular, feels much livelier to play on original hardware since Pretendo revived Miiverse functionality.

[@axmasher_onyt]

Whenever I select the Pretendo Network selection when I boot Splatoon 1 its just stuck on the loading screen. I am using version 288 which is the latest. Does anyone know what to do for fixing it?

[@GameXData]

It could just be that the server is a bit crowded at the moment. Over the past few days, a ton of folks have switched over to Pretendo. I'm using the same version of Splatoon and have had to retry a few times to get a spot in a queue. Edit: It's also worth noting that if you get an error that reads 118-0521, that's definitely a server capacity issue. For other error codes, you can take them to Pretendo's Discord for specific details.

[@kirbydreamlandtherealgodof5071]

Just wondering before I do anything, do I need an actual Wii U to use pretendo online on cemu for a computer because I don’t have a Wii U anymore sadly

[@Austinfdp]

yeah u need the pretendo account from wii u sadly.. we have to find someone with a hacked wii u to do it

[@Austinfdp]

@Absolute_Hunter202 that what u need someone with it to use your account to get into the online with cemu.

[@Austinfdp]

@Absolute_Hunter202 or just use a random one if u don’t trust them

[@duhmez]

I already usewd the DNS method for my WiiU to log into pretendo and get my pretend account registered and logged in. Is this perfect, or was the profile onthe real WiiU not supposed to have been syncd with pretendo network yet?>? Can I just dump it now and move over to cemu as I have explained? I iwll add, that even thugh I used the DNS method to sync my pretendo account and go online there on my real WiiU, i do have Hakchi so I have no problem running dumpling, I have done so already to dump games

[@duhmez]

I figured out how to dump my old mario maker levels I made from WiiU and then install them into my pretendo network profile account! Ima upload my old levels to pretendo mario maker! hell mya

[@joserospalomares3832]

WTF? I need a Wii U for use the combo CEMU-Pretendo on PC? I don't have this console...

[@GameXData]

On the bright side, it's a great time to get into the system. Having official hardware will also allow you to play a ton of games with a ton of features that'll be missing from or more awkward with Cemu for the near future.

[@jonarbucklehastakenovermylife]

Is it possible to connect to Pretendo if you haven't owned a Wii U/thus have no Wii U account and such? Cause the whole reason I got Cemu was to play Splatoon 1 since my family didn't exactly have 300 dollars to drop on a Wii U for just one game lol. Regardless, even though it doesn't apply to me, this is a very well made video!

[@GameXData]

Glad you liked the video! Unfortunately, to connect to online servers via Cemu right now you need access to a Wii U to dump specific account info and certificates. If a Wii U's out of your budget, you'll need to wait until someone figures out a workaround (if that ever happens) or find a friend willing to let you add your Pretendo account to their system to dump the files.

[@jonarbucklehastakenovermylife]

@@GameXData Alrighty, thank you anyways! (And especially thank you for such a quick reply!) Have a good day/night :D

[@xLinne]

@@GameXData i have the same problem as shadowy bliss, would it work if someone else made a fresh account on another console and then sent me that account info?

[@GameXData]

That's something you could do. Although, I'd recommend only doing so with someone you know personally. Even for something as low risk as this, it's important to be cautious about allowing strangers to log into your accounts.

[@xLinne]

@@GameXData tysm for the info and for caring about your viewers safety on the internet!

[@XYZZ.Z]

I get stuck after the launch buttun where the Wii U sign is on the bottom right

[@headstamp1411]

It keeps saying, "The following error(s) have been found: otp.bin missing in Cemu directory seeprom.bin missing from Cemu directory what do I do? the files are there.

[@GameXData]

If you're getting that error, the files likely don't exist in the location Cemu's looking for them. Definitely triple check to verify that the files are located in the place you need them to be in. If they are and Cemu's not seeing them, it's possible Cemu's either looking in the wrong place for the MLC folder or you're encountering some weird bug. Either way, pointing Cemu to the right path in General Settings or otherwise creating a new MLC folder should help clear the issue.

[@Dastardly_Duo]

11:26 I'm stuck on this step. It says I have the otp and seeprom, but I'm missing certificates. I followed the guides so I have no idea what's happening

[@GameXData]

When I've had similar problems in the past, it ended up being a small issue with file placement. (Despite me having checked 20 times before.) Generally, a good next step is to start from the beginning placing your files in the right location. If that doesn't clear things, you might even consider redumping your online files to make sure nothing got lost.

[@Dastardly_Duo]

@@GameXData thank you. I tried doing that, but now it's saying I'm not using the right account. Tried switching to the PNID, but it doesn't even appear. I wish I could just pay somebody to do this 😩

[@GameXData]

If you have multiple accounts on your Wii U, maybe it's possible you dumped the online files for the wrong account? That's definitely tripped me up in the past.

[@Dastardly_Duo]

@@GameXData I noticed I did the wrong one at first, then uploaded the correct one. Should I have deleted the original first?

[@GameXData]

It wouldn't hurt. Sometimes, files get unintentionally mixed and it's best to start fresh.

[@Cat-egoryExtensions]

I've been trying to play Splatoon and so far I got the active check from pretendo but whenever I actually boot the game I just get sent to the ink load screen for eternity. Is there anything I should try deleting? I got the online files from my friend who gave me the dump. Splatoon was from USB Helper. I don't really know much about homebrew and things like this just really about drag file into emulator and play.

[@GameXData]

I can't really comment on any issues you might be experiencing due to the online files or USB Helper game. However, the Splatoon lobbies have been a lot more busy since the official servers went offline. Assuming that your files are good, you might just need to back out and re-enter the queue until you get in. It's sometimes taken me two or three attempts to make it through.

[@fighterballboy4509]

Can you still set up pretendo if your wii u has homebrew installed?

[@GameXData]

Custom firmware’s actually the preferred way to set up Pretendo on a Wii U

[@fighterballboy4509]

​@@GameXDataRegarding the cemu part, I can't find the mlc01 folder and the sys and usr folders for my Wii U's SD card

[@DarkRunner_]

Thank you soo much everything connects, but i cannot start splatoon on the pretendo servers, any suggestions?

[@GameXData]

On Cemu, the main thing to double check is that you have Pretendo as your connection and Pretendo ID selected in the account settings. Afterwards, you should have the message saying you have a valid account ready to connect. It might be worth double-checking that and then trying again to connect to a Splatoon Regular Battle queue. If it still doesn't work after you've verified everything again, it might be a random glitch and be worthwhile to set it down for a few hours and try again later. (I've had that happen a couple times.) Otherwise, make sure the connection to Pretendo on your Wii U is working as intended. If it's also not working there, that might be an account issue that's worthwhile to bring up on the Pretendo Discord.

[@DarkRunner_]

@@GameXData thank you so much ill give this a go

[@user-uo8ny1kj4c]

So, theoretically, once I have a wii u homebrewed and pretendo installed along with a non pirated version of splatoon, I could set up cemu on my steam deck and use pretendo on it?

[@GameXData]

Yes

[@user-uo8ny1kj4c]

@@GameXData talk about portable. this is gonna be useful af

[@kaichu9446]

If i may ask, what should i do? because my wii U gave up its life a good bit ago.

[@GameXData]

It's never a bad time to buy another.

[@loltresx3.059]

i have a problem, when i go to general settings it show my pretendo account, but in network sevice it doesnt let me change it to pretendo, what do i do?

[@GameXData]

Oh, interesting. I haven't seen that one before. As some initial troubleshooting, have you made sure you're on the latest 2.0+ release of Cemu? (Sometimes, random bugs can patched with updates.) If it's still acting up after updating, reinstalling (or downloading the portable version of Cemu) might be a good next step in case you're running into a random installation issue.

[@Mrbunbun92]

Could deleting an account from the wii u it was made in affect it's data to play online on cemu? I'm planning to make an account on a friends wii u and i'm not sure if it's necesary for the account to remain created in said wii u, in order for it to work online or if it's possible to remove it after being connected online on cemu. Also, could there be a chance that someone on pretendo could create a workaround for online connectivity on cemu without the need of a Wii u, since these consoles aren't bound to last infinitely, or is the plan to leave the entire online play be limited as if the accounts where IPv4s?

[@GameXData]

Once you've exported the files, removing an account from a Wii U shouldn't impact your access using Cemu. Any sort of online service not involving a Wii U would likely need to be developed on Cemu's end. Pretendo is primarily a service to continue online functionality on original hardware. It's possible they'll create something different in the future, but removing Wii Us from the equation seems antithetical to their project goals.

[@Mrbunbun92]

@@GameXData thanks a ton for the answer, got the idea much better now, truly thanks :D

[@hotshot-07]

I want to play splatoon on my steam deck but don’t have a Wii U. I do have a launch day 3DS that I have not hacked. I’m wondering if the Nintendo network ID will work for splatoon. If not is there any way to play without buying a Wii U and Splatoon?

[@GameXData]

In general, if you want to play a Wii U game, you should buy a Wii U and a copy of the game. Currently, original hardware is necessary to play online with Cemu.

[@bravecak3815]

trying to do this on steam deck and my wii u pretendo account can never get activated to go online

[@GameXData]

You may need to try going into your settings and manually set a new MLC folder. For my Steam Deck, EmuDeck messed with the folder structures enough that I couldn't find where to place my online files. Setting a new MLC folder is what finally worked for me.

[@rezpectionxd7653]

Hey is this the same for cemu on emudeck for steamdeck i cant seem to find the files u are showing in ur video

[@GameXData]

Sort of. EmuDeck messes with file structure quite a bit. So, all of the steps and files need to go in the same folders, but you might need to dig a bit more to find where the folders are located. On my Steam Deck, EmuDeck put the mlc01 folder in Emulation>roms>wiiu

[@AnglRFishy]

i have like only two floders in my cemu folder what can i do

[@GameXData]

All folders you need to run Cemu should be generated automatically when you launch Cemu (and especially when you launch your first game). If not, try uninstalling and reinstalling.

[@bence3461]

I thought we don't need the dump files anymore, this sck. Lets hope pretendo can make an alternative way to play online without the dump files.

[@GameXData]

The file dumps include certificates specific to identifying your account on the network. To work around it, they'd likely need to reinvent the authentication system or find a way to mimic the Wii U's account setup process. However, it's important to note that original hardware is Pretendo's main focus. Cemu support is just an extra bonus.

[@bence3461]

​@@GameXData Ah I see, its pretty sad to hear that, I mean its sad because people who just want to play 1 game like me, for that reason it not worth to buy the console. I can play most of the Wii U games I'm interested in on my switch, but ty for answering my question. ^^

[@FlameLibra]

hi man I followed the tutorial to the letter but when I start splatoon I have an infinite loading plus I tested Mario Kart 8 and when I go to multiplayer there is an infinite loading on connection to the Nintendo network that is normal ?

[@GameXData]

It might be an issue where the servers are just busy and you'll need to exit and try again. Usually, long loading is followed by an error code but not always. Since the official servers went down, Pretendo has seen a huge uptick in traffic, and it seems like they're still working to smooth things out. Of course, if you want to double check it's not an issue on your end, start Splatoon on your Wii U. If you're able to see Miiverse messages in Inkopolis, your connection's fine. Once that's checked, you could try re-dumping and re-copying your online files for Cemu and triple check you have Pretendo selected for your connection setting. After you've done that, it's without a doubt a server issue.

[@FlameLibra]

@@GameXData yeah, I think it's just a server problem

[@ARS7236]

what if splatoon on cemu infinty loading with my wiiu pretendo??

[@GameXData]

If you're only getting the loading screen while trying to connect to online matches, try restarting and trying again. Often, long load times are sign of the servers being busy. If you restart a few times and can't get through, it might also be worthwhile to check the Pretendo Discord to see if anyone else is facing the same issue.

[@ARS7236]

@@GameXData i checked discord but it not helped in my problem

[@GameXData]

The Support channel is still likely to be your best bet. However, when in doubt, try deleting and re-dumping everything (game files and account files) and trying again. The most common reason for getting stuck is starting over. Once setup, your Cemu online settings should also validate that you're able to go online. You can also test online functionality with other games. If those games don't work, you're still missing files from your account in the expected directory. If the other games do work, there's a problem with your Splatoon game files.

[@pablopablo3046]

Getting stuck on the inital loading screen sadly :(

[@GameXData]

Is it the loading screen of a game or your Wii U?

[@lxherne2341]

does pokemon bank still work after online shut down or the bank shut down

[@GameXData]

It should still work. I was able to access it on my 3DS a few days ago. Although, the server connection seemed to take a bit longer than usual.

[@lxherne2341]

Thanks @@GameXData

[@itsyaboi3951]

Cemu keeps crashing😕

[@sodor6553]

Jesus loves you

[@ziresmando00]

He loves you too

[@gnewhall4116]

Jesus loves the Wii U!

[@EthanCobalt-oz2ob]

​@@gnewhall4116no

[@hossammoah]

This is completely unrelated to the video?

[@Dakn1]

Amen

[@ChrisRittenhouse-g2h]

Can you set pretendo up without a Wii u😊

[@ChrisRittenhouse-g2h]

I don't have one but I have cemi

[@ChrisRittenhouse-g2h]

*cemu*

[@GameXData]

No

[@vais_wav]

i wish i had wii u

[@shadowpupzz]

welp this sucks Cemu.. i don't got a wii u : / good video.

[@Hanekoma.]

Hate that if i'd want to play this stuff i'd have to buy another gamepad since the screen on the one i have died. i aint doin that

[@GameXData]

You could always repair the screen yourself: www.ifixit.com/Guide/Wii+U+GamePad+LCD+Display+Replacement/57152

[@crazysnipercatt0]

You should try Vanilla, it emulates a gamepad with a PC

[@SlothHuntOnYou]

it's lame what they need for hardware copy of certs=( useless for cemu players -> they can generate it with fingerPrint of system by itself - or possibility to buy account on Pretendo site for play online

[@Τουκάνος]

I don’t have wii u 🗿 in this case, it’s easier for me to buy Splatun 3 on the switch along with a subscription

[@Τουκάνος]

@Roxxy187 maybe because there is little new in the game compared to the second part?

[@ChrisRittenhouse-g2h]

@@Τουκάνος splatoon 3 has a nicer campaign to all the newer players

[@ChrisRittenhouse-g2h]

Than the first two games

[@Zablefhar]

the fact that you need an actual wii u to play on pretendo servers on cemu just crush the idea for even trying...meh

[@GameXData]

Tbf, Pretendo is first and foremost a service for restoring online functionality to Wii Us. The fact that it works with Cemu is just a bonus.

[@Zablefhar]

@@GameXData to be honest, having a Wii u now with cemu working Even better than a Wii u it's pointless...anyway, i managed to get the files that pretendo ask for...i will try later if i can join them. Splatoon looks pretty fun to play.