Nintendo has now joined the ranks of game companies that allow players to add an additional layer of security to their online accounts.
The company has added two-step verification as an optional feature for Nintendo Accounts through the Google Authenticator app.
Going forward, players that choose to enable the feature will need to enter an additional six-digit code generated by the Google app when logging into their Nintendo Account.
In essence, two-step verification prevents would-be troublemakers from accessing an account with just a stolen password since they’d also need access to the account owner’s smartphone to log in.
PlayStation notably introduced two-step verification to PlayStation Network accounts just over a year ago, though Sony’s security offering sends codes via text message rather than through its own or a third-party app. Games like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XI and XIV have also made use of the security feature in the past, providing verification codes via physical authenticators prior to the rise of smartphones.