Jaden Smith
A Journey Through the World of Nintendo
Gaming has always been big, but a report by international professional services network PriceWaterhouseCoopers in 2022 has made it clear to the world just how big it is. An article on the website of the World Economic Forum, discussing the report, informs visitors the industry is expected to be worth a global value of $321 billion by 2026.
It’s little surprise the industry is so large. It’s extremely competitive, and companies are striving constantly to corner the lion’s share of the market with different games and other gaming products. This is just as true of the operators of sites for people who enjoy playing poker online.
To steal the edge on competitors, gaming industry companies like to monitor the trends and create gaming franchises that gamers will love. One company that’s managed to master this is Nintendo. Below is a look at the history and growth of the company, and at some of its most popular franchises.
How did it all begin?
The origins of Nintendo date back to the late 19th century, when the Fusajiro Yamauchi began manufacturing Japanese style playing cards and then, in the early 20th century, Western-style playing cards. The latter became popular in Japan.
It wasn’t until 1963 that the company became Nintendo Co and, in addition to playing cards, started manufacturing games. Towards the end of the decade, Nintendo expanded and reinforced its game department, and built a production plant in a Kyoto suburb.
In the mid-1970s, Nintendo developed a video game system together with Mitsubishi Electric, and in 1980, the company created a subsidiary in New York. It was also the year a Nintendo artist created “Donkey Kong.”
How did Nintendo become so successful?
Some might say the company’s success started with “Donkey Kong.” The company developed and distributed a coin-operated version of the game. It was a smash hit.
A little later, in 1984, the company launched the Famicom system in Japan, which to the rest of the world would become the Nintendo Entertainment System when it went worldwide. In 1986, the NES made its way into Europe and became a must-have for households.
There are all sorts of reasons for the success of Nintendo, however. One has been its focus on gaming as an activity for families to do together. Another has been the creation of long-lasting, memorable characters and series. Then there’s been the company’s courage to branch away from gaming and into Hollywood, a foray which didn’t go too well in the case of the Super Mario Bros movie but which shows the company has the confidence to innovate and do its own thing to succeed. One innovation has been the Nintendo DS, a dual touchscreen device which the company decided to create instead of trying to go up against the powerful PlayStation Portable.
Popular Nintendo franchises
Naturally, some Nintendo titles and franchises have become household names. Here are a few:
Animal Crossing
“Animal Crossing” has been a huge hit. A combination of child-friendly graphics and adult-friendly content, and a Sims-like concept, have endeared it massively to gamers. In some cases, the game has brought workplaces together, with workers meeting online over a game.
The Legend of Zelda
“The Legend of Zelda” is one of gaming’s best-loved franchises and has been a consistent game changer over the years. That’s due to a combination of RPG, puzzle and action elements. The character Link, who is on a never-ending quest to rescue Princess Zelda from the warlock Ganon, has become synonymous with the Nintendo brand.
Super Mario Bros
The Super Mario Bros franchise features the company’s most famous character: Mario. A Nintendo without him just wouldn’t be Nintendo. Whenever a gamer sees the name “Mario” in the title, they know they’ll be receiving fun, family-friendly entertainment.
What does the future hold for Nintendo?
Nintendo has already produced the DS and the Wii, and it’s likely that the company will work further on innovations that integrate software and hardware. A new console could be on the horizon, but Nintendo have been vague about when this would be. They’ve been vague about what the future holds for Switch and are reported to have merely suggested that it is half way through its lifecycle. Naturally, fans are expecting upgrades to the Switch, and there have been rumours that a Switch 2 console is coming out in 2024.
Another question is whether the world will see Nintendo games on PC. Some fans have commented that they’d love this to be the case. Some even think it might be necessary for the company to do just in case a future console isn’t a hit with gamers.
Nintendo have been delighting gamers for decades in a very competitive industry. Innovation and a willingness to do its own thing have been key ingredients, as have popular titles and franchises. It will be interesting to see what the company has lined up next.
by Jaden Smith on 2023-04-21 03:43:58
