Nintendo Company, Limited (任天堂株式会社 Nintendō Kabushiki-kaisha) (,) is a founded multinational corporation in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi close to Kyoto to the Japan. At its beginnings, the company produced charts to be played Japanese: the Hanafuda S. It is starting from the Années 1960 that the company diversified its activities by producing toys, instantaneous rice, the management of a company of taxis…

Starting from the Années 1980 Nintendo launched out in the market of the consoles and the Video games. Currently, it is one of the leaders of this market: in 2005, Nintendo is classified first video game editor in Japan (Create Media) and second with the the United States (NPD Group). At December 1st, 2006, Nintendo sold 387 million consoles and 2,2 billion video games in the world.

History

1889-1970

Created on September 23rd, 1889, Nintendo names initially Nintendo Koppaï (which can be translated into French by “Let the gods decide some” or “We do our better and we await the results”) and it is only about one artisanal small company that Fusajiro Yamauchi created to sell charts to be played, the Hanafuda S, that he had invented and manufactured itself. It quickly became leader of the market of the charts to be played in Japan.

Fusajiro will take its retirement in 1929 and will yield its place to his/her son-in-law, Sekiryo Yamauchi (Originally Sekiryo Kaneda, it adopted the name of Yamauchi following the request for Fusajiro). The company is renamed Yamauchi Nintendo & Co. in 1933. In 1947, Sekiryo creates a new business, Marufuku Co. Ltd (renamed Nintendo Karuta Co. Ltd. in 1951) with an aim of distributing the Hanafuda S abroad.

It will be necessary to await 1949 and the arrival of the young person Hiroshi Yamauchi, the small son of Sekiryo Yamauchi, (and which will be president of Nintendo until in 2002) to see the activities of the company diversifying concretely. For example, one saw it developing in the market of the individual rice portions, the management of companies of taxis and even owner of a closed house, anecdotic activities. Into 1951, it changes the name of the company for Nintendo Playing Cards Co. Ltd . It is thanks to a contract signed with Disney in 1959 that the company takes an international scale and enters out of purse in 1962, under the name of Nintendo Co. Ltd.

In 1969 is created the department Games directed by a newcomer in the company, Gunpei Yokoi. The first toy of this last names Ultra Hand and will be sold to 1,2 million specimens. Thereafter, Nintendo will launch other toys with more or less of success.

1970-1983

It is at the beginning of the Années 1970 that Nintendo turns to the market incipient from the video games. In addition to creating plays for the terminals of arcades, Nintendo collaborates with Magnavox in the creation of the Odyssey, the first console of living room multi-plays of the history (1972).

The first console created by Nintendo is born in 1977 only with the Japan. It names Color TV Range 6 (several alternatives will succeed to him, the Color TV Range 15, the Color TV Range Racing 112, the Color TV Range Block Kuzushi and the Computer TV Range) functioning with piles for the first version, one second version with adapter sector will arrive two months later. The microprocessors, too expensive to manufacture for Nintendo, come from the company Mitsubishi. This console will be a certain success and will encourage Nintendo to continue in this field.

In 1980, Nintendo launches the Game & Watch created by Gunpei Yokoi. These electronic little games, which hold in the pocket, were a very great success throughout the world, to note that nowadays certain versions of very required G&W reach prices bordering the 500 euros. It is of this electronic game (with a screen with liquid crystals) that the emblématiques characters from Nintendo come (Mario and Donkey Kong). It is the same year as the first play of Shigeru Miyamoto, Donkey Kong leaves on terminals arcade. Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the play Metroid, is also the inventor of the directional cross which since 1980 profits from a patent of study belonging to the Nintendo firm.

Strong of these successes, Hiroshi Yamauchi sending in the United States his/her Yoko daughter and her son-in-law Minoru Arakawa with an aim of establishing a subsidiary company to with it. Nintendo off America, whose head office is located at New York, is born thus in 1982. In the same vein, Nintendo off America opens the same year, a subsidiary general headquarter with Redmond, close to Seattle.

Return to Japan with, in 1983, the construction of a distribution center to Uji City in order to improve the production and to support the expansion. Nintendo also settles in Canada, Vancouver and builds a center videoludic with the family paces. During the same year, the turnover of Nintendo off America reaches the plate 10 million dollars. In July, Nintendo makes its entry on the stock exchange primary market of Tōkyō.

1983-1989

In 1983, Nintendo leaves the console Famicom ( Family Computer ) to Japan, and in 1985 in the United States (1986 in Europe) under the name of Nintendo Entertainment System (BORN).

With the beginning of the year 1980, microprocessing explodes and the market of the consoles crumbles for the first time of its short history. Indeed, at the time, the microcomputers are not more expensive than the consoles while offering more services. Only Famicom, thanks to its very competitive price, succeeds in drawing its pin from the play. And whereas Coleco goes bankrupt, that Mattel and MB deviate from the market and that Atari and Philips is recycled in the Informatique, Nintendo finds itself thus without any competitor. In spite of the exit, in 1986, console Master System of Sega, Nintendo reigns as a Master uncontested on the market of the consoles. Indeed, at that time, in Japan and the United States, a hearth on three was equipped with Famicom. It is thanks to the quality and with the big number of plays left that Famicom is essential, according to the tactics imposed by Hiroshi Yamauchi. In 1985, the very famous Super Mario Bros is put on sale and will be the play more sold with the world with its 40 million specimens.

In 1986, Nintendo will launch on the Japanese market a revolutionary peripheral making it possible to download the plays, the Famicom Disk System. It on WAS BORN that will be born the greatest Nintendo licenses such as Metroid, the trilogy Super Mario Bros or The Legend off Zelda which the first episode leaves in 1986. The masterpiece created by Shigeru Miyamoto is sold with more than 6 million specimens. The market develops so much that one assists, in 1988, with a true shortage of microprocessors at Nintendo.

At the end of the years 1980, Nintendo is the most profitable Japanese company, in front of Toyota, and close to a hearth on two in Japan is equipped with Famicom. At that time Nintendo controls nearly 90% of the market of the consoles of living room.

1989-1995

Still thanks to the genius of Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo inserts the nail while leaving in 1989 the Game Boy. The exit of the small portable console of Nintendo is accompanied by famous the Tetris , of which Nintendo obtained the rights after a fight baited against Atari and Mirrorsoft; it is a striking down success. This console knew to combine low price, great autonomy and a catalog of plays as rich as varied. It is however a marriage of which was unable the Lynx of Atari and NEC PC Engine WP, much more powerful, but well too expensive. Only the Game GEAR of Sega could have competed with Game Boy seriously, but its weak autonomy made him lose the combat. At that time, all the competitors of Game Boy were colors, whereas it had only one monochromic screen.

Dimensioned console of living room, it is NEC with its PC-Engine (TurboGrafx-16 in the USA) and especially Sega with its Genesis (Megadrive in Europe), which will break the supremacy of Nintendo. Nintendo retorts in 1990 while leaving the Super Famicom (SNES in the United States, Super Nintendo in Europe). And in spite of a a little difficult starting of the small last of Nintendo, the firm always makes enormous benefit thanks to the sales of Famicom consoles and Game Boy. Super Mario Bros. 3 (left in 1991 on BORN) is a road roller which is sold to 15 million specimens. A project of reader CD-ROM, in collaboration with Sony, for Super Nintendo is announced, its name: Super Nintendo Play Station.

It is only starting from 1992 (date of its exit in Europe) and thanks to its light technical superiority vis-a-vis its competitors (in particular the Mode 7, which makes it possible to create plays in pseudo 3D, like F-Zero or Super Mario Kart , and the number of colors posted with the screen), which the console ends up being essential.

In 1993, Nintendo launches a relookée version of Famicom baptized AV Famicom (BORN 2 in the United States), it is the following year which the last Famicom cartouches leave, that is to say one 11 years lifespan: ever seen for a console of living room.

Always in 1993, Nintendo cancels the partnership of reader CD-ROM with Sony (which will take again the machine on its account and will call quite simply it PlayStation) to be combined has Philips, from this alliance will be born only 4 Nintendo plays from bad quality on the machine TDCI of Philips. Nintendo also announces the development of a new console: Project Reality.

Thereafter, the catalog of the Super Nintendo will continue to pack itself with mythical plays like The Legend off Zelda: With link to the past , Super Metroid (of which the hero is a woman), Street Fighter II , the trilogy Donkey Kong Country (where the characters are modelled in 3D, true revolution for the time), Super Mario Kart as well as the series of roleplays Final Fantasy , Seiken Densetsu and Dragon Quest . The console explores even the 3D with graphic chip Super FX used in mythical the Star Fox ( StarWing in Europe). At that time, Nintendo controls 75% more of the market of the video Game consoles. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi' S Island in 1995 represents the apogee of the Nintendo plays of this generation. Always in 1995 and in order to booster rocket the sales vis-a-vis an increasingly aggressive competition, Nintendo will launch a new peripheral (only with the Japan) allowing, thanks to a satellite adapter, to download plays on its console: the Satellaview . 1995 are also the year when Nintendo will enter the capital of Rareware the company at the origin of the development of Donkey Kong Country.

1995-2001

During the summer 1995, Nintendo launches on the markets American and Japanese an experimental console 32 bits: the Virtual Servant boy. This console semi-portable, semi of living room imagined by Gunpei Yokoi was appeared as a helmet taking again the concept of virtual reality. It was a failure, hardly: 700,000 units were sold, constraining Nintendo to cancel European launching. Following this lamentable failure Gunpei Yokoi presented its resignation.

Project Reality (or Ultra 64) leaves finally in 1996 to Japan and the United States and in 1997 to Europe. Renamed Nintendo 64, this ultra console powerful at the time of its advertisement in 1993 in partnership with Silicon Graphics) was not also any more revolutionist in 1996, after two years of delay. Without being a commercial failure, she is not discounted success, and the market is seen dominated by Sony and its PlayStation. The loss of the market shares does not prevent however Nintendo 64 from connecting successes with many plays sold to million specimens. Nintendo, principal editor of its own console, carries out exceptional benefit thus. Super Mario 64 , which leaves at the same time as the console, revolutionizes the world of the video game with its superb 3D and its handiness with the analogical Stick Always in 1996, Nintendo will separate from Square, which had given to him an enormous support with its many RPG S. different in connection with the support cartouche from N64 (that Square judged too much limited vis-a-vis the CD-ROMs) will lead to the will of Public garden not to more develop plays for Nintendo but exclusively on PlayStation, thus making lose many market shares at Nintendo with the profit of Sony.

It is also into 1996 that Nintendo will put on the market the Game Boy Pocket, redesignée version, smaller, lighter of the original Game Boy whose sales decreased.

In October 1997, a tragedy event upsets Nintendo and its fans: the death of Gunpei Yokoi in a road accident.

It is a little game pain-killer, named Pocket Monster (Pokémon), left on Game Boy in 1997, which will start again the firm. Indeed, and against any waiting, this play is a planetary success and at the head places better sales of plays, starting again the sales of Game Boy at the same time, and making portable of Nintendo the most sold console history.

Thereafter, of successes like Mario Kart 64 , The Legend off Zelda: Ocarina off Time and GoldenEye , F-Zero X will be connected and made take off the sales of this console (without however equalizing those of PlayStation).

In 1998, Super Nintendo had been sold with more than 49 million specimens and a relookée version leaves to Japan and the United States: super Born Jr.

In March 1998, Nintendo launches, in Japan, the Game Boy Light, enlightened retro version of Game Boy Pocket. However, the launching of Game Boy Light is not a real success, indeed the fans prefer to await the end of the year and to discover a true news portable console: the Game Boy Color. Having of a color screen and a processor twice faster than on old Game Boy, it is a real success.

At the time of the E3 1999, Nintendo announces its new console: the Dolphin (the code name of GameCube).

In 2000, Rareware leaves the nonofficial continuation Goldeneye : Perfect Dark which exceeds its elder and Nintendo launches The Legend Zelda off: Majora' S Mask which in spite of its quality but especially its originality is sold only to 3,3 million specimens.

2001-2004

In 2001, the rate/rhythm of the exits on Nintendo 64 slows down: the end is close. Nevertheless, it is during this year that Rareware leaves the most abusive play the console: Conker' S Bad Fur Day which is today a true collector's item. Nintendo will leave, in the last quarters of 2001, its ultimate big game: Paper Mario continuation of Super Mario RPG on Super Nintendo.

In June 2001 concerned video, Nintendo leaves replacing it the Game Boy (13 years old, although having known 3 evolutions; Game Boy Pocket in 1996, Game Boy Light and Game Boy Color in 1998), the Game Boy Advance. This portable console, more powerful than the Super Famicom, creates a true passion, as well in the players as at the developers.

End 2001, Nintendo leaves to Japan and in the United States the GameCube (formerly named Dolphin), created to compete with the Dreamcast Sega, the PlayStation 2 of Sony and the Xbox of Microsoft, the new console 128-bits of Nintendo has many assets. It is the first console of Nintendo to forsake the cartridges for a format of storage on Minis-DVD. In addition to its great power, GameCube unloads with a catalog mixing the traditional ones with the mark, like Metroid Prime , Super Bros Smash. Fray and of the titles innovating such as Pikmin or Animal Crossing . Nintendo also signed an exclusive dealing agreement, lost thereafter, with Capcom for its series Resident Evil.

GameCube leaves to Europe in 2002, and Panasonic markets, in Japan only, one version of GameCube able to read films DVD named Q (to pronounce " kiou").

Always in 2002, Nintendo creates a chart of arcade (based on GameCube) in collaboration with Sega and Namco. Its name: the Triforce (wink with Zelda). The plays created on this support have the advantage of being easily and quickly portable on GameCube (e.g. the Jeu of arcade F-Zero AX become F-Zero GX on GameCube).

At the end of May 2002 concerned video, Hiroshi Yamauchi leaves the presidency of Nintendo after more than 50 years spent at its head! Its successor is Satoru Iwata.

It is also into 2002 that Nintendo will separate from Rareware, repurchased by Microsoft.

March 28th, 2003 concerned video, Nintendo leaves the Game Boy Advance SP. Even power that the GBA but different design: the console is folding, the screen is lit by bottom (and nonretro-élairé as the rumor announced it) and the piles is replaced by a battery. To note: a new version improved of lighting in 2005.

At the time of the Tokyo Range Show 2003, Nintendo announced its decision to be established in China. The Nintendo products marketed in China will bear the name IQue. The first project of Nintendo in China will be the IQue Player, a recarossée Nintendo 64. To avoid the hacking, the plays are downloaded since special terminals on rewriteable cartouches flashes (with the manner of the Famicom Disk System ).

At the time of the E3 2004, Nintendo announces new a Zelda (envisaged for the end of 2006) and a new portable console: the Nintendo DS. It is also during this period that Nintendo will join again with Square after an absence of almost 7 years. Public garden will leave Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on GameCube and many plays on Game Boy Advance.

2004-present

End 2004 in Japan and the United States, beginning 2005 in Europe, Nintendo launches the DS, new portable console equipped with several functions hitherto a41dernier $c-b1, e,10 $c-b26 ce $c-b16 $c-b43, bn,84 new in the field of the portable video game, such as the use of two enlightened retro screens simultaneously including one tactile, of a connection Internet-players Wifi and of an integrated microphone. With a its stereophony or Surround (according to the use of a helmet), retro-compatibility with the titles of Game Boy Advance, an automatic deactivation and an incredible approval, Nintendo DS is a sharp success.

At the time of the E3 2005, Nintendo shows to the public certain characteristics of its new console of living room: Project Revolution.

In November 2005 concerned video, Nintendo launches its new system of play In line: the Nintendo Wifi Connection. Rapid, simple, sure and free this system is a sharp success partly thanks to Mario Kart DS which leaves at the same time. This system will be also compatible with the console Wii.

End 2005 in Japan and the United States, Nintendo launches a third version of Game Boy Advance, the Game Boy Micro with a backlighted screen and a removable hull of decoration; three hulls are provided with the console. The screen is of better quality that those of the previous models of Game Boy Advance. Its small size, smaller of face than a credit card, attracts new older customers. This console is sold rather well, even if it is only slightly less less expensive than the Nintendo DS which offers a compatibility with the same catalog of play.

At the beginning of January 2006 concerned video, Nintendo announces to have run out 13 million DS in the world since its launching on a worldwide scale until the end of December 2005 concerned video. An important figure followed by excellent sales of plays exceeding the million for titles such as Nintendogs , Animal Crossing: Wild World , Mario Kart DS , Metroid Precedes Hunters , Nintendo DS Brain Training , etc Always at the end of January 2006, Nintendo announces a relookée version of the Nintendo DS in a style rather close to the Nintendo Wii (Revolution code name). Named Nintendo DS Lite, it left on March 2nd, 2006 concerned video to Japan for the price 16,800 yens (approximately 118 €), the June 11th in North America for the price of 149 CAD and finally in Europe on June 23rd, 2006 concerned video for the price of 149.99 €. Nintendo DS Lite is lighter than original (218 G compared with 275 for the original one) but also the smaller: its dimensions having been reduced (133 × 74 × 22 against 149 × 85 × 29) and it is possible to manage the luminosity of the screen with 4 levels of lighting. For many players, it is about the inaugural console of New Super Mario Bros. (a certain mixture of all the episodes in only one new handset). This play was sold with: 900,000 of specimens in the first 4 days of its exit.

At the beginning of March 2006 concerned video, the bar of the 1 million single players on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is exceeded and Nintendo consequently has a name in the field of the video game online occasion. The bar of the 2 million players is crossed in August 2006 concerned video.

The last console of living room of Nintendo is the Wii (of which old code name was Revolution), which was presented in playable version to the E3 at the beginning of the month of May 2006 concerned video. This console left on December 8th, 2006 concerned video to Europe at the price 249 €. She proposes a system of online game as that which was born on Nintendo DS in November 2005 concerned video. This on-line system (the WiiConnect24) is entirely free. She offers a compatibility with the plays of Nintendo GameCube. Moreover, it allows, thanks to the Virtual Console, to have access to the BORN plays, Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64, by the way of the remote loading but also those of the Megadrive of Sega, of the TurboGrafx-16, MSX, the Commodore 64, and of the PC-Engine of Hudson. The lever, called Wiimote, is completely new. It was presented to the Tokyo Game Show of 2005 for the first time. It is appeared as a remote control. It is a machine of pointing which detects the movements. This lever can interpret diagonal displacements, of distance and bringing together, as well as rotations. Since E3 2006, it contains also a loudspeaker and a vibrator. Here, two fixed sensors in the form of stems of 30 cm play the part of reference frames. Extensions can be attached to the lever, like a joystick (called “nunchuk”, which detects also the movements) and which is sold with the console.

In January 2007 concerned video, Nintendo already sold nearly 6 million Wii consoles throughout the world and hopes to sell 14 million into 2007/2008 of them. In addition Nintendo DS goes extremely well, the symbolic mark of the 10 million units sold in Europe in less than 2 years having been crossed in this January. Also let us note that the number of DS sold in the east United States about to cross the 10 million sold units. The DS becomes thus the first console to have reached this figure in if little time.

March 27th, 2007 concerned video, Nintendo and Sega join for the play of the Olympic Games 2008 which will proceed with Beijing or them two larger star, Mario and Sonic will clash. The play is announced already like history.

Consoles and plays

Consoles of living room

  • Famicom - Console 8 bits launched to Japan in 1983. It was marketed in Europe and the United States starting from 1985 under the name of Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the console of living room of Nintendo which met more business success (62 million sold units).

    • Famicom Disk System (FDS) - an extension of Famicom marketed starting from 1986 which made it possible to play plays downloaded on diskettes for a ridiculous price.

  • Super Famicom (SNES, Super Nintendo Entertainment System) - Second true console of living room of Nintendo of a power of 16 bits, it is launched between 1990 and 1992. She was an enormous success in the world.

    • Satellaview (BS-X) - Extension of Super Famicom launched to Japan in 1995, it made it possible to download plays since a satellite chain.

  • Nintendo 64 - the Console 64 bits, most powerful of its generation, launched in 1996. Contrary to the concurrent consoles of its generation, N64 still used the support cartouche and not the support CD.

    • 64DD - the 64DD ( DD for Disk Drive ) is a material extension of Nintendo 64 making it possible to carry out modifications in the plays such as the edition of levels, characters and allows to the editors plays to distribute updates via the network Randnet, thanks to the possibility of data storage on Hard drive. This last also makes it possible to increase the size of the plays, attached on cartridge.
Initially announced in November 1995 by Hiroshi Yamauchi, the peripheral was pushed back many times for finally leaving on December 11th, 1999 concerned video, in Japan only. It was a commercial failure, few plays having left on this platform which was abandoned one year later.

  • GameCube (NGC) - Console 128 bits launched in 2001. Only console of its generation only dedicated to the play and not to the multi-media one. Use a format of storage of the new plays: the mini DVD.

  • Wii - Fifth console of living room of Nintendo. Present an interface of collecting of the movements (2006).

Portable consoles

  • Game Boy (GB) - Launched in 1989, it is the first portable console with cartridges of interchangeable plays of the history. It has a screen in black and white.
    • Game Boy Pocket (GBP) - relookée of Game Boy, left Version in 1996.
    • Game Boy Light (GBL) - enlightened retro Version of Game Boy Pocket, left in 1998 only in Japan.

  • Game Boy Color (GBC) - First true news portable console of Nintendo since Game Boy, it has a color screen and is retro compatible with original plays GB.

  • Game Boy Advance (GBA) - Portable console 32 bits, launched in 2001, retro compatible with all Game Boy the preceding ones.

    • E-Reader - Extension of the GBA launched to the Japan in 2003. Allows to read plays stored on charts to play.

  • Nintendo DS - Portable console with two screens including one tactile. A little more powerful than Nintendo 64, it is rétrocompatible with Game Boy Advance (2004).

  • Nintendo DS + Nintendogs (2005) Console identical to Nintendo DS Normale with the difference which it is available in blue or pink; it also contains a play Nintendogs.

  • Game Boy Micro (GBM) - miniature Version of the GBA. Impetus end 2005 it does not make it possible any more to read old plays GB.

  • DS Lite (DSL) - relookée Version of the DS, launched in 2006.

Other consoles

  • Color TV Range 6 - the first console created by Nintendo, impetus in Japan in 1977, it did not present a port cartouche, the plays 6 was stored directly on the console. Several improved versions will succeed to him: Color TV Range 15 (including/understanding 15 plays), Color TV Racing Range 112, Color TV Range Block Kuzushi in 1979 and the Computer TV Range in 1980.

  • Range & Watch (G&W) - a series of portable plays to screens with marketed liquid crystals of 1980 with 1991.

  • Virtual Servant boy (VB) - Ever left in Europe, this console 32 bits launched in 1995 was appeared as a helmet in which was laid out 2 screens giving an impression of 3D.

  • IQue Player - Impetus only in China in 2003, this console in fact a Nintendo 64 is recarossée reading the plays under a new format.

Principal sales of consoles

  1. Game Boy, 118 million sold consoles

  2. Game Boy Advance, 82 million sold consoles (mid-March 2007)
  3. Famicom/BORN, 62 million sold consoles
  4. Nintendo DS/Nintendo DS Lite, 51 million sold consoles (October 2007)
  5. Super Nintendo, 49 million sold consoles
  6. Nintendo 64, 32 million sold consoles
  7. GameCube: 21.5 million sold consoles
  8. Wii, 14 million sold consoles (mid-November 2007)
  9. Virtual Boy: 770,000 sold consoles

Famous series and plays

This section speaks only about the great series and the most famous plays created by the firm. For a detailed list of all the plays developed and published by Nintendo to see the article: List of the plays published by Nintendo.

Sets of arcades realized by Nintendo

At the beginning of the Years 1980, Nintendo was very present on the market of the arcade with franknesses such as Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong, but with the exit of the Famicom, Nintendo was gradually withdrawn from this market.

In 2002, Nintendo signed a contract with Sega and Namco to produce a new chart of arcade based on the architecture of the Gamecube, the Triforce (wink with The Legend off Zelda).

Principal sales of plays

In December 2005 concerned video, Nintendo communicated on its principal statistics of sales of plays video. The company announced to have sold more than 2 billion plays since 1983 and established a signal 5 of its best sales:

  • Mario, 192 million sold plays
  • Pokémon, 150 million sold plays
  • Donkey Kong, 48 million sold plays
  • The Legend off Zelda, the series, 48 million sold plays
  • Metroid, 11 million sold plays

Others

Internal structure

The internal structure of Nintendo is characteristic of its policy: the software is the keystone of success. All was set up by the historical chairman of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi. It becomes in 1984 Directeur research units and of Development . This unit is most important, and is subdivided into 4:

  • Nintendo R & D 2 : composed of approximately 60 people this team develops primarily plays on portable consoles. She also works on the communication networks.

  • Nintendo Integrated Research and Development (ex-R&D3): a team with the less visible activities. She works especially on the hardware and the design of the levers, and on the cartridges of plays, which improve with each generation of console.
  • Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development (ex-R&D4): the most prestigious development team of Nintendo since it is directed by Shigeru Miyamoto. They are more than 400 pennies its orders and are responsible, inter alia, of the series Mario, The Legend off Zelda, Pikmin…

Other teams have quite specific roles:

  • Nintendo Software Planning : this team facilitates the relations between Nintendo and the small developers.
  • Nintendo Liscensing Division : supervise the development of the Nintendo licenses developed by other developers (like Link in Soul Calibur II or Battalion Wars).
  • Nintendo Research and Engineering : deal primarily with the part hardware .
  • Nintendo Special Planning & Development : this team is charged to produce accessories innovating like the E-Reader for Game Boy Advance.
  • Nintendo EAD Tokyo : a very young team trained by former employees of Public garden, Namco and Capcom. Their first play was Donkey Kong Jungle Happy.
  • Nintendo Software Technology Corporation : Based with Seattle in the USA. Person in charge of Ridge Racer 64 and of Metroid Precedes Hunters.
  • Range Freak : developer of the series Pokémon.
  • HALL Laboratory : celebrate for the series of the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros.
  • Intelligent Systems : founded by members of R & D 1 in 1986, this team is responsible for the series Fire Emblem, of the Wario Ware, the Paper Mario, and the Advance Wars.
  • Retro Studios : studio based in Austin (Texas), repurchased by Nintendo in 1998. Developer of the Metroid Precedes .
  • Super Mario Club : special unit of test and debugging of the plays known as first-party .
  • Nintendo Gateway System : subsidiary company which develops various partnerships throughout the world, with hotels, airline companies or car manufacturers. It also sets up embarked systems videoludic.

In spite of many teams, manpower are very few (approximately: 1200 employees for the studios located at the Japan), compared with the turnover (514,8 billion Yen in 2004). These manpower allow a great reactivity, associated with a great effectiveness. Indeed, in 1989, Nintendo are the first Japanese company in management, and are since always in the first places. To note the role of the subsidiary company Nintendo Gateway, who underlines an essential aspect of the current policy of Nintendo, i.e. to develop sales outlets in order to collect the consumer absolutely everywhere (hotels, planes, cars and shops), and to attract a population not necessarily sensitive to the video game. This vision is reflected in the design of the recent consoles of the firm.

Second-party

The developers known as second-party are developers having signed of the franchise agreements with Nintendo. By signing these contracts, the developers are committed leaving the plays only on console Nintendo and of sound with dimensions Nintendo an financial aid brings to them.

  • Monolith Software : developer of the series Baten Kaitos and Xenosaga. Repurchased 80% by Nintendo in April 2007 concerned video have, Namco preserves 16% then and the founder, Hirohide Sugiura, 4%.

  • AlphaDream : person in charge of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.
  • Genius Sonority : formed recently, developer of Pokémon Colosseum.
  • Street pedlar Software Planning : person in charge of the series Golden delicious Sun and the Mario Golf. A project in progress for the Nintendo Wii.
  • Brownie Brown : a studio rested by former employees of Public garden. Developer of Magical Vacation and Magical Vacation 2 (left: June 2nd, 2006 concerned video in Japan; January 2007 concerned video in Europe).
  • Fuses Ranges : English studio specialized in the plays of flipper (Super Mario Ball, Metroid Precedes Pinball).
  • Range Designers Studio : studio belonging jointly to Public garden and Nintendo. Person in charge of Final Fantasy Hook Chronicles.
  • N-Space : American studio having in the past worked on the series Duke Nukem. Become developer second-party of Nintendo in 2003.
  • NDCUBE : developer of F-Zero on GameBoy Advance.
  • Rareware : English studio responsible for the Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct, but so creative great classics Nintendo 64 such as GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker' S Bad Fur Day… Nintendo held 49% of the capital of the company, but resold its shares with Microsoft in 2002. Rare passed thus on the side of the computer giant and develops now only on the consoles of living room of this last. On the other hand Rare continues to develop plays for the portable consoles of Nintendo (GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS).

Personalities

Animate

In November 2004, Hiroshi Yamauchi, the former president and majority shareholder of Nintendo, announced that Nintendo was going to become realizer of cartoons (Manga S). The projects of Nintendo in this field remain nevertheless always secret at present.

However, Nintendo appears since 1998 in the appropriations of films of the frankness Pokémon, and takes part regularly in the promotion of these films. The company The Pokémon Company expressed in 2004 its wish to realize, with Nintendo, of the film-interactives: the spectator could use his console and the play would evolve/move according to film. The project remains still vague.

A cartoon film based on the series Animal Crossing was envisaged in the Japanese cinemas for December 2006 with the cinema. Its director is Jouji Shimura.

Localization

Nintendo being a company with the international radiation, it has subsidiary companies in many countries. Each subsidiary company is rather independent of Nintendo Co. Ltd and has its own director. The subsidiary companies of Nintendo are in charge with the distribution and launching with a play or a console, marketing, after-sales service and sometimes of the localization (translation) of the plays.

Nintendo Co. Ltd (NCL), the principal branch of the company is based with Kyōto with the Japan. The young development team, Nintendo EAD Tokyo, are, as its name indicates it, based with Tōkyō with the Japan.

The American division Nintendo off America (NOA), most important after NCL, is based with Redmond in the State of Washington. Other distribution centers are also located at Atlanta and North Bend.

Nintendo off Canada, Ltd (or Nintendo of Canada) is based with Richmond.

Principal European division, Nintendo off Europe, is based has Großostheim in Germany. To note that Nintendo off Europe itself is divided into several subsidiary companies of which Nintendo France limited liability company based with Cergy-Pontoise, Nintendo Espana SA based has Alcobendas, Nintendo Benelux based with Antwerp in Belgium, Nintendo the U.K. based with Slough and Nintendo Italia installed with Milan. At the end of October 2006, NOAH stated to intend to open a new subsidiary company has Moscow in Russia.

To note that Nintendo is also established in Australia, with Scoresby under the name of Nintendo off Australia. Curiously Nintendo off Australia depends on Nintendo Europe off.

Nintendo is also established in China with Suzhou since 2003 under the name IQue.

Since June 2006, Nintendo opened a subsidiary company in South Korea has off Seoul under the name of Nintendo Korea.

Shareholding

Nintendo is majority shareholder of the Seattle Mariners, an American team of baseball, the team of basketball NBA Atlanta Hawks, company Gyration Inc specialized in the manufacture of optical mice and has a certain number of marinas on the east coast of the the United States.

Slogans

Here a list of the slogans used by Nintendo during these 20 last years:

  • Play as you move (Wii, France 2006)

  • to change (Wii, France 2006)
  • Playing = Believing " To play = Croire" (Wii, 2006)
  • Touching Is Good. " Touch is bon." (Nintendo DS)
  • Touch Me! " Touch me! " (DS, 2005)
  • Now you' Re playing with power. (BORN, 1985)
  • Now you' Re playing with power. Super power. (SNES, 1991)
  • Now you' portable Re playing with power. (Game Boy)
  • will not return from there to You (N64, France 1998)
  • the life is a play (GameCube, France 2002)
  • Welcome to the future (N64, Europe 1999)
  • Feel Everything Everywhere (Game Boy Color, Europe 1999)
  • Play it loud! (Game Boy, 1994)
  • Get into it! (Game Boy Color, 1998)
  • Get NR gold get out. (N64)
  • Who are you? (The United States)
  • Too much fun. " Too much the fun" (DS)
  • Gaming 24:7 (Europe 2002)
  • Change the System (N64)
  • 3D range for has 3D World (Virtual Boy)
  • Pick up and play (DS, Europe 2005)
  • Open up and play (DS, Europe 2005)
  • Life, Advanced. (Game Boy Advance, 2001)
  • And you, where do you play with yours? (Game Boy, 1992)
  • Wii would like to play " Wii you are prêts" (Wii, 2006)

See too

Related articles

  • Mario, The Legend off Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon, Kirby: 5 greater franknesses from Nintendo.
  • List of the plays published by Nintendo

External bonds

Official sites
  • Nintendo Japan
  • Nintendo off America (NOA)
  • Nintendo off Europe (NOE)
  • and Nintendo of Canada
  • Nintendo Gateway System
  • tax assessment for 2004-2005

Random links:Trophy Adams Jack | Boolean algebra (structure) | Tool bag-Larçon | List governors of North-Kivu | University of the West of Santa Catarina

© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org