Nintendo’s 100th Anniversary Passed Quietly: Inside the Company’s Low-Key Milestone

by

Summary

  • Nintendo’s 100th anniversary wasn’t treated as a big deal, reflecting the company’s overall attitude.
  • Former Nintendo leader guided the company through transitions.

Generally, people might view a 100th anniversary as a grand event, yet it seems that was not the case for Nintendo. An ex-Nintendo team member discussed this significant landmark in the company’s history, revealing it wasn’t a joyous occasion filled with celebration.

It might be surprising to some gamers that Nintendo, which currently competes with Sony and Microsoft, has a history that dates back much further. The company was actually established as early as 1889, meaning its centenary is already behind us. Over the years, the company’s overall approach seems to have transformed significantly.

4Gamer (through TheGamer) interviewed former Nintendo artist Takaya Imamura, who shared insights into Nintendo’s history. He mentioned that unlike the current excitement surrounding milestones, their 100th anniversary was not celebrated. This is attributed to the stern and rational leadership of Hiroshi Yamauchi, who urged employees to stay composed regardless of their emotions. This is quite different from the warm and enthusiastic image of Nintendo today, with leaders like Shigeru Miyamoto, Reggie Fils-Aime, and the late Satoru Iwata, known for their friendliness and passion.

Nintendo Was an Oddity at the Time

In 1989, Japan was in the midst of an economic bubble, where companies were lavishing rewards on their employees to keep them content. However, unlike other companies, Nintendo stood out as it didn’t indulge in such practices. Instead, Nintendo was described as a company that maintained a steady and restrained approach. Nowadays, even minor game anniversaries of Nintendo are recognized and commemorated, at least publicly towards its consumers.

Originally, the ex-Nintendo leader is believed to have been quite stern, yet he navigated the company through a transformation spanning 53 years from manufacturing playing cards, toys to video games. Since then, Nintendo has witnessed peaks and troughs, achieving immense prosperity with the DS and Wii systems, only to suffer a setback with the Wii U, before making an impressive comeback with the Switch. As the Nintendo Switch 2 approaches, speculation abounds whether Nintendo will continue its victorious streak in gaming. It’s still quite a journey for Nintendo to reach its bicentennial, but it seems plausible that the company will persist in creating games and may very well be more jubilant than it was a century ago.

Read More

2025-02-01 05:23