Cultural Roots: The Origin in Hanafuda Cards

Hanafuda are traditional Japanese playing cards decorated with floral and seasonal motifs, often used for family entertainment and festive gatherings.
During the Edo period, their elegant design and cultural charm made hanafuda an important part of Japanese life.
Recognizing this potential, Fusajiro Yamauchi began handcrafting and selling hanafuda cards in 1889.
Although small in scale, this business laid the foundation for Nintendo’s future.
Over the next decades, Nintendo focused on card production and steadily gained a strong foothold in Japan.

The First Breakthrough: From Hanafuda to Cartoon Cards

Nintendo’s first major breakthrough came in 1959, when it partnered with Disney to release a deck of playing cards featuring Mickey Mouse and other popular characters.
This combination of traditional cards with pop culture quickly became a hit — selling 630,000 sets in a year and capturing 60% of Japan’s playing card market, surpassing industry leader APOC.
This success brought substantial profits and marked the beginning of Nintendo’s diversification.
By 1962, the company went public, expanding its business footprint.

Diversification and Growing Pains

After going public, Nintendo ventured into various fields — including taxi services, love hotels, and instant noodles.
These efforts failed financially, forcing the company to rethink its direction.
In 1966, a maintenance engineer named Gunpei Yokoi designed a toy called the “Ultra Hand” using discarded parts.
President Hiroshi Yamauchi saw its potential and began mass production; within six months, over 1.2 million units were sold.
This success led to the establishment of Nintendo’s first R&D department, headed by Yokoi, marking its shift toward entertainment and game development.

The Dawn of the Video Game Era

In 1977, Nintendo entered the video game market with the Color TV Game 6, developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi.
But its true breakthrough came in 1983 with the launch of the Family Computer (Famicom).
The console’s innovative D-pad and iconic titles such as Super Mario Bros. made it a global sensation.
With more than 40 million units sold worldwide, the Famicom became an industry benchmark of the 1980s and solidified Nintendo’s position as a pioneer in both hardware and software.

Revolutionizing the Handheld Market

In 1989, Gunpei Yokoi introduced the Game Boy.
Despite its monochrome display, the handheld console became a phenomenon thanks to its bundled Tetris game and impressive 30-hour battery life.
With 180 million units sold worldwide, Game Boy remains one of the most successful handheld consoles in history, cementing Nintendo’s dominance in portable gaming.

The 21st Century: Challenges and Revival

Entering the 21st century, Nintendo faced fierce competition from Sony’s PlayStation 2, and its GameCube struggled in the market.
In 2002, Satoru Iwata became president and introduced the philosophy of “games for everyone.”
Under this vision, Nintendo launched the dual-screen Nintendo DS and motion-controlled Wii.
These products attracted non-traditional audiences — seniors, children, and women alike.
The Wii sold over 102 million units globally, pushing Nintendo’s market value to four times that of Sony at its peak.

The Pinnacle of Switch and Future Prospects

In 2017, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid console combining handheld and home play.
Featuring hit titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, the Switch became an instant global success.
As of 2023, over 140 million units have been sold, with total game sales exceeding one billion copies.
This triumph reflects not only hardware innovation but also Nintendo’s deep understanding of player experience and continuous pursuit of fun.