Nintendo Turns 137, Predating Sliced Bread and the Eiffel Tower

Nintendo marked its 137th anniversary on September 23, tracing its origins back to 1889 when it was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, Japan. Initially, the company was named Nintendo Koppai and focused on producing hanafuda, traditional Japanese playing cards featuring illustrations rather than numbers. The ban on gambling in Japan in 1882 opened up opportunities for these card-based games, allowing Nintendo to establish itself as the leading hanafuda manufacturer in the country.

Over the decades, Nintendo demonstrated adaptability and foresight, transitioning from playing cards to a diverse range of products. In 1959, the company partnered with Walt Disney Productions, licensing Disney characters for its cards in a bid to penetrate the children's market. This strategy proved successful and led to further experimentation.

In 1969, Nintendo appointed employee Gunpei Yokoi to head a new toy division, a move that would prove instrumental in shaping the company's future trajectory. Yokoi's team developed innovative toys such as the Beam Gun and Ultra Hand, firmly establishing Nintendo's identity as a toy manufacturer.

The company's first home video game console, the Color TV-Game 6, hit the market in 1977, followed by the Color TV-Game 15. However, it was the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) that marked a major international breakthrough for the brand. Introduced in 1985, the NES featured a lockout chip to regulate which third-party games could be played, giving Nintendo control over game quality and licensing—an essential step as the video game industry rebounded from a 1983 market crash.

Nintendo's NES not only became a commercial sensation but also positioned the company as a leading player in the industry. Its success laid the groundwork for Nintendo's enduring legacy. Interestingly, the founding year of 1889 places Nintendo ahead of numerous well-known inventions and landmarks, including sliced bread (1928), the Eiffel Tower (1889), the Wright brothers' first powered flight (1903), and the discovery of penicillin (1928).

This historical perspective underscores Nintendo's longevity and its ability to evolve over more than a century.

Today, Nintendo's business extends far beyond gaming. The company's flagship product, the Switch, has sold nearly 157 million units worldwide, placing it among the best-selling video game consoles of all time. Its latest iteration, Switch 2, has already surpassed 23.6 million units in sales since its June 2025 launch. Beyond hardware, Nintendo has diversified into film, theme parks, and consumer products.

The Super Mario Bros. movies, produced by Illumination, have collectively grossed over $1 billion, while a live-action Legend of Zelda film is in development. Moreover, Nintendo operates branded attractions through its theme park partnerships, showcasing its strategy of leveraging its intellectual property across multiple forms of entertainment.