Nintendo Courts Non-Gamers in ‘About-Turn’ Strategy

TOKYO: Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks and toy stores as Nintendo goes all out to win non-gamer fans.

A New Era for Nintendo

It wasn’t always this way: for many years, the Japanese company shied away from promoting products or creating media other than video games.

But its push for broader brand recognition over the past decade has reached the point where even Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto describes Nintendo as something of a “talent agency” for its colourful characters.

From Gaming to Theme Parks

A new area based on the “Donkey Kong” games was unveiled at the Universal Studios Japan amusement park on Tuesday, expanding Nintendo’s zone there – already a major tourist draw.

Its doors open on Dec 11, following last month’s launch of the first ever Nintendo museum in a renovated factory in Kyoto.

A Box Office Success

At the box office, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was 2023’s second-highest grossing title, with a sequel due in 2026 and a film based on Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda” also on the way.

From Reclusive to Prolific

“Over the past decade, there has really been an about-turn” in Nintendo’s strategy, said Florent Gorges, an expert on the company’s history.

The gaming giant started life in Japan’s traditional former capital of Kyoto in 1889, producing playing cards.

For a long time, it took a “conservative” and “somewhat reclusive” approach to cashing in on its intellectual property, said Gorges.

Hiroshi Yamauchi, company president for over half a century between 1949 and 2002, “hated” the idea of any kind of company mascot, Gorges added.

A Lesson from the Past

An early foray outside of the gaming world also proved tricky.

In the 1990s, Nintendo entrusted its Mario IP to a Hollywood production team who made a live-action movie that was roundly panned.

The flop may have contributed to its cautious approach, until disappointing sales of the Nintendo 64 and GameCube consoles in the following decade forced a re-think.

Wii Success and Beyond

The two next consoles – the portable DS with two screens, and the remote-controlled Wii – were designed to attract non-gamers.

Each sold more than 100 million units and remain among Nintendo’s biggest commercial hits.

But when updated versions of these two consoles did not perform so well, the company decided to again venture beyond video games.

A New Business Model

Nintendo is sometimes compared to Disney, but its business model differs from that of the US giant, which acquires and develops existing franchises, such as Star Wars, said Kensaku Namera of Nomura Securities.

Instead, the Japanese company “is focused on what it can do on its own,” and so collaborates with external studios and creators for its films and other projects.

A Lesson from Pokémon

Going forward the firm may draw inspiration from the success of Pokémon, which began as a Nintendo game but now spans movies, playing cards, and a merchandise empire controlled by several entities.

That has “really pushed Nintendo to further exploit its franchises”, Namera told AFP.

“Many children love Pikachu, and buy soft toys even if they have never played the game,” he said, referring to Pokémon’s famous electric mouse.

A Trigger for Console Sales

Game and console sales account for over 90 percent of Nintendo’s revenues, so exposure to characters such as Mario or friendly dinosaur Yoshi could be “a trigger” to attract more people to consoles, Namera said.

Conclusion

Nintendo’s shift towards non-gaming ventures is a significant departure from its past approach, but one that has already shown promise with the success of its films and theme park attractions. As the company continues to explore new ways to reach a broader audience, it will be interesting to see how its strategy evolves and whether it can maintain its momentum.

FAQs

Q: What is the significance of Nintendo’s theme park attractions?

A: The theme park attractions are a major tourist draw and help to increase brand recognition and awareness among non-gamers.

Q: How does Nintendo’s business model differ from Disney’s?

A: Nintendo focuses on creating its own franchises and collaborating with external studios and creators, whereas Disney acquires and develops existing franchises.

Q: What is the potential impact of Nintendo’s non-gaming ventures on console sales?

A: Exposure to characters such as Mario or Yoshi could be a trigger to attract more people to consoles, potentially increasing sales.