Nintendo

Nintendo Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto that develops, manufactures, and publishes video games and game hardware. It began in 1889 as a maker of hanafuda playing cards founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi, and over the decades diversified into toys and electronic entertainment before focusing on video games in the 1970s.

The company is known for its first-party franchises, including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Pokémon, the latter developed and distributed in partnership with Game Freak and Creatures under The Pokémon Company. Nintendo designs software for its own platforms and often collaborates with external developers. It has produced a series of successful home and handheld consoles, such as the Famicom/NES, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and the Nintendo Switch. The Switch, released in 2017, is a hybrid console that can be used at home or on the go and has been a major commercial success.

In addition to hardware, Nintendo operates digital storefronts and mobile initiatives, providing games and content via the Nintendo eShop and mobile apps. The company is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and maintains a global network of studios and subsidiaries. Nintendo's innovations in game design, character IP, and platform strategy have left a lasting mark on the video game industry.