Rise, Fall and Return of Nintendo in the Video Game Industry (1983-Present)
Posted by: dvbrevolution in 3. FAQ'sTHE RISE OF NINTENDO
1983 - Famicom is released in Japan and becomes a major hit in the country. The Video Game industry collapses in North America.
1984 - Famicom continues to dominate while North American retailers try to get rid of video game products for good. Many computer-based consoles are released in North America and Nintendo plans for a possible North American release of the Famicom despite the industry’s destruction.
1985 - Nintendo Entertainment System (American version of the Famicom) has a limited release and sees success. Super Mario Bros. Is released in North America and changes the way video games are played.
1986 - Nintendo Entertainment System goes national and by late 1986 the gaming industry is revived. Nintendo becomes an international phenomenon and a part of American Pop Culture.
1987 - Nintendo explodes in sales that would have the company gain over a billion in profits per annum. The Legend of Zelda is released while Final Fantasy and Double Dragon take stage. Nintendo faces competition in Japan with SEGA’s Master System.
1988 - Super Mario Bros. 2 is released and becomes a major success despite it’s different approach then it’s predecessor. Nintendo Power is born which would be the start of popular magazines like GamePro to EGM. SEGA Master System is released in North America although it did well in Europe and Japan, it barely scratched the surface in North America.
1989 - Nintendo, who revolutionized the third-party development standard, faced lawsuits for it’s monopolistic nature regarding third-parties. Gameboy is released, the handheld that would go on to become the best selling video game unit of all time along with Tetris and Super Mario Land. By this time, Mario becomes more popular then Mickey Mouse. “The Wizard” is released in theatres and becomes known as Nintendo’s 100-Minute Commercial.
1990 - Super Mario Bros. 3 is released and becomes the best-selling standalone title of all time. Nintendo releases the 16-bit Super Famicom in Japan to challenge SEGA’s Mega Drive and the PC-Engine.
1991 - Super Nintendo Entertainment System is released in North America, challenging SEGA’s Genesis and the Turbografx 16, which was near it’s decline. Super Mario World is launched with the SNES and becomes the most complete Mario game ever made.
1992 - SEGA defeats Nintendo in the market and takes 55% of the market. SNES is finally released in Europe. Development begins on the Virtual Boy. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is released on the SNES becoming one of the greatest Zelda games ever.
1993 - Project Reality, which would later become Ultra 64 begins, a project that would take gamers into a 3D world. SEGA continued to dominate North America and increased market share while Super NES dominated Japan. Mortal Kombat is released which causes controversy, unfortunately it was the beginning of Nintendo’s “kiddy” image. Super Mario Bros. The Movie is released in theatres and becomes a failure despite the huge hype and high-calibre actors in the film.
1994 - Super Metroid is released and becomes one of the greatest games of all time. Nintendo commits itself to cartridge-based media and calls 1994 “The Year of the Cartridge” after projects with Sony and Phillips didn’t go through as planned. Donkey Kong Country is released becoming a major blockbuster due to it’s futuristic graphics and would become the turning point in the console wars. Nintendo Entertainment System reaches it’s end. By the end of 2004 Nintendo becomes market leader once again in the world.
THE FALL OF NINTENDO
1995 - Virtual Boy is released and becomes a huge disaster. Earthbound and Chrono Trigger is released on the SNES becoming one of the greatest classics of all time. Nintendo faces competition with the likes of the SEGA Saturn and Sony Playstation. Satellaview is released in Japan which would be the first “online” system that became a success.
1996 - Gameboy Pocket is released as a smaller version of the original Gameboy. The powerful Nintendo 64 is released in Japan and North America along with the smash hit Super Mario 64. Third-Parties begin to shift to Sony’s Playstation including Square-Enix. Nintendo’s competitor SEGA is defeated in the market with it’s failed Saturn while Sony takes off, dominating the market.
1997 - Nintendo 64 is finally released in Europe and Australia. A redesigned SNES is released. Goldeneye 007 is released on the N64 making it one of the most popular classics of all time.
1998 - Gameboy Color is released. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is released in Japan and North America becoming known as the greatest game of all time. The SNES in North America sees it’s end.
1999 - Super Smash Bros is released. SEGA tries for one more round with the Dreamcast, which becomes a smash hit at launch. Nintendo is defeated in the market by Sony. Nintendo 64DD is released in Japan.
2000 - Nintendo works on Project Dolphin, a next-generation console. At around this point Nintendo isn’t profiting over a Billion per annum as it used too. Over 100 Million Original Gameboy’s have been sold. Nintendo’s competitor Sony releases the Playstation 2 becoming an international phenomenon that crushes Dreamcast.
2001 - Earlier in the year, Dreamcast production is halted and becomes discountinued as SEGA becomes a third-party developer. Relations between SEGA and Nintendo improves. Nintendo releases it’s Gamecube console while a new competitor, Microsoft releases it’s Xbox. Nintendo 64 sees it’s demise. Gameboy Advance is released and would go on selling over 75 million units throughout it’s lifetime.
2002 - Gamecube becomes a disaster from the start of the year with a lack of software bringing analysts to question Nintendo’s future. Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo’s President resigns and Satoru Iwata becomes his successor. The transfer of power allowed for Nintendo to continue for the rest of the year with the Gamecube bringing the console behind the Playstation 2 in console sales. Super Mario Sunshine is released and becomes in many ways the weakest Mario title in the franchise. Metroid Prime is released.
2003 - The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is released in North America. The redesigned Gameboy Advance, known as the GBA SP is released becoming a smash hit. Famicom and Super Famicom are officially discontinued in Japan. Satoru Iwata begins to fix third-party relationships including Square-Enix and Namco.
2004 - Microsoft’s Xbox becomes a success with it’s “Live” online system and by mid-late 2004 defeats Nintendo in the market placing the Gamecube at the No.3 spot worldwide despite Xbox’s failure in Japan. Nintendo releases the Nintendo DS, an answer to Sony’s threat to enter the handheld market. Nintendo works on the Revolution, a next-generation console.
2005 - Resident Evil 4 is released on the Gamecube as a timed Exclusive becoming one of the best games of all time and would later become No. 2 on Nintendo Power’s Top 200 list behind Ocarina of Time. Playstation Portable releases as the threat against Nintendo’s handheld dominance. Nintendo reveals it’s Revolution console with backwards compatibility, a back catalogue of classics and an online service. Sony unviels it’s Playstation 3 becoming one of the most hyped consoles of our time. Revolution’s controller is revealed as a motion-sensing remote control along with an analogy stick attachment. Microsoft releases it’s Xbox 360.
THE RETURN OF NINTENDO (?)
2006-Present Time - Nintendo grosses over $808 Million USD for the 2005 fiscal year proving that the company is in great shape for the future. Revolution becomes known as the Wii as it gains huge third-party support and Nintendo takes it’s first major victory at the most popular gaming tradeshow, E3-2006. DS Lite is released world-wide and becomes a huge success and defeates Sony’s PSP in every territory. The Wii will be released in Q4 with games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Red Steel, promising to change the face of the company and the industry forever. Analysts begin to predict huge success for Nintendo. Many third-parties have begun to shift to the Wii from the PS3, a possible historic repetition of what happened a decade ago, only vice-versa.
2007 - Gameboy Advance is expected to see it’s demise along with the Gamecube early on. Nintendo is expected to release Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
2008 - The year of which the Console Wars determines a market leader.
2009 and Beyond - Nintendo is expected to release a Wii-like HD-powered video game system combining graphics and gameplay.
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August 15th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
that was a nice read. Yay for Nintendo!!
August 15th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
There are alot of “greatest something something of all time” quotes in there.
August 15th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
why 2009??? i thought Wii’s Next was gonna be waaaay later, like, 2014???
August 15th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
If I had to read “of all time” just once more……… ¬_¬
August 15th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
You know, the real kicker is the last paragraph:
“2009 and Beyond - Nintendo is expected to release a Wii-like HD-powered video game system combining graphics and gameplay.”
The ONLY real thing Sony has going for it right now it graphics, and graphics can really only go so far until it does NOTHING for the games anymore. Once we hit this wall (and some say we already have) and Nintendo can economically market a console with powerful graphics AND a Wiimote type interface, there will be no stopping them. Sony and Microsoft will still be busy trying to convince us that only graphics matter, while Nintendo will have both power AND gameplay.
And I have something to add to this:
2020 - Nintendo releases the first true virtual reality system for home use allowing gamers to literally “step” into their games, much like the holodeck on Star Trek. Everyone in the household; children, adults, and grandparents, can enjoy their favorite pasttimes in the comfort of their living rooms. Sony and Microsoft were last seen trying to peddle the PS6 and XBOX 1080 to 20 to 25 year old males with games like GTA 7 and HALO 5.
August 15th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
It says ‘BEYOND’ doesn’t necessarily mean 2009
Hey what can I do all those games are OF ALL TIME, not my fault they are so great!
August 15th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
@Loban
LOL….that might just happen
Anyways, this upcoming gen might indeed be the return of the king[Nintendo]
August 15th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
This was the greatest article OF ALL TIME!!
August 15th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
@ Loban.
You know i would be very happy if that would in the slightest chance happen, BUT the reality is Sony would simply do what they do best. (COPY NINTENDO). And they will somehow create a pad with similar features as the Wii-mote and trick the world in believing that THEY STARTED IT ALL. (Assholes). While microsft; well their pride will fall, and they will eventually follow the crowd. The only reason Wii is so cool right now, is because Nintendo kept quiet about it, and Sony couldnt see anything because its vision was blinded by a blue-ray.
August 15th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
In ‘92 Genesis was ahead of the SNES
August 15th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
That is correct keekwy Genesis did…. but not sure about your point…
August 15th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
SEGA has always been better then Nintendo.
Nintendo could never destroy SEGA, but Sony did.
But at Sony, they are the lowest scumbags in the world.
August 15th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Nice
August 15th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
That gave me a little inspiration for Nintendo. Thank You.
I didn’t look at Super Mario Sunshine as bad as others may have seen.
While the GBA may end, the GBA slot in the DS will live forever.
I knew that Nintendo would move onto an HD system after Wii, but I didn’t know what type of gameplay or strategy it would use. I’m still unsure.
*goes to research Nintendo 64DD*
August 15th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
@Gamer
Well Sony didn’t ‘exactly’ destroy SEGA…
SEGA screwed up by having Master System, Genesis, SEGA CD and 32x scattered all around the world and then they drop support for the platforms in order to come out with the Saturn, which technically is an advanced 2D system that was reconfigured to a more complex machine with two processors when it found threat from Sony.
Saturn collapsed and right from the start of the Dreamcast, SEGA had very limited funding for the console, lost it’s President (who was the visionary behind Dreamcast right before launch, low third-party support (because of Saturn), Microsoft who supported the console at first with Windows CE and leaving it alone and well…it did sell very well from the start but Sony was more like the last big nail to SEGA’s coffin (hardware-wise).
August 15th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
I say Sega killed themselves more than anything.
August 16th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
The reason the Playstation was so sucessful was because of how hard it was to develop for a Nintendo system back then, plus the fact that they advertised it well. The Playstation was hyped as the next generation, but in reality it was half as powerful as the N64. This is a list of what Sony and Microsoft have going for them:
Sony:
)
PS2 was succesful
People will buy a PS3 because it has the Playstation name
Good third-party support
Best graphics
“Entertainment center” functions (ones that I couldn’t care less about)
Blu-Ray (Woo hoo
Considered “more mature” than Nintendo
HD Compatible (stupid people wouldn’t notice anyway)
Familiar controller
$600 Price tag (When it’s that expensive you know it has to be good, jk)
Microsoft:
Tons of money
Halo 3
PC games for people you don’t have computers
Xbox Live
Good controller (I like the Wiimote more)
Easy to develop for
Better third-party support
The fact that they bought Rare
The Xbox 360 has already been released for a year?
August 16th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Since history have shown us, no company has three-peated. This upcoming gen could be the return of Nintendo or a start of a new dynasty[Microsoft]
November 11th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
>> dylan623 said:
>> Microsoft: Good controller
ARE YOU F-ING KIDDING ME