We recognize that not everyone enjoys celebrating birthdays, even significant ones. But Nintendo, how could you miss celebrating your 100th birthday?
Former Nintendo artist Takaya Imamura, known for designing F-Zero, Star Fox, and Majora’s Mask, revealed that Nintendo overlooked its 100th anniversary. This disclosure came during an interview with 4Gamer, as reported by Time Extension and TheGamer, discussing the upcoming video game adaptation of his manga series, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars.
Imamura mentioned that in 1989, the year he joined Nintendo, which coincided with its 100th anniversary, the company didn’t focus on celebratory events. This was partly due to the stoic approach of the CEO and president at the time, Hiroshi Yamauchi (translated via Google):
“I joined the company in the year of Nintendo’s 100th anniversary. At that time, society as a whole was in a bubble, so companies would take students who had secured employment on trips and throw parties to keep them from losing out, but Nintendo did nothing (laughs). We didn’t even celebrate our 100th anniversary, and it was a company that never got carried away.”
Reflecting on Yamauchi’s philosophy, Imamura mentioned that the company’s motto was something like: ‘Keep calm when you’re happy, keep calm when you’re unhappy.’
Yamauchi’s leadership style influenced the work culture at Nintendo significantly, stemming from his previous experiences at other firms:
“Yamauchi never hesitated to be stern with employees, regardless of the company’s success. This sternness could be attributed to his past failures in various businesses. However, the toy and game industry is volatile, so even in hindsight, his approach was apt.”
Examining how Nintendo’s culture has evolved over time is intriguing, but this approach has undoubtedly propelled the developer to great heights, maintaining its status as a gaming powerhouse.
Founded in 1889 as Nintendo Koppai by Fusajiro Yamauchi, the company initially dealt in hanafuda playing cards before expanding into toys and venturing into the world of video games with releases like the Color TV-Game in 1977 and the Famicom in 1983.
Nintendo has traditionally excelled at acknowledging the milestones of its video game franchises. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Super Mario series, prompting speculation about potential celebrations.
Developed by Happymeal and Pleocene, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars is a 16-bit adventure game where players traverse the galaxy to repay a loan. The title is slated for release on the Switch on February 28th.
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