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Nintendo's days as an independent company may be numbered. With no clear path forward on either the handheld or the console side, their greatest strength is the

Nintendo's days as an independent company may be numbered. With no clear path forward on either the handheld or the console side, their greatest strength is their content. Possible suitors? Their neighbor Microsoft might benefit. Or Apple, which is rumored to be entering the console space. Sony seems to have its hands full right now. How about Disney, they'd love to add Mario and company to their IP. Out of left field, maybe Samsung would jump in.

michaelchisari 15y ago
I think Apple+Nintendo would probably be the best fit in terms of corporate culture, much more than Sony, and Disney is a maybe, but that's really an industry they don't have much internal knowledge of. That said, Apple+Nintendo may never happen due to nationalism. I can't imagine a Japanese national treasure like Nintendo being sold to a uniquely American company like Apple. I'm not saying it's impossible. It would just be a very big deal if it did happen.
- fluidcruft 15y ago
  If we're talking Japanese cultural ego, America > Korea >> China.
Impossible 15y ago
I wouldn't count them out yet. People were saying this 10 years ago during the Gamecube era, only to have Nintendo come back and dominate with the DS and the Wii. There might still come a day when Nintendo gets bought out by a larger company, or more likely goes the way of Sega and develops games only instead of hardware. They do need to address the current climate of free to play and cheap casual games, not just on iOS devices but across the board.
- wvenable 15y ago
  The Wii was a fluke that, unfortunately, Nintendo wasn't able to capitalize on. Everything that's wrong with the Wii is exactly what was wrong the Gamecube a generation before. Nintendo wants to desperately hold onto the idea that they can continue to sell plastic for $50 a pop. They think that iPhone games for $1.99 will destroy the industry, and they might be right, but they also can't stop it. Nintendo is also locked into the idea that they continue to sell hardware based on gimmicks. Given the success of the DS and Wii, you can hardly blame them. But I think the DS succeeded not because of the "dual screens" but because it hit the right price point with the right capabilities and a touch screen allowed for casual gaming. The Wii sold hugely but is also mostly collecting dust around the world and I don't think they can build more business on that.

michaelchisari 15y ago

I think Apple+Nintendo would probably be the best fit in terms of corporate culture, much more than Sony, and Disney is a maybe, but that's really an industry they don't have much internal knowledge of. That said, Apple+Nintendo may never happen due to nationalism. I can't imagine a Japanese national treasure like Nintendo being sold to a uniquely American company like Apple. I'm not saying it's impossible. It would just be a very big deal if it did happen.

fluidcruft 15y ago
If we're talking Japanese cultural ego, America > Korea >> China.

Impossible 15y ago

I wouldn't count them out yet. People were saying this 10 years ago during the Gamecube era, only to have Nintendo come back and dominate with the DS and the Wii. There might still come a day when Nintendo gets bought out by a larger company, or more likely goes the way of Sega and develops games only instead of hardware. They do need to address the current climate of free to play and cheap casual games, not just on iOS devices but across the board.

wvenable 15y ago
The Wii was a fluke that, unfortunately, Nintendo wasn't able to capitalize on. Everything that's wrong with the Wii is exactly what was wrong the Gamecube a generation before. Nintendo wants to desperately hold onto the idea that they can continue to sell plastic for $50 a pop. They think that iPhone games for $1.99 will destroy the industry, and they might be right, but they also can't stop it. Nintendo is also locked into the idea that they continue to sell hardware based on gimmicks. Given the success of the DS and Wii, you can hardly blame them. But I think the DS succeeded not because of the "dual screens" but because it hit the right price point with the right capabilities and a touch screen allowed for casual gaming. The Wii sold hugely but is also mostly collecting dust around the world and I don't think they can build more business on that.