Nintendo video game console

Nintendo is a globally recognized leader in the video game industry, originally founded in Kyoto, Japan, in 1889 as a hanafuda playing card company. Under the visionary leadership of the Yamauchi family, the company transitioned into electronic entertainment in the 1970s, eventually releasing the iconic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the 1980s, which redefined home gaming.

While Nintendo represents Japanese engineering and creative design, its hardware manufacturing is decentralized. Most consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch, are manufactured by third-party partners like Foxconn and Hosiden, with major assembly lines located in China and Vietnam. The company remains an independent powerhouse, maintaining its headquarters in Kyoto where all primary software development and hardware design occur.