When Was Nintendo Founded? September 23, 1889 – As a Playing Card Company

Nintendo was founded on September 23, 1889 in Kyoto, Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi as Nintendo Koppai (任天堂骨牌), a manufacturer of handmade hanafuda (flower cards) and Western playing cards.

Key Milestones

• 1889: Founded. Hanafuda cards become popular in Japan.
• 1902: First Japanese mass-produced Western playing cards.
• 1951: Renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co., Ltd.
• 1959: Disney licensing deal → massive sales boost (Mickey Mouse cards).
• 1963: Renamed Nintendo Co., Ltd. — diversification begins (taxi, love hotels, instant rice, vacuum cleaners — all failed).
• 1966: Gunpei Yokoi hired (maintenance) → Ultra Hand (1966, 1.2M sold) → toy division.
• 1970: Stock listing (Kyoto, then Osaka, Tokyo).
• 1973: Laser Clay Shooting System (arcade) → video game pivot.
• 1977: Color TV-Game 6 — first dedicated console.
• 1980: Game & Watch — first handheld LCD games.
• 1981: Donkey Kong (arcade) — Miyamoto's debut, global hit.
• 1983: Family Computer (Famicom) — cartridge console.
• 1985: NES — North America launch.
• 1989: Game Boy — portable cartridge system.

135+ Years Later

Still headquartered in Kyoto. Still led by Yamauchi lineage (Hiroshi Yamauchi 1949–2002; Satoru Iwata 2002–2015; Tatsumi Kimishima 2015–2018; Shuntaro Furukawa 2018–present). From hanafuda to Tears of the Kingdom — same company.