If I were to ask you what language people spoke in Japan, you might say something like “Japanese” — but you’d be wrong. They speak Nintendo. And the capital of Nippon? Nope, not Tokyo. It’s the Kyoto-based Nintendo HQ.
Now, I understand your confusion so let me explain. After 2006 ended, Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe was made privy to Nintendo’s sales numbers, and he was shown pictures of the streets of his great nation. The numbers were huge, but the pictures were even more impressive: people of every walk of life were carrying Nintendo DS’s. Even the Nintendogs had Nintendogs in the Land of the Rising Sun. Eight of the overall top ten software titles were Nintendo. Brain Age and Pokemon are now considered Shinto gods. The Imperial Seal is now Mario’s chubby mug. Yeah, you get the picture.
Blake asked about 2007 the other day, and where Nintendo will be this time next year. I have no idea, and don’t claim to, but I’m already getting that deja vu feeling. It feels like 1986 all over again (without the arrogant fallout in the 1990’s, hopefully).
[Nikkei Net, via Kotaku]