The next generation of gaming consoles is here, and that means more and more people will soon be joining the annual “Nintendo is DOOOOOMED” chorus. With that in mind, here are five thing that Nintendo could do instead of making game consoles if the completely unrealistic scenario of them getting out of that business ever happens.
Third-Party Developer
Show of hands: how many of you would buy a Mario or Zelda game if it were to release on the Xbox One or PlayStation 4? … I’m going to assume that’s a lot of hands, because that seems to be the chief request from literally everyone who doesn’t want to buy a Gamecube/Wii/Wii U. Hey, Sega went that route, and Sonic turned out… well, not OK, but he’s getting better.
Toymaker
You know what video games are considered as by many? Toys. You know what Nintendo‘s already proven to be good at making? Toys. Whether it’s vinyl figures, pack-ins as part of a specific game’s limited edition release, or insanely cool Club Nintendo perks, Nintendo knows how to make collectibles for both kids and adults.
Cereal Maker
Do you remember those Nintendo Cereal System cereals? If so, I’m sorry. If not, I’m even sorrier, as while they tasted like sugary cardboard, they were still cool enough for us to demand them as kids growing up in gaming’s golden age. If Nintendo started that business back up and did nothing but market their old properties, man-children would buy their cereal until the end of time.
Manufacturing Playing Cards
Here’s some trivia: making video games and consoles is actually not the first job Nintendo‘s had. They used to make playing cards, and while obviously gaming is a much bigger pastime nowadays, it’s good to know they can always fall back on what got them started in the first place.
Literally Anything Else
I include this option because, as ridiculous as the idea of Nintendo ever giving up making gaming consoles is, the fact is that if that were to ever happen, their name and fanbase alone would survive and thrive, no matter what they did. Heck, if all Nintendo did was show up at E3 every year and remind us “we made Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and Kirby, and now they’re on our new line of gamer toilet paper,” their stock would jump 200 points and Charmin would go out of business. This is Nintendo we’re talking about… love them or hate them, they always find a way to survive.
Featured Image: Fat’n Old Super Mario by vincenthachen
