With the Switch practically relaunching Nintendo's relevance in the modern gaming scene, it goes without saying that the iconic company is currently having one of the best stints of its professional history. From releasing modern classics such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey to offering one of the most innovational consoles to date, Nintendo has reached new heights in the last few years.
However, it seems the enduring company is looking beyond its place in the world of video games, with a new annual report detailing plans to introduce a number of the gaming giant's biggest IPs to new entertainment mediums. The news itself comes directly from a report detailing Nintendo's 2020 fiscal year, with the company revealing some tentative goals it will be looking to pursue as it moves forward.
"The Company group is seeking to deliver its entertainment to a wider range of consumers than ever before by recognizing Nintendo IP (including characters and worlds from its games) as its strength," Nintendo claims in the reports, acknowledging how much multimedia appeal its seminal franchises offer. Following this admission, the company later states: "As a company that creates entertainment to bring smiles to people’s faces, Nintendo strives to create new forms of entertainment while maintaining a robust business structure. To expand our business, our highest emphasis is placed on providing users around the world with exciting forms of entertainment that they have never experienced before."
For many, this won't come as much of a surprise. Nintendo has been embracing several new entertainment mediums over the last few years, with a LEGO Super Mario World set releasing in August and a new animated Mario film premiering in the not so distant future as well. That's without even mentioning the Super Nintendo World theme park which is currently under construction at Universal Studios in Japan. That being said, it'll be interesting to see whether Nintendo look to integrate other huge properties into new entertainment mediums, with The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and many more definitely offering a lot of potential for feature film adaptations or perhaps something more unique.
The latter definitely seems like a focus for the company as well, with the report claiming "We will continue to flexibly transform ourselves by adapting to changing times while constantly valuing the spirit of originality based on the belief that the true value of entertainment lies in its uniqueness." Hopefully, the statement means fans can expect some wholly original takes on Nintendo's core franchises in the coming years.
Source: Nintendo