First, let's get one unusual thing out of the Nintendo of America headquarters: they don't allow visitors to take photos of the best parts of the building.
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You are not allowed to take pictures of the mural that shows the progress of the characters Mario, Donkey Kong, Link and Samus. You can't photograph the array of Nintendo arcade machines or the oddly placed brown Mario standing on a pedestal in the middle of a rounded ground floor area surrounded by redundant signs warning people not to photograph him.
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The signs are unnecessary because when you enter Nintendo of America headquarters in Redmond, Washington, you sign an electronic waiver that promises not to carry firearms, keep any Nintendo secrets you hear, and not take photographs without permission.
You can, and I did, register three spaces at Nintendo HQ for your scrapbook. I'll show you around and fill you in on the cool stuff I can't show you, but saw on my hour-long tour of the Nintendo offices this week. And I'll explain how this set me up for $1.14.
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Nintendo of America headquarters is located in Redmond, Washington, surrounded by pine trees with mountains in the distance and a ring of various Microsoft buildings in the area. Once there, you'll feel like you're in Microsoft territory, as the streets are lined with buses with green Xbox noise and the annoying but correct spelling of the word Connect.
Nintendo's footprint is smaller. They've owned the land here since the early '80s and tore down their original headquarters a few years ago to build a newer, nicer facility for the upper management, licensing managers, and game translators and writers who work here. Games are not made at headquarters, but decisions affecting Nintendo's North American and South American operations are made.
not external
The interior of Nintendo headquarters is full of signs that you're in a very Nintendo place.From the outside, the only distinguishing feature is the company nameplate. But inside, behind the two-story lobby that houses a Wii kiosk and a large wall-mounted screen displaying Nintendo ads, is Cafe Mario, where the employees eat. It seats about 600 people, though a retractable wall makes room for about 900 Redmond employees, including headquarters staff and a customer service building a few hundred yards away. The retractable wall is covered with massive outlines.Super Mariofire flowers and Yoshi eggs.
The cafe overlooks a Wi-Fi-enabled courtyard with a Nintendo behind itMario Kart- themed parking.If only they would let me park my rental there, but I was told that each floor has a color theme, some checkerboard patterns, and a number painted on it.Mario Kartfountain. However, there are no item blocks in the way. No banana peels either.
There are cross-shaped padded benches throughout the building.My driver told me that it had not been ordered. It was an accidental find by the person who bought the furniture for the headquarters. And it's fitting, given Nintendo's commitment to the d-pad, which it once patented and won an Emmy for Art and Technology. I didn't know you could win an Emmy for d-pads, but the Emmy itself is part of a store right next to Cafe Mario in HQ.
no vestibule
Nintendo prides itself on how green its building is. It opened in May 2010 and received a gold rating from the Washington-based US nonprofit Green Building Council as part of the group's recognition for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED. This is the story about the Redmond headquarters that the people of Nintendo want you to see and think about. They are proud of it. My guide showed me a large gold LEED sign in the lobby and showed me the many energy efficient design features. They have a large central corridor on each floor made of bamboo, a renewable resource. They have special floor vents that rise 20 inches above the concrete floor. This space houses the building's wiring and air ducts, allowing Nintendo to more efficiently cool and heat the building.
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Near the windows are daylight sensors that dim or increase the interior lighting based on the amount of natural light entering. There are heat and motion detectors in each of the many conference rooms at the venue. Your lights won't go out if you sit there... unless you have a very cold heart.
And there is a living roof.That's all I've heard about Redmond HQ. You can get there by elevator or by a beautiful bamboo staircase from the third floor (the third floor, where I think the president of Nintendo of America works; I saw you at the end of the hall, Reggie. I said hello). The fourth floor is partly a conference room and partly a walkable roof. That roof is alive, covered with roughly 75,000 square feet of Sedum, a ground cover plant used at headquarters, my Nintendo guide told me, to insulate the roof from the sun and help capture rainwater, which is diverted to a nearby reservoir and filtered. cleanly in nearby streams.
nordic
The biggest excitement for Nintendo fans will probably be the hub areas of Nintendo HQ. When you stand in the central bamboo corridor of a given floor, you are inside the building and inside four themed zones, one each for Mario, Yoshi, Wario and, I think, Donkey Kong. These sections help direct people where they go, separating the administration and licensing areas from the top-secret Treehouse, where the latest Nintendo games are translated, translated, and played (no, they wouldn't let me get close).
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The building's conference rooms are named after Nintendo hardware. For example, there is the Otro Castillo room.The top floor is all of Zelda's meeting rooms, including the Ganon room with its great view and what appears to be the most important meeting room in the building, the Master Sword. On the third floor, I checked the Mario Quadrant sign. It featured a list of Mario-themed meeting rooms: Hookbill the Koopa, Shy Guy, Boo, Bullet Bill, Isle Delfino, and Koopalings.
The silhouettes of the men's and women's rooms are also related to Nintendo.I found out that Mario was in the men's room, but my guide convinced me that it was Luigi. We briefly discuss whether this makes the men's room Luigi's Mansion. We were undecided about the female figure. She looked like Princess Peach to me, but maybe it was Daisy.
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Despite all the Nintendo touches, HQ doesn't look or feel like a silly playground. It looks like an office, spacious, where many new Nintendo employees move. But don't play Nintendo music, no nonsense. However, there are many displays of Nintendo products, such as near the licensing section, where product packaging contains everything fromGuitar Heroguitars tobig brain academyboard game andNintendogsbackpacks
The ground floor, behind the front desk, near Cafe Mario, is where the main office is more like a museum, and a Nintendo store.There are a number of Nintendo arcade machines, many of which predate the creation of games for Nintendo's own consoles. They're locked so you can't play them, but the series contains a cabinet of them.radar range,Donkey Kongone followed by somePlay-Option 10machines to stand and sitbutter kong jr., former druchian branchSplitand even red for two playersagainst doctor mariomachine.
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($1.14 plus two gift cards later...purchased at the Nintendo HQ store)
Around the bend in the row of arcade units is a mysterious circular area that surrounds a brown Mario standing on a pedestal. I was told that the space is for staff training. This is a place marked with reminders not to take pictures. All around it are display cases that have been modified to reflect what Nintendo is promoting. The case is full at this time.zeldaThings to celebrate the 25th anniversary, like an unusual 6 foot statue of Link in his clothes. There is also a magnificent single-chamber fresco on the outskirts, divided into four horizontal sections. Each one represents sprites and character models for one of four Nintendo icons. Mario takes the top division by evolving from a blocky hero.Donkey Kongfor a modern and shaped silhouettesuper mario galaxy. Below are similar visual evolutions of Donkey Kong, Link, and Samus.
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In front of the mural, at the headquarters, there is a Nintendo store.Items, of course, can be purchased at Nintendo offices. The kind soul that works there even gave me $50 in gift certificates which I exchanged for a Nintendo tchotchke that we will give away one day. The establishment is called the Nintendo World Store, like the one that is open to the public in New York. They sell games, systems, and a variety of Nintendo-themed merchandise, from stuffed animals to bibs.Mario Kartracetracks. Most of these are publicly purchasable, but my guide and the store clerk pointed out the items they think are exclusive to Redmond, the more corporate ones:marioGolf balls and tees, Nintendo glasses. There was also a lot of Nintendo workout clothes, but I skipped that. The total came to my $51.14, so let Nintendo take someone on a free ride and have them part with some cash and change. These people know how to sell.
I wasn't sure why Nintendo didn't want people to see the Nintendo offices. I guess they keep it as a gift for their employees or to discourage bullies who really don't have any hope of getting there. For the most part, words will do. It is a nice place.
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Stephen Totilo, the author of this publication, can be contacted atstephentotilo@kotaku.com. You can also find it atGore,Facebookand lurks around us#adviceside.
FAQs
Where is the headquarters of Nintendo USA? ›
Redmond, WA
Nintendo of America (NOA) headquarters is located here, along with Nintendo Company Ltd. subsidiaries NST (Nintendo Software Technology Corporation) and NTD (Nintendo Technology Development Inc.)
If you intend to visit Nintendo's offices in Kyoto, please know that you'll only be able to view these buildings from the outside unless you have an appointment. There is no official Nintendo museum in Japan, and the company certainly doesn't offer tours of its facilities.
How many Nintendo headquarters are there? ›Nintendo is headquartered in Kyoto, 11-1 Hokotate-cho, Kamitoba, Minami-ku, Japan, and has 14 office locations. To navigate, press the arrow keys.
Does Nintendo of America develop games? ›Nintendo Software Technology (NST)
(or NST) is an American video game developer located inside of Nintendo of America's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Is it hard to get hired at Nintendo of America? Glassdoor users rated their interview experience at Nintendo of America as 47.5% positive with a difficulty rating score of 2.75 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty).
Are there any Nintendo stores in the US? ›Where are they located? There are three Nintendo stores: Nintendo New York, Nintendo Osaka, and Nintendo Tokyo.
Will Nintendo World open in Florida? ›Is Super Nintendo World coming to Florida? Yes! Super Nintendo World will open with Universal's Epic Universe in summer 2025.
Will Nintendo World be in Florida? ›Super Nintendo World is scheduled to debut in Florida in 2025 as a part of the much-anticipated Epic Universe theme park, according to Deadline.
Can an American work at Nintendo? ›Nintendo is for everyone
As a global company, we value diverse perspectives. Find out how we put our values to work.
The Master Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. (Trust Account) is the largest shareholder of Nintendo, holding 194,104 shares, which represents an ownership stake of 16.54%. The second-largest shareholder is Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd.
Is Nintendo closing after 40 years? ›
KYOTO, Japan — Shigeru Miyamoto shocked fans today by announcing that, after over forty years of serving as a titan of the gaming industry, Nintendo would be shuttering its doors. When pressed for a reason why, Miyamoto cited that Mario had finally done everything. “What else could he possibly do,” Miyamoto said.
Who owns Nintendo of America? ›Today, we're fortunate to be able to share our characters, ideas and worlds through the medium of video games and the entertainment industry. Nintendo of America, established in 1980 and based in Redmond, Wash., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Does Nintendo make AAA games? ›Whether players are looking forward to some great mini-games or a JRPG, Nintendo has them covered with these in-development AAA Switch games.
What was Nintendo originally called? ›Nintendo was founded as Nintendo Karuta on 23 September 1889 by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi in Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan, as an unincorporated establishment, to produce and distribute Japanese playing cards, or karuta (かるた, from Portuguese carta ["card"]), most notably hanafuda (花札, "flower cards").
Does Nintendo make any mature games? ›After Doom became Nintendo's first M-rated game, the floodgates opened in the video game industry. In due time, the M rating became as commonly accepted (and, for teens, as frequently ignored) as the Motion Picture Association's R rating or the TV Parental Guidelines' TV-MA rating.
What is the highest paying job at Nintendo? ›Highest paying jobs at Nintendo
While the average employee salary at Nintendo is $50,895, there is a big variation in pay depending on the role. The higher paying positions at Nintendo include senior oracle database administrator, senior business analyst, data scientist, and information technology project manager.
At Nintendo, the highest paid job is a Director of Engineering at $213,275 annually and the lowest is an Admin Assistant at $47,126 annually. Average Nintendo salaries by department include: Operations at $148,356, Finance at $91,522, Product at $143,202, and IT at $79,180. Half of Nintendo salaries are above $90,387.
Does Nintendo pay well? ›How much does Nintendo in the United States pay? Average Nintendo hourly pay ranges from approximately $10.87 per hour for Cashier/Sales to $57.45 per hour for Data Engineer.
How popular is Nintendo in America? ›Nintendo is the most known and well-liked company in the US according to Statista. A recent study from Statista shows that Nintendo is the most popular and most liked gaming company in the United States. According to the states three-quarters of all U.S. gamers know who Nintendo are and 47% of them like Nintendo.
Why is Tears of the Kingdom $70? ›Bowser goes on to say that the price "reflects the type of experience fans can expect" in that specific game. That implies that Tears of the Kingdom will be an especially large and content-filled game. That'll actually be a change from Breath of the Wild, which was extremely large, but not particularly deep.
Is there a Super Nintendo World in New York? ›
Nintendo NY in Rockefeller Center is your very own Warp Pipe into the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond! With 10,000 square feet of dedicated gaming goodness spread over 2 floors, Nintendo NY offers new and exciting titles headed to the Wii U console and the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld systems.
Is Universal Florida getting Mario? ›Yes! It will be the third of four such lands, two of which are in the United States. The first opened in Japan while the second will open at Universal Studios Hollywood in February 2023. The third Super Mario World will be at the Universal Orlando Resort's newest theme park, Epic Universe.
Is there a Super Nintendo World in America? ›SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ is now open at Universal Studios Hollywood, and it is “game on” as enthusiastic guests enter the giant green pipe into the Mushroom Kingdom to experience the highly immersive and interactive land to become an integral part of Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach's exhilarating universe.
How much does it cost to go to Nintendo World? ›Super Nintendo World is just one part of the Universal Studios Hollywood experience, and you can theoretically visit the land with just your normal admission ticket to the park. One-day tickets start at $109.
Is there a Mario land in Florida? ›Guests can currently visit the Universal Studios Japan version and newly opened Super Nintendo World Hollywood. Super Mario Florida will open in 2025 along with Epic Universe. If you're a fan of the popular, nostalgic video game franchise of Mario, then Super Mario World Orlando will be perfect for you.
Is there a Nintendo land in Orlando? ›It is currently in a technical rehearsal period at Universal Studios Hollywood with an official opening of February 17, 2023, and will next land in Epic Universe, the upcoming fourth park at Universal Orlando Resort, in 2025.
Is Nintendo World open in Hollywood? ›Look inside Super Nintendo World, which just opened at Universal Studios Hollywood. Super Nintendo World is now open at Universal Studios Hollywood. The new land features a Mario Kart-inspired ride and a restaurant called Toadstool Cafe.
Are Nintendo employees treated well? ›Among the many new claims, workers say they make as little as $16 an hour, and are left without work for months at a time in between projects - losing pay and healthcare benefits. They also speak of a two-tier system at Nintendo, with full-time workers receiving preferential treatment over contractors.
Who is the leader of Nintendo USA? ›Doug Spencer Bowser is an American businessman, currently serving as the president of Nintendo of America.
What is a Nintendo recruiter salary? ›$74K - $111K (Employer est.)
Who is richer Sony or Nintendo? ›
Who is richer, Nintendo or Sony? Sony is richer than Nintendo. According to a financial report by Sony, it had a revenue of US$81.38 billion in 2020. Nintendo's revenue was US$1.60 billion in 2021.
Who sold more Sony or Nintendo? ›Sony retains a commanding position in the console market due to sales of its relatively expensive PlayStation 5 hardware, the ongoing scale of its service business and much greater in-game monetisation across games available on PlayStation consoles versus Nintendo's.
Is Nintendo bigger than Disney? ›In terms of market cap, Microsoft has over one trillion dollars, Disney has almost 200 billion dollars and Nintendo has around 80 billion.
Is Nintendo losing money? ›Nintendo reported a fall in profit and revenue in its fiscal year driven by a drop in sales of its flagship Switch console. The Japanese gaming giant sold 17.97 million units of its flagship Nintendo Switch console series, roughly in line with its own forecast of 18 million units for the fiscal year.
Does Nintendo have a future? ›The company is in a strong financial position to continue to grow and invest more into research and development. With the rise of new technologies such as blockchain and virtual reality, Nintendo has some big opportunities that it can capitalize on to grow even bigger and even faster.
Is Nintendo giving up on Mario? ›The Super Mario Bros. 35 service will end on March 31st, 2021, and will no longer be playable, even if you still have the game downloaded on your Nintendo Switch console.
Did Nintendo sue a kid named Mario? ›SEATTLE — Nine-year-old Timothy Kim is being sued by Nintendo in a massive copyright claim after going trick-or-treating today as the popular character Mario Mario. “Mr. Kim may only be a child, but dressing as a character that we own is a serious violation of our rights,” said Nintendo lawyer Mark Stanford.
Did Disney buy out Nintendo? ›Disney doesn't own Nintendo.
Why is Nintendo so strict? ›Nintendo has a reputation for having a zero-tolerance policy over apparent copyright infringement. As content creators will know, using game footage, music, or any other copyrighted material can land you in hot water with its legal department - even if your work is clearly fair use.
What is AAAA games? ›The term "AAA Games" is a classification used within the video gaming industry to signify high-budget, high-profile games that are typically produced and distributed by large, well-known publishers. These games often rank as “blockbusters” due to their extreme popularity.
What are the big three of Nintendo? ›
So, I'd say Nintendo's Big 3 are Mario, Zelda, and Kirby.
Which is better steam deck or Switch? ›For most people, picking up a Switch over the Deck probably makes the most sense right now, especially if you're not an avid PC gamer. But while the Nintendo Switch technically edges past the Steam Deck thanks to better battery life, display, and overall value, both were created with different audiences in mind.
What is Nintendo oldest logo? ›1889––1950: The First Logo
Nintendo's first logo was created in 1889 and is rectangular with red at the top and dark blue Japanese letters. The colors chosen for the logo are significant, as red is a color that is associated with luck and joy in Japanese culture, while blue is a color of trust and reliability.
It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the Family Computer, commonly referred to as the Famicom or FC. The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American test markets on October 18, 1985, before becoming widely available in North America and other countries.
Who was the first rival to Nintendo? ›Entering the United States' market
The Sega and Nintendo console war primarily centered on the launch of the Sega Genesis (top) to try to outsell the Nintendo Entertainment System in the United States.
The Dark Age of Nintendo is a story arc featuring Scott Wozniak describing to a therapist his experiences with the worst Nintendo games released in 2015.
Does Switch have any M rated games? ›The House In Fata Morgana is ranked third-highest for any Switch game of all time and is the top-rated mature game on the console. Gamers who usually don't enjoy visual novels may still enjoy this game due to the fantastic artwork that spans almost a thousand years of storytelling.
When did Nintendo stop making games? ›The final licensed NES game released was the PAL-exclusive The Lion King in 1995.
What is the address of Nintendo of America? ›Nintendo of America, 4600 150th Ave NE, Redmond, WA, Cafeterias - MapQuest.
Is Nintendo Switch made in USA? ›Like most consumer electronics, the Nintendo Switch game console is produced primarily in China.
Who is the CEO of Nintendo us? ›
Nintendo has 6,547 employees.
How is it to work for Nintendo of America? ›Is Nintendo of America a good company to work for? Nintendo of America has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5, based on over 411 reviews left anonymously by employees. 80% of employees would recommend working at Nintendo of America to a friend and 81% have a positive outlook for the business.
How many employees does Nintendo of America have? ›How many employees does Nintendo of America have? Nintendo of America has 1,049 employees Who are Nintendo of America key employees?
What is the lifespan of a Switch? ›A Nintendo Switch console will easily last at least five years before certain vulnerable parts wear down and require replacing.
How many switches sold in usa? ›Hardware is down from 23.06 million units sold in Fiscal Year 2022 to 17.97 million in Fiscal Year 2023, representing a 22.1% decline. The base Switch model sold 6.14 million units over the past fiscal year, a 54.7% decrease, and the Switch Lite sold 2.62 million units for a 29.2% decrease.
Who owns 5% of Nintendo? ›Nintendo joins Capcom, EA, and other gaming investments made by the Public Investment Fund. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has officially acquired a 5.01% stake in Nintendo, according to a filing made with Japan's Finance Ministry.
Who is the richest person in Nintendo? ›2013 Japan's 50 Richest Net Worth
Hiroshi Yamauchi is the largest individual shareholder of Nintendo. He ran the company for 55 years before retiring in 2005.
Ownership: Nintendo of America is wholly owned by its parent company, Nintendo Co., Ltd., in Kyoto, Japan. Principal Subsidiary Companies: Nintendo is 1 of 6 subsidiaries of Nintendo Co. Ltd. in Kyoto, Japan.