Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story Season 1 Episode 3 A Sleeping Giant

Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story tells the history of the gaming company that revolutionized the video game industry. In episode 3, A Sleeping Giant, the focus is on the early 2000s, a time when Nintendo was struggling to keep up with its competitors in the gaming market.

The episode begins with the introduction of Satoru Iwata, who became the president of Nintendo in 2002. Iwata was tasked with a daunting challenge, reinvigorating the Nintendo brand and bringing the company back to its former glory.

The episode showcases how Iwata made a bold move by opting out of the graphics race, which was something its competitors like Sony and Microsoft were heavily invested in. Iwata chose instead to focus on creating gameplay that was unique to Nintendo, and it paid off in the form of the Nintendo Wii.

The episode then delves deeper into the making of the Wii. The team behind the console wanted to create something that would make people feel comfortable with gaming. To achieve this, they focused on making the console different from others in the market. Instead of relying on traditional button controllers, they developed the Wii remote, which allowed players to physically engage with the game.

The team also worked on creating games that were suitable for everyone, not just hardcore gamers. They developed games such as Wii Sports, which was a collection of games that used the Wii remote to simulate various sports, including tennis and boxing. These games were a huge success and introduced a whole new demographic to video games.

The episode also highlights the challenges that the team faced while creating the Wii. The console was initially met with skepticism, and many industry experts believed that it would be a failure. However, Iwata stood firm and believed in the console's potential. He even went as far as taking the Wii remote to demo it in nursing homes to show how easy it was to use, illustrating the potential of the console.

The episode also touches on the legacy of the Wii, how it became a cultural phenomenon. The console appealed not only to gamers but to families, older people, and even people in retirement homes. It was a success beyond anyone's expectations, and it led to a change in the video game industry.

A Sleeping Giant is an inspiring episode focused on how Nintendo chose to create its path rather than compete head-on with the competition. It highlights how Nintendo found a smart solution and developed a console that was different and unique – a console that embraced simplicity and accessibility while still being engaging and fun for people of all ages. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in the history of the gaming industry.