Believe it or not, Nintendo used to be a rather adventurous company, experimenting with everything from instant rice to love hotels, but that was before it rose to become one of the most prominent names in the video game industry. Following its ascension, Nintendo decided to shift nearly all of its focus to video games, and its willingness to experiment has since degraded into virtual nonexistence. However, the company is considering some proposed amendments to its Articles of Incorporation that would see it finally start dabbling in other industries again, and could result in some Nintendo-made computer software and medical devices in the future.
Nintendo may enter the health market after all, as the company has proposed some changes that will expand its reach into other business. According to a proposal to amend its Articles of Incorporation—a document that outlines a company’s purpose—Nintendo wants to add “development, manufacturing and sale of medical devices and health devices,” as well as “development, manufacturing and sale of computer software.” The document also includes additions for “management of and investment in restaurants, dining halls [and] cafes,” as well as “licensing use or reproduction of copyrighted works” and “licensing use of trademarks,” the later of which makes sense, given the company’s plans to enter the movie business. The amendment proposal will be brought to the 76th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders for consideration on June 29. Nintendo has been tight-lipped on the nature of its Quality of Life initiative, leading several analysts to believe the company abandoned the project. Back in December, Tatsumi Kimishima reaffirmed the project is “still under development”, later telling investors its future is uncertain, as “it’s not yet at the level of a Nintendo product.”