ATL: what if Nintendo stayed in the arcades?

[MemphisC]

Nintendo is and has been a household name in the gaming industry and in entertainment industry as an whole but they started out as an card maker in 1889 and were a toy maker for the vast majority of its life and in the late 1970's they dipped their toes as arcade developers but abandoned in-house arcade development all together after the NES/Famicom was such an successful machine that they started to focusing exclusively on home consoles (and later handhelds). But what if, Nintendo stayed in the arcades and developed advanced arcade hardware to compete with Sega and stayed in the arcades until the modern day. What changes to the gaming industry would happen from an more arcade-centric Nintendo, what acquisitions would happen and what new franchises would Nintendo have due to the arcades.

but before we get to the 80's and 90's we have to go way back to the 60's where the first major change into our timeline.

 

[MemphisC]

this is the first major change of the ATL.
Nintendo in the 1960's were enjoy their time as being an successful toy maker in Japan when they noticed the success in early electro mechanical and pinball games in 1962 and starts development onto making new pinball and electro mechanical games which finally saw Nintendo's first ever arcade game called saber's stampede in Summer 1964, where an hunter called saber has to run away from an stampede from different animals consisting of rhinos, antelopes, and zebras in a primitive electro mechanical game with speech and sound effects via tape. this was extremely successful game in Japan and North America via Midway. this games success convinced Nintendo's shareholders and CEO to go in arcade development, something that would last for over 50 years. After Saber's stampede release in 1964 they release two other games that same year. one pinball game based off Astroboy and an pachinko machine; both of which was also successful as well. during 1965-1975 they release over 150 electro mechanical games, 80 pinball games and 75 pachinko and slot machines. in 1974 they saw that an other Japanese company Namco got an deal with Atari to release early games like Breakout and Pong in Japan to major success which makes Nintendo start development with Fairchild and Intel to make custom processors for Nintendo to make it first arcade board which will release in November, 1976.

 

[MemphisC]

during early 1974 an prototype of the first board from Nintendo was circulating around the arcade department. since Atari was having much success with their early games like pong, Nintendo wanted to get an piece of the pie. however, Nintendo had just started their hardware division and were very small at the time. so instead of spending tons of money for Research and Development they instead pay intel and Fairchild 10 million if they made an processor and board that met with their specifications, it being less than 2500$ and the board to be shown to the shareholders at October 1975, if they were successful they get paid. Fairchild was not successful in making their board that matched up to the specifications whilst it costing over 3000$ which meant Nintendo had intel which meant all the specifications and was paid 10 million (plus 5 million from royalties). by early 1976 they had showed their first arcade board to the world.

 

[MemphisC]

in November 1976, Nintendo released the ASTRO series of arcade boards which is the first arcade boards from Nintendo and has an long life that lasts until 1981 when it gets discontinued to focus on more advanced boards. the board was successful from two factors.

1. the games: there were very good games that advanced gaming on the board; like the Saber stampede series, Nintendo pro rally series, Space launcher, Duck hunt, the Sheriff series, Radar scope, Othello, and the Astro boy games.

2. it was much cheaper and had higher specs of the machines compared to Atari.
here are the specs.

SPECS: ASTRO 1 Board
Release Date: November 19, 1976
Lifespan: 1976-1981
CPU: Custom Intel 8080: 2.88883 MHz
RAM: 2 kilobytes
Storage: 4 Kilobytes
Colors: Monochrome or 16 colors (2 colors per sprite)
Sprites: 8 sprites
Sound: PGS (2 channels and white noise)
Resolution: 240x196

SPECS: ASTRO 2 Board
Release Date: April 14, 1978
Lifespan: 1978-1982
CPU: (2x) Custom Intel 8080 2.88883 MHz
RAM: 6 kilobytes
Storage: 24 kilobytes
Colors: Monochrome or 16 colors (4 colors per sprite)
Sprites: 12 sprites
Sound: PGS (2 channels and white noise)
Resolution: 240x196

This is the only board that used an Intel processor until the mid 2000's as Nintendo by 1978 had an RnD department and have the funds to develop their own hardware which is what Nintendo does for some of their most important hardware and software in 1980. but before the new arcade hardware comes out they release their own console to compete with the Atari 2600 in Japan and actually outshined the Atari 2600 there. it is called the Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom and it releases in holidays 1978.

 

[Ninja2006]

Cool! You even released the Famicom/NES earlier ITTL.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

I have no idea what's going on. Can anyone explain to me what the butterfly effect is here?

 

[MemphisC]

I have no idea what's going on. Can anyone explain to me what the butterfly effect is here?

the butterfly that starts this different TL is that Nintendo starts going into the arcade business in the 1960's instead of the 1970's with sheriff and stuff like that. saber's stampede is nintendo's first successful IP that makes Nintendo get interested into the arcade business' with electro-mechanical, pinball and then later true arcade games.
edit: saber's stampede is just a fan-made franchise to help the timeline and starts the butterfly effect.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

the butterfly that starts this different TL is that Nintendo starts going into the arcade business in the 1960's instead of the 1970's with sheriff and stuff like that. saber's stampede is nintendo's first successful IP that makes Nintendo get interested into the arcade business' with electro-mechanical, pinball and then later true arcade games.

Okay. A few things:
-Could other Osamu Tezuka properties be adapted by Nintendo?
-If the Famicom were to launch in 1978, wouldn't this contradict your goal of a more prevalent arcade scene for Nintendo?
-What happens to Donkey Kong if Nintendo already has successful series like Saber's Stampede and Sheriff on their hands?

And this is a big one: Please consider spacing out your sentences. The way you typed your updates made it very hard to read.

 

[MemphisC]

Okay. A few things:
-Could other Osamu Tezuka properties be adapted by Nintendo?
-If the Famicom were to launch in 1978, wouldn't this contradict your goal of a more prevalent arcade scene for Nintendo?
-What happens to Donkey Kong if Nintendo already has successful series like Saber's Stampede and Sheriff on their hands?

And this is a big one: Please consider spacing out your sentences. The way you typed your updates made it very hard to read.

- Nintendo and Osamu Tezuka would have an good relationship with games and Tezukas studios would be later bought by nintendo.
-Nintendo would be a lot more like Sega in our timeline with heavy ties into both industries. the famicom ITTL would be a lot more like the Atari 2600 and intellivision.
- Donkey Kong would still exist due to an issues with the Popeye arcade game, but Mario and donkey Kong will be connected to Saber's franchise.

-i am not the greatest typer and I forget typos and some stuff that I should have not been left out. I will space out more of my chapters of the project.

 

[Ninja2006]

Okay. A few things:
-Could other Osamu Tezuka properties be adapted by Nintendo?

That'd be a good idea, how about, in exchange for Tezuka's anime being adapted for games by Nintendo, Nintendo allows Tezuka to adapt their games into anime? It'd be a great idea, and it'd butterfly the OTL '93 Mario movie as well as the DiC shows.

-If the Famicom were to launch in 1978, wouldn't this contradict your goal of a more prevalent arcade scene for Nintendo?

Well, perhaps they stick in both arcade and console fields.

-What happens to Donkey Kong if Nintendo already has successful series like Saber's Stampede and Sheriff on their hands?

I could see Donkey Kong still sticking around.

And this is a big one: Please consider spacing out your sentences. The way you typed your updates made it very hard to read.

Right.

 

[MemphisC]

i am updating all of my chapters to fix the spacing issues.

 

[Ninja2006]

- Nintendo and Osamu Tezuka would have an good relationship with games and Tezukas studios would be later bought by nintendo.

Cool, so Tezuka would make Nintendo anime? Well, i got a idea.............

-Nintendo would be a lot more like Sega in our timeline with heavy ties into both industries. the famicom ITTL would be a lot more like the Atari 2600 and intellivision.

Cool, but will Nintendo go under in 1983, or could Nintendo get the rights to ET by Universal and create a better game without being rushed?

- Donkey Kong would still exist due to an issues with the Popeye arcade game, but Mario and donkey Kong will be connected to Saber's franchise.

-i am not the greatest typer and I forget typos and some stuff that I should have not been left out. I will space out more of my chapters of the project.

i am updating all of my chapters to fix the spacing issues.

Ok.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

- Nintendo and Osamu Tezuka would have an good relationship with games and Tezukas studios would be later bought by nintendo.

In that case, I figure Capcom can just make Mega Man somewhere else.

-Nintendo would be a lot more like Sega in our timeline with heavy ties into both industries. the famicom ITTL would be a lot more like the Atari 2600 and intellivision.

That explains it.

- Donkey Kong would still exist due to an issues with the Popeye arcade game, but Mario and donkey Kong will be connected to Saber's franchise.

Here's an idea. Maybe incorporate Kimba the White Lion, or Jungle Emperor Leo in Japan, in both Saber's Stampede and Donkey Kong? Just an idea.

-i am not the greatest typer and I forget typos and some stuff that I should have not been left out. I will space out more of my chapters of the project.

Okay, thanks.

 

[Ninja2006]

In that case, I figure Capcom can just make Mega Man somewhere else.

Like Ashi Productions? Seriously, they was making a Mega Man anime, then it got scrapped for some reason and we got Upon A Star and the '94 series....

That explains it.

Here's an idea. Maybe incorporate Kimba the White Lion, or Jungle Emperor Leo in Japan, in both Saber's Stampede and Donkey Kong? Just an idea.

Okay, thanks.

That'd be a good idea.

 

[MemphisC]

Cool, so Tezuka would make Nintendo anime? Well, i got a idea.............

Cool, but will Nintendo go under in 1983, or could Nintendo get the rights to ET by Universal and create a better game without being rushed?



Ok.

Nintendo would not crash and burn in the 1983 crash since the famicom would be most popular in Japan where there was no gaming crash there it was only in America where Atari and intellivison were struggling. the Nintendo entertainment system would be in North America but would be in third place and the user base on the NES would be 8 times smaller than it was in Japan.

 

[Ninja2006]

Nintendo would not crash and burn in the 1983 crash since the famicom would be most popular in Japan where there was no gaming crash there it was only in America where Atari and intellivison were struggling. the Nintendo entertainment system would be in North America but would be in third place and the user base on the NES woud be 8 times smaller than it was in Japan.

Cool! Any idea on how to make the NES bigger in North America, or would we get a earlier equivalent to the SNES/Super Famicom?

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

Like Ashi Productions? Seriously, they was making a Mega Man anime, then it got scrapped for some reason and we got Upon A Star and the '94 series....

No, like on Atari or Sega hardware. After all, would Nintendo really treat Mega Man well if they already have the license to make Astro Boy games?

Nintendo would not crash and burn in the 1983 crash since the famicom would be most popular in Japan where there was no gaming crash there it was only in America where Atari and intellivison were struggling. the Nintendo entertainment system would be in North America but would be in third place and the user base on the NES woud be 8 times smaller than it was in Japan.

That's some good luck on Nintendo's side.

 

[MemphisC]

Cool! Any idea on how to make the NES bigger in North America, or would we get a earlier equivalent to the SNES/Super Famicom?

ITTL NES would have an userbase of around 5-7 million players everywhere except Japan where it absolutely dominated there with 25-35 million gamers in Japan alone. the SNES in this timeline would have been a slightly more powerful NES from OTL. the SNES in OTL would have an completely different name and be more powerful than in OTL.
edit: the top part was just the original I had to type again when I replied.

 

[Ninja2006]

No, like on Atari or Sega hardware. After all, would Nintendo really treat Mega Man well if they already have the license to make Astro Boy games?

Oh........

That's some good luck on Nintendo's side.

Right.

ITTL NES would have an userbase of around 5-7 million players in the world except Japan where it dominated the gaming market there with around 25-30 million people. the SNES in this Timeline would be an slightly more por

ITTL NES would have an userbase of around 5-7 million players everywhere except Japan where it absolutely dominated there with 25-35 million gamers in Japan alone. the SNES in this timeline would have been a slightly more powerful NES from OTL. the SNES in OTL would have an completely different name and be more powerful than in OTL.

Cool! When would TTL's equivalent launch?

 

[MemphisC]

Oh........

Right.

Cool! When would TTL's equivalent launch?

The SNES ITTL timeline would release in 1984 in Japan and 1985 everywhere else.