The story of Nintendo is a fascinating one that dates all the way back to 1889, when Fusajiro Yamauchi founded a company to create handmade playing cards. From there, the company tried its hand at a number of businesses before venturing into tabletop games and electronic toys. This eventually led to the development of the Nintendo Entertainment System, a groundbreaking gaming console released in the US in 1985.
On March 1, a five-part documentary series on the intriguing history of Nintendo will premiere on Crackle, a video streaming service. Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story is written and directed by Jeremy Snead; actor Sean Astin serves as executive producer and narrator. The series will recount the growth of Nintendo from a small company in Kyoto, Japan to a multinational leader in the development of video game hardware and software.
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Playing with Power will feature interviews with a number of key players in the story of Nintendo, as well as people whose lives have been impacted by the company. Actor Wil Wheaton, Alison Haislip from G4’s Attack of the Show, Nintendo of America co-founder Ron Judy, Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, former Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske, former Nintendo CEO Reggie Fils-Aime, and head of Xbox Phil Spencer will all share their personal insights and experiences with the company.
Snead has previously made documentaries about the video game industry, including Video Games: The Movie and Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed. But tackling the story of Nintendo has been a lifelong ambition “as an artist, gamer, and filmmaker,” said Snead. “To see my show not only come to life with such loving care through my team and I’s efforts but to also have the opportunity to partner with such a talented and experienced team like Screen Media and Crackle to release the series to the public has just been a dream come true.”
Known for his roles in movies like The Goonies and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sean Astin joined up with Snead through a shared interest in the history of video games and culture. The pair now have a nine-year partnership that will focus on creating gaming-related content.
Crackle is an ad-supported video streaming service that offers a range of free programming, including movies, TV shows, and original content. The service is owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and is available in 21 countries on a variety of devices, including mobile, smart TVs, and gaming consoles.
The docuseries has taken over four years to come together, and tackling the sprawling history of the gaming industry giant was, according to Astin, an “ambitious goal.” The intention is to allow people to learn about the world of the celebrated and somewhat secretive company in a way they never have before.
Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story will be available on Crackle on March 1.
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Source: Deadline