Remember the good old days of 'Nindies'? If you're a Nintendo fan, you probably recall this catchy term from the Wii U and 3DS eras, even gracing the early days of the Switch. It was Nintendo's clever way of spotlighting indie games on their platforms. But what happened to 'Nindies'? Why did it disappear? Let's dive in!
Recently, on a podcast, former Nintendo of America employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang shed light on this mystery.
The reason for the term's demise boils down to a simple yet powerful factor: legal concerns. It wasn't about developers disliking the term; in fact, it was quite well-received. But Nintendo's legal team had reservations. According to Yang, defending the brand in a legal dispute would become more challenging with the term in use.
Ellis and Yang shared some fascinating insights:
Kit: The term was the brainchild of the PDR team, who embraced it wholeheartedly. They created merchandise, including t-shirts and a logo. However, the legal team intervened, putting a stop to it.
Krysta: The issue was the combination of the Nintendo brand with another word. It was a no-go. The same principle applied to terms like 'Wiimote,' which was discouraged in favor of 'Wii Remote.'
Kit: The legal team's argument was that combining the brand name could dilute the brand and make it harder to defend in a legal battle.
Kit: Even the 'champion' of the Nindies term, who passionately fought for it, couldn't win against the legal team.
But here's where it gets controversial...
Despite the public absence of 'Nindies,' Nintendo still uses similar internal terms like 'Nsite' and 'Nbassador,' though these are not for public use.
What do you think? Did you miss the 'Nindies' era? Do you agree with Nintendo's legal decision? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
