43 Years Ago, Nintendo Launched the Famicom, Saving the Video Game Industry
On July 15, 1983, Nintendo released the original version of a console that changed the video game business forever and led to the massive industry that fans love today. That console managed to save video games from the garbage dump of history, literally and figuratively.
The Original Version of the NES, the Famicom, Was Released on July 15, 1983
Forty-three years ago today, Nintendo launched the Family Computer (Famicom) in Japan. For casual video game fans in North America, that name may not mean anything. However, the same console was later given a visual overhaul and released in North America as arguably the most iconic system in history, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). As a Britannica article about both consoles notes, the Famicom's success in Japancreated interest in bringing it across the ocean as the NES.
On October 18, 1985, the NES was released in North America and became a huge sensation. Remembered for introducing several beloved video game franchises, the Zapper, and more, the Famicom/NES legacy goes far beyond any one element that fans grew to love. Instead, it should be remembered for rescuing the video game industry itself.
How Nintendo Saved Video Games in the 1980s
Before the word Nintendo became a household name, there had been previous video game crazes, including when Atari became incredibly popular. However, before the Famicom was adapted into the NES and launched in North America, the industry was in serious danger of disappearing. In fact, things were looking so grim that the Video Game Console Library website has an article that was aptly titled, "The Video Game Crash of 1983: How the Industry Nearly Died."
As that website notes, a glut of bad-to-mediocre releases had turned the public's perception of video games sour. The most infamous example was the 1982 Atari game E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which was rushed to the market after five and a half weeks of development. Even decades later, that title still gets ranked as one of the worst video games of all time. It was so notoriously awful that an urban legend arose that Atari was so desperate to get rid of unbought copies that they disposed of them in a garbage dump. The craziest part of that myth is that it was true, as confirmed by a 2014 excavation of a New Mexico landfill that unearthed the discarded cartridges
After the popularity of video games bottomed out in North America, the launch of the NES changed everything thanks to Nintendo's careful control of game quality. As Britannica notes, the company sold more than 60 million NES consoles and became a worldwide phenomenon.
The massive success of the Nintendo Entertainment System built the pillars of the company that continues to be a dominant force today. That shows why the release of its direct precursor, the Famicom, is one of the most pivotal moments in video game history.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 2:55 PM.