Nintendo was founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi as a card company in Japan and found popularity for its "hamafuda" cards. In the 1950s, Nintendo diversified into other businesses until entering the video game market in the 1970s by producing arcade games in Japan. By 1981, Nintendo became a global leader in the video game industry with innovative consoles and games. Nintendo has maintained its innovative spirit and pioneered the video game industry by prioritizing strong customer connections and creativity through its consoles.