Nintendo has a new game plan

In case you didn't get the message yet, Nintendo is trying lots of new things. To that extent, it's formalizing some of that in its official charter next month. While most of it is rewording in places, the updated charter includes new references the manufacturing and selling of medical devices and computer software -- the latter possibly being different from the gaming software it's famous for. It also offers a reminder of all the things that Nintendo does that you might not know about, including office equipment and the management of "restaurants, dining halls, cafes". (Where's my Mario Cafe?)

Former president Satoru Iwata had intimated some of the company's moves into healthcare, including a "quality of life" arm that Nintendo was interested in developing. It worked on both a sleep monitor and a Wii-connected "inconsistent" vitality sensor that was eventually canned. Whether the reworded charter represents a stronger, concerted push, or just formalizes what Nintendo's trying out in recent years, remains to be seen. It's not the only new approach for the games maker: it launched its first mobile game, is looking into movies, and is even building theme park attractions in Japan. (Coming! Summer 2020!)

New ideas are needed: the company dropped almost 40 percent in overall profits in its latest earnings report. The Cliff Notes version? Nintendo is profitable, but game sales are shrinking.