Why Nintendo is expanding beyond consoles with Zelda live-action movie and Mario Shorts

Although The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hasn’t matched the critical reception of its predecessor, early box office estimates suggest it’s off to a strong start. The inclusion of two post-credits scenes hints that Nintendo and Illumination are likely setting up future installments. Beyond its financial success, there appears to be a broader strategy behind expanding the franchise on screen.

Nintendo’s live-action Zelda movie signals a shift beyond gaming hardware

Shigeru Miyamoto has been closely involved in shaping the films. In addition to safeguarding Nintendo’s iconic property, he is focused on ensuring Mario connects with an even wider audience. That’s a significant undertaking, particularly since Miyamoto has suggested that video games alone have limits in how far they can reach. In a recent interview, he noted that younger fans may now form stronger connections with the cinematic version of Mario rather than the games.

According to him, Mario has continually adapted across different forms of media, and this film series represents the character’s latest evolution. While the games remain hugely popular, they don’t necessarily reach everyone.

Shigeru Miyamoto is deeply involved in the production of these movies. Besides ensuring that the Nintendo property is showcased properly, he’s also there to make sure that the company’s beloved mascot appeals to wider audiences. That’s quite a responsibility for the movies, especially since Miyamoto thinks there’s only so much the games can do.

In an interview, he addressed the fact that younger audiences will now relate to the movie version of Mario, rather than the games. He revealed that Mario has always been evolving with media, and this movie series is just the next rendition. While there’s no doubt about the games’ popularity, they can’t reach everyone.

“When we’re talking about Mario as a character, he’s always evolved alongside the evolution of digital media,” he said. “As we approach Mario and developing Mario games, I start to feel like there’s only so many people that we can reach through Nintendo’s systems and consoles. And so now with things like digital streaming and the expanse and the reach of what the technology allows now, I feel like that’s a great way to get Mario involved too, and really be able to evolve alongside with digital media.”

He further explained that in the past, the only way to engage with Nintendo’s characters was by playing them on Nintendo consoles. Now, by extending its intellectual properties into films, merchandise, and other formats, the company is creating more avenues for audiences to connect with its worlds and characters beyond gaming.

Nintendo has already announced a live-action Zelda film and has begun releasing animated shorts featuring Mario and Pikmin online. It’s not hard to see the company gradually positioning its beloved characters beyond their traditional ties to gaming consoles. This evolution comes at a time when the console market seems to be hitting saturation.

Devices like the Switch and PS5 appear to have reached their maximum install base, with new hardware generations no longer significantly outpacing previous ones. In response to this plateau, Nintendo, like many other gaming companies has increasingly leaned into transmedia ventures to expand its reach.

“So going from being able to have a touchpoint with Nintendo only through Nintendo consoles, we want to expand,” Miyamoto said in an interview. “We’ve been able to expand it so that they can have a touchpoint with Nintendo characters through various media. In that way, instead of people thinking, ‘What kind of game is Nintendo going to come up with now?’ I would love for them to think about, ‘What kind of world Nintendo will expand on now.’”