Nintendo says it has a ‘great relationship’ with Microsoft, after it emerged Xbox wanted to buy the company

Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has commented on the company’s relationship with Microsoft, after Xbox was revealed to be a potential suitor for the Mario maker.

Legal documents published inadvertently last month potentially laid bare key elements of Microsoft’s gaming strategy for years to come, including Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s desire to acquire Nintendo.

“I totally agree that Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming”, the executive told a colleague in an email exchange in 2020, in which he also said Microsoft’s board was “fully supportive” of such an acquisition should the opportunity arise.

Nintendo’s Bowser was asked about the leaks during an Inverse interview published on Friday.

“We have a great relationship with Microsoft,” he said. “We consider them to be partners in many, many ways, and you only have to look at Nintendo Switch to see that partnership.

“Obviously, Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and we brought Banjo Kazooie to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So, we’re looking forward to that partnership continuing.”

Earlier this year, Microsoft signed a “binding 10-year legal agreement” to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms if it completed its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal that finally closed last week.

Spencer’s leaked email concluded: “At some point, getting Nintendo would be a career moment and I honestly believe a good move for both companies. It’s just taking a long time for Nintendo to see that their future exists off of their own hardware. A long time.”

Further reading

1

Nintendo Accounts will ‘help ease the transition’ to Switch’s successor, says platform holder

But the company won’t comment on reports that Switch 2 is coming in 2024

Addressing widespread coverage of the leaked materials, which also included plans for unannounced console hardware and games, Spencer claimed last month that “so much” had changed since they were created.

“We’ve seen the conversation around old emails and documents,” he said. “It is hard to see our team’s work shared in this way because so much has changed and there’s so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready.”