New Deal in Place

Nintendo has always had a strong grasp what their audience wants. Domestically, they have conquered the video game industry in Japan. Their newest venture has statistically followed the trends and seems to be one of the strongest moves they have made in a few years. Nintendo and the Nippon Professional Baseball league (NPB) have partnered up to create an esports league for Splatoon. In Japan, baseball is the largest sport and is glorified nationally with events like the high school tournament Summer Koshien and significant players in the MLB like Ohtani of the Anaheim Angels and Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners. These events bring audiences and passionate fans similar to how the NFL fans are in the US. With this partnership, Nintendo is hoping to solidify Splatoon as a staple eSport in Japanese culture.

Splatoon’s Success in Japan

Splatoon has had immense success in Japan compared to the rest of the world. Selling over 2 million copies, Splatoon was the most successful selling game in Japan’s history within 8 years. Japan’s Splatoon 2 team also took first at the E3 World Championship which only further ignited the passion for the game in Japan. Nintendo has been hosting a Koshien for Splatoon which contained 8 teams from regions across Japan. With the current partnership, the NPB has decided to draft players who have played or are registered to compete in the Splatoon Koshien for their baseball clubs. The rosters will be revealed in March of 2019. There is no official start date of the league, but Splatoon fans can be excited for their game to enter the scene with the backing of Japanese giants.