Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

User:Dorsal Axe/Sandbox

2018-02-09T17:42:48Z

Dorsal Axe:

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'''WikiProject Video games'''

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|{{WPVG icon|80px|left|WikiProject Video games logo}}
{{Shortcut|WP:VG|WP:WPVG}}
Welcome to the '''Video games WikiProject''' on the English Wikipedia! We are a [[WikiPedia:WikiProject|group]] dedicated to improving Wikipedia's coverage of topics related to '''[[video game]]s'''.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them on '''[[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Video games|our discussion page]]''', or by contacting [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Members|participants]] of the project.

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'''Purpose and Goals'''
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{| style="width: 100%"
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| style="max-width: 40%" | Our main functions are to:
* provide guidelines and recommendations for all articles related to video games;
* improve Wikipedia's coverage of video games by creating, expanding and maintaining such articles;
* serve as the central point of discussion for issues related to video games on Wikipedia; and
* maintain the [[Portal:Video games|Video games portal]].
| style="width: 50%" | <center>We are currently working toward four major milestones:</center>

{{progression|{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}}}}|.05|task=5% of articles and lists GA-Class or better|width=90%}}
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 70%; line-height: 0.8em">({{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:({{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}})*.05 round 0}})</div>

{{progression|{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}}}}|.1|task=10% of articles B-Class or better|width=90%}}
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 70%; line-height: 0.8em">({{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:({{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}})*.1 round 0 }})</div>

{{progression|{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}}}}|.2|task=20% of articles C-Class or better|width=90%}}
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 70%; line-height: 0.8em">({{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:({{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}})*.2 round 0 }})</div>

{{progression|{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}}}}|.75|task=75% of articles Start-Class or better|width=90%}}
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 70%; line-height: 0.8em">({{#expr:{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}}}}/{{#expr:({{PAGESINCATEGORY:FA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:FL-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:GA-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:B-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:C-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Start-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:List-Class video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Stub-Class video game articles|R}})*.75 round 0 }})</div>
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'''Participation'''
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We welcome everyone who wishes to improve [[:Category:WikiProject Video games articles|video game articles]]. You don't need to formally join our project in order to contribute, but feel free to indicate your participation by adding our [[Template:User WPVG|userbox]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Advert|advert]] to your user page. Members are welcome to join our project chat on the unofficial Wikimedia [[Discord (software)|Discord server]], please see [[WP:Discord]] for more information.

New users who have contributed to video game related articles can be informed about this project by adding the {{tl|vgproj welcome}} template to their talk pages.

[[File:Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-barnstar.svg|left|40px|Video Game Barnstar]]
Members of our project may like to reward other users with a [[Wikipedia:Barnstar|barnstar]]. The project features the Video Games Barnstar: '''<nowiki>{{subst:VG Barnstar|text on award. ~~~~}}</nowiki>''' [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Award userbox|Userbox]] and [[:File:WikiProject Video Games Ribbon.png|ribbon]] alternatives are also available.
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'''Editing Practices'''
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Make sure you are familiar with the following pages:
*[[Wikipedia:Five pillars|The five pillars of Wikipedia]] — a quick rundown of the five key rules you should understand before editing.
*[[Wikipedia:Simplified ruleset|Simplified ruleset]] — 12 rules of thumb to help you avoid problems.
*[[Wikipedia:List of policies|List of policies]] — a comprehensive list of the 42 official policies.

In addition to the usual [[Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines|policies and guidelines]], please make sure you understand the '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Article guidelines|specific guidelines for video game-related articles]]'''.{{clear}}
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'''Project Structure'''
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! style="text-align:center" colspan="2" | [[File:WPVG icon 2016.svg|16px]] Related WikiProjects and task forces
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! style="background:#F2F2F2" | WikiProjects
! style="background:#F2F2F2" | Task forces
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'''Parent project''' 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Nuvola apps kbackgammon engine.png|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Games|WikiProject Games]]}}

'''Sister projects''' 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Wikipe-tan head.png|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Anime and manga|WikiProject Anime and manga]]}} 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Little-vampire.png|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Horror|WikiProject Horror]]}} 
*{{nowrap|[[File:System-installer.svg|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Software|WikiProject Software]]}} 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Sports icon.png|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Sports|WikiProject Sports]]}}

'''Child projects''' 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Wikihalo.png|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Halo|WikiProject ''Halo'']]}} 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Wikiball.svg|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Pokémon|WikiProject ''Pokémon'']]}} 
*{{nowrap|[[File:Wikiproject Square Enix.svg|15px]] [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Square Enix|WikiProject Square Enix]]}}

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'''Companies''' 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Blizzard|Blizzard]] 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Nintendo|Nintendo]] 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Rockstar|Rockstar Games]] 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Sega|Sega]] 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Valve|Valve]]

'''Genres''' 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/eSports|eSports]] 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Indie|Indie]] 
*[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Visual novels|Visual novels]]
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| style="text-align:center" colspan="2" | [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Directory/Culture/Games#Video games|Directory of video game projects and taskforces]]
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*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Assessment|assessment]]''' department evaluates the quality and importance of video game related articles.
*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Essential articles|essential articles]]''' page identifies the most important topics in the scope of this WikiProject.
*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Reference library|reference library]]''' is an archive of high-quality sources that may be used to support development history, critical reception, and other sections of articles.
*We have [[Wikipedia:Task force|task forces]] within our project that provide centralized information and discussion for topics that have a sufficiently large scope, but would not benefit from having a separate WikiProject with all of the associated bureaucracy.
*'''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Traffic statistics|Page view statistics]]''' for the departments and task forces of this project are available.

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'''Tasks'''
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|{{Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Video games/to do}}
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'''Articles'''
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|This project currently maintains over [[User:WP 1.0 bot/Tables/Project/Video game|{{FORMATNUM: {{#expr: ( ( {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Top-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:High-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Mid-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Low-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:NA-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Unknown-importance video game articles|R}} ) / 1000 round 0 ) * 1000 }} }} pages of varying importance and quality]], of which over {{FORMATNUM: {{#expr: ( ( {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Top-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:High-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Mid-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Low-importance video game articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Unknown-importance video game articles|R}} ) / 1000 round 0 ) * 1000 }} }} are articles. Video game-related articles are considered notable by this project if they pass [[WP:GNG|Wikipedia's general notability guidelines]].
*All pages linked to by this page may be monitored from the '''[[Special:RecentChangesLinked/Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games|project watchlist]]'''.
*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Templates|templates]]''' page lists all templates useful in writing articles related to video games, including infobox, cleanup, stub, talk page, and external links templates.
*'''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Article statistics|Statistics]]''' on the articles in this project's scope are available.



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! style="text-align:center" | [[File:Symbol information vote.svg|16px]] Article alerts ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Article alerts|Full view]])
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<div style="font-size: 80%; -webkit-column-count:3; -moz-column-count:3; column-count:3">{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Article alerts}}
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*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Deletion|deletion]]''' subpage lists video game-related articles that have been nominated for deletion, and invites users to join the discussion process.
*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/New article announcements|new article announcements]]''' subpage lists video game-related articles that have been created recently. An automated list of new video game-related articles can be found [[User:AlexNewArtBot/VideogamesSearchResult|here]].
*The '''[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Requests|requests]]''' subpage lists video game-related articles whose creation has been requested.
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'''Recognized Content'''
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|Many articles, lists, topics, and files within the scope of this WikiProject have been developed and improved to a specific standard that is recognised across Wikipedia. Listed below is what is considered among the very best content Wikipedia has to offer, that falls within our project's scope.

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! style="text-align:center" | {{classicon|FA}} Featured content
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{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Featured content}}
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! style="text-align:center" | {{classicon|GA}} Good content
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{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Good content}}
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{{WikiProject Footer}}

__NOTOC__

Template:Great Offices of State

2016-07-13T18:56:01Z

Dorsal Axe: update

{{Navbox with columns
|name = Great Offices of State
|title = [[Great Offices of State|Great Offices of State of the United Kingdom]]
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| col1 = '''[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]''' [[Theresa May]]
| col2 = '''[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]''' [[Philip Hammond]]
| col3 = '''[[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]]''' [[Boris Johnson]]
| col4 = '''[[Home Secretary]]''' [[Amber Rudd]]
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[[Category:United Kingdom ministerial office navigational boxes|Great Offices of State]]
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Great Offices of State

2016-07-13T18:54:53Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Current */

{{distinguish|Great Officers of State}}
{{PoliticsUK}}
The '''Great Offices of State''' in the [[United Kingdom]] are the four most senior and prestigious posts in the British parliamentary system of government.<ref name="callaghan">{{cite news | url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,,1446862,00.html | title=Lord Callaghan | publisher=Guardian Unlimited | work=politics.guardian.co.uk | accessdate=10 June 2008|quote=He had held all four of the great offices of state | location=London | first=David | last=McKie | date=28 March 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4386373.stm | work=BBC News | title=Callaghan's great education debate | date=27 March 2005 | first=Gary | last=Eason}}</ref> According to convention, when the Prime Minister names his or her Cabinet, either after a general election or a mid-term reshuffle, the first Cabinet ministers to be announced are the Chancellor, the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary, and usually in that order.<ref name="callaghan"/><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk_politics/2001/open_politics/foreign_policy/diplomacy.stm |title=Open Politics |publisher=BBC News |work=news.bbc.co.uk |accessdate=26 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_m_z/john_rentoul/article23242.ece | title=Article by John Rentoul | publisher=The Independent| work=comment.independent.co.uk| accessdate=26 July 2007 | location=London | date=5 December 2004}}</ref>

==Current==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Office
! Incumbent
! Term began

|-
| [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
| [[File:Theresa May 2015.jpg|100px]] {{center|[[Theresa May]]}}
| 13 July 2016

|-
| [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]
| [[File:Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Defence.jpg|100px]] {{center|[[Philip Hammond]]}}
| 13 July 2016

|-
| [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]]
| [[File:Boris_Johnson_July_2015.jpg|100px]] {{center|[[Boris Johnson]]}}
| 13 July 2016

|-
| [[Home Secretary]]
| [[File:342303320_Amber_Rudd_MP.jpg|100px]] {{center|[[Amber Rudd]]}}
| 13 July 2016
|}

==History==
[[James Callaghan]] is the only person to date to have served in all four positions.<ref name="callaghan"/><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/lady-callaghan-of-cardiff-530403.html | location=London | work=The Independent | title=Lady Callaghan of Cardiff | date=30 March 2005}}</ref> In the past hundred years, several other people have come close to achieving this distinction: [[Herbert Henry Asquith]] and [[Winston Churchill]] both served as Chancellor, Prime Minister and Home Secretary while [[Harold Macmillan]] and [[John Major]] served as Prime Minister, Chancellor and Foreign Secretary. [[Rab Butler]] and [[John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon|Sir John Simon]] served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary. Two of the Great Offices of State have often been held simultaneously by one person, most recently by [[Ramsay MacDonald]], Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary in 1924; without having served simultaneously, now by [[Theresa May]], Home Secretary in 2010 and Prime Minister in 2016; [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley]], the famous Duke of Wellington, is the only person to have held three of the Great Offices simultaneously, serving as Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary in the [[Wellington caretaker ministry]]. If [[Jack Straw]]'s belief that the [[Secretary of State for Justice]] is the fifth Great Office of State (see below) is correct then two other ministers have held three of the offices, Jack Straw himself, as Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Justice Secretary, and [[Ken Clarke]] as Home Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer<ref name=clark>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Clarke_Kenneth.aspx |title=The Conservative Party | Your team | Members of Parliament | Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP |publisher=Conservatives.com |date= |accessdate=2013-12-10}}</ref> and Justice Secretary.<ref name=clark/>

==Commons-only nature in modern times==
Owing to the political constitution of the United Kingdom, in which the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] retains most of the power, it is accepted that it is no longer practical for holders of the Great Offices of State to be members of the [[House of Lords]]. The House of Lords has traditionally been restrained in the passage of financial bills, meaning that the office of Chancellor is effectively limited to the House of Commons. The last holders of the other positions to have been peers were:

*Prime Minister: [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Alec Douglas-Home|The Earl of Home]] (20–23 October 1963): The Earl of Home renounced his peerage and was elected as an MP after his appointment as Prime Minister. The last holder to remain a peer throughout his term as Prime Minister was the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Robert Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Marquess of Salisbury]] (25 June 1895 – 11 July 1902).
*Chancellor of the Exchequer: [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]] [[Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman|Lord Denman]] (14 November–15 December 1834): Denman only held the post on an acting basis as an [[ex officio]] duty of his role as [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales|Lord Chief Justice]], as did the peer before him, [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Charles Abbott, 1st Baron Tenterden|Lord Tenterden]] (8 August–3 September 1827); the last member of the House of Lords to hold the office substantively was [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]] [[James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope|Viscount Stanhope]] (15 April 1717 – 20 March 1718).
*Foreign Secretary: [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington|Lord Carrington]] (5 May 1979 – 5 April 1982): The Lord Carrington is the most recent peer to hold one of the Great Offices of State.
*Home Secretary: [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave|Viscount Cave]] (14 November 1918 – 14 January 1919): Sir George Cave was ennobled as The Viscount Cave while serving as Home Secretary in 1918.

It is most exceptional that a holder of a Great Office of State should not hold a seat in Parliament at all, neither in the Commons nor in the Lords. It occurred briefly in 1963, when [[Alec Douglas-Home]] was appointed Prime Minister: he disclaimed his peerage on 23 October, and was not returned to the Commons until a [[Kinross and West Perthshire by-election, 1963|by-election]] on 7 November. More substantially, [[Patrick Gordon Walker]] was appointed Foreign Secretary in 1964 despite not holding a Parliamentary seat, having been defeated in his [[Smethwick (UK Parliament constituency)|Smethwick]] constituency seat in the 1964 general election; he held the post for three months until his resignation in January 1965.

==Women==
Only four women have held any of the Great Offices of State. Out of the four Offices, three have been held by women; Chancellor of the Exchequer is the only position that has not.

*Prime Minister: [[Margaret Thatcher]] (1979–1990), [[Theresa May]] (2016–present)
*Foreign Secretary: [[Margaret Beckett]] (2006–2007)
*Home Secretary: [[Jacqui Smith]] (2007–2009), [[Theresa May]] (2010–2016)

==Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice==
In 2007, many of the functions of the [[Home Office]] were transferred to the [[Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs]], which was renamed the [[Secretary of State for Justice]]; like its predecessor, the post of Justice Secretary is held jointly with the role of [[Lord Chancellor]]. During the passage of the [[Constitutional Reform Act 2005]], which stripped the Lord Chancellor of judicial office and the Lords speakership, it was announced that future Lord Chancellors would be drawn from the Commons rather than the Lords. [[Jack Straw]], the second Justice Secretary and first Lord Chancellor not a member of the Lords in centuries, appeared to make reference to the fact that this new post could be considered a fifth Great Office, saying that he was "the first holder of this great office of state to sit in the Commons."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/sp180707a.htm |title=Lord Mayor's annual judges dinner |publisher=Ministry of Justice |accessdate=26 July 2007}}</ref> However, there is as yet no consensus in favour of such a view amongst constitutional analysts, and Straw's comment could be taken as a reference to the Lord Chancellor being one of the [[Great Officers of State]].

==See also==
* [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]]
* [[List of shadow holders of the Great Offices of State]]
* [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)]]
* [[HM Treasury]]
* [[Great Officer of State]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Great Offices of State}}

{{use dmy dates|date=February 2012}}

[[Category:Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom]]

Template:Current G20 leaders

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{{Navbox
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* {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Justin Trudeau|Trudeau]]
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* {{flagicon|Turkey}} [[Binali Yıldırım|Yıldırım]]
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{{Navbox
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* {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Justin Trudeau|Trudeau]]
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Template:Great Offices of State

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{{Navbox with columns
|name = Great Offices of State
|title = [[Great Offices of State|Great Offices of State of the United Kingdom]]
|state = {{{state|autocollapse}}}
|image = [[Image:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg|100px]]
| colwidth = 20em
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| col1 = '''[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]''' [[Theresa May]]
| col2 = '''[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]''' [[George Osborne]]
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| col4 = '''[[Home Secretary]]''' 
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{{Navbox
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* {{flagicon|European Union}} [[Donald Tusk|Tusk]] ('''[[President of the European Council]]''')
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| below = [[Portal:European Union|European Union Portal]]
}}<noinclude>
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{{Navbox
| name = European Council
| title = [[European Council]]
| bodyclass = hlist
| above =
* [[List of European Council meetings|List of meetings]]
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** {{small|[[Parties in the European Council during 2009|'09]]}}
** {{small|[[Parties in the European Council during 2010|'10]]}}
** {{small|[[Parties in the European Council during 2011|'11]]}}
** {{small|[[Parties in the European Council during 2012|'12]]}}
** {{small|[[Parties in the European Council between January and June 2013|'13 (Jan–Jun)]]}}
** {{small|[[Parties in the European Council between July and December 2013|'13 (Jul–Dec)]]}}
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| image = 
| imageleft = 
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* {{flagicon|European Union}} [[Donald Tusk|Tusk]] ('''[[President of the European Council]]''')
* {{flagicon|European Union}} [[Jean-Claude Juncker|Juncker]] ([[President of the European Commission]])

* {{Nowrap|{{flagicon|Austria}} [[Christian Kern|Kern]]}}
* {{Nowrap|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Charles Michel|Michel]]}}
* {{Nowrap|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Boyko Borisov|Borisov]]}}
* {{Nowrap|{{flagicon|Croatia}} [[Tihomir Orešković|Orešković]]}}
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| below = [[Portal:European Union|European Union Portal]]
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Ganon

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Dorsal Axe: /* Video games */ Breath of the Wild appearance

{{Infobox video game character
| name =
| image = [[Image:DarkLordGanondorf.png|200px]]
| caption = Ganon in his [[Gerudo]] form, Ganondorf, as depicted in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''
| series = ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''
| firstgame = ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]'' (1986)
| creator = [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]
| voiceactor = {{plainlist|
* Mark Berry (1993)
* [[Seizō Katō]] (1995)
* [[Takashi Nagasako]] (1998–2003)
* [[Hironori Miyata]] (2006–2008, 2014)
* [[Taiten Kusunoki]] (2014)
* [[Len Carlson]] (''[[The Legend of Zelda (TV series)|The Legend of Zelda]]'' and ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]'')
}}
}}


{{Nihongo|'''Ganon'''|ガノン|Ganon|{{IPAc-en|'|g|æ|n|ə|n}}|lead=yes}},{{efn|The character's name is spelled ''Gannon'' in the [[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|original ''The Legend of Zelda'']].}} also known as {{nihongo|'''Ganondorf'''|ガノンドロフ|Ganondorofu|{{IPAc-en|'|g|æ|n|ə|n|d|ɔr|f}}}} in his humanoid form, is a [[Character (arts)|fictional character]] in [[Nintendo]]'s ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' video game series. A recurring antagonist in the series, Ganon is the final [[Boss (video games)|boss]] in many ''Zelda'' titles.

In the games, the character alternates between two forms: a massive, demonic boar-like creature and a tall, heavily-built [[Gerudo]], a race of humanoid desert brigands. Ganondorf is the archenemy of the series' central protagonist, [[Link (The Legend of Zelda)|Link]], and the leader of the Gerudo. His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often involve capturing [[Princess Zelda]] and planning to conquer [[Hyrule]] and the world at large.<ref>{{cite video game|title=The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | developer = Nintendo | publisher = Nintendo | language=Japanese | quote = '''Rauru''': {{nihongo2|アタシたち　賢者は　六人そろえば　魔王ガノンドロフを　　封印することが　できるの。}} ('If we, the six sages, come together, we will even be able to seal the Demon King Ganondorf.')}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures | developer=Nintendo | publisher = Nintendo | language=Japanese | quote = '''Ganon''': {{nihongo2|おお...、俺は闇の魔王！！}} ('Graah! I am the Demon King of Darkness!')}}</ref><ref>{{Cite video game|title=The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures | developer=Nintendo | publisher = Nintendo | quote = '''Princess Zelda''': King of Darkness, is an ancient demon reborn. The wielder of the trident!!}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title = The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker| developer = Nintendo | publisher = Nintendo | quote = '''The King of Red Lions''': He is the very same Ganon... The emperor of the dark realm the ancient legends speak of...}}</ref>{{efn|Ganon is the king of the Gerudo tribe in ''Ocarina of Time'', and his given title as a boss in ''Oracle of Ages'' and ''Oracle of Seasons'' is "Evil Gerudo King".}}{{efn|In the Japanese versions of ''Ocarina of Time'' and ''Twilight Princess'', Ganon's human form is titled {{nihongo2|大魔王ガノンドロフ}} (lit. "Great Demon King Ganondorf"); in the latter, his beast form is titled {{nihongo2|魔獣ガノン}} (lit. "Demon Beast Ganon"). The North American release of ''Ocarina of Time'' uses "Great King of Evil Ganondorf" for his human form and simply "Ganon" for his bestial form, and the North American release of ''Twilight Princess'' uses "Dark Lord Ganondorf" and "Dark Beast Ganon", respectively.}} To this end, he seeks the [[Triforce]], a powerful magical relic that grants any wish its bearer desires, and usually manipulates several other villains to realize his ambitions.

In most games, he already possesses the [[Triforce|Triforce of Power]], a third of the full Triforce that gives him godlike strength, boundless mystical power and makes him invulnerable to all but the most powerful sacred weapons, such as the [[Master Sword]]. However, Ganondorf's lust for power can never be satisfied. The character has been well received by critics and fans alike, becoming one of the most popular and recognizable villains in gaming.

==Character design==
Ganon has two basic forms that appear throughout the series: one that is his demonic and porcine form, while the other is his humanoid [[Universe of The Legend of Zelda|Gerudo]] form. In the [[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|original ''The Legend of Zelda'']], ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'', [[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages|''Oracle of Seasons'' and ''Oracle of Ages'']], ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures|Four Swords Adventures]]'', and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds|A Link Between Worlds]]'', he is depicted as a blue, porcine biped wielding a trident. In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', his demonic form bears more of a resemblance to a giant [[Minotaur]] while wielding two large swords. This game also marks the first appearance of his humanoid form, a physically imposing and armor-clad Gerudo. He displays physical traits typical of Gerudo: dark skin (with his having an olive green tint), a sharp bird-like nose, amber eyes, and red eyebrows and hair (with the former connecting to the latter). Ganondorf is 230 cm (7 ft. 6½ in.)<ref>Hyrule Historia</ref> and towers over Link and other characters. His Gerudo form reappears in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'', albeit noticeably aged with a cloak and two unnamed swords, as well as in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' with thicker armor, a glowing whitish gold wound in his chest that originated from his failed execution, and the same sword that was used during said execution attempt.

Ganon was originally known as "Hakkai" during development of the original ''The Legend of Zelda'', in reference to a humanoid pig character known as [[Zhu Bajie]] (''Cho Hakkai'' in Japanese) from the famed 16th-century Chinese novel ''[[Journey to the West]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iwata Asks - Zelda Handheld History |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_-_zelda_handheld_history_15603_15604.html#top |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |accessdate=2010-01-27}}{{dead link|date=February 2016}}</ref> The character is given the surname "Dragmire" and the alias "Mandrag Ganon", which means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves", in the English version of the ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'' instruction manual.<ref name="Ganon's Name">{{cite book | author = Yoshiaki Koizumi | title = Instruction Booklet (for ''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'') | section = The Legend of Hyrule | sectionurl = | version = | publisher = Nintendo of America | date = 1992 | url = http://www.zeldalegends.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=1274&fullsize=1 | id = | accessdate = | quote = "The name of this king of thieves is Ganondorf Dragmire, but he is known by his alias, Mandrag Ganon, which means Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves." | page = 5 |ref= }}</ref>

Ganon is named inconsistently throughout the series. In the Japanese versions of the first three games, his name is anglicized as "Gannon".<ref>{{cite video game |title=[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu]] |developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]] |publisher=[[Nintendo Co., Ltd.]] |date=1986-02-21 |platform=[[Family Computer Disk System]] |scene=title screen |quote=Many years ago prince darkness Gannon stole one of the Triforce with power.}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game |title=[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Legend of Zelda 2: Link no Bōken]] |developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]] |publisher=[[Nintendo Co., Ltd.]] |date=1987-01-14 |platform=[[Family Computer Disk System]] |scene=title screen |quote=Several years after Gannon was destroyed, Link learns from Impa about another sleeping Princess Zelda.}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game |title=[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce]] |developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]] |publisher=[[Nintendo Co., Ltd.]] |date=1991-11-21 |platform=[[Super Famicom]] |scene=staff credits |quote=Level 8 Gannon's Tower}}</ref> This spelling appears in only two Western releases: the original [[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|game]], and the non-canonical ''[[Zelda's Adventure]]''.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Zelda's Adventure |developer=Viridis |publisher=Philips Media |date=1994-06-05 |platform=Philips CD-i |quote=Gannon, Lord of Darkness, has taken over Tolemac. He has stolen the treasured celestial signs and captured Link! Make haste!}}</ref> Since ''The Adventure of Link'', the name is given as "Ganon". ''A Link to the Past'' uses "Ganon", while ''Ocarina of Time'' predominately uses "Ganondorf". Nintendo's current convention is to use "Ganon" for his beast form and "Ganondorf" for the character's human form.{{citation needed|date=December 2009}}

For the development of ''Ocarina of Time'', Ganon was conceived by character designer Satoru Takizawa. Takizawa had imagined Ganon as a "crooked and complex thief, who was basically an all around abominable human being".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1101.com/nintendo/nin1/nin1-6.htm |title=樹の上の秘密基地 |date=26 Nov 1998 |publisher=ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 |accessdate=2010-05-24}}</ref> However, script director Toru Osawa claimed that this image was "not the case". He began to speak of how Ganondorf was meant to have "parts where he is rather good", comparing him to the character of [[Raoh]] in ''[[Fist of the North Star]]''.<ref name="Ocarina Interview">{{cite web |title= Ki no ue no Himitsu kichi Ocarina of Time interview - Osawa and Takizawa comments |url= http://www.angelfire.com/games5/makzelda/interviews/kiootcomments.html|publisher=[[Angelfire]] |accessdate=2009-08-20 |date=1998-11-26}}</ref> With this idea in mind, Takizawa created a tentative model of Ganondorf based on actor [[Christopher Lambert]]. The end result of Ganondorf was very different from this model, with three forms of the character being created: one of Ganondorf in the beginning; one of Ganondorf seven years later, with longer hair; and one of Ganon in the end.<ref name="Ocarina Interview"/> Since Ganon appeared as a boar-like creature, Takizawa decided that Ganondorf should transform into such at the end of the game, despite the opinions of other staff members. He decided on making Ganon a beast "with the feeling of a pig" to reference ''A Link to the Past''.<ref name="Ocarina Interview"/>

==Characteristics==
Ganon is depicted as the ultimate embodiment of pure evil and mindless hatred. His roles range from savage beast to scheming tyrant to godlike entity, sometimes in the course of a single game. The book ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia|Hyrule Historia]]'' reveals that Ganon's hatred is so intense that he can survive even the total obliteration of his body and remain conscious. {{citation needed|date=March 2015}} Despite these negative traits, he does show some knowledge of the fine arts; most notably, he is shown playing his own [[leitmotif]] on an organ in ''Ocarina of Time''. Ganondorf is incredibly arrogant, believing himself to be completely invulnerable. Because of this, he never considers anything to be a threat and appears to put minimal effort into fighting. Unsurprisingly, Ganondorf is often in total disbelief when he is defeated, once even bursting into laughter from having been outsmarted at the last second. He is not completely beyond sympathy, though; in ''The Wind Waker'', Ganondorf reveals that his motives were not purely selfish, claiming to have sought the Triforce to allow the Gerudo Valley relief from its scorching desert wind. Zelda also expresses pity for him in ''Ocarina of Time'' in his attempt to steal the Triforce when its power was too great for him to control.

He is portrayed in ''Ocarina of Time'' as an ambitious, cunning manipulator, gaining the king's trust before betraying him and tricking Link into opening the Door of Time, which allows him to access the Triforce. In ''Twilight Princess'', Ganondorf is stated to have been known as a demon thief and an evil magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness. In that same game, it is when he obtains the Triforce of Power that develops a conscienceless [[god complex]], believing himself to have been chosen by the goddesses who created Hyrule to be its ruler. In ''The Wind Waker'', Ganondorf is much older and prepares for the circumstances that led to his prior defeat, ordering the capture of girls that appear similar to Zelda and killing the sages in charge of blessing the Master Sword so that it cannot be used against him.

Ganon is a formidable [[Magician (fantasy)|sorcerer]],{{efn|He uses magic in ''A Link to the Past'', ''Ocarina of Time'', and ''The Adventure of Link'', among other titles.}} able to use magic to attack as well as [[Shapeshifting|shapeshift]],{{efn|He changes between human and beast forms in ''Ocarina of Time'' and ''Twilight Princess''.}} and he is skilled enough a swordsman to combat Link.{{efn|Ganon acrobatically dodges Link's swings in ''The Wind Waker'' and ''Twilight Princess''. In the former, he [[Dual wield|dual-wields]] swords.}} Despite his size, Ganondorf is incredibly agile, and is not only capable of dodging sword attacks but arrows as well. The [[Triforce of Power]], a magical relic of the [[Recurring characters in The Legend of Zelda series|Golden Goddesses]], makes Ganon stronger, also granting him powers such as [[Transvection (flying)|transvection]],{{efn|Ganon flies in ''A Link to the Past'', the TV series ''The Legend of Zelda'', and ''Ocarina of Time''. In ''Twilight Princess'', he causes Princess Zelda to fly while [[Spirit possession|possessing]] her.}} [[teleportation]],{{efn|Ganon can teleport himself and others by various means. He visibly uses this skill in the TV series ''The Legend of Zelda''.{{Elucidate|date=January 2011}} In ''Ocarina of Time'', he encloses Princess Zelda in a pink crystal and teleports her to his castle. In ''Twilight Princess'', while in beast form, he uses [[Portal (fiction)|portals]] to evade attack.}} and [[superhuman strength]].

Further, the Triforce piece grants him [[immortality]]; although he can show signs of aging, such as in ''The Wind Waker'', he is invulnerable to everything but his own magic and sacred weapons such as the Master Sword, the Four Sword, Light Arrows and Silver Arrows. He has survived events as severe as having an entire castle collapse on him{{efn|At the climax of ''Ocarina of Time'', Ganon causes his castle to collapse in an attempt to kill Link and Zelda.}} and being impaled by a sword. Once drastically injured, he can be magically imprisoned by divine intervention, but this is often not effective, since he can escape. If he is actually killed, his followers may resurrect him.{{efn|Ganon's minions fail to resurrect Ganon in ''The Adventure of Link'', but partly succeed in ''Oracle of Ages'' and ''Oracle of Seasons''.}} If he cannot be revived outright, he will be reincarnated due to the curse placed by Demise in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword|Skyward Sword]]''.

==Appearances==

===Video games===
Ganon has appeared in most games in the series, some of which hide his existence until late in the game. Ganon made his first appearance in ''The Legend of Zelda''. Ganon invades Hyrule with his minions, stealing the Triforce of Power. To protect the world from Ganon, [[Princess Zelda]] breaks the [[Triforce of Wisdom]] into eight pieces and scatters them across the land, but is then captured. She sends her nursemaid, Impa, to find someone to defeat Ganon. Impa discovers [[Link (The Legend of Zelda)|Link]]. He gathers the Triforce pieces and defeats Ganon, reducing him to a pile of ashes and recovering the Triforce of Power. Afterwards, he brings both the Triforces of Power and Wisdom to Zelda. Ganon makes no major appearance in the sequel ''Zelda II: The Adventure of Link'', as it focuses on his minions' attempt to revive him by killing Link and spilling Link's blood over Ganon's ashes. If they succeed, Ganon's silhouette appears on the Game Over screen accompanied by his laugh.

He later appeared in the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] game ''A Link to the Past'', trapped in a place called the Dark World—formerly called the Sacred Land, before Ganon corrupted it. The game focuses on Ganon's attempt to escape from the Dark World and conquer the Light World, utilizing minions such as the wizard Agahnim to sacrifice the seven descendants of the sages who sealed him away, in order to break the seal. Zelda summons Link to rescue her, but she is captured and sent to the Dark World. Once Link defeats Agahnim, he is sent to the Dark World, where he rescues the seven maidens, defeats Agahnim yet again, and pursues Ganon into his lair, where Ganon is eventually defeated. Link finds the completed Triforce, and uses it to undo everything Ganon has done. In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|Link's Awakening]]'', Link battles Dethl, a physical manifestation of the Wind Fish's nightmares. During the final battle, Dethl assumes several forms, all of which are based on creatures from Link's past. One of Dethl's forms is "Ganon's Shadow" and is constructed from Link's memories of his battle with Ganon in ''A Link to the Past''.

He makes a major appearance in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' as Ganondorf; in the chronology of the series's story, it is his earliest appearance (Excluding Demise in Skyward Sword). Ganondorf swears his allegiance to the King of Hyrule, in order to betray him and conquer Hyrule Castle. However, the Zelda of the game asks Link to take the Master Sword, a mystical weapon used to defeat evil. After Link finds all the items necessary to take the sword, Zelda and her nursemaid Impa are chased from Hyrule Castle. Once Link opens the door protecting the Master Sword and takes it, he falls into a deep sleep, allowing Ganondorf to steal the Triforce of Power from the room. Seven years later, Link awakens as an adult, and finds Hyrule corrupted by Ganondorf. Link collects the power of the seven sages—including Zelda, who is kidnapped after she reveals herself. He encounters Ganondorf, defeating him and escaping from the castle with Zelda. However, Ganondorf uses the Triforce of Power to turn into his bestial form. Link defeats him with the help of Zelda and the other sages, and Ganon is banished to the Sacred Realm, swearing vengeance against Zelda, the Sages and Link. Ganon does not make an appearance in ''Ocarina of Time''{{'}}s Nintendo 64 sequel ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'', but was referenced under the word "Evil" in the prologue. His race the Gerudo also make a return as the pirates.

Two [[Game Boy Color]] games, ''Oracle of Seasons'' and ''Oracle of Ages'', do not initially have anything to do with Ganon, but once both are linked together and both are completed, two of Ganon's minions, Koume and Kotake, seek to revive him by using Zelda and two [[oracle]]s called Din and Nayru. Ganon is ultimately revived, but since Zelda was not sacrificed, he becomes a mindless beast and is defeated by Link.<ref>{{cite video game | title=The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Ages | developer=Flagship | publisher=Nintendo | date=2001-05-14 | platform=Game Boy Color |quote='''Zelda:''' Since they could not sacrifice me in their final rite, the powers of darkness could only revive a mindless, raging Ganon.}}</ref> Ganon does not make an appearance in the subsequent Game Boy Advance game ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords|Four Swords]]'', which instead introduces the new recurring villain [[Vaati]].

Ganondorf appears in the [[GameCube]] game ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]''. Following ''Ocarina of Time'', in an alternate timeline, Ganondorf escaped from the Sacred Realm. As the Link of ''Ocarina of Time'' is nowhere to be found, the Hylians pray to the Goddesses to save Hyrule. The Goddesses respond by flooding the land with endless rain in order to destroy Ganondorf, driving the Hylian people to the mountaintops. When he is confronted in his fortress by the new Link, Ganondorf reveals his motives to capture Tetra, who is revealed to be the descendant of the Zelda from ''Ocarina of Time''. After Link fails to defeat Ganondorf in their first encounter, Link finds the Master Sword and battles him in the sunken Hyrule Castle. Ganondorf explains his resentment of Hyrule, describing his country as one that was filled with death and despair, and that Hyrule was rich with life—that being his reason for trying to conquer it. However, before Ganondorf can use the Triforce to revert the flood, the King of Hyrule intervenes and wishes his kingdom to be totally destroyed to make room for the future. Though Ganondorf attempts to kill him and Tetra, Link thrusts the Master Sword into Ganondorf's head, killing him and turning him to stone as Hyrule is fully submerged underwater.

Ganon is largely absent in the ''Four Sword'' subseries. Instead, another power-hungry sorcerer, Vaati, is depicted as the main villain of the subseries. Despite this, Ganon is mentioned in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures|Four Swords Adventures]]'' and makes a late appearance near the very end of the game after having revealed his manipulation of Vaati. As ''Four Swords Adventures'' takes place centuries after ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'', it is also the first and only game in the series to feature a reincarnation of Ganon. In the game's backstory, Ganondorf was to be the guardian of the Gerudo and the desert but his heart grew twisted with each passing year, and he became obsessed with obtaining power at any cost. Banished by the Gerudo, he retrieved an evil magical Trident from a Pyramid, which transformed him into the bestial Ganon, and then began to usurp power from many others so that he could coat the world in darkness. After Vaati is defeated, Link and Zelda battle Ganon and seal him away within the Four Sword.

In ''Twilight Princess'', Ganondorf appears in flashback midway through the game, though he is behind all of the events of the story.<ref>{{cite web|last=Casamassina|first=Matt|date=2005-08-16|url= http://cube.ign.com/articles/683/683158p1.html|title=Twilight Princess: Ganon's Return|publisher=IGN|accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref> Before the events of the game, revealed by the ''Hyrule Historia'' to be an alternate timeline where his deception is exposed, Ganondorf was captured by the Sages and condemned to death. As he was the bearer of the Triforce of Power, the Sages were unable to kill Ganondorf as he broke his chains and killed the Sage of light while claiming the Sword of the Sages for himself. The Sages were forced to banish Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm, where he presented himself as a demonic [[deity]] to [[Zant]], delegating his power and persuading him to attempt conquest of the light world.<ref>{{cite video game | title=The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | developer=Nintendo EAD | publisher=Nintendo | date=2006-11-19 | platform=Wii |quote='''Zant:''' It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god. }}</ref><ref>{{cite video game | title=The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | developer=Nintendo EAD | publisher=Nintendo | date=2006-11-19 | platform=Wii |quote='''Zant:''' My god had only one wish....To merge shadow and light...and make darkness! }}</ref> Ganondorf does not appear again until the end of the game—in the throne of Hyrule Castle, proclaiming it as his own. He is challenged by [[Midna]], prompting Ganondorf to possess the soulless Princess Zelda and attack Link before leaving her body and transforming into a feral version of Ganon. Midna recovers and teleports Link and Zelda to Hyrule Field before attempting to defeat Ganondorf when he reconstitutes himself, causing the castle to explode. But Ganondorf defeats Midna, appearing on horseback to fight Link before engaging him in a final duel where he uses the Sages' sword. Link defeats Ganondorf, impaling him through the wound in his chest with the Master Sword. After getting up and uttering a few words,<ref>{{cite video game | title=The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | developer=Nintendo EAD | publisher=Nintendo | date=2006-11-19 | platform=Wii |quote='''Ganondorf:''' Do not think this ends here... The history of Light and Shadow will be written in blood! }}</ref> the Triforce symbol on Ganondorf's hand disappears as he dies standing in place.

In the Nintendo DS game ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass|Phantom Hourglass]]'', the direct sequel to ''The Wind Waker'', Ganondorf appears in a cameo in the opening sequence that summarizes the plot of the latter game. However, he is not seen or even mentioned in any capacity in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks|Spirit Tracks]]'' (save for the '''Demon Train''' which has a face that heavily resembles Ganondorf), the direct sequel to ''Phantom Hourglass''.

While Ganondorf does not make an appearance in the Wii game ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword|Skyward Sword]]'', his origin is foreshadowed. Demon King Demise, the main villain of the game, curses Link and Zelda before his impending death and states that his curse (Curse of the Demon Tribe in the Japanese version) will see his hatred towards the descendants of Link and Zelda be reborn in an endless cycle. This curse ultimately comes to pass when Demise's hatred manifests in physical form as none other than Ganondorf himself.

In the Nintendo 3DS game ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds|A Link Between Worlds]]'', Ganon makes a short appearance in his normal form, though his past actions and influence greatly affect the course of events throughout the story and serves as the inspiration for Yuga. Yuga summons him back from his seal with the power of the seven sages, previously trapped within paintings by Yuga, and absorbs Ganon to take his power as his own. Becoming Yuga Ganon, Yuga reveals plans to complete the Triforce once again and remake both Lorule and Hyrule in his own image, but is defeated in this by Link. Ganon is also mentioned by several characters and old legends, which describe his actions during the events of ''A Link to the Past'', and his prior invasion between the events of ''Link's Awakening'' and ''A Link Between Worlds''.

An evil entity known as the '''Calamity Ganon''' appears in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild|Breath of the Wild]]''. 100 years prior to Link's awakening from a deep sleep, the Calamity Ganon rose up and laid waste to Hyrule. Unable to be defeated, it was sealed within Hyrule Castle, while the ruined kingdom was ravaged by nature over time. The Calamity Ganon continued to grow in power while trapped, and plans to break free to destroy the world.<ref>{{cite video game | title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | developer=Nintendo EAD | publisher=Nintendo | date=2016-06-14 | platform='''Wii U/NX''' |quote='''Old Man:''' I assume you have caught full sight of that atrocity swarming around the castle. That...is the Calamity Ganon. It brought ruin and corruption upon the kingdom of Hyrule 100 years ago. It appeared suddenly...destroying everything in its path. Leaving countless innocents in its wake. Over the last century, the kingdom's purest symbol, Hyrule Castle, has been able to contain that evil. But just barely. There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|quote=A mysterious female voice over beckons Link to “open his eyes.” Our hero has been asleep for 100 years, a callback to Link’s previous adventures but he wakes up to some dire circumstances: the world has been ravaged in the time Link’s been asleep by Calamity Ganon, a fog-like beast that creates a dark mist around what looks like Hyrule Castle. The voice tells Link if this calamity gains enough power, he could bring the world to an end.|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/06/14/e3-2016-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-hands-on-preview?page=3|title=E3 2016: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD MIGHT BE THE OPEN WORLD ZELDA WE ALWAYS WANTED}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|quote=The looming threat to Hyrule is equally familiar. Not long after the game starts, you learn that a being called Calamity Ganon had been trapped in Hyrule Castle for 100 years. In seeming tie to Link's own awakening, Ganon has been gathering power and is right on the cusp of breaking loose. Should that happen, Hyrule is doomed.|url=http://mashable.com/2016/06/14/legend-of-zelda-breath-wild-gameplay-preview-e3/#rSrb6Gxn4gqa|title=Freeform exploration in the new 'Zelda' game is an NES throwback}}</ref>

===Other appearances===
Ganon appears in his "green boar" form in two of the three [[CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series|CD-i ''Zelda'' titles]]: ''Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon'' and ''Link: The Faces of Evil''. In ''Zelda's Adventure'', he is a large, muscular devil-creature. In the first two of these games, he only requires one hit to defeat, and appears to be a sorcerer of some sort with features based on his cartoon incarnation.

Ganondorf made his first playable appearance as an unlockable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' (where he is based on his appearance in the [[Nintendo Space World]] demo, even wielding the large, cleaver-like sword in one of his victory poses though he cannot actually use it in combat)<ref>{{cite web|date=2001-11-26|url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/100/100084p1.html|title=Super Smash Bros. Melee Unlocked|publisher=IGN|accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref> ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]]'' (both using his ''Twilight Princess'' design). He is one of five characters from the ''Zelda'' series to be playable in each game. In each game, he is a slower, heavier, and more powerful "clone" of [[Captain Falcon]], performing mostly the same attacks and moves. Eiji Aonuma said that his design team submitted designs for Ganon based on ''Twilight Princess'' to the developers of ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.<ref>{{cite web|date=2007-08-02|url= http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200708/N07.0802.1741.54921.htm|title=Eiji Aonuma Talks DS Development And More|publisher=[[Game Informer]]|accessdate=2007-08-02 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070818043426/http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200708/N07.0802.1741.54921.htm  |archivedate = 2007-08-18}}</ref> Ganon appears in the single-player ''The Subspace Emissary'' mode, allied with [[Bowser (character)|Bowser]] and [[Wario]] (in which, near the end they leave Tabuu's side to join [[Mario]]'s side) as well as being a servant of [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Master Hand]]. His Final Smash is his "Dark Beast: Ganon" form from ''Twilight Princess'', in which he transforms, charges across the screen, and then warps himself back onto the stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/characters/hidden09.html|work=Smash Bros. DOJO!!|title=Ganondorf in Super Smash Bros. Brawl|accessdate=2008-03-25}}</ref>

Ganondorf appears as a playable character in the ''Zelda'' spin-off title ''[[Hyrule Warriors]]'', where he is the one who corrupts the sorceress that watches over Triforce, driving the light from her soul, transforming her into the Dark Sorceress, Cia in order to have her free the fragment of his soul which had been split into four pieces by a previous incarnation of Link. However, by driving the light from her soul, he inadvertently creates White Sorceress, Lana. He manipulates Cia into creating the Dark Forces and grants her the use of his Triforce of Power. Cia manages to steal the Triforce of Courage from Link and the Triforce of Wisdom from Sheik (Zelda's alter-ego). Using the Triforce through Cia, Ganondorf has her warp time and space to free three fragments of his soul sealed across three different eras.
With these three fragments, Ganondorf manages to restore his physical body and tries to take the Triforce from Cia, however she turns the tables on him by sending the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage, back to their original bearers, while keeping the Triforce of Power for herself. Though she manages to partially reseal him, Ganondorf eventually escapes and tries to reclaim the Triforce of Power, but due to final part of his soul still being under seal, he fails. Following Cia's defeat, the seal on the final fragment of his soul is released and he is fully revived, though without the Triforce of Power, which was claimed by Lana. He then leads a campaign composing of himself and the summoned Ghirahim and Zant to gain the complete Triforce. Though he succeeds in obtaining the complete Triforce, his over confidence causes him to underestimate his enemies, who dispose of Zant and Ghirahim, before engaging Ganondorf himself at Ganon's Tower. Ganondorf is defeated, though he uses the Triforce to revive himself as the Dark Beast Ganon, however is defeated, allowing Link, Zelda, and Lana to reclaim their respective Triforce pieces. Using the combined Triforce, the three reseal Ganon. Princess Zelda and Link return the Master Sword to its pedestal to completely restore the seal on Ganondorf's soul.

Ganondorf is available as an unlockable "Mystery Mushroom" costume in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]''.

===Appearances in other media===
Ganon was the main villain of 1989's [[The Legend of Zelda (TV series)|''The Legend of Zelda'' cartoon]], which was shown as part of ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'' in syndication that year. In the cartoon, Ganon was a brown-skinned [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] wild boar and a wizard. He was in possession of the Triforce of Power, and—despite having seemingly endless abilities and magical powers—lost every chance to steal the Triforce of Wisdom. He spent most of his time living in his subterranean lair, referred to as his "castle", which was located in the [[Underworld]]. He is disintegrated when attacked several times by Link's sword, Zelda's arrows, or the Triforce of Wisdom. He was voiced by [[Len Carlson]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}

In addition to the ''Zelda'' cartoon, Ganon (along with Link and Zelda) also appeared in ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]'', as a secondary villain in the episode "Quest for the Potion of Power".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Quest for the Potion of Power |series=Captain N: The Game Master |serieslink=Captain N: The Game Master |network=NBC |airdate=1990-09-29 |number=16}}</ref> This was something of a continuation of Ganon's appearance in the ''Zelda'' cartoon. The episode uses elements from ''The Legend of Zelda'' and ''The Adventure of Link''. During the episode, Ganon is revived, double-crosses [[Metroid (series)|Mother Brain]], and is killed again by the reflected magic on Link's shield.

In the ''[[South Park]]'' episode "[[Imaginationland Episode III]]," Ganondorf is seen as one of many evil characters battling the good characters. In the ''[[Robot Chicken]]'' episode "Shoe", Ganon appears briefly but is killed by Link, who frees Zelda shortly afterward.

Ganondorf also makes an appearance in [[The Legend of Zelda (manga)|''The Legend of Zelda'' manga]].

==Reception==
Ganon is one of the most recognizable and popular villains in gaming and has been met with positive reception over the years. In 2010, ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' named him the best villain in Nintendo history.<ref>{{cite book |title= 250 Reasons To Love Nintendo|url=http://www.nintendopower.com/images/NP250_250Feature.pdf |format=Magazine |accessdate=2010-07-17 |volume=250 |date=January 2010 |pages=42, 47 |publisher=[[Future US]] |location=[[South San Francisco, California]]}}</ref> In 2013, [[GamesRadar]] ranked him as the best villain in the entire history of video games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/top-100-villains-video-games/|title=100 best villains in video games|publisher=GamesRadar |author=GamesRadar Staff|date=May 17, 2013}}</ref> Nevertheless, [[Cracked.com]] has listed Ganondorf from ''Twilight Princess'' among the six most disappointing video game end bosses, writing "We went into this battle expecting [[Darth Maul]], and what we got was [[C-3PO]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/article_15712_the-6-most-disappointing-video-game-end-bosses_p2.html|title=The 6 Most Disappointing Video Game End Bosses|publisher=Cracked.com|first=Andrew|last=Gordon|date=December 12, 2007|accessdate=May 20, 2014}}</ref>

[[GameSpot]] counted his appearance in ''Ocarina of Time'' among the "Top Ten Boss Fights."<ref>{{cite web|title=TenSpot Readers' Choice: Top Ten Boss Fights|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tenspot-readers-choice-top-ten-boss-fights/1100-6086260/|website=Gamespot.com|publisher=Gamespot|accessdate=20 July 2014}}</ref> GameSpot also included him in "Top Ten Video Game Villains".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/tenspot_villains/page5.html |title=Top Ten Video Game Villains |page=5 |work=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=2011-01-27 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20090413042720/http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/tenspot_villains/page5.html |archivedate=April 13, 2009 }}</ref> He was the runner-up in [[GameFAQs]]' "Got Villains?" Character Battle, losing in the final to ''[[Final Fantasy]]''{{'}}s [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)|Sephiroth]].<ref name="gamefaqs.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/spr05|title=Spring 2005: Got Villains?|publisher=[[GameFAQs]]|author=GameFAQs Staff|year=2005|accessdate=2006-11-03}}</ref> [[GameDaily]] ranked him the second on their lists of "Top Ten Nintendo Characters That Deserve Their Own Games" list.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 10 Nintendo Characters That Deserve Their Own Games | page=9 |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-10-nintendo-characters-that-deserve-their-own-games |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20090915180408/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-10-nintendo-characters-that-deserve-their-own-games |archivedate=2009-09-15 |work=[[Game Daily]]|publisher=AOL | date=2008-03-06 |accessdate=2009-08-07}}</ref> and "Most Persistent Video Game Villains of All Time".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/most-persistent-video-game-villains/ |page=7 |title=Most Persistent Video Game Villains |date=2009-01-20 |last=Buffa |first=Chris |accessdate=2011-01-27 |work=GameDaily |publisher=AOL |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20090122195214/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/most-persistent-video-game-villains/ |archivedate=January 22, 2009 }}</ref> GamesRadar listed him second on their 2009 list of "The Top Video Game Villains who will Never Stay Dead".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Top 7... villains who never stay dead |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-top-7-villains-that-never-stay-dead/a-200904139337300060 | page=4 | last = Reparaz | first = Mikel |work=[[GamesRadar]] | publisher=Future US | date = 2009-04-13|accessdate=2010-01-05}}</ref> [[IGN]] listed Ganon as one of the "Top 10 Characters In Need of a Spin-Off"<ref name="IGN Spin-Off">{{cite web |url=http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/790/790921p1.html |title=Top 10 Tuesday: Characters In Need of a Spin-Off |author=News & Features Team |date=2010-05-22 |work=[[IGN]] |accessdate=2011-04-08}}</ref> and ranked him third in their "Top 100 Videogames Villains" list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/5.html |title=Donkey Kong is number 5 - IGN |publisher=IGN |accessdate=December 9, 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20121111043209/http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/5.html |archivedate=November 11, 2012 }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://zelda.com/universe/pedia/g.jsp Ganon] at Zelda.com
* {{imdb character|0008444|Ganondorf}}

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

2016-06-14T21:06:13Z

Dorsal Axe: Basic premise details

{{Infobox video game
| title = The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
| image = BreathoftheWildBoxArt.jpg
| caption = Tentative [[Wii U]] box art
| developer = [[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development|Nintendo EPD]]
| publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| director = [[Hidemaro Fujibayashi]]
| producer = {{plainlist|
*[[Eiji Aonuma]]}}
| designer =
| programmer =
| artist =
| writer =
| composer =
| series = ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''
| platforms = {{plainlist|
*[[Wii U]]
*[[Nintendo NX|NX]]}}
| released = {{Video game release||2017}}
| genre = [[Action-adventure game|Action-adventure]], [[action role-playing game|action role-playing]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}

{{nihongo|'''''The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'''''|ゼルダの伝説ブレスオブザワイルド|Zeruda no Densetsu: Buresu obu za Wairudo|lead=yes}} is an upcoming [[action-adventure game|action-adventure]] video game in development by [[Nintendo]] for the [[Wii U]] and the company's upcoming [[home video game console]], codenamed "[[Nintendo#Future: Mobile and NX|NX]]". It is the nineteenth main installment in the ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' series and the first original ''Zelda'' game developed with a [[High-definition video|high-definition]] [[display resolution|resolution]]. The game will feature an [[open world]] in which players can find different ways to approach areas.

The game has been in development since 2013 and was originally announced with a 2015 release date. The game is currently set for release sometime in 2017.

== Gameplay ==
{{See also|The Legend of Zelda#Gameplay|l1=Gameplay of The Legend of Zelda series}}

The gameplay of ''Breath of the Wild'' is a strong departure from recent games in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, as the game takes place in an [[open world]] environment, approximately twelve times the size of the overworld featured in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'', with less emphasis on defined entrances and exits to [[Dungeon crawl|dungeons]]. Similar to the [[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|original ''The Legend of Zelda'']], the player is placed into the game's [[overworld]] with little to no instruction and are allowed to explore freely at their own pace.<ref name="New HD Zelda at IGN AU"/> Players once again control [[Link (The Legend of Zelda)|Link]], who now has the ability to jump and climb up any surface. By exploring the environment, Link can find various weapons, including melee weapons, shields, and bows, as well as equippable clothing and food items that can be eaten or cooked to restore health. Weapons break after excessive use, but many weapons have multiple uses; for example, tree branches can be used to light fires and shields can be used as makeshift [[snowboard]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/articles/2014/12/06/new-gameplay-shown-from-the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u |title=New Gameplay Shown From The Legend of Zelda Wii U |last=Sliva |first=Marty |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=5 December 2014 |accessdate=6 December 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206172049/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/06/new-gameplay-shown-from-the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u |archivedate=6 December 2014 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rPxiXXxftE|title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Official Game Trailer - Nintendo E3 2016|website=[[YouTube]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|accessdate=14 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-wii-u-s-open-world-is-as-big-as-the-system-c/1100-6425351/ |last1=Pereira |first1=Chris |title=Zelda Wii U's Open World Is as Big as the System Can Handle |website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|accessdate=21 June 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621210207/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-wii-u-s-open-world-is-as-big-as-the-system-c/1100-6425351/|archivedate=21 June 2015|deadurl=no|date=17 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/14/e3-2016-zelda-breath-of-the-wildas-open-world-is-12-times-bigger-than-twilight-princess|last=Goldfarb|first=Andrew|title=E3 2016: ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD’S OPEN WORLD IS 12 TIMES BIGGER THAN TWILIGHT PRINCESS|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|accessdate=June 14, 2016}}</ref> Throughout the game, Link possesses a piece of technology known as the [[Sheikah]] Slate, which provides players with a map and allows Link to create waypoints and investigate enemy stats. By discovering various [[rune]]s, the Sheikah Slate can be upgraded with various powers, including creating bombs, controlling objects with magnetism, and stopping time around objects and enemies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-14-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-the-most-ambitious-nintendo-game-in-years|last=Phillips|first=Tom|title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most ambitious Nintendo game in years|website=[[Eurogamer]]|accessdate=June 14, 2016}}</ref> Additionally, the game supports multiple [[Amiibo]] figurines which can alter gameplay. For example, the Wolf Link Amiibo, which can copy data over from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD]]'', summons Wolf Link as a partner character.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McWhertor|first1=Michael|title=The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD coming to Wii U in 2016|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/12/9725636/the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess-hd-coming-to-wii-u-in-2016|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|accessdate=13 November 2015|date=12 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112221215/http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/12/9725636/the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess-hd-coming-to-wii-u-in-2016|archivedate=12 November 2015|deadurl=no}}</ref>

== Plot ==
[[Link]] awakens from a deep sleep, and a mysterious voice guides him to discover what has become of the ruined Kingdom of [[Hyrule]]. Link meets an old man and learns from him that 100 years prior, a great evil known as the [[Ganon|Calamity Ganon]] appeared and laid waste to [[Hyrule]]. Unable to be defeated, it was sealed within [[Hyrule Castle]] while the ruins of the land were ravaged by nature over time. Although trapped, the Calamity Ganon has continued to grow in power, and Link must defeat it before it breaks free and destroys the world.<ref>{{Cite web|quote=A mysterious female voice over beckons Link to “open his eyes.” Our hero has been asleep for 100 years, a callback to Link’s previous adventures but he wakes up to some dire circumstances: the world has been ravaged in the time Link’s been asleep by Calamity Ganon, a fog-like beast that creates a dark mist around what looks like Hyrule Castle. The voice tells Link if this calamity gains enough power, he could bring the world to an end.|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/06/14/e3-2016-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-hands-on-preview?page=3|title=E3 2016: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD MIGHT BE THE OPEN WORLD ZELDA WE ALWAYS WANTED}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|quote=The looming threat to Hyrule is equally familiar. Not long after the game starts, you learn that a being called Calamity Ganon had been trapped in Hyrule Castle for 100 years. In seeming tie to Link's own awakening, Ganon has been gathering power and is right on the cusp of breaking loose. Should that happen, Hyrule is doomed.|url=http://mashable.com/2016/06/14/legend-of-zelda-breath-wild-gameplay-preview-e3/#rSrb6Gxn4gqa|title=Freeform exploration in the new 'Zelda' game is an NES throwback}}</ref>

== Development and release ==
[[File:The_Legend_of_Zelda_(2015),_Nintendo_E3_2014_Screenshoot.jpg|thumb|250px|In-game screenshot taken from the [[Nintendo]] Digital Event at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014|E3 2014]]]]

On 23 January 2013, during a [[List of Nintendo Direct presentations|Nintendo Direct]] [[Streaming media|video stream]], producer [[Eiji Aonuma]] stated that a new ''The Legend of Zelda'' game was in development for the Wii U, and that it would challenge some of the series' conventions, such as the requirement that players complete dungeons in a set order.<ref name="New HD Zelda at IGN AU">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/new-hd-zelda-revealed-for-wii-u |title=New HD Zelda Revealed for Wii U |last=George |first=Richard |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=23 January 2013 |accessdate=16 June 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126060200/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/new-hd-zelda-revealed-for-wii-u |archivedate=26 January 2013 |deadurl=no}}</ref> In [[Nintendo]]'s Digital Event presented at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014]], Aonuma revealed the first in-game footage, featuring [[High-definition video|high-definition]] visuals that incorporate [[cel shading]], and said the title was scheduled for release in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Boxer|first1=Steve|title=Nintendo at E3: Zelda and Star Fox for Wii U a much-need shot in the arm|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/10/e3-2014-nintendo-open-world-zelda-star-fox-yoshis-woolly-world|website=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=21 June 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610202450/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/10/e3-2014-nintendo-open-world-zelda-star-fox-yoshis-woolly-world|archivedate=10 June 2014|deadurl=no|date=10 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/e3-2014/2014/6/10/5792156/legend-of-zelda-wii-u-2015 |title=New Legend of Zelda game for Wii U coming in 2015 |last=Farokhmanesh |first=Megan |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |date=10 June 2014 |accessdate=16 June 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610182812/http://www.polygon.com/e3-2014/2014/6/10/5792156/legend-of-zelda-wii-u-2015 |archivedate=10 June 2014 |deadurl=no}}</ref>

On 27 March 2015, Aonuma announced in a video that the game would be delayed, stating "... our priority is to make it the ultimate and most complete ''Zelda'' game", the team was no longer targeting a 2015 release window, and the title would likely not be shown at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015|E3 2015]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=McWhertor|first1=Michael|title=The Legend of Zelda Wii U delayed beyond 2015, skipping E3|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/27/8303247/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u-delayed-beyond-2015|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|accessdate=28 March 2015|date=27 March 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328202911/http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/27/8303247/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u-delayed-beyond-2015|archivedate=28 March 2015|deadurl=no}}</ref> At the convention in June of that year, [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]], the president and chief operating officer of [[Nintendo#Nintendo of America (NOA)|Nintendo of America]], said in an interview that the game would be released in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/18/e3-2015-why-nintendo-didnt-show-zelda-wii-u |title=E3 2015: Why Nintendo Didn't Show Zelda Wii U |last=Otero |first=Jose |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=17 June 2015 |accessdate=18 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618122942/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/18/e3-2015-why-nintendo-didnt-show-zelda-wii-u |archivedate=18 June 2015 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Also during E3 2015, former [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]] general manager [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] reaffirmed that the title is still set for the Wii U, despite the development of the "new dedicated gaming platform" known by the codename "[[Nintendo#Future: Mobile and NX|NX]]".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Otero|first1=Jose|title=E3 2015: The Legend of Zelda Still Coming to Wii U|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/e3-2015-the-legend-of-zelda-still-coming-to-wii-u|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|accessdate=28 June 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617124251/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/e3-2015-the-legend-of-zelda-still-coming-to-wii-u|archivedate=17 June 2015|deadurl=no|date=16 June 2015}}</ref>

On 27 April 2016, Nintendo announced that the release was delayed into 2017, and that the title would be released for the Wii U and NX simultaneously.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McIlroy|first1=Shaun|title=The Legend of Zelda will release in 2017 for NX, Wii U|url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/4/27/11516514/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u-delayed-launch-date|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|accessdate=28 April 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428093411/http://www.polygon.com/2016/4/27/11516514/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u-delayed-launch-date|archivedate=28 April 2016|deadurl=no|date=27 April 2016}}</ref>

Aonuma has reiterated on numerous occasions the development team's focus on "rethinking the conventions of ''Zelda'',"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Narcisse|first1=Evan|title=The Man In Charge of Zelda Says He Wants to Keep Changing It|url=http://kotaku.com/the-man-in-charge-of-zelda-says-he-wants-to-keep-changi-1445001915|website=[[Kotaku]]|publisher=[[Gawker Media]]|accessdate=20 June 2014|date=14 October 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015013721/http://kotaku.com/the-man-in-charge-of-zelda-says-he-wants-to-keep-changi-1445001915|archivedate=15 October 2013|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=East|first1=Thomas|title=Zelda Wii U to rethink conventions of Zelda - will it be multiplayer?|url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/46062/zelda-wii-u-to-rethink-conventions-of-zelda-will-it-be-multiplayer/|website=[[Official Nintendo Magazine]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|accessdate=20 June 2014|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130623184640/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/46062/zelda-wii-u-to-rethink-conventions-of-zelda-will-it-be-multiplayer/|archivedate=23 June 2013|date=23 January 2013}}</ref> an idea that first prompted the change in the series' gameplay style to non-linear, [[open world]], and objective-based gameplay in 2013's ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds]]'', reminiscent of the original ''The Legend of Zelda''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Carly|title=Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Will Depart From Conventions|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128339-Zelda-A-Link-Between-Worlds-Will-Depart-From-Conventions|website=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]|publisher=[[Defy Media]]|accessdate=20 June 2014|date=1 October 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002082359/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128339-Zelda-A-Link-Between-Worlds-Will-Depart-From-Conventions|archivedate=2 October 2013|deadurl=no}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Kotaku]]'' the week of E3 2014, Aonuma said one of the ways he wanted to alter the norms of ''Zelda'' was by reforming dungeons and puzzle solving, two major gameplay elements in the series.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schreier|first1=Jason|title=The New Zelda Might Not Have The Puzzles You Expect|url=http://kotaku.com/the-new-zelda-might-not-have-the-puzzles-you-expect-1590544423|website=[[Kotaku]]|publisher=[[Gawker Media]]|accessdate=20 June 2014|date=13 June 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614022443/http://kotaku.com/the-new-zelda-might-not-have-the-puzzles-you-expect-1590544423|archivedate=14 June 2014|deadurl=no}}</ref>

== Reception ==
=== Pre-release ===
Pre-release reception was overwhelmingly positive after the game's reveal. Before the announcement of the delay, [[GameTrailers]] ranked ''Breath of the Wild'' at number one in its countdown of most-anticipated upcoming video games, citing its freedom of exploration and "design philosophy that both reinvents what a ''Zelda'' game can be while simultaneously bringing it back to its roots".<ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/fovrrl/gt-countdown-top-ten-most-anticipated-games-of-2015|title=GT Countdown - Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2015|work=[[GameTrailers]]|publisher=[[Defy Media]]|date=23 January 2015|accessdate=24 January 2015|time=7:57}}</ref> In the website's community poll, released a week later, the game was the second most-anticipated game, beaten only by ''[[The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/plstrn/gt-countdown-community-s-top-ten-most-anticipated-games-of-2015|title=GT Countdown - Community's Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2015|work=[[GameTrailers]]|publisher=[[Defy Media]]|date=31 January 2015|accessdate=3 February 2015|time=7:51}}</ref> After ''Breath of the Wild''{{'}}s then-announced delay into 2016, GameTrailers ranked the game at number ten on the 2016 edition of the list.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/view/gt-countdown/116715-GT-Countdown-Top-Ten-Anticipated-Games-of-2016|title=GT Countdown - Top Ten Anticipated Games of 2016|work=[[GameTrailers]]|publisher=[[Defy Media]]|date=22 January 2016|accessdate=30 January 2016|time=0:41}}</ref> However, the game was the third most-anticipated title of the year in the website's 2016 community poll, behind ''[[Persona 5]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy XV]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/view/gt-countdown/116746-Communitys-Top-Ten-Anticipated-Games-of-2016|title=GT Countdown - Community's Top Ten Anticipated Games of 2016|work=[[GameTrailers]]|publisher=[[Defy Media]]|date=30 January 2016|accessdate=2 February 2016|time=8:10}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Wayback|df=yes|url=http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu/the-legend-of-zelda/|date=20150427141551|title=Archive copy of ''The Legend of Zelda''{{'}}s official E3 2014 website}}

{{The Legend of Zelda}}
{{Portal bar|The Legend of Zelda|Nintendo|Video games|2010s|Japan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Zelda (2017 video game), The}}
[[Category:Action-adventure games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development games]]
[[Category:Open world video games]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda video games|Wii U]]
[[Category:Upcoming video games scheduled for 2017]]
[[Category:Video games that use Amiibo figurines]]
[[Category:Video games with cel-shaded animation]]
[[Category:Wii U games]]

Nintendo

2015-09-15T14:22:31Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Board of directors */ Update

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
<noinclude>{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}</noinclude>{{about|the Nintendo corporation|the third-generation video game console from the company|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nintendo Co., Ltd.
| logo = File:Nintendo.svg
| logo_caption = Nintendo's logo, which dates back to the 1970s. The current gray color was adopted in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/202585/nintendo-switched-logos-two-years-ago/|title=Nintendo News:Nintendo switched logos "two years" ago|publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames.com|accessdate=2010-06-01}}</ref>
| image = Nintendo office.jpg
| image_caption = The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
| trading_name = 
| native_name = 任天堂株式会社
| native_name_lang = "jp"
| romanized_name = Nintendō Kabushiki gaisha
| former_name = {{plainlist|
* Nintendo Koppai
* Nintendo Playing Card Co.
}}
| former type =
| type = [[Kabushiki gaisha]]
| traded_as = {{Tyo|7974}}
| industry = {{flatlist|
* [[Video game industry|Video games]]
* [[Interactive entertainment]]
* [[Consumer electronics]]
}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]] ({{Start date and age|1889|09|23|}})<ref name="history NOJ"/>
| founder = [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]
| defunct = 
| location_city = Kyoto
| location_country = Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/distributors_international.jsp|title=International Distributors - Company List|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2008-11-17}}</ref>
| locations = [[Nintendo World Store|1 store]] (as of 2015)
|coordinates={{Coord|34.969739|135.756209|display=inline,title}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list||[[Tatsumi Kimishima]] (President)|[[Genyo Takeda]] (Technology Fellow)|[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (Creative Fellow)|[[Reggie Fils-Aimé]] (NOA President)|Satoru Shibata (NOE President)}}
| products = {{plainlist|
* [[#Products|List of Nintendo consoles]]
* [[Template:Nintendo franchises|List of Nintendo franchises]]
}}
| brands =
| production = {{unbulleted list|'''Hardware:'''|{{decrease}} 16.30 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 23.73 million (2013)|'''Software:'''|{{decrease}} 123.20 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 147.02 million (2013)}}
| services = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Network]]
* [[Nintendo eShop]]
* [[Nintendo TVii]]
* [[Miiverse]]
}}
| revenue = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|571.726 billion|link=yes}} (2014)|{{decrease}} {{yen|635.422 billion}} (2013)}}
| operating_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-46.425 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|-36.410 billion}} (2013)}}
| net_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-23.222 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|7.099 billion}} (2013)}}
| assets = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.306 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.448 trillion}} (2013)}}
| equity = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.118 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.228 trillion}} (2013)}}
| market_cap = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.491 trillion}} (1/1/2015)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.794 trillion}} (1/1/2014)<ref name="marketcap">{{cite web |url=http://marketcapitalizations.com/historical-data/historical-market-caps-of-the-largest-japanese-companies/ |title=Historical market caps of the largest Japanese companies |accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref>}}
| owner =
| num_employees = {{unbulleted list|{{increase}} 5,213 (2014)|{{increase}} 5,080 (2013)}}
| parent =
| divisions = [[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development]] Nintendo Platform Technology Development Business Development Division
|subsid = [[1-UP Studio]] [[iQue]] [[Monolith Soft]] [[Nd Cube]] [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] [[Nintendo Software Technology]] [[Nintendo Technology Development|Technology Devolopment]] [[Retro Studios]] [[HAL Laboratory|Warpstar]]
| homepage = {{Official website|www.nintendo.com|Nintendo.com}}
| footnotes =<ref name="consolidatedsales"/><ref name="consolidatedsales 2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2013-04-27 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20130526130209/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |archivedate=May 26, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="FY 2014 financial results"/><ref name="num_employees"/>
| intl = yes
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{{Nihongo|'''Nintendo Co., Ltd.'''|任天堂株式会社|Nintendō [[Kabushiki gaisha]]|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[multinational corporation|multinational]] consumer electronics company headquartered in [[Kyoto]], Japan. Nintendo is the world's largest [[List of video game companies|video game company]] by revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130116053515/http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archivedate=2013-01-16|title=Gaming company Top 25|year=2011|publisher=Softwaretop100.org|accessdate=November 12, 2011}}</ref> Founded on September 23, 1889,<ref name="history NOJ">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|language=Japanese|accessdate=2006-07-29}}</ref> by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]], it originally produced handmade [[hanafuda]] [[playing card]]s.<ref name="history NOA">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2006-06-04}}</ref> By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as cab services and [[love hotel]]s.<ref name="history N-Sider">{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=45|title=Nintendo History Lesson: The Lucky Birth|publisher=N-Sider|accessdate= 2006-06-04}}</ref>

Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s, Nintendo then developed into a [[video game]] company in the 1970s, ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the [[Video game industry|industry]] and Japan's third most valuable listed company with a market value of over $85 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUST30751820071015 |title=Nintendo sets $85 bln high score, thanks to Wii, Nintendo DS |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-10-15 |accessdate=2011-05-25 |first=Kiyoshi |last=Takenaka}}</ref> Nintendo of America is also the majority owner of the [[Seattle Mariners]] [[Major League Baseball]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.nintendolife.com/companies/nintendo|title=Nintendo - Company Profile|publisher=nintendolife|accessdate=2010-07-12}}</ref>

The word "Nintendo" can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |title=Nintendo Corporation, Limited |accessdate=2011-02-22 |format=doc |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20120722181708/http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |archivedate=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports historically cumulative sales of over 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units.<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{cite document |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1403.pdf|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2014-05-07 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015 Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. He was succeeded by [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], who had previously served as president of Nintendo of America from 2002 until 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/computing-products-consumer-software/5879199-1.html|title=Nintendo of America Inc. President Minoru Arakawa Announces His Retirement|accessdate=22 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/25/reggie-for-president/|title=Reggie for President|accessdate=22 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="personnel change">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150914e.pdf |date=September 14, 2015 |title=Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors |publisher=Nintendo}}</ref>

{{TOC level|3}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Nintendo}}


=== 1889–1956: As a card company ===
[[File:Nintendo former headquarter plate Kyoto.jpg|thumb|left|Former headquarters plate, from when Nintendo was solely a playing card company]]
Nintendo was founded as a card company in late 1889, later (1951) named ''Nintendo Koppai'' (Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.), by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]. Based in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]], the business produced and marketed a [[playing card]] game called [[Hanafuda]]. The handmade cards soon became popular, and Yamauchi hired assistants to mass-produce cards to satisfy demand. Nintendo now continues to manufacture playing cards in Japan<ref name="nintendo's card game product">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n09/index.html|title=Nintendo's card game product|publisher= nintendo |accessdate=2009}}</ref> and organizes its own [[contract bridge]] tournament called the "Nintendo Cup".<ref name="List of japan contract bridge league tournaments ">{{cite web|url=http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080624174252/http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archivedate=2008-06-24|title=List of Japan contract bridge league tournaments|publisher= jcbl|language=japanese|accessdate=2010}}</ref>

=== 1956–1974: New ventures ===
[[File:Nintendo love tester.jpg|thumb|The [[Love Tester]], one of Nintendo's experimental toys.]]

In 1956, [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], grandson of Fusajiro Yamauchi, visited the U.S. to talk with the [[United States Playing Card Company]], the dominant playing card manufacturer there. He found that the biggest playing card company in the world was using only a small office. Yamauchi's realization that the playing card business had limited potential was a turning point. He then acquired the license to use Disney characters on playing cards to drive sales.

In 1963, Yamauchi renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd. to Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref name="Nintendo History">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQB0bQ5E |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=Nintendo History |publisher=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |accessdate=May 27, 2014}}</ref> The company then began to experiment in other areas of business using newly injected capital during the period of time between 1963 and 1968. Nintendo set up a [[Taxicab|taxi]] company called ''Daiya''. This business was earlier successful however Nintendo was forced to sell it because problems with the labour unions were making it too expensive to run the service. It also set up a [[love hotel]] chain, a TV network, a food company (selling [[instant rice]]) and several other ventures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/as-nintendo-turns-125-6-things-you-may-not-know-about-this-gaming-giant-596606|title= As Nintendo turns 125, 6 things you may not know about this gaming giant|work= NDTV Gadgets|publisher= [[NDTV]]|accessdate= September 23, 2014|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> All of these ventures eventually failed, and after the 1964 [[1964 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]], playing card sales dropped, and Nintendo's stock price plummeted to its lowest recorded level of [[Japanese yen|¥]]60.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S7dvvs_0nIC&pg=PT44&lpg=PT44&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics+%C2%A560&source=bl&ots=gL5e-EKI3B&sig=KU5h8uYnEkGQaBVlLphXMgQOV_k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XhlOVdLwJseTuQTBsoC4CA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics%20%C2%A560&f=false|title=Freelancers!|work=google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M-pGHGDm5a4C&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics&source=bl&ots=NVZO2rCRsf&sig=5s8CmPDhn5F73nkdm9II6329omI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hhOVZnfIZSQuASixIDYCA&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics&f=false|title=The Story of Nintendo|work=google.com}}</ref>

In 1966, Nintendo moved into the Japanese toy industry with the [[Ultra Hand]], an extendable arm developed by its maintenance engineer [[Gunpei Yokoi]] in his free time. Yokoi was moved from maintenance to the new "Nintendo Games" department as a product developer. Nintendo continued to produce popular toys, including the [[Ultra Machine]], [[Love Tester]] and the ''Kousenjuu'' series of [[light gun]] games. Despite some successful products, Nintendo struggled to meet the fast development and manufacturing turnaround required in the toy market, and fell behind the well-established companies such as [[Bandai]] and [[Tomy]].

In 1973, its focus shifted to family entertainment venues with the [[Laser Clay Shooting System]], using the same light gun technology used in Nintendo's ''Kousenjuu'' series of toys, and set up in abandoned bowling alleys. Following some success, Nintendo developed several more light gun machines (such as the [[light gun shooter]] game ''[[Wild Gunman]]'') for the emerging arcade scene. While the Laser Clay Shooting System ranges had to be shut down following excessive costs, Nintendo had found a new market.

=== 1974–1978: Early electronic era ===
Nintendo's first venture into the video gaming industry was securing rights to distribute the [[Magnavox Odyssey]] [[video game console]] in Japan in 1974. Nintendo began to produce its own hardware in 1977, with the [[Color TV-Game]] home video game consoles. Four versions of these consoles were produced, each including variations of a single game (for example, Color TV Game 6 featured six versions of ''Light Tennis'').

A student product developer named [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] was hired by Nintendo at this time.<ref name="SM_CBS">{{cite news|title=Famous Names in Gaming|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130511085030/http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archivedate=2013-05-11|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=|accessdate=2010-06-13}}</ref> He worked for Yokoi, and one of his first tasks was to design the casing for several of the Color TV Game consoles. Miyamoto went on to create, direct and produce some of Nintendo's most famous video games and become one of the most recognizable figures in the video game industry.<ref name="SM_CBS"/>

In 1975, Nintendo moved into the video [[arcade game]] industry with ''[[EVR Race]]'', designed by their first game designer, [[Genyo Takeda]],<ref name="Iwata Asks-Punch Out!!">{{cite web|url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20090810124557/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archivedate=2009-08-10|title=Iwata Asks-Punch-Out!!|publisher= Nintendo|accessdate=2009-07-07}}</ref> and several more titles followed. Nintendo had some small success with this venture, but the release of ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' in 1981, designed by Miyamoto, changed Nintendo's fortunes dramatically. The success of the game and many licensing opportunities (such as ports on the [[Atari 2600]], [[Intellivision]] and [[ColecoVision]]) gave Nintendo a huge boost in profit and in addition, the game also introduced an early iteration of [[Mario]], known then as Jumpman, the eventual company [[mascot]].

=== 1979–2003: Success with video games ===
[[File:Game & Watch.png|thumb|The ''[[Game & Watch]]'' series was Nintendo's first worldwide success in [[video game console]]s.]]


In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi conceived the idea of a [[handheld video game]], while observing a fellow bullet train commuter who passed the time by interacting idly with a portable LCD calculator, which gave birth to ''[[Game & Watch]]''.<ref name="Searching for Gunpei">{{cite web | first=Lara | last=Crigger |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_87/490-Searching-for-Gunpei-Yokoi | title=The Escapist: Searching for Gunpei Yokoi | date=March 6, 2007 | magazine=The Escapist | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref> In 1980, Nintendo launched ''Game & Watch''—a [[handheld video game]] series developed by Yokoi. These systems do not contain interchangeable cartridges and thus the hardware was tied to the game. The first Game & Watch game released, titled ''Ball'', was distributed worldwide. The modern "cross" [[D-pad]] design was developed in 1982, by Yokoi for a ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' version. Proven to be popular, the design was patented by Nintendo. It later earned a [[Technology & Engineering Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |title=Nintendo Wins Emmy For DS And Wii Engineering | Technology | Sky News |publisher=News.sky.com |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2010-08-30 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20111227002549/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |archivedate=December 27, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Magrino |first=Tom |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184421.html |title=CES '08: Nintendo wins second Emmy - News at GameSpot |publisher=Gamespot.com |date=2008-01-08 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}</ref>


In 1983, Nintendo launched the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]] (colloquialized as "Famicom") home [[video game console]] in Japan, alongside ports of its most popular arcade titles. In 1985, a cosmetically reworked version of the system known outside of Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, launched in North America. The practice of bundling the system along with select games helped to make ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games in history]].<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp">Nagata, Kazuaki, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/03/10/news/nintendo-secret-its-all-in-the-game/ Nintendo secret: It's all in the game]", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', March 10, 2009, p. 3.</ref>


In 1988, Gunpei Yokoi and his team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] conceived the new [[Game Boy]] handheld system, with the purpose of merging the two very successful ideas of the Game & Watch's portability along with the NES's cartridge interchangeability. Nintendo released the Game Boy in Japan on April 21, 1989, and in North America on July 31, 1989. Nintendo of America president [[Minoru Arakawa]] managed a deal to bundle the popular third party game ''[[Tetris]]'' along with the Game Boy, and the pair launched as an instant success.


In 1989, Nintendo announced plans to release the successor to the Famicom, the [[Super Famicom]]. Based on a [[16-bit]] [[CPU|processor]], Nintendo boasted significantly superior hardware specifications of graphics, sound, and game speed over the original 8-bit Famicom. The system was also said to have backwards compatibility with Famicom games, though this feature was ultimately cut upon release. The Super Famicom was finally released relatively late to the market in Japan on November 21, 1990, and released as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (abbreviated to SNES or Super Nintendo) in North America on August 23, 1991 and in Europe in 1992. Its main rival was the 16-bit [[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive]], known in North America as Sega Genesis, which had been advertised aggressively against the nascent 8-bit NES. A [[Console wars|console war]] between Sega and Nintendo ensued during the early 1990s.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 431. "''Sonic'' was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for Super NES to arrive now decided to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the [[history of video games]] was about to begin."</ref> From 1990 to 1992, Nintendo opened ''World of Nintendo'' shops in the United States where consumers could test and buy Nintendo products.


In August 1993, Nintendo announced the SNES's successor, code-named ''Project Reality''. Featuring [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|64-bit graphics]], the new system was developed as a joint venture between Nintendo and North-American-based technology company [[Silicon Graphics]]. The system was announced to be released by the end of 1995, but was subsequently delayed. Meanwhile, Nintendo continued the Nintendo Entertainment System family with the release of the [[NES-101]], a smaller redesign of the original NES. Nintendo also announced a [[Compact disc|CD]] drive peripheral called the [[SNES-CD]], which was co-developed first by [[Sony]] with the name "Play Station" and then by [[Philips]]. Bearing prototypes and joint announcements at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]], it was on track for a 1994 release, but was controversially cancelled.


During 1995, Nintendo announced that it had sold one billion game cartridges worldwide,<ref>{{cite journal|last= |first= |title=Tidbits... |journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=78|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=January 1996|page=24}}</ref> one tenth of it being from the [[Mario franchise]].{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} Nintendo deemed 1994 the "Year of the Cartridge". To further their support for cartridges, Nintendo announced that Project Reality, which had now been renamed the Ultra 64, would not use a CD format as expected, but would rather use cartridges as its primary media format. [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Nintendo IRD]] general manager [[Genyo Takeda]] was impressed by video game development company [[Rare Ltd.]]'s progress with real-time 3D graphics technology, using state of the art [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations. As a result, Nintendo bought a 25% stake in the company, eventually expanding to 49%, and offered their catalogue of characters to create a CGI game around, making Rare a Nintendo's first western-based [[Video game development party#Second-party developer|second-party developer]].<ref name="Rare history">{{cite web|accessdate=2012-05-17 |url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |title=IGN Presents the History of Rare |publisher=IGN |date=2008-07-29 |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080805122442/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |archivedate=2008-08-05 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Their first game as partners with Nintendo was ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. The game was a critical success and sold over eight million copies worldwide, making it the second [[List of best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System video games|best-selling game in the SNES library]].<ref name="Rare history"/> In September 1994, Nintendo, along with six other video game giants including Sega, [[Electronic Arts]], Atari, [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]], Philips, and [[3DO Company|3DO]] approached the [[United States Senate]] and demanded a ratings system for video games to be enforced, with prompted the decision to create the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]].


Aiming to produce an affordable [[virtual reality]] console, Nintendo released the [[Virtual Boy]] in 1995, designed by Gunpei Yokoi. The console consists of a head-mounted semi-portable system with one red-colored screen for each of the user's eyes, featuring [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic graphics]]. Games are viewed through a binocular eyepiece and controlled using an affixed gamepad. Critics were generally disappointed with the quality of the games and the red-colored graphics, and complained of gameplay-induced headaches.<ref name="WaPo">Frischling, Bill. "Sideline Play." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 11. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877–1995). October 25, 1995. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> The system sold poorly and was quietly discontinued.<ref name="Boyer">Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> Amid the system's failure, Yokoi retired from Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time|accessdate= 2010-06-12|first=Blake|last=Snow|publisher=[[GamePro]]|date=2007-05-04|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607134204/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|archivedate=2011-06-07}}</ref> During the same year, Nintendo launched the [[Satellaview]] in Japan, a peripheral for the Super Famicom. The accessory allowed users to play video games via broadcast for a set period of time. Various games were made exclusively for the platform, as well as various [[remake (software)|remakes]].


In 1996, Nintendo released the Ultra 64 as the [[Nintendo 64]] in Japan and North America. The console was later released in Europe and Australia in 1997. Despite the limitations set by using cartridges, the technical specifications of the Nintendo 64 surpassed its competitors. With its market shares slipping to the [[Sega Saturn]] and partner-turned-rival [[Sony]] [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], Nintendo revitalized its brand by launching a $185 million marketing campaign centered around the "Play it Loud" slogan.<ref>Miller, Cyndee. "Sega Vs. Nintendo: This Fights almost as Rough as their Video Games." Marketing News 28.18 (1994): 1-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> During the same year, Nintendo also released the [[Game Boy Pocket]] in Japan, a smaller version of the Game Boy that generated more sales for the platform. On October 4, 1996, famed Nintendo developer Gunpei Yokoi died in a car crash. In 1997, Nintendo released the [[SNS-101]] (called Super Famicom Jr. in Japan), a smaller redesigned version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


In 1998, the successor to the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color, was released. The system had improved technical specifications allowing it to run games made specifically for the system as well as games released for the Game Boy, albeit with added color. The [[Game Boy Camera]] and [[Game Boy Printer|Printer]] were also released as accessories. In October 1998, Retro Studios was founded as an alliance between Nintendo and former [[Iguana Entertainment]] founder [[Jeff Spangenberg]]. Nintendo saw an opportunity for the new studio to create games for the upcoming [[GameCube]] targeting an older demographic, in the same vein as Iguana Entertainment's successful ''[[Turok: Dinosaur Hunter|Turok]]'' series for the Nintendo 64.<ref name=nsiderhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=423&page=1|title=History of Retro Studios|last=Wade|first=Kenneth Kyle|publisher=N-sider|date=December 17, 2004 |accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>

In 2001, just three years later, Nintendo introduced the redesigned Game Boy Advance. The same year, Nintendo also released the [[GameCube]] to lukewarm sales, and it ultimately failed to regain the market share lost by the Nintendo 64. When Yamauchi, the company's president since 1949, retired on May 24, 2002,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=May 24, 2002|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Yamauchi Retires|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/24/yamauchi-retires}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Lucas M.|last=Thomas|publisher=IGN|date=May 24, 2012|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Hiroshi Yamauchi: Nintendo's Legendary President|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/25/hiroshi-yamauchi-nintendos-legendary-president}}</ref> [[Satoru Iwata]] succeeded as Nintendo's fourth president, becoming the first Nintendo president who was unrelated to the Yamauchi family through blood or marriage since its founding in 1889.<ref name="ap">{{Cite web | url = http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2015-07-12-AS--Japan-Obit-Nintendo%20President/id-62869fddfd054d72b98981cf64a6cfab | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies of Tumor | first = Yuri | last = Kageyama | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | publisher = [[Associated Press]] |location=Tokyo, Japan|archivedate=August 1, 2015|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6aRru22RK}}</ref><ref name="nytimes">{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/business/satoru-iwata-nintendo-chief-executive-dies-at-55.html | title = Satoru Iwata, Nintendo Chief Executive, Dies at 55 | first= Liam | last = Stack | date = July 13, 2015| accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work =[[New York Times]] }}</ref>

In 2003, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Advance SP]], its fourth handheld system.

=== 2004–2011: Nintendo DS and Wii ===
In 2004, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS]], its fourth major handheld system. The DS is a dual screened handheld featuring [[touch screen]] capabilities, which respond to either a stylus or the touch of a finger. Former Nintendo president and now chairman [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] was translated by GameScience as explaining, "If we can increase the scope of the industry, we can re-energise the global market and lift Japan out of depression - that is Nintendo's mission." Regarding lukewarm GameCube sales which had yielded the company's first reported operating loss in over 100 years, Yamauchi continued: "The DS represents a critical moment for Nintendo's success over the next two years. If it succeeds, we rise to the heavens, if it fails, we sink into hell."<ref name="Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata">{{cite web | title=Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata | publisher=GameScience | url=http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127211555/http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | archivedate=January 27, 2006 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS">{{cite web | title=Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS | url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/9256/iwata-yamauchi-speak-out-on-nintendo-ds | date=February 13, 2004 | first=Jonathan | last=Metts | publisher=Nintendo Worldwide Report | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DS history">{{cite web|last=Constantine|first=John|title=Rise to Heaven: Five Years of Nintendo DS|url=http://www.1up.com/features/years-nintendo-ds.html|publisher=1UP.com|accessdate=May 27, 2014|quote="If the DS succeeds, we will rise to heaven, but if it fails we will sink to hell." — Hiroshi Yamauchi}}</ref> Thanks to titles such as [[Nintendogs]] and [[Mario Kart DS]], the DS became a success. In 2005, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Micro]] in North America, a redesign of the Game Boy Advance. The last system in the [[Game Boy line]], it was also the smallest Game Boy, and the least successful. In the middle of 2005, Nintendo opened the [[Nintendo World Store]] in [[New York City]], which would sell Nintendo games, present a museum of Nintendo history, and host public parties such as for product launches.

[[File:Wii Remote Image.jpg|thumb|The [[Wii Remote]], along with the [[Wii]], was said to be revolutionary because of its motion detection capabilities.]]

In the first half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS Lite]], a version of the original Nintendo DS with lighter weight, brighter screen, and better battery life. In addition to this streamlined design, its prolific subset of [[casual game]]s appealed to the masses, such as the [[Brain Age (series)|Brain Age]] series. Meanwhile, [[New Super Mario Bros.]] provided a substantial addition to the [[Super Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] when it was launched to the top of sales charts. The successful direction of the Nintendo DS had a big influence on Nintendo's next home console, which had been code named "Revolution" and was now renamed to "[[Wii]]".

In the latter half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Wii]] as the backwards-compatible successor to the GameCube. Based upon intricate [[Wii Remote]] motion controls and a [[Wii Balance Board|balance board]], the Wii inspired several new game franchises, some targeted at entirely new market segments of casual and fitness gaming. At over 100 million units, the Wii is the best selling console of the seventh generation, regaining the market share lost during the tenures of the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube.


On May 1, 2007, Nintendo acquired an 80% stake on video game development company [[Monolith Soft]], previously owned by [[Bandai Namco]]. Monolith Soft is best known for developing [[role-playing game]]s such as the [[Xenosaga]] and [[Baten Kaitos series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|title=XENOSAGA DEVELOPER SWITCHES SIDES|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/04/27/xenosaga-developer-switches-sides|publisher=IGN|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

During the holiday season of 2008, Nintendo followed up the success of the DS Lite with the release of the [[Nintendo DSi]] in Japan. The system features two cameras, one facing towards the player and one facing outwards, and had an [[online distribution]] store called [[DSiWare]]. The DSi was later released worldwide during 2009. In the latter half of 2009, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DSi XL]] in Japan, a larger version of the DSi. This updated system was later released worldwide in 2010.

=== 2011–present: Nintendo 3DS and Wii U ===
In 2011, Nintendo greatly expanded the DS legacy by releasing the [[Nintendo 3DS]], based upon a [[autostereoscopic|glasses-free]] 3D display.

In February 2012, Nintendo acquired [[Mobiclip]], a [[France]]-based research and development company specialized in highly optimized software technologies such as video compression. The company's name was later changed to Nintendo European Research & Development.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fletcher|title=Nintendo acquires video research/middleware company Mobiclip|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-acquires-video-research-middleware-company-mobiclip/|publisher=Joystiq|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref> During the fourth quarter of 2012, Nintendo released the [[Wii U]]. It sold slower than expected,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/slow-wii-u-sales-send-nintendo-shares-into-a-downward-spiral/|title=Slow Wii U sales send Nintendo shares into a downward spiral|accessdate=2014-04-07|date=2014-01-19|archiveurl=}}</ref> despite being the first eighth generation console. By September 2013, however, sales had rebounded.{{Clarify|date=May 2014}} Intending to broaden the 3DS market, Nintendo released 2013's cost-reduced [[Nintendo 2DS]]. The 2DS is compatible with but lacks the 3DS's more expensive but cosmetic [[autostereoscopy|autostereoscopic]] 3D feature. Nintendo also released the [[Wii Mini]], a cheaper and non-networked redesign of the Wii.

On September 25, 2013, Nintendo announced it had purchased a 28% stake in a [[Panasonic]] spin-off company called PUX Corporation. The company specializes in face and voice recognition technology, with which Nintendo intends to improve the usability of future game systems. Nintendo has also worked with this company in the past to create character recognition software for a Nintendo DS touchscreen.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:パナソニック・任天堂、ゲーム機操作法を共同開発|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD250K5_V20C13A9TJ1000/|publisher=Nikkei|accessdate=May 25, 2014|language=Japanese}}</ref> After announcing a 30% dive in profits for the April to December 2013 period, President [[Satoru Iwata]] announced he would take a 50% pay-cut, with other executives seeing reductions by 20%-30%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25941070|title=Nintendo executives take pay cuts after profits tumble|accessdate=May 31, 2014|date=January 29, 2014|archiveurl=}}</ref> During a May 7, 2014, investors' meeting, Nintendo confirmed that it had spent over $150 million on an acquisition of an unspecified, non-Japanese, non-gaming, technology company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gibson|first=David|title=Twitter / gibbogame|url=https://twitter.com/gibbogame/status/464547992008417282|publisher=David Gibson|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

=== Future: Mobile, and the Nintendo NX {{anchor|Nintendo NX}} ===
In January 2015, Nintendo announced its exit from the Brazilian market after four years of distributing products in the country. Nintendo cited high import [[Duty (economics)|duties]] and lack of local manufacturing operation as reasons for leaving. Nintendo continues its partnership with Juegos de Video Latinoamérica to distribute products to the rest of [[Latin America]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nutt|first1=Christian|title=Nintendo exits the Brazilian market, citing high import duties|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/233909/Nintendo_exits_the_Brazilian_market_citing_high_import_duties.php|website=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=[[UBM plc]]|accessdate=January 11, 2015|date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2015, Nintendo announced that it would team up with Japanese mobile company [[DeNA]] to produce games for [[smart device]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Russell|first1=Jon|title=Nintendo Partners With DeNA To Bring Its Games And IP To Smartphones|url=http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/nintendo-partners-with-dena-to-brings-its-games-and-ip-to-smartphones/|website=TechCrunch|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> On the same day, Nintendo announced a new "dedicated games platform with a brand new concept" under the codename "NX" that would be further revealed in 2016.<ref name=CnetNX>{{cite web|last1=Westaway|first1=Luke|title=Nintendo will make games for phones, new 'NX' system|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/mario-set-for-smartphones-as-nintendo-forges-new-mobile-deal/|website=CNet|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> In May 2015, [[Universal Parks and Resorts]] announced that it was teaming up with Nintendo to create attractions at Universal Parks based upon Nintendo properties.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kohler|first1=Chris|title=Nintendo, Universal Team Up For Theme Park Attractions|url=http://www.wired.com/2015/05/nintendo-turns-profit/|website=Wired|accessdate=8 May 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015, Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. Following his death, representative directors Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto jointly helmed the company on an interim basis until the appointment of [[Tatsumi Kimishima]] as Iwata's successor on September 16, 2015.<ref name= "Bloomberg">{{cite web|url= http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-12/nintendo-says-president-satoru-iwata-died-from-bile-duct-cancer|title= Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President Who Introduced Wii, Dies|author= Takashi Amano|work= [[Bloomberg News]]|publisher= [[Bloomberg L.P.]]|date= July 12, 2015|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> In addition to Kimishima's appointment, the company's management organisation was also restructured with Miyamoto taking on the role of "Creative Fellow", and Takeda the role of "Technology Fellow".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150914e.pdf|title=Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate= September 14, 2015|date= September 14, 2015}}</ref>

== Products ==


=== Home consoles ===

==== Nintendo Entertainment System ====
{{main|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
[[File:Nes-console-with-controller.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo's first major success in the home console market.]]

The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as '''NES''') is an [[8-bit]] video game console, which released in North America in 1985, and in Europe throughout 1986 and 1987. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] as the '''Family Computer''' (abbreviated as '''Famicom''') in 1983. The [[List of million-selling game consoles|best-selling gaming console]] of its time,<ref name="dominate">{{cite book |title=Game Over |last=Sheff |first=David |authorlink=David Sheff |year=1993 |publisher=Random House |location=New York |isbn=0-679-40469-4 |page=349}}</ref>{{cref|e}} the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the [[North American video game crash of 1983|video game crash of 1983]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Consalvo |first=Mia |year=2006 |title=Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture |journal=New Media Society |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=117–137 |doi=10.1177/1461444806059921 |format=PDF}}{{subscription required}}</ref> With the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard [[business model]] of licensing [[Video game developer|third-party developers]], authorizing them to produce and distribute titles for Nintendo's platform.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sanchez-Crespo |first=Daniel |title=Core Techniques and Algorithms in Game Programming|accessdate=2007-10-24|date=2003-09-08|publisher=New Riders Games|isbn=0-13-102009-9|page=14}}</ref> The NES was bundled with ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games of all time]], and received ports of Nintendo's most popular arcade titles.<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp"/> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 61.91 million NES hardware units and 500.01 million NES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Super NES ====
{{main | Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
The '''Super Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as the '''Super NES''' or '''SNES''') is a [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit]] video game console, which was released in North America in 1991, and in Europe in 1992. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] in 1990 as the '''Super Famicom''', officially adopting the colloquially abbreviated name of its predecessor. The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other consoles at the time. Soon, the development of [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|a variety of enhancement chips]] which were integrated onto each new game cartridge's circuit boards, progressed the SNES's competitive edge. While even crude [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] graphics had previously rarely been seen on home consoles,<ref>Gibson, Nick. [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/11/f-22-interceptor-advanced-tactical-fighter/ "F-22 Interceptor (Genesis)"] ''Sega-16'', November 6, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2013.</ref> the SNES's [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|enhancement chips]] suddenly enabled a new caliber of games containing increasingly sophisticated [[faux]] 3D effects as seen in 1991's ''[[Pilotwings]]'' and 1992's ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''. [[Argonaut Games]] developed the Super FX chip in order to replicate 3D graphics from their earlier [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]] [[Starglider]] games on the Super Nintendo (more specifically, [[Starglider 2]]),<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/31/the-starglider-saga</ref> starting with [[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]] in 1993. The SNES is the best-selling console of the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]] although having experienced a relatively late start and fierce competition from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] console. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 49.10 million SNES hardware units and 379.06 million SNES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Nintendo 64 ====
{{main|Nintendo 64}}
The '''Nintendo 64''' was released in 1996, featuring [[3D computer graphics|3D polygon model rendering]] capabilities and built-in [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] for up to four players. The system's controller introduced the [[analog stick]] and later introduced the [[Rumble Pak]], an accessory for the controller that produces [[Haptic technology|force feedback]] with compatible games. Both are the first such features to have come to market for home console gaming and eventually became the [[De facto standard|''de facto'' industry standard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/03/happy-birthday-rumble-pak |title=IGN: Happy Birthday, Rumble Pak |first=Levi |last= Buchanan |date=2008-04-03 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2008-09-12}}</ref> Announced in 1995, prior to the console's 1996 launch, the [[64DD]] ("DD" standing for "Disk Drive") was designed to enable the development of new genre of video games<ref name="The 64Dream Dec 1997">{{ cite journal | title=A friendly discussion between the "Big 2" | others=[http://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/itoi-miyamoto-interview-64dd/ Translation] | magazine=The 64DREAM | subjectlink1=Shigeru Miyamoto | subjectlink2=Shigesato Itoi | first1=Shigeru | last1=Miyamoto | first2=Shigesato | last2=Itoi | date=December 1997 | page=91}}</ref> by way of 64 MB writable magnetic disks, video editing, and Internet connectivity. Eventually released only in Japan in 1999, the 64DD peripheral's commercial failure there resulted in only nine games being released and precluded further worldwide release.

==== GameCube ====
{{main|GameCube}}
The '''GameCube''' (officially called '''Nintendo GameCube''', abbreviated '''NGC''' in Japan and '''GCN''' in North America) was released in 2001, in Japan and North America, and in 2002 worldwide. The [[History of video game consoles (sixth generation)|sixth-generation console]] is the successor to the [[Nintendo 64]] and competed with Sony's [[PlayStation 2]], Microsoft's [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and Sega's [[Dreamcast]]. The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use [[optical disc]]s as its primary storage medium.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Company History|accessdate=2009-07-24|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The discs are similar to the [[miniDVD]] format, but the system was not designed to play standard [[DVD]]s or [[Compact disc|audio CDs]]. Nintendo introduced a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. The GameCube's game library has sparse support for [[online game|Internet gaming]], a feature that requires the use of the aftermarket [[Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter]]. The GameCube supports connectivity to the [[Game Boy Advance]], allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a [[second screen]] and controller. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 21.74 million GameCube hardware units and 208.57 million GameCube software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Wii ====
{{main|Wii}}
[[File:Wii-Console.png|thumb|200px|The [[Wii]], Nintendo's best selling home video game console.]]

The '''Wii''' was released during the holiday season of 2006 worldwide. The system the [[Wii Remote]] [[Game controller|controller]], which can be used as a handheld [[pointing device]] and which [[accelerometer|detects movement]] in [[three-dimensional space|three dimensions]]. Another notable feature of the console is [[WiiConnect24]], which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in [[Sleep mode|standby mode]].<ref name="Iwata Speech 06">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/e3_2006/speech/english.html Nintendo Corporation] - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006</ref> It also features a game download service, called "[[Virtual Console]]", which features emulated games from past systems. Since its release, the Wii has spawned many peripheral devices, including the [[Wii Balance Board]] and [[Motion Plus]], and has had several [[Wii#Revisions|hardware revisions]]. The ''Wii Family Edition'' variant is identical to the original model, but is designed to sit horizontally and removes the GameCube compatibility. The ''Wii Mini'' is a smaller, redesigned Wii which lacks GameCube compatibility, online connectivity, the [[SD card]] slot and [[Wi-Fi]] support, and has only one [[USB]] port unlike the previous models' two.<ref name=EurogamerReview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-nintendo-wii-mini-review|title= Nintendo Wii Mini review |last=Leadbetter|first=Richard|date=December 12, 2012|work=Eurogamer|accessdate=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=WiiMiniManual>{{cite document|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/WiiMiniOpMn_RVO_en.pdf|title= Nintendo Wii Mini Operations Manual|publisher=Nintendo of America|page=10|accessdate=December 16, 2012|quote=The Wii Mini console will not work with any AV cable other than the model supplied.}}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 101.06 million Wii hardware units and 895.22 million Wii software units worldwide, making it Nintendo's best-selling home video game console.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Wii U ====
{{main | Wii U}}
The '''Wii U''', the successor to the Wii, was released during the holiday season of 2012 worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/888470-wii-u-confirmed-for-europe-this-year|title=Wii U confirmed for Europe this year|newspaper=Metro}}</ref><ref name="pricerelease">{{cite web|url=http://wiiu.dcemu.co.uk/wiiu-price-and-release-date-announced-491879.html| title=WiiU Price and Release Date Announced| publisher=WiiU News | date=September 13, 2012 | accessdate=September 13, 2012}}</ref> The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support [[High-definition video|high-definition]] [[Video game graphics|graphics]]. The Wii U's primary [[Gamepad|controller]] is the [[Wii U GamePad]], which features an embedded [[touchscreen]]. Each software title may be designed to utilize this touchscreen as being supplemental to the main TV, or as the only screen for [[Off-TV Play]]. The system supports most Wii controllers and accessories, and the more classically shaped [[Wii U Pro Controller]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/1943/20120605/nintendo-wii-u-pro-controller-e3.htm|title=Nintendo Unveils Wii U Pro Controller before E3, Wireless but No Touch Screen|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=GameNGuide}}</ref> The system is [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] with Wii software and accessories; this mode also utilizes Wii-based controllers, and it optionally offers the GamePad as its primary Wii display and motion sensor bar. The console has various online services powered by [[Nintendo Network]], including: the [[Nintendo eShop]] for online distribution of software and content; and [[Miiverse]], a [[social network]] which can be variously integrated with games and applications. As of December 2014, worldwide Wii U sales had totaled 9.20 million hardware units and 52.87 million software units.<ref name="Nintendo Financial Jan 28 2015">{{cite document | title=Consolidated Financial Highlights: Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 2013 and 2014 | publisher=Nintendo Co, Ltd. | location=Kyoto, Japan | date=January 28, 2015 | url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150128e.pdf | accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>

=== Handheld consoles ===

==== Game & Watch ====
{{main|Game & Watch}}
{{expand section|date=March 2014}}
'''Game and Watch''' is a handheld line produced from 1980 to 1991 by [[Gunpei Yokoi]]. It features a single game and a clock and/or alarm.

==== Game Boy ====
{{main|Game Boy line}}
After the success of the ''Game & Watch'' series, Yokoi developed the '''[[Game Boy]]''' handheld console, which was released in 1989. Eventually becoming the best-selling handheld of all time, the Game Boy remained dominant for more than a decade, seeing critically and commercially popular games such as ''[[Pokémon Yellow]]'' released as late as 1998 in Japan and 2000 in Europe. Incremental updates of the Game Boy, including ''[[Game Boy Pocket]]'', ''[[Game Boy Light]]'' and ''[[Game Boy Color]]'', did little to change the original formula, though the latter introduced color graphics to the Game Boy line.

The first major update to its handheld line since 1989, '''[[Game Boy Advance]]''' features improved technical specifications similar to those of the SNES. The ''[[Game Boy Advance SP]]'' was the first revision to the GBA line and introduced screen lighting and a clam shell design, while later iteration, the ''[[Game Boy Micro]]'', brought a smaller form factor.

[[File:Nintendo-DS-Lite-Black-Open.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Nintendo DS Lite]] is the best-selling handheld console of all time.]]

==== Nintendo DS ====
{{main | Nintendo DS | Nintendo DS line}}
Although originally advertised as an alternative to the Game Boy Advance, the '''[[Nintendo DS]]''' replaced the [[Game Boy line]] after its initial release in 2004.<ref name="newconsole">{{cite web| url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/11/14/nintendo-going-back-to-the-basics| title=Nintendo Going Back to the Basics. Full story about the company offering a new system in 2004.| accessdate=2007-10-04| date=2003-11-13| work=[[IGN]]| publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc.}}</ref> It was distinctive for its dual screens and a microphone, as well as a [[Touchscreen|touch-sensitive lower screen]]. The ''[[Nintendo DS Lite]]'' brought a smaller form factor<ref>{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Peter|date =2006-02-20| url= http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/20/the-engadget-interview-reggie-fils-aime-executive-vice-preside/|title= The Engadget Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Nintendo|publisher= Engadget|accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> while the ''[[Nintendo DSi]]'' features larger screens and two cameras,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendodsi.com/meet-dsi.jsp | title = Explore Nintendo DSi | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> and was followed by an even larger model, the ''[[Nintendo DSi XL]]'', with a 90% bigger screen.<ref name=mcvuk>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/37129/DSi-XL-gets-March-5th-launch|title=Nintendo DSi XL to launch on March 5th|first=Dave|last=Roberts|date=2010-01-14|work=MCV|publisher=Intent Media|accessdate=2010-01-30}}</ref>

==== Nintendo 3DS ====
{{main | Nintendo 3DS}}
Further expanding the Nintendo DS line, the '''[[Nintendo 3DS]]''' uses the process of [[autostereoscopy]] to produce a [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] three-dimensional effect without [[3D viewer|glasses]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf |title=Launch of New Portable Game Machine |date=March 23, 2010 |publisher=Nintendo |accessdate=2010-03-23 |location=[[Minami-ku, Kyoto]]}}</ref> Released to major markets during 2011, the 3DS got off to a slow start, initially missing many key features that were promised before the system launched.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.techspot.com/news/44226-nintendo-3DS-passes-1-million-units-sold-in-japan-finally.html |title=Nintendo 3DS passes 1 million units sold in Japan, finally |date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=TechSpot |accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Partially as a result of slow sales, Nintendo stock declined in value. Subsequent price cuts and game releases helped to boost 3DS and 3DS software sales and to renew investor confidence in the company.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=nintendo-shares-leap-on-3ds-optimism-2011-08-23 |title=Nintendo shares leap on 3DS optimism |date=August 23, 2011 |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News |accessdate=2011-10-26}}</ref> As of August 2013, the 3DS was the best selling console in the United States for four consecutive months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gengame.net/2013/09/august-npd-sales-data-madden-25-tops-software-3ds-tops-hardware-four-months-in-a-row/ |title=August NPD Sales Data: Madden 25 Tops Software, 3DS Tops Hardware Four Months in a Row |publisher=Gengame |date=2013-09-12 |accessdate=2013-10-17}}</ref> The ''[[Nintendo 3DS XL]]'' was introduced in August 2012 and includes a 90% larger screen, a 4GB SD card and extended battery life. In August 2013, Nintendo announced the cost-reduced ''[[Nintendo 2DS]]'', a version of the 3DS without an [[autostereoscopic]] 3D screen. It has a slate-like design as opposed to the hinged, [[clamshell design]] of its DS-line predecessors. The 2DS was released on October 12, 2013 in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, although no Japanese release has been announced.

In August 2014, it was announced that Japan would receive a new 3DS called "New 3DS" with extra shoulder buttons, a right analogue stick, faster processor, compatibility with [[Amiibo]] and other changes. It was released in October 2014.

=== Software ===
{{see also|List of products published by Nintendo}}
{{empty section|date=January 2014}}

== Organization ==

=== Marketing ===
{{main|Nintendo marketing}}

Nintendo of America has engaged in several high-profile marketing campaigns to define and position its brand. One of its earliest and most enduring slogans was "Now you're playing with power!", used first to promote its Nintendo Entertainment System. It modified the slogan to include "SUPER power" for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and "PORTABLE power" for the Game Boy. Its 1994 "Play It Loud!" campaign played upon teenage rebellion and fostered an edgy reputation. During the Nintendo 64 era, the slogan was "Get N or get out." During the GameCube era, the "Who Are You?" suggested a link between the games and the players' identities. The company promoted its Nintendo DS handheld with the tagline "Touching is Good." For the Wii, they used the "Wii would like to play" slogan to promote the console with the people who tried the games including ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''. The Nintendo DS's successor, the Nintendo 3DS, used the slogan "Take a look inside". The Wii's successor, the [[Wii U]], used the slogan "How U will play next."

=== Board of directors ===
;Representative Directors
* [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], President
* [[Genyo Takeda]], Senior Managing Director, Technology Fellow
* [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], Senior Managing Director, Creative Fellow
;Directors
* Shigeyuki Takahashi, General Manager of Finance Administration Division, Supervisor of General Affairs Division, In charge of Quality Assurance Department
* Satoshi Yamato, General Manager of Marketing Division, In charge of Advertising Department
* Susumu Tanaka, General Manager of Licensing Division
* Shinya Takahashi, General Manager of Entertainment Planning & Development Division, Supervisor of Business Development Division and Development Administration & Support Division
* Hirokazu Shinshi, General Manager of Manufacturing Division
;Outside Directors
* Naoki Mizutani

===Other executives===
* [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]], President and COO of Nintendo of America (NOA)
* [[Satoru Shibata]], President of Nintendo of Europe (NOE)

=== International divisions ===
{{see also|List of divisions of Nintendo}}

==== Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) ====
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan since the beginning, Nintendo Co., Ltd. oversees the organization's global operations and manages Japanese operations specifically. The company's two major subsidiaries, Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, manage operations in North America and Europe respectively. Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/jobs/work_at_nintendo/interview05-02/contents02.html |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQBDu3BO |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=製品技術編(2) |work=社長が訊く任天堂で働くということ |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |accessdate=January 1, 2011}}</ref> moved from its original Kyoto location<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|59|30.03|N|135|45|58.66|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref>{{Where|date=May 2014}} to a new office in [[Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto]],;<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|29.00|N|135|46|10.48|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref> in 2000, this became the [[research and development]] building when the head office relocated to its {{as of|2000|alt=present}} location in [[Minami-ku, Kyoto]].<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|11.89|N|135|45|22.33|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref><ref>"[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/starfox/0/2 Fushimi Inari Taisha and Fox]." Nintendo. Retrieved on January 1, 2011. "12. Former head office: Before Nintendo's head office moved to Minami Ward, Kyoto City (its current location) in 2000, it was in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. The former head office's location is now occupied by Nintendo Kyoto Research Center."</ref>

==== Nintendo of America (NOA) ====
Nintendo's North American subsidiary is based in [[Redmond, Washington]]. Originally the NOA headquarters handled sales, marketing, and advertising. However, the office in [[Redwood City]], [[California]] now directs those functions. The company maintains distribution centers in [[Atlanta]] (Nintendo Atlanta) and [[North Bend, Washington]] ([[Nintendo North Bend]]). The {{convert|380000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Nintendo North Bend facility processes more than 20,000 orders a day to Nintendo customers, which include [[Retail|retail stores]] that sell Nintendo products in addition to [[consumer]]s who [[Online shopping|shop]] Nintendo's web site.<ref name="casestudy">{{cite web | author=R.H. Brown Co. Inc. | year=2007 | title=Case Studies | url=http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20070817205829/http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archivedate=2007-08-17 | work=Hytrol.com | accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> Nintendo of America's Canadian branch,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/?country=CA&lang=en |title=Nintendo.com |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}</ref> Nintendo of Canada, Ltd. (NOCL), is based in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] with a [[distribution center]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].

==== Nintendo of Europe (NOE) ====
Nintendo's European subsidiary was established in June 1990,<ref name="history_9911">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html |title=History |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> based in [[Großostheim]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html | title=Corporate - Nintendo | accessdate=2009-07-24}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> close to [[Frankfurt]], Germany. The company handles operations in Europe and [[South Africa]].<ref name="history_9911" /> Nintendo of Europe's [[United Kingdom]] branch<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html |title=Corporate |publisher=Nintendo |date=2012-08-29 |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> handles operations in that country and in [[Ireland]] from its headquarters in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], [[Berkshire]]. In June 2014, NOE initiated a reduction and consolidation process, yielding a combined 130 layoffs: the closing of its office and warehouse, and termination of all employment, in Großostheim; and the consolidation of all of those operations into, and terminating some employment at, its Frankfurt location.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-06-130-jobs-lost-in-nintendo-of-europe-reshuffle |title=130 jobs lost in Nintendo of Europe reshuffle |first=Dan |last=Pearson |publisher=Games Industry |date=2014-06-06 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/06/06/nintendo-to-close-european-headquarters-lay-off-130/ | title=Nintendo to close European headquarters, lay off 130 | work=USA Today | date=June 6, 2014 | accessdate=June 9, 2014}}</ref>

==== Nintendo Australia (NAL) ====
{{main | Nintendo Australia}}
Nintendo's Australian subsidiary is based in [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Victoria]]. It handles the publishing, distribution, sales and marketing of Nintendo products in [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and Oceania ([[Cook Islands]], [[Fiji]], [[New Caledonia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Samoa]], and [[Vanuatu]]). It also manufactures some Wii games locally. Nintendo Australia is also a third-party distributor of some titles from [[Rising Star Games]], [[Namco Bandai Games]] Europe, [[Atlus]], [[The Tetris Company]], [[Sega]], [[Tecmo Koei]] Games Europe and [[Capcom]] Europe.

==== iQue, Ltd. ====
{{main | iQue}}
A Chinese [[joint venture]] between its founder, [[Wei Yen]], and Nintendo, manufactures and distributes official Nintendo consoles and games for the mainland Chinese market, under the iQue brand. The product lineup for the Chinese market is considerably different from that for other markets. For example, Nintendo's only console in China is the [[iQue Player]], a modified version of the Nintendo 64. The company has not released its more modern GameCube or Wii to the market, although a version of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] was released in 2012. As of 2013, it is a 100% Nintendo-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/|title=Up-to-date listing of Nintendo subsidiaries|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo Everything|date=2013-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5|title=関係会社の状況|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo|date=2013-06-28}}</ref>

==== Nintendo of Korea (NOK) ====
Nintendo's South Korean subsidiary was established on July 7, 2006.<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{cite web|author=Paul, Loughrey|title=Nintendo establishes Korean subsidiary|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-establishes-korean-subsidiary}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Nintendo office.jpg|The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
File:Nintendo of America Headquarters.jpg|The Nintendo of America headquarters in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], United States
File:Frankfurt Herriotstraße 4.20130511.jpg|Nintendo of Europe headquarters in [[Frankfurt]], Germany
File:NintendoTokyoOffice.jpg|Nintendo's Tokyo office
</gallery>

=== Logo ===
{{Gallery
|title=The Nintendo logo through the years
|width=100 | height=100 | lines=1
|align=center
|footer=
|File:Nintendo - 1889.png | width1=150 |
alt1=
| 1889–1950
|File:Nintendo - 1950.png | width2=150 |
alt2=
| 1950–1960
|File:Nintendo - 1960.png |
alt3=
| 1960–1965
|File:Nintendo - 1965.png |
alt4=
| 1965–1967
|File:Nintendo - 1967.png | width5=150 |
alt5=
| 1967–1968
|File:Nintendo - 1968.png | width6=150 |
alt6=
| 1968–1970
|File:Nintendo Logo 1970.png | width7=150 |
alt7=
| 1970–1972
|File:Nintendo - 1972.png |
alt8=
| 1972–1975
|File:Nintendo red logo.svg | width9=150 |
alt9=
| 1975–2006
|File:Nintendo.svg| width10=150 |
alt10=
| 2006–present
}}

== Research & Development ==
{{main|List of Nintendo development teams}}

=== Divisions ===
[[File:Nintendo EAD logo.png|thumb|250px|right|Nintendo's former EAD division developed games for Nintendo's most well known franchises, such as [[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]] and [[The Legend of Zelda]]. They have since been integrated into a newly formed ''Entertainment Planning & Development'' division.]]

Nintendo's internal Research & Development operations are divided into three main divisions, formed after corporate restructuring in September 2015: the ''[[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development]]'' (or ''EPD''), the main software development division of Nintendo, which focuses on internal-only [[video game]] development; the ''[[Nintendo Platform Technology & Development]]'' (or ''PTD''), the main hardware development division of Nintendo, which focuses on [[Home video game console|home]] and [[handheld video game console]] development; and the ''[[Nintendo Business Development]]'' (or ''NBD''), which focuses on refining business strategy and is responsible for overseeing the [[smart device]] arm of the business.

;Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD)
:The [[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development]] division is the premier development arm at Nintendo, and a combination of Nintendo's former [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|Entertainment Analysis & Development]] and [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development|Software Planning & Development]] divisions. Led by Shinya Takahashi, the group is the largest concentration of R&D, housing more than 800 engineers and designers. The division is primarily located in the central Kyoto R&D building, where they are overseen by [[Katsuya Eguchi]], and also has development teams in Tokyo offices overseen by [[Yoshiaki Koizumi]].

;Platform Technology Development (PTD)
:The [[Nintendo Platform Technology Development]] division is a combination of Nintendo's former [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Integrated Research & Development]] and [[Nintendo System Development|System Development]] divisions. Led by Ko Shiota, the division is responsible for designing hardware and developing Nintendo's [[operating system]]s, developer environment and internal network as well as maintenance of the [[Nintendo Network]].

;Business Development (NBD)
:The [[Nintendo Business Development]] division was formed following Nintendo's foray into software development for [[smart device]]s such as [[mobile phone]]s and [[tablets]]. They are responsible for refining Nintendo's business model for the dedicated video game system business, and for furthering Nintendo's venture into development for smart devices.

=== Subsidiaries ===

Although most of the Research & Development is being done in [[Japan]], there are some R&D facilities in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that are focused on developing software and hardware technologies used in Nintendo products. Although they all are subsidiaries of Nintendo (and therefore first party), they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the Japanese personal involved. This can be seen in a variety of "Iwata asks..." interviews.<ref>{{cite web | title=Wii U: Internet Browser |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/internet-browser/0/2 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 | quote="I didn't really go into this today, but Nintendo European Research and Development SAS France (NERD) helped us with our video player and Nintendo Software Technology (NST) helped with WebKit's JavaScript JIT, '''so''' this new [[Web browser|Internet Browser]] really came about with help from so many different '''people outside the company'''." —Tetsuya Sasaki, Software Development & Design Department }}</ref> [[Nintendo Software Technology]] (NST) and [[Nintendo Technology Development]] (NTD) are located in [[Redmond, Washington]], [[United States|USA]], while [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] (''NERD'') is located in [[Paris, France]], and [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] (NSD) is located in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]].

Most external [[First-party developer|first-party]] software development is done in [[Japan]], since the only overseas subsidiary is [[Retro Studios]] in the [[United States]]. Although these studios are all subsidiaries of Nintendo, they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (SPD) division. [[1-UP Studio]] and [[Nd Cube]] are located in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], while [[Monolith Soft]] has one studio located in Tokyo and another in [[Kyoto]]. Finally, [[Retro Studios]] is located in [[Austin, Texas]], [[United States|USA]].

=== Partners ===
{{further|Nintendo development teams#Partners}}
Since the release of the [[Famicom]]/[[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo has built up a large group of [[Second-party developer|second-party development partners]], through publishing agreements and development collaboration. Most of these ''external'' Nintendo project are overseen by the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD'') division.

== Policy ==

=== Content guidelines ===
For many years, Nintendo had a policy of strict content guidelines for video games published on its consoles. Although Nintendo of Japan allowed [[graphic violence]] in its video games, [[nudity and sexuality]] were strictly prohibited. Former Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] believed that if the company allowed the licensing of [[Pornography|pornographic]] games, the company's image would be forever tarnished.<ref name="Game Over 1993">''[[Game Over (book)|''Game Over'']], David Sheff, 1993.</ref> Nintendo of America went further in that games released for Nintendo consoles could not feature nudity, sexuality, [[profanity]] (including [[racism]], [[sexism]] or [[Hate speech|slurs]]), blood, graphic or [[domestic violence]], [[drug]]s, political messages or [[Religious symbolism|religious symbols]] (with the exception of widely unpracticed religions, such as the [[Greek mythology|Greek Pantheon]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php |title=Nintendo of America Content Guidelines |publisher=Filibustercartoons.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> The Japanese parent company was concerned that it may be viewed as a "Japanese Invasion" by forcing Japanese [[community standards]] on North American and European children. Despite the strict guidelines, some exceptions have occurred: ''[[Bionic Commando (Nintendo Entertainment System)|Bionic Commando]]'' (though [[Nazi swastika|swastikas]] were eliminated in the US version), ''[[Smash TV]]'' and ''[[Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode]]'' contained human violence, the latter also containing implied [[Human sexuality|sexuality]] and [[Smoking|tobacco use]]; ''[[River City Ransom]]'' and ''[[Taboo: The Sixth Sense]]'' contained nudity, and the latter also contained religious images, as did ''[[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest|Castlevania II]]'' and ''[[Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse|III]]''.

A known side effect of this policy was the [[Sega Genesis]] version of ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' selling over double the number of the Super NES version, mainly because Nintendo had forced publisher [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] to recolor the red blood to look like white sweat and replace some of the more gory graphics in its release of the game, making it less violent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20081017054400/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archivedate=2008-10-17|title=IGN Presents the History of Mortal Kombat - Retro Feature at IGN|publisher=IGN|first=Travis|last=Fahs|accessdate=2010-08-16}}</ref> By contrast, [[Sega]] allowed blood and gore to remain in the Genesis version (though a code was required to unlock the gore). Nintendo allowed the Super NES version of ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' to ship uncensored the following year with a content warning on the packaging.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/mortal-kombat-ii/cover-art/gameCoverId,22874|title=''Mortal Kombat II'' cover artwork at MobyGames}}</ref>

In 1994 and 2003, when the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] and [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] (respectively) video game ratings systems were introduced, Nintendo chose to abolish most of these policies in favor of consumers making their own choices about the content of the games they played. Today, changes to the content of games are done primarily by the game's developer or, occasionally, at the request of Nintendo. The only clear-set rule is that ESRB AO-rated games will not be licensed on Nintendo consoles in North America,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp |title=Nintendo of America Customer Service – Nintendo Buyer's Guide |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> a practice which is also enforced by [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]] and [[Microsoft]], its two greatest competitors in the present market. Nintendo has since allowed several mature-content games to be published on its consoles, including: ''[[Perfect Dark]]'', ''[[Conker's Bad Fur Day]]'', ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Doom 64]]'', ''[[BMX XXX]]'', the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series, ''[[Killer7]]'', the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series, ''[[Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', ''[[BloodRayne]]'', ''[[Geist (video game)|Geist]]'' and ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]''. Certain games have continued to be modified, however. For example, [[Konami]] was forced to remove all references to cigarettes in the 2000 [[Game Boy Color]] game ''[[Metal Gear Solid (Game Boy)|Metal Gear Solid]]'' (although the previous NES version of ''[[Metal Gear]]'' and the subsequent GameCube game ''[[Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes]]'' both included such references, as did Wii title ''[[MadWorld]]''), and maiming and blood were removed from the Nintendo 64 [[Porting|port]] of ''[[Cruis'n USA]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060333p1.html | title=IGN: Nintendo to censor Cruis'n | date=1996-10-08 | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> Another example is in the Game Boy Advance game ''[[Mega Man Zero 3]]'', in which one of the bosses, called Hellbat Schilt in the Japanese and European releases, was renamed Devilbat Schilt in the North American [[Internationalization and localization|localization]]. In North America releases of the ''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' games, enemies and bosses killed with a saber attack would not gush blood as they did in the Japanese versions. However, the release of the Wii has been accompanied by a number of even more controversial mature titles, such as ''[[Manhunt 2]]'', ''[[No More Heroes (video game)|No More Heroes]]'', ''[[The House of the Dead: Overkill]]'' and ''[[MadWorld]]'', the latter three of which are published exclusively for the console. The Nintendo DS also has violent games, such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]'', ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]'' and its [[Dementium II|sequel]], ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat]]'', and ''[[Resident Evil: Deadly Silence]]''.

=== License guidelines ===
Nintendo of America also had guidelines before 1993 that had to be followed by its licensees to make games for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], in addition to the above content guidelines.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> Guidelines were enforced through the [[10NES]] lockout chip.

* Licensees were not permitted to release the same game for a competing console until two years had passed.
* Nintendo would decide how many cartridges would be supplied to the licensee.
* Nintendo would decide how much space would be dedicated for articles, advertising, etc. in the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' magazine.
* There was a minimum number of cartridges that had to be ordered by the licensee from Nintendo.
* There was a yearly limit of five games that a licensee may produce for a Nintendo console.<ref>D. Sheff: "Game Over", p. 215. CyberActive Media Group, 1999.</ref> This rule was created to prevent market over-saturation, which had contributed to the [[North American video game crash of 1983]].

The last rule was circumvented in a number of ways; for example, Konami, wanting to produce more games for Nintendo's consoles, formed [[Ultra Games]] and later [[Ultra Games|Palcom]] to produce more games as a technically different publisher.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> This disadvantaged smaller or emerging companies, as they could not afford to start additional companies. In another side effect, [[Square (company)|Square Co.]] (now [[Square Enix]]) executives have suggested that the price of publishing games on the [[Nintendo 64]] along with the degree of censorship and control that Nintendo enforced over its games, most notably ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', were factors in switching its focus towards [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]]'s [[PlayStation]] console.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}

In 1993, a [[class action]] suit was taken against Nintendo under allegations that their lockout chip enabled [[unfair business practices]]. The case was settled, with the condition that California consumers were entitled to a $3 discount coupon for a game of Nintendo's choice.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=Nintendo May Owe You $3|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=55|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=February 1994|page=187}}</ref>

=== Emulation ===
{{expand section|date=October 2014}}
Nintendo is opposed to any third-party [[Video game console emulator|emulation]] of its video games and consoles, stating that it is the single largest threat to the [[intellectual property]] rights of video game developers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#roms | title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.) | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> However, emulators have been used by Nintendo and licensed third party companies as a means to re-release older games (through the [[Virtual Console]]). Nintendo remains the only modern console manufacturer that has not sued an emulator developer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emulationnation.com/nintendo/ |title=Nintendo |publisher=Emulationnation.com |date=1989-07-31 |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref>

=== Seal of Quality {{anchor|officialseal}} ===
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| header = The Nintendo Seal of Quality
| width = 170

| image1 = Nintendo Official Seal.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Official Nintendo Seal in [[NTSC]] regions.

| image2 = Nintendo seal of quality.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Nintendo's Official Seal of Quality in [[PAL]] regions.
}}

The gold sunburst seal was first used by [[#Offices and locations|Nintendo of America]], and later Nintendo of Europe. It is displayed on any game, system, or accessory licensed for use on one of its [[video game console]]s, denoting the game has been properly approved by Nintendo. The seal is also displayed on any Nintendo-licensed merchandise, such as trading cards, game guides, or apparel, albeit with the words "Official Nintendo Licensed Product".<ref name="Seal">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/licensed.jsp |title=Customer Service | Licensed and Unlicensed Products |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref>

[[Sid Meier]] in 2008 cited the Seal of Quality as one of the three most important innovations in videogame history, as it helped set a standard for game quality that protected consumers from [[shovelware]].<ref name="arendt20080304">{{cite news | url=http://www.wired.com/2008/03/sid-meier-names/ | title=Civilization Creator Lists Three Most Important Innovations in Gaming | work=Wired | date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=July 7, 2014 | author=Arendt, Susan}}</ref>

==== NTSC regions ====
In [[NTSC]] regions, this seal is an elliptical starburst titled "Official Nintendo Seal." Originally, for NTSC countries, the seal was a large, black and gold circular starburst. The seal read as follows: "This seal is your assurance that NINTENDO has approved and guaranteed the quality of this product." This seal was later altered in 1988: "approved and guaranteed" was changed to "evaluated and approved." In 1989, the seal became gold and white, as it currently appears, with a shortened phrase, "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality." It was changed in 2003 to read "Official Nintendo Seal."<ref name="Seal" />

The seal currently reads:<ref name=3DS-XL-manual>{{cite document|title=Nintendo 3DS XL Operations Manual|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/SPR_EN_NA.pdf|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=September 2, 2012}}</ref>
{{quote | The official seal is your assurance that this product is licensed or manufactured by Nintendo. Always look for this seal when buying video game systems, accessories, games and related products.}}

==== PAL regions ====
In [[PAL]] regions, the seal is a circular starburst titled, "Original Nintendo Seal of Quality." Text near the seal in the [[Australians|Australian]] [[Wii]] manual states:

{{quote | This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has reviewed this product and that it has met our standards for excellence in workmanship, reliability and entertainment value. Always look for this seal when buying games and accessories to ensure complete compatibility with your Nintendo product.<ref>{{cite document | url=http://www.nintendo.com.au/support/files/Wii_Manuals/WiiMotionPlusOperationsManual.pdf | title=Wii MotionPlus Operations Manual | publisher=Nintendo | date=2009 | accessdate=10 Mar 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Environmental record ===
Nintendo has consistently been ranked last in [[Greenpeace]]'s "Guide to Greener Electronics" due to Nintendo's failure to publish information.<ref>{{cite web|title=Greenpeace Still Says Nintendo Is Bad For the Environment|url=http://kotaku.com/5549072/greenpeace-still-says-nintendo-is-bad-for-the-environment/|publisher=Kokaku|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|date=May 27, 2010|accessdate=December 25, 2012}}</ref> Similarly, they are ranked last in the [[Enough Project]]'s "Conflict Minerals Company Rankings" due to Nintendo's refusal to respond to multiple requests for information.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings|url=http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings|publisher=Enough Project|accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

Like many other electronics companies, Nintendo does offer a take-back [[recycling]] program which allows customers to mail in old products they no longer use; Nintendo of America claimed that it took in 548 tons of returned products in 2011, 98% of which was either reused or recycled.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Product Recycling and Take Back Program|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/recycle.jsp|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=April 19, 2013}}</ref>



== See also ==
* [[List of divisions of Nintendo]]
* [[List of Nintendo development teams]]
* [[List of products published by Nintendo]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo characters]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo games]]
* [[Nintendo Selects]], formerly Player's Choice
* [[Nintendo World Store]]
* ''[[Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.]]''
* ''[[Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.]]''

== Notes ==
{{reflist|60em|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFKent2001 |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |authorlink=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |location=Roseville, California |isbn=0-7615-3643-4 | oclc=47254175 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover}}
* {{cite book |last=Sloan |first=Daniel |title=Playing to Wiin: Nintendo and the Video Game Industry's Greatest Comeback |year=2011 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-82512-9 | oclc=707935885 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=utONPpgEWDUC&printsec=frontcover}}
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="FY 2014 financial results">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2014/140507e.pdf |title=Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2013 and 2014 |format=PDF |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |date=2014-05-07|accessdate=2014-05-25}}</ref>
<ref name="num_employees">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html |script-title=ja:会社概要|trans_title=Company Profile|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. | accessdate=2012-07-14}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Nintendo}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website}} (country selector)
* [http://www.nintendopower.com/ ''Nintendo Power''] (discontinued in December 2012)
* [http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/ ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' (UK)]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/nintendo/ Nintendo in Depth Archive] by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''



{{Navboxes
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[[Category:Companies listed on the Pink Sheets]]
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Nintendo

2015-09-15T14:15:39Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Research & Development */ Update to reflect company restructure

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
<noinclude>{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}</noinclude>{{about|the Nintendo corporation|the third-generation video game console from the company|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nintendo Co., Ltd.
| logo = File:Nintendo.svg
| logo_caption = Nintendo's logo, which dates back to the 1970s. The current gray color was adopted in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/202585/nintendo-switched-logos-two-years-ago/|title=Nintendo News:Nintendo switched logos "two years" ago|publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames.com|accessdate=2010-06-01}}</ref>
| image = Nintendo office.jpg
| image_caption = The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
| trading_name = 
| native_name = 任天堂株式会社
| native_name_lang = "jp"
| romanized_name = Nintendō Kabushiki gaisha
| former_name = {{plainlist|
* Nintendo Koppai
* Nintendo Playing Card Co.
}}
| former type =
| type = [[Kabushiki gaisha]]
| traded_as = {{Tyo|7974}}
| industry = {{flatlist|
* [[Video game industry|Video games]]
* [[Interactive entertainment]]
* [[Consumer electronics]]
}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]] ({{Start date and age|1889|09|23|}})<ref name="history NOJ"/>
| founder = [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]
| defunct = 
| location_city = Kyoto
| location_country = Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/distributors_international.jsp|title=International Distributors - Company List|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2008-11-17}}</ref>
| locations = [[Nintendo World Store|1 store]] (as of 2015)
|coordinates={{Coord|34.969739|135.756209|display=inline,title}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list||[[Tatsumi Kimishima]] (President)|[[Genyo Takeda]] (Technology Fellow)|[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (Creative Fellow)|[[Reggie Fils-Aimé]] (NOA President)|Satoru Shibata (NOE President)}}
| products = {{plainlist|
* [[#Products|List of Nintendo consoles]]
* [[Template:Nintendo franchises|List of Nintendo franchises]]
}}
| brands =
| production = {{unbulleted list|'''Hardware:'''|{{decrease}} 16.30 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 23.73 million (2013)|'''Software:'''|{{decrease}} 123.20 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 147.02 million (2013)}}
| services = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Network]]
* [[Nintendo eShop]]
* [[Nintendo TVii]]
* [[Miiverse]]
}}
| revenue = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|571.726 billion|link=yes}} (2014)|{{decrease}} {{yen|635.422 billion}} (2013)}}
| operating_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-46.425 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|-36.410 billion}} (2013)}}
| net_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-23.222 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|7.099 billion}} (2013)}}
| assets = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.306 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.448 trillion}} (2013)}}
| equity = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.118 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.228 trillion}} (2013)}}
| market_cap = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.491 trillion}} (1/1/2015)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.794 trillion}} (1/1/2014)<ref name="marketcap">{{cite web |url=http://marketcapitalizations.com/historical-data/historical-market-caps-of-the-largest-japanese-companies/ |title=Historical market caps of the largest Japanese companies |accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref>}}
| owner =
| num_employees = {{unbulleted list|{{increase}} 5,213 (2014)|{{increase}} 5,080 (2013)}}
| parent =
| divisions = [[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development]] Nintendo Platform Technology Development Business Development Division
|subsid = [[1-UP Studio]] [[iQue]] [[Monolith Soft]] [[Nd Cube]] [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] [[Nintendo Software Technology]] [[Nintendo Technology Development|Technology Devolopment]] [[Retro Studios]] [[HAL Laboratory|Warpstar]]
| homepage = {{Official website|www.nintendo.com|Nintendo.com}}
| footnotes =<ref name="consolidatedsales"/><ref name="consolidatedsales 2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2013-04-27 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20130526130209/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |archivedate=May 26, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="FY 2014 financial results"/><ref name="num_employees"/>
| intl = yes
| bodystyle =
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Nintendo Co., Ltd.'''|任天堂株式会社|Nintendō [[Kabushiki gaisha]]|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[multinational corporation|multinational]] consumer electronics company headquartered in [[Kyoto]], Japan. Nintendo is the world's largest [[List of video game companies|video game company]] by revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130116053515/http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archivedate=2013-01-16|title=Gaming company Top 25|year=2011|publisher=Softwaretop100.org|accessdate=November 12, 2011}}</ref> Founded on September 23, 1889,<ref name="history NOJ">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|language=Japanese|accessdate=2006-07-29}}</ref> by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]], it originally produced handmade [[hanafuda]] [[playing card]]s.<ref name="history NOA">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2006-06-04}}</ref> By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as cab services and [[love hotel]]s.<ref name="history N-Sider">{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=45|title=Nintendo History Lesson: The Lucky Birth|publisher=N-Sider|accessdate= 2006-06-04}}</ref>

Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s, Nintendo then developed into a [[video game]] company in the 1970s, ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the [[Video game industry|industry]] and Japan's third most valuable listed company with a market value of over $85 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUST30751820071015 |title=Nintendo sets $85 bln high score, thanks to Wii, Nintendo DS |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-10-15 |accessdate=2011-05-25 |first=Kiyoshi |last=Takenaka}}</ref> Nintendo of America is also the majority owner of the [[Seattle Mariners]] [[Major League Baseball]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.nintendolife.com/companies/nintendo|title=Nintendo - Company Profile|publisher=nintendolife|accessdate=2010-07-12}}</ref>

The word "Nintendo" can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |title=Nintendo Corporation, Limited |accessdate=2011-02-22 |format=doc |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20120722181708/http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |archivedate=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports historically cumulative sales of over 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units.<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{cite document |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1403.pdf|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2014-05-07 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015 Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. He was succeeded by [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], who had previously served as president of Nintendo of America from 2002 until 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/computing-products-consumer-software/5879199-1.html|title=Nintendo of America Inc. President Minoru Arakawa Announces His Retirement|accessdate=22 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/25/reggie-for-president/|title=Reggie for President|accessdate=22 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="personnel change">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150914e.pdf |date=September 14, 2015 |title=Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors |publisher=Nintendo}}</ref>

{{TOC level|3}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Nintendo}}


=== 1889–1956: As a card company ===
[[File:Nintendo former headquarter plate Kyoto.jpg|thumb|left|Former headquarters plate, from when Nintendo was solely a playing card company]]
Nintendo was founded as a card company in late 1889, later (1951) named ''Nintendo Koppai'' (Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.), by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]. Based in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]], the business produced and marketed a [[playing card]] game called [[Hanafuda]]. The handmade cards soon became popular, and Yamauchi hired assistants to mass-produce cards to satisfy demand. Nintendo now continues to manufacture playing cards in Japan<ref name="nintendo's card game product">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n09/index.html|title=Nintendo's card game product|publisher= nintendo |accessdate=2009}}</ref> and organizes its own [[contract bridge]] tournament called the "Nintendo Cup".<ref name="List of japan contract bridge league tournaments ">{{cite web|url=http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080624174252/http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archivedate=2008-06-24|title=List of Japan contract bridge league tournaments|publisher= jcbl|language=japanese|accessdate=2010}}</ref>

=== 1956–1974: New ventures ===
[[File:Nintendo love tester.jpg|thumb|The [[Love Tester]], one of Nintendo's experimental toys.]]

In 1956, [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], grandson of Fusajiro Yamauchi, visited the U.S. to talk with the [[United States Playing Card Company]], the dominant playing card manufacturer there. He found that the biggest playing card company in the world was using only a small office. Yamauchi's realization that the playing card business had limited potential was a turning point. He then acquired the license to use Disney characters on playing cards to drive sales.

In 1963, Yamauchi renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd. to Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref name="Nintendo History">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQB0bQ5E |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=Nintendo History |publisher=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |accessdate=May 27, 2014}}</ref> The company then began to experiment in other areas of business using newly injected capital during the period of time between 1963 and 1968. Nintendo set up a [[Taxicab|taxi]] company called ''Daiya''. This business was earlier successful however Nintendo was forced to sell it because problems with the labour unions were making it too expensive to run the service. It also set up a [[love hotel]] chain, a TV network, a food company (selling [[instant rice]]) and several other ventures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/as-nintendo-turns-125-6-things-you-may-not-know-about-this-gaming-giant-596606|title= As Nintendo turns 125, 6 things you may not know about this gaming giant|work= NDTV Gadgets|publisher= [[NDTV]]|accessdate= September 23, 2014|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> All of these ventures eventually failed, and after the 1964 [[1964 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]], playing card sales dropped, and Nintendo's stock price plummeted to its lowest recorded level of [[Japanese yen|¥]]60.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S7dvvs_0nIC&pg=PT44&lpg=PT44&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics+%C2%A560&source=bl&ots=gL5e-EKI3B&sig=KU5h8uYnEkGQaBVlLphXMgQOV_k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XhlOVdLwJseTuQTBsoC4CA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics%20%C2%A560&f=false|title=Freelancers!|work=google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M-pGHGDm5a4C&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics&source=bl&ots=NVZO2rCRsf&sig=5s8CmPDhn5F73nkdm9II6329omI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hhOVZnfIZSQuASixIDYCA&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics&f=false|title=The Story of Nintendo|work=google.com}}</ref>

In 1966, Nintendo moved into the Japanese toy industry with the [[Ultra Hand]], an extendable arm developed by its maintenance engineer [[Gunpei Yokoi]] in his free time. Yokoi was moved from maintenance to the new "Nintendo Games" department as a product developer. Nintendo continued to produce popular toys, including the [[Ultra Machine]], [[Love Tester]] and the ''Kousenjuu'' series of [[light gun]] games. Despite some successful products, Nintendo struggled to meet the fast development and manufacturing turnaround required in the toy market, and fell behind the well-established companies such as [[Bandai]] and [[Tomy]].

In 1973, its focus shifted to family entertainment venues with the [[Laser Clay Shooting System]], using the same light gun technology used in Nintendo's ''Kousenjuu'' series of toys, and set up in abandoned bowling alleys. Following some success, Nintendo developed several more light gun machines (such as the [[light gun shooter]] game ''[[Wild Gunman]]'') for the emerging arcade scene. While the Laser Clay Shooting System ranges had to be shut down following excessive costs, Nintendo had found a new market.

=== 1974–1978: Early electronic era ===
Nintendo's first venture into the video gaming industry was securing rights to distribute the [[Magnavox Odyssey]] [[video game console]] in Japan in 1974. Nintendo began to produce its own hardware in 1977, with the [[Color TV-Game]] home video game consoles. Four versions of these consoles were produced, each including variations of a single game (for example, Color TV Game 6 featured six versions of ''Light Tennis'').

A student product developer named [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] was hired by Nintendo at this time.<ref name="SM_CBS">{{cite news|title=Famous Names in Gaming|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130511085030/http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archivedate=2013-05-11|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=|accessdate=2010-06-13}}</ref> He worked for Yokoi, and one of his first tasks was to design the casing for several of the Color TV Game consoles. Miyamoto went on to create, direct and produce some of Nintendo's most famous video games and become one of the most recognizable figures in the video game industry.<ref name="SM_CBS"/>

In 1975, Nintendo moved into the video [[arcade game]] industry with ''[[EVR Race]]'', designed by their first game designer, [[Genyo Takeda]],<ref name="Iwata Asks-Punch Out!!">{{cite web|url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20090810124557/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archivedate=2009-08-10|title=Iwata Asks-Punch-Out!!|publisher= Nintendo|accessdate=2009-07-07}}</ref> and several more titles followed. Nintendo had some small success with this venture, but the release of ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' in 1981, designed by Miyamoto, changed Nintendo's fortunes dramatically. The success of the game and many licensing opportunities (such as ports on the [[Atari 2600]], [[Intellivision]] and [[ColecoVision]]) gave Nintendo a huge boost in profit and in addition, the game also introduced an early iteration of [[Mario]], known then as Jumpman, the eventual company [[mascot]].

=== 1979–2003: Success with video games ===
[[File:Game & Watch.png|thumb|The ''[[Game & Watch]]'' series was Nintendo's first worldwide success in [[video game console]]s.]]


In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi conceived the idea of a [[handheld video game]], while observing a fellow bullet train commuter who passed the time by interacting idly with a portable LCD calculator, which gave birth to ''[[Game & Watch]]''.<ref name="Searching for Gunpei">{{cite web | first=Lara | last=Crigger |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_87/490-Searching-for-Gunpei-Yokoi | title=The Escapist: Searching for Gunpei Yokoi | date=March 6, 2007 | magazine=The Escapist | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref> In 1980, Nintendo launched ''Game & Watch''—a [[handheld video game]] series developed by Yokoi. These systems do not contain interchangeable cartridges and thus the hardware was tied to the game. The first Game & Watch game released, titled ''Ball'', was distributed worldwide. The modern "cross" [[D-pad]] design was developed in 1982, by Yokoi for a ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' version. Proven to be popular, the design was patented by Nintendo. It later earned a [[Technology & Engineering Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |title=Nintendo Wins Emmy For DS And Wii Engineering | Technology | Sky News |publisher=News.sky.com |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2010-08-30 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20111227002549/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |archivedate=December 27, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Magrino |first=Tom |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184421.html |title=CES '08: Nintendo wins second Emmy - News at GameSpot |publisher=Gamespot.com |date=2008-01-08 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}</ref>


In 1983, Nintendo launched the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]] (colloquialized as "Famicom") home [[video game console]] in Japan, alongside ports of its most popular arcade titles. In 1985, a cosmetically reworked version of the system known outside of Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, launched in North America. The practice of bundling the system along with select games helped to make ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games in history]].<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp">Nagata, Kazuaki, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/03/10/news/nintendo-secret-its-all-in-the-game/ Nintendo secret: It's all in the game]", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', March 10, 2009, p. 3.</ref>


In 1988, Gunpei Yokoi and his team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] conceived the new [[Game Boy]] handheld system, with the purpose of merging the two very successful ideas of the Game & Watch's portability along with the NES's cartridge interchangeability. Nintendo released the Game Boy in Japan on April 21, 1989, and in North America on July 31, 1989. Nintendo of America president [[Minoru Arakawa]] managed a deal to bundle the popular third party game ''[[Tetris]]'' along with the Game Boy, and the pair launched as an instant success.


In 1989, Nintendo announced plans to release the successor to the Famicom, the [[Super Famicom]]. Based on a [[16-bit]] [[CPU|processor]], Nintendo boasted significantly superior hardware specifications of graphics, sound, and game speed over the original 8-bit Famicom. The system was also said to have backwards compatibility with Famicom games, though this feature was ultimately cut upon release. The Super Famicom was finally released relatively late to the market in Japan on November 21, 1990, and released as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (abbreviated to SNES or Super Nintendo) in North America on August 23, 1991 and in Europe in 1992. Its main rival was the 16-bit [[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive]], known in North America as Sega Genesis, which had been advertised aggressively against the nascent 8-bit NES. A [[Console wars|console war]] between Sega and Nintendo ensued during the early 1990s.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 431. "''Sonic'' was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for Super NES to arrive now decided to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the [[history of video games]] was about to begin."</ref> From 1990 to 1992, Nintendo opened ''World of Nintendo'' shops in the United States where consumers could test and buy Nintendo products.


In August 1993, Nintendo announced the SNES's successor, code-named ''Project Reality''. Featuring [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|64-bit graphics]], the new system was developed as a joint venture between Nintendo and North-American-based technology company [[Silicon Graphics]]. The system was announced to be released by the end of 1995, but was subsequently delayed. Meanwhile, Nintendo continued the Nintendo Entertainment System family with the release of the [[NES-101]], a smaller redesign of the original NES. Nintendo also announced a [[Compact disc|CD]] drive peripheral called the [[SNES-CD]], which was co-developed first by [[Sony]] with the name "Play Station" and then by [[Philips]]. Bearing prototypes and joint announcements at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]], it was on track for a 1994 release, but was controversially cancelled.


During 1995, Nintendo announced that it had sold one billion game cartridges worldwide,<ref>{{cite journal|last= |first= |title=Tidbits... |journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=78|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=January 1996|page=24}}</ref> one tenth of it being from the [[Mario franchise]].{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} Nintendo deemed 1994 the "Year of the Cartridge". To further their support for cartridges, Nintendo announced that Project Reality, which had now been renamed the Ultra 64, would not use a CD format as expected, but would rather use cartridges as its primary media format. [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Nintendo IRD]] general manager [[Genyo Takeda]] was impressed by video game development company [[Rare Ltd.]]'s progress with real-time 3D graphics technology, using state of the art [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations. As a result, Nintendo bought a 25% stake in the company, eventually expanding to 49%, and offered their catalogue of characters to create a CGI game around, making Rare a Nintendo's first western-based [[Video game development party#Second-party developer|second-party developer]].<ref name="Rare history">{{cite web|accessdate=2012-05-17 |url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |title=IGN Presents the History of Rare |publisher=IGN |date=2008-07-29 |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080805122442/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |archivedate=2008-08-05 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Their first game as partners with Nintendo was ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. The game was a critical success and sold over eight million copies worldwide, making it the second [[List of best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System video games|best-selling game in the SNES library]].<ref name="Rare history"/> In September 1994, Nintendo, along with six other video game giants including Sega, [[Electronic Arts]], Atari, [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]], Philips, and [[3DO Company|3DO]] approached the [[United States Senate]] and demanded a ratings system for video games to be enforced, with prompted the decision to create the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]].


Aiming to produce an affordable [[virtual reality]] console, Nintendo released the [[Virtual Boy]] in 1995, designed by Gunpei Yokoi. The console consists of a head-mounted semi-portable system with one red-colored screen for each of the user's eyes, featuring [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic graphics]]. Games are viewed through a binocular eyepiece and controlled using an affixed gamepad. Critics were generally disappointed with the quality of the games and the red-colored graphics, and complained of gameplay-induced headaches.<ref name="WaPo">Frischling, Bill. "Sideline Play." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 11. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877–1995). October 25, 1995. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> The system sold poorly and was quietly discontinued.<ref name="Boyer">Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> Amid the system's failure, Yokoi retired from Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time|accessdate= 2010-06-12|first=Blake|last=Snow|publisher=[[GamePro]]|date=2007-05-04|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607134204/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|archivedate=2011-06-07}}</ref> During the same year, Nintendo launched the [[Satellaview]] in Japan, a peripheral for the Super Famicom. The accessory allowed users to play video games via broadcast for a set period of time. Various games were made exclusively for the platform, as well as various [[remake (software)|remakes]].


In 1996, Nintendo released the Ultra 64 as the [[Nintendo 64]] in Japan and North America. The console was later released in Europe and Australia in 1997. Despite the limitations set by using cartridges, the technical specifications of the Nintendo 64 surpassed its competitors. With its market shares slipping to the [[Sega Saturn]] and partner-turned-rival [[Sony]] [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], Nintendo revitalized its brand by launching a $185 million marketing campaign centered around the "Play it Loud" slogan.<ref>Miller, Cyndee. "Sega Vs. Nintendo: This Fights almost as Rough as their Video Games." Marketing News 28.18 (1994): 1-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> During the same year, Nintendo also released the [[Game Boy Pocket]] in Japan, a smaller version of the Game Boy that generated more sales for the platform. On October 4, 1996, famed Nintendo developer Gunpei Yokoi died in a car crash. In 1997, Nintendo released the [[SNS-101]] (called Super Famicom Jr. in Japan), a smaller redesigned version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


In 1998, the successor to the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color, was released. The system had improved technical specifications allowing it to run games made specifically for the system as well as games released for the Game Boy, albeit with added color. The [[Game Boy Camera]] and [[Game Boy Printer|Printer]] were also released as accessories. In October 1998, Retro Studios was founded as an alliance between Nintendo and former [[Iguana Entertainment]] founder [[Jeff Spangenberg]]. Nintendo saw an opportunity for the new studio to create games for the upcoming [[GameCube]] targeting an older demographic, in the same vein as Iguana Entertainment's successful ''[[Turok: Dinosaur Hunter|Turok]]'' series for the Nintendo 64.<ref name=nsiderhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=423&page=1|title=History of Retro Studios|last=Wade|first=Kenneth Kyle|publisher=N-sider|date=December 17, 2004 |accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>

In 2001, just three years later, Nintendo introduced the redesigned Game Boy Advance. The same year, Nintendo also released the [[GameCube]] to lukewarm sales, and it ultimately failed to regain the market share lost by the Nintendo 64. When Yamauchi, the company's president since 1949, retired on May 24, 2002,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=May 24, 2002|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Yamauchi Retires|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/24/yamauchi-retires}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Lucas M.|last=Thomas|publisher=IGN|date=May 24, 2012|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Hiroshi Yamauchi: Nintendo's Legendary President|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/25/hiroshi-yamauchi-nintendos-legendary-president}}</ref> [[Satoru Iwata]] succeeded as Nintendo's fourth president, becoming the first Nintendo president who was unrelated to the Yamauchi family through blood or marriage since its founding in 1889.<ref name="ap">{{Cite web | url = http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2015-07-12-AS--Japan-Obit-Nintendo%20President/id-62869fddfd054d72b98981cf64a6cfab | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies of Tumor | first = Yuri | last = Kageyama | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | publisher = [[Associated Press]] |location=Tokyo, Japan|archivedate=August 1, 2015|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6aRru22RK}}</ref><ref name="nytimes">{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/business/satoru-iwata-nintendo-chief-executive-dies-at-55.html | title = Satoru Iwata, Nintendo Chief Executive, Dies at 55 | first= Liam | last = Stack | date = July 13, 2015| accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work =[[New York Times]] }}</ref>

In 2003, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Advance SP]], its fourth handheld system.

=== 2004–2011: Nintendo DS and Wii ===
In 2004, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS]], its fourth major handheld system. The DS is a dual screened handheld featuring [[touch screen]] capabilities, which respond to either a stylus or the touch of a finger. Former Nintendo president and now chairman [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] was translated by GameScience as explaining, "If we can increase the scope of the industry, we can re-energise the global market and lift Japan out of depression - that is Nintendo's mission." Regarding lukewarm GameCube sales which had yielded the company's first reported operating loss in over 100 years, Yamauchi continued: "The DS represents a critical moment for Nintendo's success over the next two years. If it succeeds, we rise to the heavens, if it fails, we sink into hell."<ref name="Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata">{{cite web | title=Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata | publisher=GameScience | url=http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127211555/http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | archivedate=January 27, 2006 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS">{{cite web | title=Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS | url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/9256/iwata-yamauchi-speak-out-on-nintendo-ds | date=February 13, 2004 | first=Jonathan | last=Metts | publisher=Nintendo Worldwide Report | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DS history">{{cite web|last=Constantine|first=John|title=Rise to Heaven: Five Years of Nintendo DS|url=http://www.1up.com/features/years-nintendo-ds.html|publisher=1UP.com|accessdate=May 27, 2014|quote="If the DS succeeds, we will rise to heaven, but if it fails we will sink to hell." — Hiroshi Yamauchi}}</ref> Thanks to titles such as [[Nintendogs]] and [[Mario Kart DS]], the DS became a success. In 2005, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Micro]] in North America, a redesign of the Game Boy Advance. The last system in the [[Game Boy line]], it was also the smallest Game Boy, and the least successful. In the middle of 2005, Nintendo opened the [[Nintendo World Store]] in [[New York City]], which would sell Nintendo games, present a museum of Nintendo history, and host public parties such as for product launches.

[[File:Wii Remote Image.jpg|thumb|The [[Wii Remote]], along with the [[Wii]], was said to be revolutionary because of its motion detection capabilities.]]

In the first half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS Lite]], a version of the original Nintendo DS with lighter weight, brighter screen, and better battery life. In addition to this streamlined design, its prolific subset of [[casual game]]s appealed to the masses, such as the [[Brain Age (series)|Brain Age]] series. Meanwhile, [[New Super Mario Bros.]] provided a substantial addition to the [[Super Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] when it was launched to the top of sales charts. The successful direction of the Nintendo DS had a big influence on Nintendo's next home console, which had been code named "Revolution" and was now renamed to "[[Wii]]".

In the latter half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Wii]] as the backwards-compatible successor to the GameCube. Based upon intricate [[Wii Remote]] motion controls and a [[Wii Balance Board|balance board]], the Wii inspired several new game franchises, some targeted at entirely new market segments of casual and fitness gaming. At over 100 million units, the Wii is the best selling console of the seventh generation, regaining the market share lost during the tenures of the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube.


On May 1, 2007, Nintendo acquired an 80% stake on video game development company [[Monolith Soft]], previously owned by [[Bandai Namco]]. Monolith Soft is best known for developing [[role-playing game]]s such as the [[Xenosaga]] and [[Baten Kaitos series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|title=XENOSAGA DEVELOPER SWITCHES SIDES|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/04/27/xenosaga-developer-switches-sides|publisher=IGN|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

During the holiday season of 2008, Nintendo followed up the success of the DS Lite with the release of the [[Nintendo DSi]] in Japan. The system features two cameras, one facing towards the player and one facing outwards, and had an [[online distribution]] store called [[DSiWare]]. The DSi was later released worldwide during 2009. In the latter half of 2009, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DSi XL]] in Japan, a larger version of the DSi. This updated system was later released worldwide in 2010.

=== 2011–present: Nintendo 3DS and Wii U ===
In 2011, Nintendo greatly expanded the DS legacy by releasing the [[Nintendo 3DS]], based upon a [[autostereoscopic|glasses-free]] 3D display.

In February 2012, Nintendo acquired [[Mobiclip]], a [[France]]-based research and development company specialized in highly optimized software technologies such as video compression. The company's name was later changed to Nintendo European Research & Development.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fletcher|title=Nintendo acquires video research/middleware company Mobiclip|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-acquires-video-research-middleware-company-mobiclip/|publisher=Joystiq|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref> During the fourth quarter of 2012, Nintendo released the [[Wii U]]. It sold slower than expected,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/slow-wii-u-sales-send-nintendo-shares-into-a-downward-spiral/|title=Slow Wii U sales send Nintendo shares into a downward spiral|accessdate=2014-04-07|date=2014-01-19|archiveurl=}}</ref> despite being the first eighth generation console. By September 2013, however, sales had rebounded.{{Clarify|date=May 2014}} Intending to broaden the 3DS market, Nintendo released 2013's cost-reduced [[Nintendo 2DS]]. The 2DS is compatible with but lacks the 3DS's more expensive but cosmetic [[autostereoscopy|autostereoscopic]] 3D feature. Nintendo also released the [[Wii Mini]], a cheaper and non-networked redesign of the Wii.

On September 25, 2013, Nintendo announced it had purchased a 28% stake in a [[Panasonic]] spin-off company called PUX Corporation. The company specializes in face and voice recognition technology, with which Nintendo intends to improve the usability of future game systems. Nintendo has also worked with this company in the past to create character recognition software for a Nintendo DS touchscreen.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:パナソニック・任天堂、ゲーム機操作法を共同開発|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD250K5_V20C13A9TJ1000/|publisher=Nikkei|accessdate=May 25, 2014|language=Japanese}}</ref> After announcing a 30% dive in profits for the April to December 2013 period, President [[Satoru Iwata]] announced he would take a 50% pay-cut, with other executives seeing reductions by 20%-30%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25941070|title=Nintendo executives take pay cuts after profits tumble|accessdate=May 31, 2014|date=January 29, 2014|archiveurl=}}</ref> During a May 7, 2014, investors' meeting, Nintendo confirmed that it had spent over $150 million on an acquisition of an unspecified, non-Japanese, non-gaming, technology company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gibson|first=David|title=Twitter / gibbogame|url=https://twitter.com/gibbogame/status/464547992008417282|publisher=David Gibson|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

=== Future: Mobile, and the Nintendo NX {{anchor|Nintendo NX}} ===
In January 2015, Nintendo announced its exit from the Brazilian market after four years of distributing products in the country. Nintendo cited high import [[Duty (economics)|duties]] and lack of local manufacturing operation as reasons for leaving. Nintendo continues its partnership with Juegos de Video Latinoamérica to distribute products to the rest of [[Latin America]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nutt|first1=Christian|title=Nintendo exits the Brazilian market, citing high import duties|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/233909/Nintendo_exits_the_Brazilian_market_citing_high_import_duties.php|website=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=[[UBM plc]]|accessdate=January 11, 2015|date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2015, Nintendo announced that it would team up with Japanese mobile company [[DeNA]] to produce games for [[smart device]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Russell|first1=Jon|title=Nintendo Partners With DeNA To Bring Its Games And IP To Smartphones|url=http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/nintendo-partners-with-dena-to-brings-its-games-and-ip-to-smartphones/|website=TechCrunch|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> On the same day, Nintendo announced a new "dedicated games platform with a brand new concept" under the codename "NX" that would be further revealed in 2016.<ref name=CnetNX>{{cite web|last1=Westaway|first1=Luke|title=Nintendo will make games for phones, new 'NX' system|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/mario-set-for-smartphones-as-nintendo-forges-new-mobile-deal/|website=CNet|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> In May 2015, [[Universal Parks and Resorts]] announced that it was teaming up with Nintendo to create attractions at Universal Parks based upon Nintendo properties.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kohler|first1=Chris|title=Nintendo, Universal Team Up For Theme Park Attractions|url=http://www.wired.com/2015/05/nintendo-turns-profit/|website=Wired|accessdate=8 May 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015, Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. Following his death, representative directors Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto jointly helmed the company on an interim basis until the appointment of [[Tatsumi Kimishima]] as Iwata's successor on September 16, 2015.<ref name= "Bloomberg">{{cite web|url= http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-12/nintendo-says-president-satoru-iwata-died-from-bile-duct-cancer|title= Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President Who Introduced Wii, Dies|author= Takashi Amano|work= [[Bloomberg News]]|publisher= [[Bloomberg L.P.]]|date= July 12, 2015|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> In addition to Kimishima's appointment, the company's management organisation was also restructured with Miyamoto taking on the role of "Creative Fellow", and Takeda the role of "Technology Fellow".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150914e.pdf|title=Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate= September 14, 2015|date= September 14, 2015}}</ref>

== Products ==


=== Home consoles ===

==== Nintendo Entertainment System ====
{{main|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
[[File:Nes-console-with-controller.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo's first major success in the home console market.]]

The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as '''NES''') is an [[8-bit]] video game console, which released in North America in 1985, and in Europe throughout 1986 and 1987. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] as the '''Family Computer''' (abbreviated as '''Famicom''') in 1983. The [[List of million-selling game consoles|best-selling gaming console]] of its time,<ref name="dominate">{{cite book |title=Game Over |last=Sheff |first=David |authorlink=David Sheff |year=1993 |publisher=Random House |location=New York |isbn=0-679-40469-4 |page=349}}</ref>{{cref|e}} the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the [[North American video game crash of 1983|video game crash of 1983]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Consalvo |first=Mia |year=2006 |title=Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture |journal=New Media Society |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=117–137 |doi=10.1177/1461444806059921 |format=PDF}}{{subscription required}}</ref> With the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard [[business model]] of licensing [[Video game developer|third-party developers]], authorizing them to produce and distribute titles for Nintendo's platform.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sanchez-Crespo |first=Daniel |title=Core Techniques and Algorithms in Game Programming|accessdate=2007-10-24|date=2003-09-08|publisher=New Riders Games|isbn=0-13-102009-9|page=14}}</ref> The NES was bundled with ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games of all time]], and received ports of Nintendo's most popular arcade titles.<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp"/> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 61.91 million NES hardware units and 500.01 million NES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Super NES ====
{{main | Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
The '''Super Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as the '''Super NES''' or '''SNES''') is a [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit]] video game console, which was released in North America in 1991, and in Europe in 1992. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] in 1990 as the '''Super Famicom''', officially adopting the colloquially abbreviated name of its predecessor. The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other consoles at the time. Soon, the development of [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|a variety of enhancement chips]] which were integrated onto each new game cartridge's circuit boards, progressed the SNES's competitive edge. While even crude [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] graphics had previously rarely been seen on home consoles,<ref>Gibson, Nick. [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/11/f-22-interceptor-advanced-tactical-fighter/ "F-22 Interceptor (Genesis)"] ''Sega-16'', November 6, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2013.</ref> the SNES's [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|enhancement chips]] suddenly enabled a new caliber of games containing increasingly sophisticated [[faux]] 3D effects as seen in 1991's ''[[Pilotwings]]'' and 1992's ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''. [[Argonaut Games]] developed the Super FX chip in order to replicate 3D graphics from their earlier [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]] [[Starglider]] games on the Super Nintendo (more specifically, [[Starglider 2]]),<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/31/the-starglider-saga</ref> starting with [[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]] in 1993. The SNES is the best-selling console of the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]] although having experienced a relatively late start and fierce competition from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] console. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 49.10 million SNES hardware units and 379.06 million SNES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Nintendo 64 ====
{{main|Nintendo 64}}
The '''Nintendo 64''' was released in 1996, featuring [[3D computer graphics|3D polygon model rendering]] capabilities and built-in [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] for up to four players. The system's controller introduced the [[analog stick]] and later introduced the [[Rumble Pak]], an accessory for the controller that produces [[Haptic technology|force feedback]] with compatible games. Both are the first such features to have come to market for home console gaming and eventually became the [[De facto standard|''de facto'' industry standard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/03/happy-birthday-rumble-pak |title=IGN: Happy Birthday, Rumble Pak |first=Levi |last= Buchanan |date=2008-04-03 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2008-09-12}}</ref> Announced in 1995, prior to the console's 1996 launch, the [[64DD]] ("DD" standing for "Disk Drive") was designed to enable the development of new genre of video games<ref name="The 64Dream Dec 1997">{{ cite journal | title=A friendly discussion between the "Big 2" | others=[http://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/itoi-miyamoto-interview-64dd/ Translation] | magazine=The 64DREAM | subjectlink1=Shigeru Miyamoto | subjectlink2=Shigesato Itoi | first1=Shigeru | last1=Miyamoto | first2=Shigesato | last2=Itoi | date=December 1997 | page=91}}</ref> by way of 64 MB writable magnetic disks, video editing, and Internet connectivity. Eventually released only in Japan in 1999, the 64DD peripheral's commercial failure there resulted in only nine games being released and precluded further worldwide release.

==== GameCube ====
{{main|GameCube}}
The '''GameCube''' (officially called '''Nintendo GameCube''', abbreviated '''NGC''' in Japan and '''GCN''' in North America) was released in 2001, in Japan and North America, and in 2002 worldwide. The [[History of video game consoles (sixth generation)|sixth-generation console]] is the successor to the [[Nintendo 64]] and competed with Sony's [[PlayStation 2]], Microsoft's [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and Sega's [[Dreamcast]]. The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use [[optical disc]]s as its primary storage medium.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Company History|accessdate=2009-07-24|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The discs are similar to the [[miniDVD]] format, but the system was not designed to play standard [[DVD]]s or [[Compact disc|audio CDs]]. Nintendo introduced a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. The GameCube's game library has sparse support for [[online game|Internet gaming]], a feature that requires the use of the aftermarket [[Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter]]. The GameCube supports connectivity to the [[Game Boy Advance]], allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a [[second screen]] and controller. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 21.74 million GameCube hardware units and 208.57 million GameCube software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Wii ====
{{main|Wii}}
[[File:Wii-Console.png|thumb|200px|The [[Wii]], Nintendo's best selling home video game console.]]

The '''Wii''' was released during the holiday season of 2006 worldwide. The system the [[Wii Remote]] [[Game controller|controller]], which can be used as a handheld [[pointing device]] and which [[accelerometer|detects movement]] in [[three-dimensional space|three dimensions]]. Another notable feature of the console is [[WiiConnect24]], which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in [[Sleep mode|standby mode]].<ref name="Iwata Speech 06">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/e3_2006/speech/english.html Nintendo Corporation] - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006</ref> It also features a game download service, called "[[Virtual Console]]", which features emulated games from past systems. Since its release, the Wii has spawned many peripheral devices, including the [[Wii Balance Board]] and [[Motion Plus]], and has had several [[Wii#Revisions|hardware revisions]]. The ''Wii Family Edition'' variant is identical to the original model, but is designed to sit horizontally and removes the GameCube compatibility. The ''Wii Mini'' is a smaller, redesigned Wii which lacks GameCube compatibility, online connectivity, the [[SD card]] slot and [[Wi-Fi]] support, and has only one [[USB]] port unlike the previous models' two.<ref name=EurogamerReview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-nintendo-wii-mini-review|title= Nintendo Wii Mini review |last=Leadbetter|first=Richard|date=December 12, 2012|work=Eurogamer|accessdate=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=WiiMiniManual>{{cite document|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/WiiMiniOpMn_RVO_en.pdf|title= Nintendo Wii Mini Operations Manual|publisher=Nintendo of America|page=10|accessdate=December 16, 2012|quote=The Wii Mini console will not work with any AV cable other than the model supplied.}}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 101.06 million Wii hardware units and 895.22 million Wii software units worldwide, making it Nintendo's best-selling home video game console.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Wii U ====
{{main | Wii U}}
The '''Wii U''', the successor to the Wii, was released during the holiday season of 2012 worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/888470-wii-u-confirmed-for-europe-this-year|title=Wii U confirmed for Europe this year|newspaper=Metro}}</ref><ref name="pricerelease">{{cite web|url=http://wiiu.dcemu.co.uk/wiiu-price-and-release-date-announced-491879.html| title=WiiU Price and Release Date Announced| publisher=WiiU News | date=September 13, 2012 | accessdate=September 13, 2012}}</ref> The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support [[High-definition video|high-definition]] [[Video game graphics|graphics]]. The Wii U's primary [[Gamepad|controller]] is the [[Wii U GamePad]], which features an embedded [[touchscreen]]. Each software title may be designed to utilize this touchscreen as being supplemental to the main TV, or as the only screen for [[Off-TV Play]]. The system supports most Wii controllers and accessories, and the more classically shaped [[Wii U Pro Controller]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/1943/20120605/nintendo-wii-u-pro-controller-e3.htm|title=Nintendo Unveils Wii U Pro Controller before E3, Wireless but No Touch Screen|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=GameNGuide}}</ref> The system is [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] with Wii software and accessories; this mode also utilizes Wii-based controllers, and it optionally offers the GamePad as its primary Wii display and motion sensor bar. The console has various online services powered by [[Nintendo Network]], including: the [[Nintendo eShop]] for online distribution of software and content; and [[Miiverse]], a [[social network]] which can be variously integrated with games and applications. As of December 2014, worldwide Wii U sales had totaled 9.20 million hardware units and 52.87 million software units.<ref name="Nintendo Financial Jan 28 2015">{{cite document | title=Consolidated Financial Highlights: Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 2013 and 2014 | publisher=Nintendo Co, Ltd. | location=Kyoto, Japan | date=January 28, 2015 | url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150128e.pdf | accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>

=== Handheld consoles ===

==== Game & Watch ====
{{main|Game & Watch}}
{{expand section|date=March 2014}}
'''Game and Watch''' is a handheld line produced from 1980 to 1991 by [[Gunpei Yokoi]]. It features a single game and a clock and/or alarm.

==== Game Boy ====
{{main|Game Boy line}}
After the success of the ''Game & Watch'' series, Yokoi developed the '''[[Game Boy]]''' handheld console, which was released in 1989. Eventually becoming the best-selling handheld of all time, the Game Boy remained dominant for more than a decade, seeing critically and commercially popular games such as ''[[Pokémon Yellow]]'' released as late as 1998 in Japan and 2000 in Europe. Incremental updates of the Game Boy, including ''[[Game Boy Pocket]]'', ''[[Game Boy Light]]'' and ''[[Game Boy Color]]'', did little to change the original formula, though the latter introduced color graphics to the Game Boy line.

The first major update to its handheld line since 1989, '''[[Game Boy Advance]]''' features improved technical specifications similar to those of the SNES. The ''[[Game Boy Advance SP]]'' was the first revision to the GBA line and introduced screen lighting and a clam shell design, while later iteration, the ''[[Game Boy Micro]]'', brought a smaller form factor.

[[File:Nintendo-DS-Lite-Black-Open.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Nintendo DS Lite]] is the best-selling handheld console of all time.]]

==== Nintendo DS ====
{{main | Nintendo DS | Nintendo DS line}}
Although originally advertised as an alternative to the Game Boy Advance, the '''[[Nintendo DS]]''' replaced the [[Game Boy line]] after its initial release in 2004.<ref name="newconsole">{{cite web| url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/11/14/nintendo-going-back-to-the-basics| title=Nintendo Going Back to the Basics. Full story about the company offering a new system in 2004.| accessdate=2007-10-04| date=2003-11-13| work=[[IGN]]| publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc.}}</ref> It was distinctive for its dual screens and a microphone, as well as a [[Touchscreen|touch-sensitive lower screen]]. The ''[[Nintendo DS Lite]]'' brought a smaller form factor<ref>{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Peter|date =2006-02-20| url= http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/20/the-engadget-interview-reggie-fils-aime-executive-vice-preside/|title= The Engadget Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Nintendo|publisher= Engadget|accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> while the ''[[Nintendo DSi]]'' features larger screens and two cameras,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendodsi.com/meet-dsi.jsp | title = Explore Nintendo DSi | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> and was followed by an even larger model, the ''[[Nintendo DSi XL]]'', with a 90% bigger screen.<ref name=mcvuk>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/37129/DSi-XL-gets-March-5th-launch|title=Nintendo DSi XL to launch on March 5th|first=Dave|last=Roberts|date=2010-01-14|work=MCV|publisher=Intent Media|accessdate=2010-01-30}}</ref>

==== Nintendo 3DS ====
{{main | Nintendo 3DS}}
Further expanding the Nintendo DS line, the '''[[Nintendo 3DS]]''' uses the process of [[autostereoscopy]] to produce a [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] three-dimensional effect without [[3D viewer|glasses]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf |title=Launch of New Portable Game Machine |date=March 23, 2010 |publisher=Nintendo |accessdate=2010-03-23 |location=[[Minami-ku, Kyoto]]}}</ref> Released to major markets during 2011, the 3DS got off to a slow start, initially missing many key features that were promised before the system launched.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.techspot.com/news/44226-nintendo-3DS-passes-1-million-units-sold-in-japan-finally.html |title=Nintendo 3DS passes 1 million units sold in Japan, finally |date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=TechSpot |accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Partially as a result of slow sales, Nintendo stock declined in value. Subsequent price cuts and game releases helped to boost 3DS and 3DS software sales and to renew investor confidence in the company.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=nintendo-shares-leap-on-3ds-optimism-2011-08-23 |title=Nintendo shares leap on 3DS optimism |date=August 23, 2011 |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News |accessdate=2011-10-26}}</ref> As of August 2013, the 3DS was the best selling console in the United States for four consecutive months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gengame.net/2013/09/august-npd-sales-data-madden-25-tops-software-3ds-tops-hardware-four-months-in-a-row/ |title=August NPD Sales Data: Madden 25 Tops Software, 3DS Tops Hardware Four Months in a Row |publisher=Gengame |date=2013-09-12 |accessdate=2013-10-17}}</ref> The ''[[Nintendo 3DS XL]]'' was introduced in August 2012 and includes a 90% larger screen, a 4GB SD card and extended battery life. In August 2013, Nintendo announced the cost-reduced ''[[Nintendo 2DS]]'', a version of the 3DS without an [[autostereoscopic]] 3D screen. It has a slate-like design as opposed to the hinged, [[clamshell design]] of its DS-line predecessors. The 2DS was released on October 12, 2013 in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, although no Japanese release has been announced.

In August 2014, it was announced that Japan would receive a new 3DS called "New 3DS" with extra shoulder buttons, a right analogue stick, faster processor, compatibility with [[Amiibo]] and other changes. It was released in October 2014.

=== Software ===
{{see also|List of products published by Nintendo}}
{{empty section|date=January 2014}}

== Organization ==

=== Marketing ===
{{main|Nintendo marketing}}

Nintendo of America has engaged in several high-profile marketing campaigns to define and position its brand. One of its earliest and most enduring slogans was "Now you're playing with power!", used first to promote its Nintendo Entertainment System. It modified the slogan to include "SUPER power" for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and "PORTABLE power" for the Game Boy. Its 1994 "Play It Loud!" campaign played upon teenage rebellion and fostered an edgy reputation. During the Nintendo 64 era, the slogan was "Get N or get out." During the GameCube era, the "Who Are You?" suggested a link between the games and the players' identities. The company promoted its Nintendo DS handheld with the tagline "Touching is Good." For the Wii, they used the "Wii would like to play" slogan to promote the console with the people who tried the games including ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''. The Nintendo DS's successor, the Nintendo 3DS, used the slogan "Take a look inside". The Wii's successor, the [[Wii U]], used the slogan "How U will play next."

=== Board of directors ===
'''Representative Directors'''
* [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], President
* [[Genyo Takeda]], Senior Managing Director, Technology Fellow
* [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], Senior Managing Director, Creative Fellow<ref>{{cite web |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=NTDOY.PK |title=Profile |work=Nintendo Co. Ltd. (NTDOY.PK) |publisher=Yahoo! News Network |accessdate=June 10, 2011}}</ref>
'''Directors'''
* Shigeyuki Takahashi, General Manager of Finance Administration Division, Supervisor of General Affairs Division, In charge of Quality Assurance Department
* Satoshi Yamato, General Manager of Marketing Division, In charge of Advertising Department
* Shinya Takahashi, General Manager of Entertainment Planning & Development Division, Supervisor of Business Development Division and Development Administration & Support Division
* Kauro Takemura, Chief Director of Human Resources, Director
* Susumo Tanaka, Chief Director of Operation, Director
* Hirokazu Shinshi, Chief Director of Manufacture, Manager of Production Planning, Director

'''Other executives'''
* [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]], President and COO of Nintendo of America (NOA)
* [[Satoru Shibata]], President of Nintendo of Europe (NOE)

=== International divisions ===
{{see also|List of divisions of Nintendo}}

==== Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) ====
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan since the beginning, Nintendo Co., Ltd. oversees the organization's global operations and manages Japanese operations specifically. The company's two major subsidiaries, Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, manage operations in North America and Europe respectively. Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/jobs/work_at_nintendo/interview05-02/contents02.html |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQBDu3BO |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=製品技術編(2) |work=社長が訊く任天堂で働くということ |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |accessdate=January 1, 2011}}</ref> moved from its original Kyoto location<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|59|30.03|N|135|45|58.66|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref>{{Where|date=May 2014}} to a new office in [[Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto]],;<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|29.00|N|135|46|10.48|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref> in 2000, this became the [[research and development]] building when the head office relocated to its {{as of|2000|alt=present}} location in [[Minami-ku, Kyoto]].<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|11.89|N|135|45|22.33|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref><ref>"[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/starfox/0/2 Fushimi Inari Taisha and Fox]." Nintendo. Retrieved on January 1, 2011. "12. Former head office: Before Nintendo's head office moved to Minami Ward, Kyoto City (its current location) in 2000, it was in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. The former head office's location is now occupied by Nintendo Kyoto Research Center."</ref>

==== Nintendo of America (NOA) ====
Nintendo's North American subsidiary is based in [[Redmond, Washington]]. Originally the NOA headquarters handled sales, marketing, and advertising. However, the office in [[Redwood City]], [[California]] now directs those functions. The company maintains distribution centers in [[Atlanta]] (Nintendo Atlanta) and [[North Bend, Washington]] ([[Nintendo North Bend]]). The {{convert|380000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Nintendo North Bend facility processes more than 20,000 orders a day to Nintendo customers, which include [[Retail|retail stores]] that sell Nintendo products in addition to [[consumer]]s who [[Online shopping|shop]] Nintendo's web site.<ref name="casestudy">{{cite web | author=R.H. Brown Co. Inc. | year=2007 | title=Case Studies | url=http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20070817205829/http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archivedate=2007-08-17 | work=Hytrol.com | accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> Nintendo of America's Canadian branch,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/?country=CA&lang=en |title=Nintendo.com |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}</ref> Nintendo of Canada, Ltd. (NOCL), is based in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] with a [[distribution center]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].

==== Nintendo of Europe (NOE) ====
Nintendo's European subsidiary was established in June 1990,<ref name="history_9911">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html |title=History |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> based in [[Großostheim]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html | title=Corporate - Nintendo | accessdate=2009-07-24}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> close to [[Frankfurt]], Germany. The company handles operations in Europe and [[South Africa]].<ref name="history_9911" /> Nintendo of Europe's [[United Kingdom]] branch<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html |title=Corporate |publisher=Nintendo |date=2012-08-29 |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> handles operations in that country and in [[Ireland]] from its headquarters in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], [[Berkshire]]. In June 2014, NOE initiated a reduction and consolidation process, yielding a combined 130 layoffs: the closing of its office and warehouse, and termination of all employment, in Großostheim; and the consolidation of all of those operations into, and terminating some employment at, its Frankfurt location.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-06-130-jobs-lost-in-nintendo-of-europe-reshuffle |title=130 jobs lost in Nintendo of Europe reshuffle |first=Dan |last=Pearson |publisher=Games Industry |date=2014-06-06 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/06/06/nintendo-to-close-european-headquarters-lay-off-130/ | title=Nintendo to close European headquarters, lay off 130 | work=USA Today | date=June 6, 2014 | accessdate=June 9, 2014}}</ref>

==== Nintendo Australia (NAL) ====
{{main | Nintendo Australia}}
Nintendo's Australian subsidiary is based in [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Victoria]]. It handles the publishing, distribution, sales and marketing of Nintendo products in [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and Oceania ([[Cook Islands]], [[Fiji]], [[New Caledonia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Samoa]], and [[Vanuatu]]). It also manufactures some Wii games locally. Nintendo Australia is also a third-party distributor of some titles from [[Rising Star Games]], [[Namco Bandai Games]] Europe, [[Atlus]], [[The Tetris Company]], [[Sega]], [[Tecmo Koei]] Games Europe and [[Capcom]] Europe.

==== iQue, Ltd. ====
{{main | iQue}}
A Chinese [[joint venture]] between its founder, [[Wei Yen]], and Nintendo, manufactures and distributes official Nintendo consoles and games for the mainland Chinese market, under the iQue brand. The product lineup for the Chinese market is considerably different from that for other markets. For example, Nintendo's only console in China is the [[iQue Player]], a modified version of the Nintendo 64. The company has not released its more modern GameCube or Wii to the market, although a version of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] was released in 2012. As of 2013, it is a 100% Nintendo-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/|title=Up-to-date listing of Nintendo subsidiaries|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo Everything|date=2013-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5|title=関係会社の状況|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo|date=2013-06-28}}</ref>

==== Nintendo of Korea (NOK) ====
Nintendo's South Korean subsidiary was established on July 7, 2006.<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{cite web|author=Paul, Loughrey|title=Nintendo establishes Korean subsidiary|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-establishes-korean-subsidiary}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Nintendo office.jpg|The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
File:Nintendo of America Headquarters.jpg|The Nintendo of America headquarters in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], United States
File:Frankfurt Herriotstraße 4.20130511.jpg|Nintendo of Europe headquarters in [[Frankfurt]], Germany
File:NintendoTokyoOffice.jpg|Nintendo's Tokyo office
</gallery>

=== Logo ===
{{Gallery
|title=The Nintendo logo through the years
|width=100 | height=100 | lines=1
|align=center
|footer=
|File:Nintendo - 1889.png | width1=150 |
alt1=
| 1889–1950
|File:Nintendo - 1950.png | width2=150 |
alt2=
| 1950–1960
|File:Nintendo - 1960.png |
alt3=
| 1960–1965
|File:Nintendo - 1965.png |
alt4=
| 1965–1967
|File:Nintendo - 1967.png | width5=150 |
alt5=
| 1967–1968
|File:Nintendo - 1968.png | width6=150 |
alt6=
| 1968–1970
|File:Nintendo Logo 1970.png | width7=150 |
alt7=
| 1970–1972
|File:Nintendo - 1972.png |
alt8=
| 1972–1975
|File:Nintendo red logo.svg | width9=150 |
alt9=
| 1975–2006
|File:Nintendo.svg| width10=150 |
alt10=
| 2006–present
}}

== Research & Development ==
{{main|List of Nintendo development teams}}

=== Divisions ===
[[File:Nintendo EAD logo.png|thumb|250px|right|Nintendo's former EAD division developed games for Nintendo's most well known franchises, such as [[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]] and [[The Legend of Zelda]]. They have since been integrated into a newly formed ''Entertainment Planning & Development'' division.]]

Nintendo's internal Research & Development operations are divided into three main divisions, formed after corporate restructuring in September 2015: the ''[[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development]]'' (or ''EPD''), the main software development division of Nintendo, which focuses on internal-only [[video game]] development; the ''[[Nintendo Platform Technology & Development]]'' (or ''PTD''), the main hardware development division of Nintendo, which focuses on [[Home video game console|home]] and [[handheld video game console]] development; and the ''[[Nintendo Business Development]]'' (or ''NBD''), which focuses on refining business strategy and is responsible for overseeing the [[smart device]] arm of the business.

;Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD)
:The [[Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development]] division is the premier development arm at Nintendo, and a combination of Nintendo's former [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|Entertainment Analysis & Development]] and [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development|Software Planning & Development]] divisions. Led by Shinya Takahashi, the group is the largest concentration of R&D, housing more than 800 engineers and designers. The division is primarily located in the central Kyoto R&D building, where they are overseen by [[Katsuya Eguchi]], and also has development teams in Tokyo offices overseen by [[Yoshiaki Koizumi]].

;Platform Technology Development (PTD)
:The [[Nintendo Platform Technology Development]] division is a combination of Nintendo's former [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Integrated Research & Development]] and [[Nintendo System Development|System Development]] divisions. Led by Ko Shiota, the division is responsible for designing hardware and developing Nintendo's [[operating system]]s, developer environment and internal network as well as maintenance of the [[Nintendo Network]].

;Business Development (NBD)
:The [[Nintendo Business Development]] division was formed following Nintendo's foray into software development for [[smart device]]s such as [[mobile phone]]s and [[tablets]]. They are responsible for refining Nintendo's business model for the dedicated video game system business, and for furthering Nintendo's venture into development for smart devices.

=== Subsidiaries ===

Although most of the Research & Development is being done in [[Japan]], there are some R&D facilities in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that are focused on developing software and hardware technologies used in Nintendo products. Although they all are subsidiaries of Nintendo (and therefore first party), they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the Japanese personal involved. This can be seen in a variety of "Iwata asks..." interviews.<ref>{{cite web | title=Wii U: Internet Browser |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/internet-browser/0/2 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 | quote="I didn't really go into this today, but Nintendo European Research and Development SAS France (NERD) helped us with our video player and Nintendo Software Technology (NST) helped with WebKit's JavaScript JIT, '''so''' this new [[Web browser|Internet Browser]] really came about with help from so many different '''people outside the company'''." —Tetsuya Sasaki, Software Development & Design Department }}</ref> [[Nintendo Software Technology]] (NST) and [[Nintendo Technology Development]] (NTD) are located in [[Redmond, Washington]], [[United States|USA]], while [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] (''NERD'') is located in [[Paris, France]], and [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] (NSD) is located in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]].

Most external [[First-party developer|first-party]] software development is done in [[Japan]], since the only overseas subsidiary is [[Retro Studios]] in the [[United States]]. Although these studios are all subsidiaries of Nintendo, they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (SPD) division. [[1-UP Studio]] and [[Nd Cube]] are located in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], while [[Monolith Soft]] has one studio located in Tokyo and another in [[Kyoto]]. Finally, [[Retro Studios]] is located in [[Austin, Texas]], [[United States|USA]].

=== Partners ===
{{further|Nintendo development teams#Partners}}
Since the release of the [[Famicom]]/[[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo has built up a large group of [[Second-party developer|second-party development partners]], through publishing agreements and development collaboration. Most of these ''external'' Nintendo project are overseen by the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD'') division.

== Policy ==

=== Content guidelines ===
For many years, Nintendo had a policy of strict content guidelines for video games published on its consoles. Although Nintendo of Japan allowed [[graphic violence]] in its video games, [[nudity and sexuality]] were strictly prohibited. Former Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] believed that if the company allowed the licensing of [[Pornography|pornographic]] games, the company's image would be forever tarnished.<ref name="Game Over 1993">''[[Game Over (book)|''Game Over'']], David Sheff, 1993.</ref> Nintendo of America went further in that games released for Nintendo consoles could not feature nudity, sexuality, [[profanity]] (including [[racism]], [[sexism]] or [[Hate speech|slurs]]), blood, graphic or [[domestic violence]], [[drug]]s, political messages or [[Religious symbolism|religious symbols]] (with the exception of widely unpracticed religions, such as the [[Greek mythology|Greek Pantheon]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php |title=Nintendo of America Content Guidelines |publisher=Filibustercartoons.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> The Japanese parent company was concerned that it may be viewed as a "Japanese Invasion" by forcing Japanese [[community standards]] on North American and European children. Despite the strict guidelines, some exceptions have occurred: ''[[Bionic Commando (Nintendo Entertainment System)|Bionic Commando]]'' (though [[Nazi swastika|swastikas]] were eliminated in the US version), ''[[Smash TV]]'' and ''[[Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode]]'' contained human violence, the latter also containing implied [[Human sexuality|sexuality]] and [[Smoking|tobacco use]]; ''[[River City Ransom]]'' and ''[[Taboo: The Sixth Sense]]'' contained nudity, and the latter also contained religious images, as did ''[[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest|Castlevania II]]'' and ''[[Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse|III]]''.

A known side effect of this policy was the [[Sega Genesis]] version of ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' selling over double the number of the Super NES version, mainly because Nintendo had forced publisher [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] to recolor the red blood to look like white sweat and replace some of the more gory graphics in its release of the game, making it less violent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20081017054400/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archivedate=2008-10-17|title=IGN Presents the History of Mortal Kombat - Retro Feature at IGN|publisher=IGN|first=Travis|last=Fahs|accessdate=2010-08-16}}</ref> By contrast, [[Sega]] allowed blood and gore to remain in the Genesis version (though a code was required to unlock the gore). Nintendo allowed the Super NES version of ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' to ship uncensored the following year with a content warning on the packaging.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/mortal-kombat-ii/cover-art/gameCoverId,22874|title=''Mortal Kombat II'' cover artwork at MobyGames}}</ref>

In 1994 and 2003, when the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] and [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] (respectively) video game ratings systems were introduced, Nintendo chose to abolish most of these policies in favor of consumers making their own choices about the content of the games they played. Today, changes to the content of games are done primarily by the game's developer or, occasionally, at the request of Nintendo. The only clear-set rule is that ESRB AO-rated games will not be licensed on Nintendo consoles in North America,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp |title=Nintendo of America Customer Service – Nintendo Buyer's Guide |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> a practice which is also enforced by [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]] and [[Microsoft]], its two greatest competitors in the present market. Nintendo has since allowed several mature-content games to be published on its consoles, including: ''[[Perfect Dark]]'', ''[[Conker's Bad Fur Day]]'', ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Doom 64]]'', ''[[BMX XXX]]'', the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series, ''[[Killer7]]'', the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series, ''[[Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', ''[[BloodRayne]]'', ''[[Geist (video game)|Geist]]'' and ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]''. Certain games have continued to be modified, however. For example, [[Konami]] was forced to remove all references to cigarettes in the 2000 [[Game Boy Color]] game ''[[Metal Gear Solid (Game Boy)|Metal Gear Solid]]'' (although the previous NES version of ''[[Metal Gear]]'' and the subsequent GameCube game ''[[Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes]]'' both included such references, as did Wii title ''[[MadWorld]]''), and maiming and blood were removed from the Nintendo 64 [[Porting|port]] of ''[[Cruis'n USA]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060333p1.html | title=IGN: Nintendo to censor Cruis'n | date=1996-10-08 | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> Another example is in the Game Boy Advance game ''[[Mega Man Zero 3]]'', in which one of the bosses, called Hellbat Schilt in the Japanese and European releases, was renamed Devilbat Schilt in the North American [[Internationalization and localization|localization]]. In North America releases of the ''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' games, enemies and bosses killed with a saber attack would not gush blood as they did in the Japanese versions. However, the release of the Wii has been accompanied by a number of even more controversial mature titles, such as ''[[Manhunt 2]]'', ''[[No More Heroes (video game)|No More Heroes]]'', ''[[The House of the Dead: Overkill]]'' and ''[[MadWorld]]'', the latter three of which are published exclusively for the console. The Nintendo DS also has violent games, such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]'', ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]'' and its [[Dementium II|sequel]], ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat]]'', and ''[[Resident Evil: Deadly Silence]]''.

=== License guidelines ===
Nintendo of America also had guidelines before 1993 that had to be followed by its licensees to make games for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], in addition to the above content guidelines.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> Guidelines were enforced through the [[10NES]] lockout chip.

* Licensees were not permitted to release the same game for a competing console until two years had passed.
* Nintendo would decide how many cartridges would be supplied to the licensee.
* Nintendo would decide how much space would be dedicated for articles, advertising, etc. in the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' magazine.
* There was a minimum number of cartridges that had to be ordered by the licensee from Nintendo.
* There was a yearly limit of five games that a licensee may produce for a Nintendo console.<ref>D. Sheff: "Game Over", p. 215. CyberActive Media Group, 1999.</ref> This rule was created to prevent market over-saturation, which had contributed to the [[North American video game crash of 1983]].

The last rule was circumvented in a number of ways; for example, Konami, wanting to produce more games for Nintendo's consoles, formed [[Ultra Games]] and later [[Ultra Games|Palcom]] to produce more games as a technically different publisher.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> This disadvantaged smaller or emerging companies, as they could not afford to start additional companies. In another side effect, [[Square (company)|Square Co.]] (now [[Square Enix]]) executives have suggested that the price of publishing games on the [[Nintendo 64]] along with the degree of censorship and control that Nintendo enforced over its games, most notably ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', were factors in switching its focus towards [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]]'s [[PlayStation]] console.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}

In 1993, a [[class action]] suit was taken against Nintendo under allegations that their lockout chip enabled [[unfair business practices]]. The case was settled, with the condition that California consumers were entitled to a $3 discount coupon for a game of Nintendo's choice.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=Nintendo May Owe You $3|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=55|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=February 1994|page=187}}</ref>

=== Emulation ===
{{expand section|date=October 2014}}
Nintendo is opposed to any third-party [[Video game console emulator|emulation]] of its video games and consoles, stating that it is the single largest threat to the [[intellectual property]] rights of video game developers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#roms | title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.) | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> However, emulators have been used by Nintendo and licensed third party companies as a means to re-release older games (through the [[Virtual Console]]). Nintendo remains the only modern console manufacturer that has not sued an emulator developer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emulationnation.com/nintendo/ |title=Nintendo |publisher=Emulationnation.com |date=1989-07-31 |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref>

=== Seal of Quality {{anchor|officialseal}} ===
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| header = The Nintendo Seal of Quality
| width = 170

| image1 = Nintendo Official Seal.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Official Nintendo Seal in [[NTSC]] regions.

| image2 = Nintendo seal of quality.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Nintendo's Official Seal of Quality in [[PAL]] regions.
}}

The gold sunburst seal was first used by [[#Offices and locations|Nintendo of America]], and later Nintendo of Europe. It is displayed on any game, system, or accessory licensed for use on one of its [[video game console]]s, denoting the game has been properly approved by Nintendo. The seal is also displayed on any Nintendo-licensed merchandise, such as trading cards, game guides, or apparel, albeit with the words "Official Nintendo Licensed Product".<ref name="Seal">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/licensed.jsp |title=Customer Service | Licensed and Unlicensed Products |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref>

[[Sid Meier]] in 2008 cited the Seal of Quality as one of the three most important innovations in videogame history, as it helped set a standard for game quality that protected consumers from [[shovelware]].<ref name="arendt20080304">{{cite news | url=http://www.wired.com/2008/03/sid-meier-names/ | title=Civilization Creator Lists Three Most Important Innovations in Gaming | work=Wired | date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=July 7, 2014 | author=Arendt, Susan}}</ref>

==== NTSC regions ====
In [[NTSC]] regions, this seal is an elliptical starburst titled "Official Nintendo Seal." Originally, for NTSC countries, the seal was a large, black and gold circular starburst. The seal read as follows: "This seal is your assurance that NINTENDO has approved and guaranteed the quality of this product." This seal was later altered in 1988: "approved and guaranteed" was changed to "evaluated and approved." In 1989, the seal became gold and white, as it currently appears, with a shortened phrase, "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality." It was changed in 2003 to read "Official Nintendo Seal."<ref name="Seal" />

The seal currently reads:<ref name=3DS-XL-manual>{{cite document|title=Nintendo 3DS XL Operations Manual|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/SPR_EN_NA.pdf|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=September 2, 2012}}</ref>
{{quote | The official seal is your assurance that this product is licensed or manufactured by Nintendo. Always look for this seal when buying video game systems, accessories, games and related products.}}

==== PAL regions ====
In [[PAL]] regions, the seal is a circular starburst titled, "Original Nintendo Seal of Quality." Text near the seal in the [[Australians|Australian]] [[Wii]] manual states:

{{quote | This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has reviewed this product and that it has met our standards for excellence in workmanship, reliability and entertainment value. Always look for this seal when buying games and accessories to ensure complete compatibility with your Nintendo product.<ref>{{cite document | url=http://www.nintendo.com.au/support/files/Wii_Manuals/WiiMotionPlusOperationsManual.pdf | title=Wii MotionPlus Operations Manual | publisher=Nintendo | date=2009 | accessdate=10 Mar 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Environmental record ===
Nintendo has consistently been ranked last in [[Greenpeace]]'s "Guide to Greener Electronics" due to Nintendo's failure to publish information.<ref>{{cite web|title=Greenpeace Still Says Nintendo Is Bad For the Environment|url=http://kotaku.com/5549072/greenpeace-still-says-nintendo-is-bad-for-the-environment/|publisher=Kokaku|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|date=May 27, 2010|accessdate=December 25, 2012}}</ref> Similarly, they are ranked last in the [[Enough Project]]'s "Conflict Minerals Company Rankings" due to Nintendo's refusal to respond to multiple requests for information.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings|url=http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings|publisher=Enough Project|accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

Like many other electronics companies, Nintendo does offer a take-back [[recycling]] program which allows customers to mail in old products they no longer use; Nintendo of America claimed that it took in 548 tons of returned products in 2011, 98% of which was either reused or recycled.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Product Recycling and Take Back Program|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/recycle.jsp|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=April 19, 2013}}</ref>



== See also ==
* [[List of divisions of Nintendo]]
* [[List of Nintendo development teams]]
* [[List of products published by Nintendo]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo characters]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo games]]
* [[Nintendo Selects]], formerly Player's Choice
* [[Nintendo World Store]]
* ''[[Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.]]''
* ''[[Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.]]''

== Notes ==
{{reflist|60em|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFKent2001 |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |authorlink=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |location=Roseville, California |isbn=0-7615-3643-4 | oclc=47254175 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover}}
* {{cite book |last=Sloan |first=Daniel |title=Playing to Wiin: Nintendo and the Video Game Industry's Greatest Comeback |year=2011 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-82512-9 | oclc=707935885 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=utONPpgEWDUC&printsec=frontcover}}
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="FY 2014 financial results">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2014/140507e.pdf |title=Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2013 and 2014 |format=PDF |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |date=2014-05-07|accessdate=2014-05-25}}</ref>
<ref name="num_employees">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html |script-title=ja:会社概要|trans_title=Company Profile|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. | accessdate=2012-07-14}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Nintendo}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website}} (country selector)
* [http://www.nintendopower.com/ ''Nintendo Power''] (discontinued in December 2012)
* [http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/ ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' (UK)]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/nintendo/ Nintendo in Depth Archive] by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''



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Nintendo

2015-09-14T14:49:07Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Board of directors */ Update

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
<noinclude>{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}</noinclude>{{about|the Nintendo corporation|the third-generation video game console from the company|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nintendo Co., Ltd.
| logo = File:Nintendo.svg
| logo_caption = Nintendo's logo, which dates back to the 1970s. The current gray color was adopted in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/202585/nintendo-switched-logos-two-years-ago/|title=Nintendo News:Nintendo switched logos "two years" ago|publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames.com|accessdate=2010-06-01}}</ref>
| image = Nintendo office.jpg
| image_caption = The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
| trading_name = 
| native_name = 任天堂株式会社
| native_name_lang = "jp"
| romanized_name = Nintendō Kabushiki gaisha
| former_name = {{plainlist|
* Nintendo Koppai
* Nintendo Playing Card Co.
}}
| former type =
| type = [[Kabushiki gaisha]]
| traded_as = {{Tyo|7974}}
| industry = {{flatlist|
* [[Video game industry|Video games]]
* [[Interactive entertainment]]
* [[Consumer electronics]]
}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]] ({{Start date and age|1889|09|23|}})<ref name="history NOJ"/>
| founder = [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]
| defunct = 
| location_city = Kyoto
| location_country = Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/distributors_international.jsp|title=International Distributors - Company List|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2008-11-17}}</ref>
| locations = [[Nintendo World Store|1 store]] (as of 2015)
|coordinates={{Coord|34.969739|135.756209|display=inline,title}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list||[[Tatsumi Kimishima]] (President)|[[Genyo Takeda]] (Technology Fellow)|[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (Creative Fellow)|[[Reggie Fils-Aimé]] (NOA President)|Satoru Shibata (NOE President)}}
| products = {{plainlist|
* [[#Products|List of Nintendo consoles]]
* [[Template:Nintendo franchises|List of Nintendo franchises]]
}}
| brands =
| production = {{unbulleted list|'''Hardware:'''|{{decrease}} 16.30 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 23.73 million (2013)|'''Software:'''|{{decrease}} 123.20 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 147.02 million (2013)}}
| services = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Network]]
* [[Nintendo eShop]]
* [[Nintendo TVii]]
* [[Miiverse]]
}}
| revenue = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|571.726 billion|link=yes}} (2014)|{{decrease}} {{yen|635.422 billion}} (2013)}}
| operating_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-46.425 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|-36.410 billion}} (2013)}}
| net_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-23.222 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|7.099 billion}} (2013)}}
| assets = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.306 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.448 trillion}} (2013)}}
| equity = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.118 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.228 trillion}} (2013)}}
| market_cap = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.491 trillion}} (1/1/2015)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.794 trillion}} (1/1/2014)<ref name="marketcap">{{cite web |url=http://marketcapitalizations.com/historical-data/historical-market-caps-of-the-largest-japanese-companies/ |title=Historical market caps of the largest Japanese companies |accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref>}}
| owner =
| num_employees = {{unbulleted list|{{increase}} 5,213 (2014)|{{increase}} 5,080 (2013)}}
| parent =
| divisions = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|EAD]]
* [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|IRD]]
* [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development|SPD]]
* [[Nintendo System Development|SDD]]
}}
| subsid = {{flatlist|
* [[1-UP Studio]]
* [[iQue]]
* [[Monolith Soft]]
* [[Nd Cube]]
* [[Nintendo European Research & Development|NERD]]
* [[Nintendo Network Service Database|NSD]]
* [[Nintendo Software Technology|NTS]]
* [[Nintendo Technology Development|NTD]]
* [[Retro Studios]]
* [[HAL Laboratory|Warpstar]]
}}
| homepage = {{Official website|www.nintendo.com|Nintendo.com}}
| footnotes =<ref name="consolidatedsales"/><ref name="consolidatedsales 2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2013-04-27 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20130526130209/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |archivedate=May 26, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="FY 2014 financial results"/><ref name="num_employees"/>
| intl = yes
| bodystyle =
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Nintendo Co., Ltd.'''|任天堂株式会社|Nintendō [[Kabushiki gaisha]]|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[multinational corporation|multinational]] consumer electronics company headquartered in [[Kyoto]], Japan. Nintendo is the world's largest [[List of video game companies|video game company]] by revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130116053515/http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archivedate=2013-01-16|title=Gaming company Top 25|year=2011|publisher=Softwaretop100.org|accessdate=November 12, 2011}}</ref> Founded on September 23, 1889,<ref name="history NOJ">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|language=Japanese|accessdate=2006-07-29}}</ref> by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]], it originally produced handmade [[hanafuda]] [[playing card]]s.<ref name="history NOA">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2006-06-04}}</ref> By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as cab services and [[love hotel]]s.<ref name="history N-Sider">{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=45|title=Nintendo History Lesson: The Lucky Birth|publisher=N-Sider|accessdate= 2006-06-04}}</ref>

Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s, Nintendo then developed into a [[video game]] company in the 1970s, ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the [[Video game industry|industry]] and Japan's third most valuable listed company with a market value of over $85 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUST30751820071015 |title=Nintendo sets $85 bln high score, thanks to Wii, Nintendo DS |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-10-15 |accessdate=2011-05-25 |first=Kiyoshi |last=Takenaka}}</ref> Nintendo of America is also the majority owner of the [[Seattle Mariners]] [[Major League Baseball]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.nintendolife.com/companies/nintendo|title=Nintendo - Company Profile|publisher=nintendolife|accessdate=2010-07-12}}</ref>

The word "Nintendo" can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |title=Nintendo Corporation, Limited |accessdate=2011-02-22 |format=doc |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20120722181708/http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |archivedate=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports historically cumulative sales of over 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units.<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{cite document |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1403.pdf|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2014-05-07 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015 Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. He is succeeded by [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], who has previously served as president of Nintendo of America and managing director for Nintendo Co., Ltd.

{{TOC level|3}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Nintendo}}


=== 1889–1956: As a card company ===
[[File:Nintendo former headquarter plate Kyoto.jpg|thumb|left|Former headquarters plate, from when Nintendo was solely a playing card company]]
Nintendo was founded as a card company in late 1889, later (1951) named ''Nintendo Koppai'' (Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.), by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]. Based in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]], the business produced and marketed a [[playing card]] game called [[Hanafuda]]. The handmade cards soon became popular, and Yamauchi hired assistants to mass-produce cards to satisfy demand. Nintendo now continues to manufacture playing cards in Japan<ref name="nintendo's card game product">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n09/index.html|title=Nintendo's card game product|publisher= nintendo |accessdate=2009}}</ref> and organizes its own [[contract bridge]] tournament called the "Nintendo Cup".<ref name="List of japan contract bridge league tournaments ">{{cite web|url=http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080624174252/http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archivedate=2008-06-24|title=List of Japan contract bridge league tournaments|publisher= jcbl|language=japanese|accessdate=2010}}</ref>

=== 1956–1974: New ventures ===
[[File:Nintendo love tester.jpg|thumb|The [[Love Tester]], one of Nintendo's experimental toys.]]

In 1956, [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], grandson of Fusajiro Yamauchi, visited the U.S. to talk with the [[United States Playing Card Company]], the dominant playing card manufacturer there. He found that the biggest playing card company in the world was using only a small office. Yamauchi's realization that the playing card business had limited potential was a turning point. He then acquired the license to use Disney characters on playing cards to drive sales.

In 1963, Yamauchi renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd. to Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref name="Nintendo History">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQB0bQ5E |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=Nintendo History |publisher=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |accessdate=May 27, 2014}}</ref> The company then began to experiment in other areas of business using newly injected capital during the period of time between 1963 and 1968. Nintendo set up a [[Taxicab|taxi]] company called ''Daiya''. This business was earlier successful however Nintendo was forced to sell it because problems with the labour unions were making it too expensive to run the service. It also set up a [[love hotel]] chain, a TV network, a food company (selling [[instant rice]]) and several other ventures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/as-nintendo-turns-125-6-things-you-may-not-know-about-this-gaming-giant-596606|title= As Nintendo turns 125, 6 things you may not know about this gaming giant|work= NDTV Gadgets|publisher= [[NDTV]]|accessdate= September 23, 2014|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> All of these ventures eventually failed, and after the 1964 [[1964 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]], playing card sales dropped, and Nintendo's stock price plummeted to its lowest recorded level of [[Japanese yen|¥]]60.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S7dvvs_0nIC&pg=PT44&lpg=PT44&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics+%C2%A560&source=bl&ots=gL5e-EKI3B&sig=KU5h8uYnEkGQaBVlLphXMgQOV_k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XhlOVdLwJseTuQTBsoC4CA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics%20%C2%A560&f=false|title=Freelancers!|work=google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M-pGHGDm5a4C&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics&source=bl&ots=NVZO2rCRsf&sig=5s8CmPDhn5F73nkdm9II6329omI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hhOVZnfIZSQuASixIDYCA&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics&f=false|title=The Story of Nintendo|work=google.com}}</ref>

In 1966, Nintendo moved into the Japanese toy industry with the [[Ultra Hand]], an extendable arm developed by its maintenance engineer [[Gunpei Yokoi]] in his free time. Yokoi was moved from maintenance to the new "Nintendo Games" department as a product developer. Nintendo continued to produce popular toys, including the [[Ultra Machine]], [[Love Tester]] and the ''Kousenjuu'' series of [[light gun]] games. Despite some successful products, Nintendo struggled to meet the fast development and manufacturing turnaround required in the toy market, and fell behind the well-established companies such as [[Bandai]] and [[Tomy]].

In 1973, its focus shifted to family entertainment venues with the [[Laser Clay Shooting System]], using the same light gun technology used in Nintendo's ''Kousenjuu'' series of toys, and set up in abandoned bowling alleys. Following some success, Nintendo developed several more light gun machines (such as the [[light gun shooter]] game ''[[Wild Gunman]]'') for the emerging arcade scene. While the Laser Clay Shooting System ranges had to be shut down following excessive costs, Nintendo had found a new market.

=== 1974–1978: Early electronic era ===
Nintendo's first venture into the video gaming industry was securing rights to distribute the [[Magnavox Odyssey]] [[video game console]] in Japan in 1974. Nintendo began to produce its own hardware in 1977, with the [[Color TV-Game]] home video game consoles. Four versions of these consoles were produced, each including variations of a single game (for example, Color TV Game 6 featured six versions of ''Light Tennis'').

A student product developer named [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] was hired by Nintendo at this time.<ref name="SM_CBS">{{cite news|title=Famous Names in Gaming|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130511085030/http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archivedate=2013-05-11|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=|accessdate=2010-06-13}}</ref> He worked for Yokoi, and one of his first tasks was to design the casing for several of the Color TV Game consoles. Miyamoto went on to create, direct and produce some of Nintendo's most famous video games and become one of the most recognizable figures in the video game industry.<ref name="SM_CBS"/>

In 1975, Nintendo moved into the video [[arcade game]] industry with ''[[EVR Race]]'', designed by their first game designer, [[Genyo Takeda]],<ref name="Iwata Asks-Punch Out!!">{{cite web|url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20090810124557/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archivedate=2009-08-10|title=Iwata Asks-Punch-Out!!|publisher= Nintendo|accessdate=2009-07-07}}</ref> and several more titles followed. Nintendo had some small success with this venture, but the release of ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' in 1981, designed by Miyamoto, changed Nintendo's fortunes dramatically. The success of the game and many licensing opportunities (such as ports on the [[Atari 2600]], [[Intellivision]] and [[ColecoVision]]) gave Nintendo a huge boost in profit and in addition, the game also introduced an early iteration of [[Mario]], known then as Jumpman, the eventual company [[mascot]].

=== 1979–2003: Success with video games ===
[[File:Game & Watch.png|thumb|The ''[[Game & Watch]]'' series was Nintendo's first worldwide success in [[video game console]]s.]]


In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi conceived the idea of a [[handheld video game]], while observing a fellow bullet train commuter who passed the time by interacting idly with a portable LCD calculator, which gave birth to ''[[Game & Watch]]''.<ref name="Searching for Gunpei">{{cite web | first=Lara | last=Crigger |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_87/490-Searching-for-Gunpei-Yokoi | title=The Escapist: Searching for Gunpei Yokoi | date=March 6, 2007 | magazine=The Escapist | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref> In 1980, Nintendo launched ''Game & Watch''—a [[handheld video game]] series developed by Yokoi. These systems do not contain interchangeable cartridges and thus the hardware was tied to the game. The first Game & Watch game released, titled ''Ball'', was distributed worldwide. The modern "cross" [[D-pad]] design was developed in 1982, by Yokoi for a ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' version. Proven to be popular, the design was patented by Nintendo. It later earned a [[Technology & Engineering Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |title=Nintendo Wins Emmy For DS And Wii Engineering | Technology | Sky News |publisher=News.sky.com |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2010-08-30 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20111227002549/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |archivedate=December 27, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Magrino |first=Tom |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184421.html |title=CES '08: Nintendo wins second Emmy - News at GameSpot |publisher=Gamespot.com |date=2008-01-08 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}</ref>


In 1983, Nintendo launched the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]] (colloquialized as "Famicom") home [[video game console]] in Japan, alongside ports of its most popular arcade titles. In 1985, a cosmetically reworked version of the system known outside of Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, launched in North America. The practice of bundling the system along with select games helped to make ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games in history]].<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp">Nagata, Kazuaki, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/03/10/news/nintendo-secret-its-all-in-the-game/ Nintendo secret: It's all in the game]", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', March 10, 2009, p. 3.</ref>


In 1988, Gunpei Yokoi and his team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] conceived the new [[Game Boy]] handheld system, with the purpose of merging the two very successful ideas of the Game & Watch's portability along with the NES's cartridge interchangeability. Nintendo released the Game Boy in Japan on April 21, 1989, and in North America on July 31, 1989. Nintendo of America president [[Minoru Arakawa]] managed a deal to bundle the popular third party game ''[[Tetris]]'' along with the Game Boy, and the pair launched as an instant success.


In 1989, Nintendo announced plans to release the successor to the Famicom, the [[Super Famicom]]. Based on a [[16-bit]] [[CPU|processor]], Nintendo boasted significantly superior hardware specifications of graphics, sound, and game speed over the original 8-bit Famicom. The system was also said to have backwards compatibility with Famicom games, though this feature was ultimately cut upon release. The Super Famicom was finally released relatively late to the market in Japan on November 21, 1990, and released as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (abbreviated to SNES or Super Nintendo) in North America on August 23, 1991 and in Europe in 1992. Its main rival was the 16-bit [[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive]], known in North America as Sega Genesis, which had been advertised aggressively against the nascent 8-bit NES. A [[Console wars|console war]] between Sega and Nintendo ensued during the early 1990s.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 431. "''Sonic'' was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for Super NES to arrive now decided to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the [[history of video games]] was about to begin."</ref> From 1990 to 1992, Nintendo opened ''World of Nintendo'' shops in the United States where consumers could test and buy Nintendo products.


In August 1993, Nintendo announced the SNES's successor, code-named ''Project Reality''. Featuring [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|64-bit graphics]], the new system was developed as a joint venture between Nintendo and North-American-based technology company [[Silicon Graphics]]. The system was announced to be released by the end of 1995, but was subsequently delayed. Meanwhile, Nintendo continued the Nintendo Entertainment System family with the release of the [[NES-101]], a smaller redesign of the original NES. Nintendo also announced a [[Compact disc|CD]] drive peripheral called the [[SNES-CD]], which was co-developed first by [[Sony]] with the name "Play Station" and then by [[Philips]]. Bearing prototypes and joint announcements at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]], it was on track for a 1994 release, but was controversially cancelled.


During 1995, Nintendo announced that it had sold one billion game cartridges worldwide,<ref>{{cite journal|last= |first= |title=Tidbits... |journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=78|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=January 1996|page=24}}</ref> one tenth of it being from the [[Mario franchise]].{{cn|date=June 2015}} Nintendo deemed 1994 the "Year of the Cartridge". To further their support for cartridges, Nintendo announced that Project Reality, which had now been renamed the Ultra 64, would not use a CD format as expected, but would rather use cartridges as its primary media format. [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Nintendo IRD]] general manager [[Genyo Takeda]] was impressed by video game development company [[Rare Ltd.]]'s progress with real-time 3D graphics technology, using state of the art [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations. As a result, Nintendo bought a 25% stake in the company, eventually expanding to 49%, and offered their catalogue of characters to create a CGI game around, making Rare a Nintendo's first western-based [[Video game development party#Second-party developer|second-party developer]].<ref name="Rare history">{{cite web|accessdate=2012-05-17 |url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |title=IGN Presents the History of Rare |publisher=IGN |date=2008-07-29 |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080805122442/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |archivedate=2008-08-05 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Their first game as partners with Nintendo was ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. The game was a critical success and sold over eight million copies worldwide, making it the second [[List of best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System video games|best-selling game in the SNES library]].<ref name="Rare history"/> In September 1994, Nintendo, along with six other video game giants including Sega, [[Electronic Arts]], Atari, [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]], Philips, and [[3DO Company|3DO]] approached the [[United States Senate]] and demanded a ratings system for video games to be enforced, with prompted the decision to create the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]].


Aiming to produce an affordable [[virtual reality]] console, Nintendo released the [[Virtual Boy]] in 1995, designed by Gunpei Yokoi. The console consists of a head-mounted semi-portable system with one red-colored screen for each of the user's eyes, featuring [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic graphics]]. Games are viewed through a binocular eyepiece and controlled using an affixed gamepad. Critics were generally disappointed with the quality of the games and the red-colored graphics, and complained of gameplay-induced headaches.<ref name="WaPo">Frischling, Bill. "Sideline Play." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 11. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877–1995). October 25, 1995. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> The system sold poorly and was quietly discontinued.<ref name="Boyer">Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> Amid the system's failure, Yokoi retired from Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time|accessdate= 2010-06-12|first=Blake|last=Snow|publisher=[[GamePro]]|date=2007-05-04|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607134204/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|archivedate=2011-06-07}}</ref> During the same year, Nintendo launched the [[Satellaview]] in Japan, a peripheral for the Super Famicom. The accessory allowed users to play video games via broadcast for a set period of time. Various games were made exclusively for the platform, as well as various [[remake (software)|remakes]].


In 1996, Nintendo released the Ultra 64 as the [[Nintendo 64]] in Japan and North America. The console was later released in Europe and Australia in 1997. Despite the limitations set by using cartridges, the technical specifications of the Nintendo 64 surpassed its competitors. With its market shares slipping to the [[Sega Saturn]] and partner-turned-rival [[Sony]] [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], Nintendo revitalized its brand by launching a $185 million marketing campaign centered around the "Play it Loud" slogan.<ref>Miller, Cyndee. "Sega Vs. Nintendo: This Fights almost as Rough as their Video Games." Marketing News 28.18 (1994): 1-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> During the same year, Nintendo also released the [[Game Boy Pocket]] in Japan, a smaller version of the Game Boy that generated more sales for the platform. On October 4, 1996, famed Nintendo developer Gunpei Yokoi died in a car crash. In 1997, Nintendo released the [[SNS-101]] (called Super Famicom Jr. in Japan), a smaller redesigned version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


In 1998, the successor to the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color, was released. The system had improved technical specifications allowing it to run games made specifically for the system as well as games released for the Game Boy, albeit with added color. The [[Game Boy Camera]] and [[Game Boy Printer|Printer]] were also released as accessories. In October 1998, Retro Studios was founded as an alliance between Nintendo and former [[Iguana Entertainment]] founder [[Jeff Spangenberg]]. Nintendo saw an opportunity for the new studio to create games for the upcoming [[GameCube]] targeting an older demographic, in the same vein as Iguana Entertainment's successful ''[[Turok: Dinosaur Hunter|Turok]]'' series for the Nintendo 64.<ref name=nsiderhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=423&page=1|title=History of Retro Studios|last=Wade|first=Kenneth Kyle|publisher=N-sider|date=December 17, 2004 |accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>

In 2001, just three years later, Nintendo introduced the redesigned Game Boy Advance. The same year, Nintendo also released the [[GameCube]] to lukewarm sales, and it ultimately failed to regain the market share lost by the Nintendo 64. When Yamauchi, the company's president since 1949, retired on May 24, 2002,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=May 24, 2002|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Yamauchi Retires|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/24/yamauchi-retires}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Lucas M.|last=Thomas|publisher=IGN|date=May 24, 2012|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Hiroshi Yamauchi: Nintendo's Legendary President|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/25/hiroshi-yamauchi-nintendos-legendary-president}}</ref> [[Satoru Iwata]] succeeded as Nintendo's fourth president, becoming the first Nintendo president who was unrelated to the Yamauchi family through blood or marriage since its founding in 1889.<ref name="ap">{{Cite web | url = http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2015-07-12-AS--Japan-Obit-Nintendo%20President/id-62869fddfd054d72b98981cf64a6cfab | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies of Tumor | first = Yuri | last = Kageyama | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | publisher = [[Associated Press]] |location=Tokyo, Japan|archivedate=August 1, 2015|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6aRru22RK}}</ref><Ref name="nytimes">{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/business/satoru-iwata-nintendo-chief-executive-dies-at-55.html | title = Satoru Iwata, Nintendo Chief Executive, Dies at 55 | first= Liam | last = Stack | date = July 13, 2015| accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work =[[New York Times]] }}</ref>

In 2003, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Advance SP]], its fourth handheld system.

=== 2004–2011: Nintendo DS and Wii ===
In 2004, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS]], its fourth major handheld system. The DS is a dual screened handheld featuring [[touch screen]] capabilities, which respond to either a stylus or the touch of a finger. Former Nintendo president and now chairman [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] was translated by GameScience as explaining, "If we can increase the scope of the industry, we can re-energise the global market and lift Japan out of depression - that is Nintendo's mission." Regarding lukewarm GameCube sales which had yielded the company's first reported operating loss in over 100 years, Yamauchi continued: "The DS represents a critical moment for Nintendo's success over the next two years. If it succeeds, we rise to the heavens, if it fails, we sink into hell."<ref name="Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata">{{cite web | title=Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata | publisher=GameScience | url=http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127211555/http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | archivedate=January 27, 2006 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS">{{cite web | title=Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS | url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/9256/iwata-yamauchi-speak-out-on-nintendo-ds | date=February 13, 2004 | first=Jonathan | last=Metts | publisher=Nintendo Worldwide Report | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DS history">{{cite web|last=Constantine|first=John|title=Rise to Heaven: Five Years of Nintendo DS|url=http://www.1up.com/features/years-nintendo-ds.html|publisher=1UP.com|accessdate=May 27, 2014|quote="If the DS succeeds, we will rise to heaven, but if it fails we will sink to hell." — Hiroshi Yamauchi}}</ref> Thanks to titles such as [[Nintendogs]] and [[Mario Kart DS]], the DS became a success. In 2005, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Micro]] in North America, a redesign of the Game Boy Advance. The last system in the [[Game Boy line]], it was also the smallest Game Boy, and the least successful. In the middle of 2005, Nintendo opened the [[Nintendo World Store]] in [[New York City]], which would sell Nintendo games, present a museum of Nintendo history, and host public parties such as for product launches.

[[File:Wii Remote Image.jpg|thumb|The [[Wii Remote]], along with the [[Wii]], was said to be revolutionary because of its motion detection capabilities.]]

In the first half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS Lite]], a version of the original Nintendo DS with lighter weight, brighter screen, and better battery life. In addition to this streamlined design, its prolific subset of [[casual game]]s appealed to the masses, such as the [[Brain Age (series)|Brain Age]] series. Meanwhile, [[New Super Mario Bros.]] provided a substantial addition to the [[Super Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] when it was launched to the top of sales charts. The successful direction of the Nintendo DS had a big influence on Nintendo's next home console, which had been code named "Revolution" and was now renamed to "[[Wii]]".

In the latter half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Wii]] as the backwards-compatible successor to the GameCube. Based upon intricate [[Wii Remote]] motion controls and a [[Wii Balance Board|balance board]], the Wii inspired several new game franchises, some targeted at entirely new market segments of casual and fitness gaming. At over 100 million units, the Wii is the best selling console of the seventh generation, regaining the market share lost during the tenures of the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube.


On May 1, 2007, Nintendo acquired an 80% stake on video game development company [[Monolith Soft]], previously owned by [[Bandai Namco]]. Monolith Soft is best known for developing [[role-playing game]]s such as the [[Xenosaga]] and [[Baten Kaitos series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|title=XENOSAGA DEVELOPER SWITCHES SIDES|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/04/27/xenosaga-developer-switches-sides|publisher=IGN|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

During the holiday season of 2008, Nintendo followed up the success of the DS Lite with the release of the [[Nintendo DSi]] in Japan. The system features two cameras, one facing towards the player and one facing outwards, and had an [[online distribution]] store called [[DSiWare]]. The DSi was later released worldwide during 2009. In the latter half of 2009, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DSi XL]] in Japan, a larger version of the DSi. This updated system was later released worldwide in 2010.

=== 2011–present: Nintendo 3DS and Wii U ===
In 2011, Nintendo greatly expanded the DS legacy by releasing the [[Nintendo 3DS]], based upon a [[autostereoscopic|glasses-free]] 3D display.

In February 2012, Nintendo acquired [[Mobiclip]], a [[France]]-based research and development company specialized in highly optimized software technologies such as video compression. The company's name was later changed to Nintendo European Research & Development.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fletcher|title=Nintendo acquires video research/middleware company Mobiclip|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-acquires-video-research-middleware-company-mobiclip/|publisher=Joystiq|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref> During the fourth quarter of 2012, Nintendo released the [[Wii U]]. It sold slower than expected,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/slow-wii-u-sales-send-nintendo-shares-into-a-downward-spiral/|title=Slow Wii U sales send Nintendo shares into a downward spiral|accessdate=2014-04-07|date=2014-01-19|archiveurl=}}</ref> despite being the first eighth generation console. By September 2013, however, sales had rebounded.{{Clarify|date=May 2014}} Intending to broaden the 3DS market, Nintendo released 2013's cost-reduced [[Nintendo 2DS]]. The 2DS is compatible with but lacks the 3DS's more expensive but cosmetic [[autostereoscopy|autostereoscopic]] 3D feature. Nintendo also released the [[Wii Mini]], a cheaper and non-networked redesign of the Wii.

On September 25, 2013, Nintendo announced it had purchased a 28% stake in a [[Panasonic]] spin-off company called PUX Corporation. The company specializes in face and voice recognition technology, with which Nintendo intends to improve the usability of future game systems. Nintendo has also worked with this company in the past to create character recognition software for a Nintendo DS touchscreen.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:パナソニック・任天堂、ゲーム機操作法を共同開発|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD250K5_V20C13A9TJ1000/|publisher=Nikkei|accessdate=May 25, 2014|language=Japanese}}</ref> After announcing a 30% dive in profits for the April to December 2013 period, President [[Satoru Iwata]] announced he would take a 50% pay-cut, with other executives seeing reductions by 20%-30%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25941070|title=Nintendo executives take pay cuts after profits tumble|accessdate=May 31, 2014|date=January 29, 2014|archiveurl=}}</ref> During a May 7, 2014, investors' meeting, Nintendo confirmed that it had spent over $150 million on an acquisition of an unspecified, non-Japanese, non-gaming, technology company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gibson|first=David|title=Twitter / gibbogame|url=https://twitter.com/gibbogame/status/464547992008417282|publisher=David Gibson|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

=== Future: Mobile, and the Nintendo NX {{anchor|Nintendo NX}} ===
In January 2015, Nintendo announced its exit from the Brazilian market after four years of distributing products in the country. Nintendo cited high import [[Duty (economics)|duties]] and lack of local manufacturing operation as reasons for leaving. Nintendo continues its partnership with Juegos de Video Latinoamérica to distribute products to the rest of [[Latin America]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nutt|first1=Christian|title=Nintendo exits the Brazilian market, citing high import duties|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/233909/Nintendo_exits_the_Brazilian_market_citing_high_import_duties.php|website=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=[[UBM plc]]|accessdate=January 11, 2015|date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2015, Nintendo announced that it would team up with Japanese mobile company [[DeNA]] to produce games for [[smart device]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Russell|first1=Jon|title=Nintendo Partners With DeNA To Bring Its Games And IP To Smartphones|url=http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/nintendo-partners-with-dena-to-brings-its-games-and-ip-to-smartphones/|website=TechCrunch|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> On the same day, Nintendo announced a new "dedicated games platform with a brand new concept" under the codename "NX" that would be further revealed in 2016.<ref name=CnetNX>{{cite web|last1=Westaway|first1=Luke|title=Nintendo will make games for phones, new 'NX' system|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/mario-set-for-smartphones-as-nintendo-forges-new-mobile-deal/|website=CNet|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> In May 2015, [[Universal Parks and Resorts]] announced that it was teaming up with Nintendo to create attractions at Universal Parks based upon Nintendo properties.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kohler|first1=Chris|title=Nintendo, Universal Team Up For Theme Park Attractions|url=http://www.wired.com/2015/05/nintendo-turns-profit/|website=Wired|accessdate=8 May 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015, Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. Following his death, representative directors Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto jointly helmed the company on an interim basis until the appointment of [[Tatsumi Kimishima]] as Iwata's successor on September 16, 2015.<ref name= "Bloomberg">{{cite web|url= http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-12/nintendo-says-president-satoru-iwata-died-from-bile-duct-cancer|title= Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President Who Introduced Wii, Dies|author= Takashi Amano|work= [[Bloomberg News]]|publisher= [[Bloomberg L.P.]]|date= July 12, 2015|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> In addition to Kimishima's appointment, the company's management organisation was also restructured with Miyamoto taking on the role of "Creative Fellow", and Takeda the role of "Technology Fellow".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150914e.pdf|title=Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate= September 14, 2015|date= September 14, 2015}}</ref>

== Products ==


=== Home consoles ===

==== Nintendo Entertainment System ====
{{main|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
[[File:Nes-console-with-controller.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo's first major success in the home console market.]]

The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as '''NES''') is an [[8-bit]] video game console, which released in North America in 1985, and in Europe throughout 1986 and 1987. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] as the '''Family Computer''' (abbreviated as '''Famicom''') in 1983. The [[List of million-selling game consoles|best-selling gaming console]] of its time,<ref name="dominate">{{cite book |title=Game Over |last=Sheff |first=David |authorlink=David Sheff |year=1993 |publisher=Random House |location=New York |isbn=0-679-40469-4 |page=349}}</ref>{{cref|e}} the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the [[North American video game crash of 1983|video game crash of 1983]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Consalvo |first=Mia |year=2006 |title=Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture |journal=New Media Society |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=117–137 |doi=10.1177/1461444806059921 |format=PDF}}{{subscription required}}</ref> With the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard [[business model]] of licensing [[Video game developer|third-party developers]], authorizing them to produce and distribute titles for Nintendo's platform.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sanchez-Crespo |first=Daniel |title=Core Techniques and Algorithms in Game Programming|accessdate=2007-10-24|date=2003-09-08|publisher=New Riders Games|isbn=0-13-102009-9|page=14}}</ref> The NES was bundled with ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games of all time]], and received ports of Nintendo's most popular arcade titles.<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp"/> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 61.91 million NES hardware units and 500.01 million NES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Super NES ====
{{main | Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
The '''Super Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as the '''Super NES''' or '''SNES''') is a [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit]] video game console, which was released in North America in 1991, and in Europe in 1992. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] in 1990 as the '''Super Famicom''', officially adopting the colloquially abbreviated name of its predecessor. The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other consoles at the time. Soon, the development of [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|a variety of enhancement chips]] which were integrated onto each new game cartridge's circuit boards, progressed the SNES's competitive edge. While even crude [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] graphics had previously rarely been seen on home consoles,<ref>Gibson, Nick. [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/11/f-22-interceptor-advanced-tactical-fighter/ "F-22 Interceptor (Genesis)"] ''Sega-16'', November 6, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2013.</ref> the SNES's [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|enhancement chips]] suddenly enabled a new caliber of games containing increasingly sophisticated [[faux]] 3D effects as seen in 1991's ''[[Pilotwings]]'' and 1992's ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''. [[Argonaut Games]] developed the Super FX chip in order to replicate 3D graphics from their earlier [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]] [[Starglider]] games on the Super Nintendo (more specifically, [[Starglider 2]]),<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/31/the-starglider-saga</ref> starting with [[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]] in 1993. The SNES is the best-selling console of the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]] although having experienced a relatively late start and fierce competition from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] console. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 49.10 million SNES hardware units and 379.06 million SNES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Nintendo 64 ====
{{main|Nintendo 64}}
The '''Nintendo 64''' was released in 1996, featuring [[3D computer graphics|3D polygon model rendering]] capabilities and built-in [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] for up to four players. The system's controller introduced the [[analog stick]] and later introduced the [[Rumble Pak]], an accessory for the controller that produces [[Haptic technology|force feedback]] with compatible games. Both are the first such features to have come to market for home console gaming and eventually became the [[De facto standard|''de facto'' industry standard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/03/happy-birthday-rumble-pak |title=IGN: Happy Birthday, Rumble Pak |first=Levi |last= Buchanan |date=2008-04-03 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2008-09-12}}</ref> Announced in 1995, prior to the console's 1996 launch, the [[64DD]] ("DD" standing for "Disk Drive") was designed to enable the development of new genre of video games<ref name="The 64Dream Dec 1997">{{ cite journal | title=A friendly discussion between the "Big 2" | others=[http://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/itoi-miyamoto-interview-64dd/ Translation] | magazine=The 64DREAM | subjectlink1=Shigeru Miyamoto | subjectlink2=Shigesato Itoi | first1=Shigeru | last1=Miyamoto | first2=Shigesato | last2=Itoi | date=December 1997 | page=91}}</ref> by way of 64 MB writable magnetic disks, video editing, and Internet connectivity. Eventually released only in Japan in 1999, the 64DD peripheral's commercial failure there resulted in only nine games being released and precluded further worldwide release.

==== GameCube ====
{{main|GameCube}}
The '''GameCube''' (officially called '''Nintendo GameCube''', abbreviated '''NGC''' in Japan and '''GCN''' in North America) was released in 2001, in Japan and North America, and in 2002 worldwide. The [[History of video game consoles (sixth generation)|sixth-generation console]] is the successor to the [[Nintendo 64]] and competed with Sony's [[PlayStation 2]], Microsoft's [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and Sega's [[Dreamcast]]. The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use [[optical disc]]s as its primary storage medium.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Company History|accessdate=2009-07-24|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The discs are similar to the [[miniDVD]] format, but the system was not designed to play standard [[DVD]]s or [[Compact disc|audio CDs]]. Nintendo introduced a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. The GameCube's game library has sparse support for [[online game|Internet gaming]], a feature that requires the use of the aftermarket [[Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter]]. The GameCube supports connectivity to the [[Game Boy Advance]], allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a [[second screen]] and controller. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 21.74 million GameCube hardware units and 208.57 million GameCube software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Wii ====
{{main|Wii}}
[[File:Wii-Console.png|thumb|200px|The [[Wii]], Nintendo's best selling home video game console.]]

The '''Wii''' was released during the holiday season of 2006 worldwide. The system the [[Wii Remote]] [[Game controller|controller]], which can be used as a handheld [[pointing device]] and which [[accelerometer|detects movement]] in [[three-dimensional space|three dimensions]]. Another notable feature of the console is [[WiiConnect24]], which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in [[Sleep mode|standby mode]].<ref name="Iwata Speech 06">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/e3_2006/speech/english.html Nintendo Corporation] - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006</ref> It also features a game download service, called "[[Virtual Console]]", which features emulated games from past systems. Since its release, the Wii has spawned many peripheral devices, including the [[Wii Balance Board]] and [[Motion Plus]], and has had several [[Wii#Revisions|hardware revisions]]. The ''Wii Family Edition'' variant is identical to the original model, but is designed to sit horizontally and removes the GameCube compatibility. The ''Wii Mini'' is a smaller, redesigned Wii which lacks GameCube compatibility, online connectivity, the [[SD card]] slot and [[Wi-Fi]] support, and has only one [[USB]] port unlike the previous models' two.<ref name=EurogamerReview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-nintendo-wii-mini-review|title= Nintendo Wii Mini review |last=Leadbetter|first=Richard|date=December 12, 2012|work=Eurogamer|accessdate=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=WiiMiniManual>{{cite document|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/WiiMiniOpMn_RVO_en.pdf|title= Nintendo Wii Mini Operations Manual|publisher=Nintendo of America|page=10|accessdate=December 16, 2012|quote=The Wii Mini console will not work with any AV cable other than the model supplied.}}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 101.06 million Wii hardware units and 895.22 million Wii software units worldwide, making it Nintendo's best-selling home video game console.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Wii U ====
{{main | Wii U}}
The '''Wii U''', the successor to the Wii, was released during the holiday season of 2012 worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/888470-wii-u-confirmed-for-europe-this-year|title=Wii U confirmed for Europe this year|newspaper=Metro}}</ref><ref name="pricerelease">{{cite web|url=http://wiiu.dcemu.co.uk/wiiu-price-and-release-date-announced-491879.html| title=WiiU Price and Release Date Announced| publisher=WiiU News | date=September 13, 2012 | accessdate=September 13, 2012}}</ref> The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support [[High-definition video|high-definition]] [[Video game graphics|graphics]]. The Wii U's primary [[Gamepad|controller]] is the [[Wii U GamePad]], which features an embedded [[touchscreen]]. Each software title may be designed to utilize this touchscreen as being supplemental to the main TV, or as the only screen for [[Off-TV Play]]. The system supports most Wii controllers and accessories, and the more classically shaped [[Wii U Pro Controller]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/1943/20120605/nintendo-wii-u-pro-controller-e3.htm|title=Nintendo Unveils Wii U Pro Controller before E3, Wireless but No Touch Screen|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=GameNGuide}}</ref> The system is [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] with Wii software and accessories; this mode also utilizes Wii-based controllers, and it optionally offers the GamePad as its primary Wii display and motion sensor bar. The console has various online services powered by [[Nintendo Network]], including: the [[Nintendo eShop]] for online distribution of software and content; and [[Miiverse]], a [[social network]] which can be variously integrated with games and applications. As of December 2014, worldwide Wii U sales had totaled 9.20 million hardware units and 52.87 million software units.<ref name="Nintendo Financial Jan 28 2015">{{cite document | title=Consolidated Financial Highlights: Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 2013 and 2014 | publisher=Nintendo Co, Ltd. | location=Kyoto, Japan | date=January 28, 2015 | url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150128e.pdf | accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>

=== Handheld consoles ===

==== Game & Watch ====
{{main|Game & Watch}}
{{expand section|date=March 2014}}
'''Game and Watch''' is a handheld line produced from 1980 to 1991 by [[Gunpei Yokoi]]. It features a single game and a clock and/or alarm.

==== Game Boy ====
{{main|Game Boy line}}
After the success of the ''Game & Watch'' series, Yokoi developed the '''[[Game Boy]]''' handheld console, which was released in 1989. Eventually becoming the best-selling handheld of all time, the Game Boy remained dominant for more than a decade, seeing critically and commercially popular games such as ''[[Pokémon Yellow]]'' released as late as 1998 in Japan and 2000 in Europe. Incremental updates of the Game Boy, including ''[[Game Boy Pocket]]'', ''[[Game Boy Light]]'' and ''[[Game Boy Color]]'', did little to change the original formula, though the latter introduced color graphics to the Game Boy line.

The first major update to its handheld line since 1989, '''[[Game Boy Advance]]''' features improved technical specifications similar to those of the SNES. The ''[[Game Boy Advance SP]]'' was the first revision to the GBA line and introduced screen lighting and a clam shell design, while later iteration, the ''[[Game Boy Micro]]'', brought a smaller form factor.

[[File:Nintendo-DS-Lite-Black-Open.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Nintendo DS Lite]] is the best-selling handheld console of all time.]]
==== Nintendo DS ====
{{main | Nintendo DS | Nintendo DS line}}
Although originally advertised as an alternative to the Game Boy Advance, the '''[[Nintendo DS]]''' replaced the [[Game Boy line]] after its initial release in 2004.<ref name="newconsole">{{cite web| url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/11/14/nintendo-going-back-to-the-basics| title=Nintendo Going Back to the Basics. Full story about the company offering a new system in 2004.| accessdate=2007-10-04| date=2003-11-13| work=[[IGN]]| publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc.}}</ref> It was distinctive for its dual screens and a microphone, as well as a [[Touchscreen|touch-sensitive lower screen]]. The ''[[Nintendo DS Lite]]'' brought a smaller form factor<ref>{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Peter|date =2006-02-20| url= http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/20/the-engadget-interview-reggie-fils-aime-executive-vice-preside/|title= The Engadget Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Nintendo|publisher= Engadget|accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> while the ''[[Nintendo DSi]]'' features larger screens and two cameras,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendodsi.com/meet-dsi.jsp | title = Explore Nintendo DSi | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> and was followed by an even larger model, the ''[[Nintendo DSi XL]]'', with a 90% bigger screen.<ref name=mcvuk>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/37129/DSi-XL-gets-March-5th-launch|title=Nintendo DSi XL to launch on March 5th|first=Dave|last=Roberts|date=2010-01-14|work=MCV|publisher=Intent Media|accessdate=2010-01-30}}</ref>

==== Nintendo 3DS ====
{{main | Nintendo 3DS}}
Further expanding the Nintendo DS line, the '''[[Nintendo 3DS]]''' uses the process of [[autostereoscopy]] to produce a [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] three-dimensional effect without [[3D viewer|glasses]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf |title=Launch of New Portable Game Machine |date=March 23, 2010 |publisher=Nintendo |accessdate=2010-03-23 |location=[[Minami-ku, Kyoto]]}}</ref> Released to major markets during 2011, the 3DS got off to a slow start, initially missing many key features that were promised before the system launched.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.techspot.com/news/44226-nintendo-3DS-passes-1-million-units-sold-in-japan-finally.html |title=Nintendo 3DS passes 1 million units sold in Japan, finally |date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=TechSpot |accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Partially as a result of slow sales, Nintendo stock declined in value. Subsequent price cuts and game releases helped to boost 3DS and 3DS software sales and to renew investor confidence in the company.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=nintendo-shares-leap-on-3ds-optimism-2011-08-23 |title=Nintendo shares leap on 3DS optimism |date=August 23, 2011 |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News |accessdate=2011-10-26}}</ref> As of August 2013, the 3DS was the best selling console in the United States for four consecutive months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gengame.net/2013/09/august-npd-sales-data-madden-25-tops-software-3ds-tops-hardware-four-months-in-a-row/ |title=August NPD Sales Data: Madden 25 Tops Software, 3DS Tops Hardware Four Months in a Row |publisher=Gengame |date=2013-09-12 |accessdate=2013-10-17}}</ref> The ''[[Nintendo 3DS XL]]'' was introduced in August 2012 and includes a 90% larger screen, a 4GB SD card and extended battery life. In August 2013, Nintendo announced the cost-reduced ''[[Nintendo 2DS]]'', a version of the 3DS without an [[autostereoscopic]] 3D screen. It has a slate-like design as opposed to the hinged, [[clamshell design]] of its DS-line predecessors. The 2DS was released on October 12, 2013 in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, although no Japanese release has been announced.

In August 2014, it was announced that Japan would receive a new 3DS called "New 3DS" with extra shoulder buttons, a right analogue stick, faster processor, compatibility with [[Amiibo]] and other changes. It was released in October 2014.

=== Software ===
{{see also|List of products published by Nintendo}}
{{empty section|date=January 2014}}

== Organization ==

=== Marketing ===
{{main|Nintendo marketing}}

Nintendo of America has engaged in several high-profile marketing campaigns to define and position its brand. One of its earliest and most enduring slogans was "Now you're playing with power!", used first to promote its Nintendo Entertainment System. It modified the slogan to include "SUPER power" for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and "PORTABLE power" for the Game Boy. Its 1994 "Play It Loud!" campaign played upon teenage rebellion and fostered an edgy reputation. During the Nintendo 64 era, the slogan was "Get N or get out." During the GameCube era, the "Who Are You?" suggested a link between the games and the players' identities. The company promoted its Nintendo DS handheld with the tagline "Touching is Good." For the Wii, they used the "Wii would like to play" slogan to promote the console with the people who tried the games including ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''. The Nintendo DS's successor, the Nintendo 3DS, used the slogan "Take a look inside". The Wii's successor, the [[Wii U]], used the slogan "How U will play next."

=== Board of directors ===
'''Representative Directors'''
* [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], President
* [[Genyo Takeda]], Senior Managing Director, Technology Fellow
* [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], Senior Managing Director, Creative Fellow<ref>{{cite web |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=NTDOY.PK |title=Profile |work=Nintendo Co. Ltd. (NTDOY.PK) |publisher=Yahoo! News Network |accessdate=June 10, 2011}}</ref>
'''Directors'''
* Shigeyuki Takahashi, General Manager of Finance Administration Division, Supervisor of General Affairs Division, In charge of Quality Assurance Department
* Satoshi Yamato, General Manager of Marketing Division, In charge of Advertising Department
* Shinya Takahashi, General Manager of Entertainment Planning & Development Division, Supervisor of Business Development Division and Development Administration & Support Division
* Kauro Takemura, Chief Director of Human Resources, Director
* Susumo Tanaka, Chief Director of Operation, Director
* Hirokazu Shinshi, Chief Director of Manufacture, Manager of Production Planning, Director

'''Other executives'''
* [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]], President and COO of Nintendo of America (NOA)
* [[Satoru Shibata]], President of Nintendo of Europe (NOE)

=== International divisions ===
{{see also|List of divisions of Nintendo}}

==== Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) ====
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan since the beginning, Nintendo Co., Ltd. oversees the organization's global operations and manages Japanese operations specifically. The company's two major subsidiaries, Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, manage operations in North America and Europe respectively. Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/jobs/work_at_nintendo/interview05-02/contents02.html |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQBDu3BO |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=製品技術編(2) |work=社長が訊く任天堂で働くということ |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |accessdate=January 1, 2011}}</ref> moved from its original Kyoto location<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|59|30.03|N|135|45|58.66|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref>{{Where|date=May 2014}} to a new office in [[Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto]],;<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|29.00|N|135|46|10.48|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref> in 2000, this became the [[research and development]] building when the head office relocated to its {{as of|2000|alt=present}} location in [[Minami-ku, Kyoto]].<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|11.89|N|135|45|22.33|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref><ref>"[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/starfox/0/2 Fushimi Inari Taisha and Fox]." Nintendo. Retrieved on January 1, 2011. "12. Former head office: Before Nintendo's head office moved to Minami Ward, Kyoto City (its current location) in 2000, it was in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. The former head office's location is now occupied by Nintendo Kyoto Research Center."</ref>

==== Nintendo of America (NOA) ====
Nintendo's North American subsidiary is based in [[Redmond, Washington]]. Originally the NOA headquarters handled sales, marketing, and advertising. However, the office in [[Redwood City]], [[California]] now directs those functions. The company maintains distribution centers in [[Atlanta]] (Nintendo Atlanta) and [[North Bend, Washington]] ([[Nintendo North Bend]]). The {{convert|380000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Nintendo North Bend facility processes more than 20,000 orders a day to Nintendo customers, which include [[Retail|retail stores]] that sell Nintendo products in addition to [[consumer]]s who [[Online shopping|shop]] Nintendo's web site.<ref name="casestudy">{{cite web | author=R.H. Brown Co. Inc. | year=2007 | title=Case Studies | url=http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20070817205829/http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archivedate=2007-08-17 | work=Hytrol.com | accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> Nintendo of America's Canadian branch,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/?country=CA&lang=en |title=Nintendo.com |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}</ref> Nintendo of Canada, Ltd. (NOCL), is based in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] with a [[distribution center]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].

==== Nintendo of Europe (NOE) ====
Nintendo's European subsidiary was established in June 1990,<ref name="history_9911">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html |title=History |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> based in [[Großostheim]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html | title=Corporate - Nintendo | accessdate=2009-07-24}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> close to [[Frankfurt]], Germany. The company handles operations in Europe and [[South Africa]].<ref name="history_9911" /> Nintendo of Europe's [[United Kingdom]] branch<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html |title=Corporate |publisher=Nintendo |date=2012-08-29 |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> handles operations in that country and in [[Ireland]] from its headquarters in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], [[Berkshire]]. In June 2014, NOE initiated a reduction and consolidation process, yielding a combined 130 layoffs: the closing of its office and warehouse, and termination of all employment, in Großostheim; and the consolidation of all of those operations into, and terminating some employment at, its Frankfurt location.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-06-130-jobs-lost-in-nintendo-of-europe-reshuffle |title=130 jobs lost in Nintendo of Europe reshuffle |first=Dan |last=Pearson |publisher=Games Industry |date=2014-06-06 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/06/06/nintendo-to-close-european-headquarters-lay-off-130/ | title=Nintendo to close European headquarters, lay off 130 | work=USA Today | date=June 6, 2014 | accessdate=June 9, 2014}}</ref>

==== Nintendo Australia (NAL) ====
{{main | Nintendo Australia}}
Nintendo's Australian subsidiary is based in [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Victoria]]. It handles the publishing, distribution, sales and marketing of Nintendo products in [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and Oceania ([[Cook Islands]], [[Fiji]], [[New Caledonia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Samoa]], and [[Vanuatu]]). It also manufactures some Wii games locally. Nintendo Australia is also a third-party distributor of some titles from [[Rising Star Games]], [[Namco Bandai Games]] Europe, [[Atlus]], [[The Tetris Company]], [[Sega]], [[Tecmo Koei]] Games Europe and [[Capcom]] Europe.

==== iQue, Ltd. ====
{{main | iQue}}
A Chinese [[joint venture]] between its founder, [[Wei Yen]], and Nintendo, manufactures and distributes official Nintendo consoles and games for the mainland Chinese market, under the iQue brand. The product lineup for the Chinese market is considerably different from that for other markets. For example, Nintendo's only console in China is the [[iQue Player]], a modified version of the Nintendo 64. The company has not released its more modern GameCube or Wii to the market, although a version of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] was released in 2012. As of 2013, it is a 100% Nintendo-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/|title=Up-to-date listing of Nintendo subsidiaries|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo Everything|date=2013-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5|title=関係会社の状況|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo|date=2013-06-28}}</ref>

==== Nintendo of Korea (NOK) ====
Nintendo's South Korean subsidiary was established on July 7, 2006.<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{cite web|author=Paul, Loughrey|title=Nintendo establishes Korean subsidiary|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-establishes-korean-subsidiary}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Nintendo office.jpg|The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
File:Nintendo of America Headquarters.jpg|The Nintendo of America headquarters in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], United States
File:Frankfurt Herriotstraße 4.20130511.jpg|Nintendo of Europe headquarters in [[Frankfurt]], Germany
File:NintendoTokyoOffice.jpg|Nintendo's Tokyo office
</gallery>

=== Logo ===
{{Gallery
|title=The Nintendo logo through the years
|width=100 | height=100 | lines=1
|align=center
|footer=
|File:Nintendo - 1889.png | width1=150 |
alt1=
| 1889–1950
|File:Nintendo - 1950.png | width2=150 |
alt2=
| 1950–1960
|File:Nintendo - 1960.png |
alt3=
| 1960–1965
|File:Nintendo - 1965.png |
alt4=
| 1965–1967
|File:Nintendo - 1967.png | width5=150 |
alt5=
| 1967–1968
|File:Nintendo - 1968.png | width6=150 |
alt6=
| 1968–1970
|File:Nintendo Logo 1970.png | width7=150 |
alt7=
| 1970–1972
|File:Nintendo - 1972.png |
alt8=
| 1972–1975
|File:Nintendo red logo.svg | width9=150 |
alt9=
| 1975–2006
|File:Nintendo.svg| width10=150 |
alt10=
| 2006–present
}}

== Research & Development ==
{{main|List of Nintendo development teams}}

=== Divisions ===
[[File:Nintendo EAD logo.png|thumb|250px|right|The Nintendo EAD division develops games for Nintendo's most well known franchises, such as [[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]] and [[The Legend of Zelda]].]]

Nintendo's internal Research & Development operations are divided into four main division: the ''[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]]'' (or ''EAD''), the main software development division of Nintendo, which focuses on internal-only [[video game]] development; the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD''), which main focus is overseeing second and third-party licensing and development activity; the ''[[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development]]'' (or ''IRD''), the main hardware development division of Nintendo, which focuses on [[Home video game console|home]] and [[handheld video game console]] development; and the ''[[Nintendo System Development]]'' (or ''SDD''), which focuses on developing [[Nintendo Network]] services and [[Software Development Kit]]s (SDK's) for Nintendo consoles and other experimental technology.

;Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD)
:The [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]] (or EAD) division is the premier development arm at Nintendo. The group is the largest concentration of R&D, housing more than 800 engineers and designers. The division is rather large and currently broken into seven different subdivisions, each led by a designated producer and group manager. The overseeing managers are [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Takashi Tezuka]]. Currently, five divisions are located in the central Kyoto R&D building under the Software Development Department, while two divisions reside in the Tokyo offices under the Tokyo Software Development Department.

;Software Planning & Development (SPD)
:The [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (or SPD) division is the development group includes several of the original development officers from the old software and hardware development sectors. While the group leaders are decade old veterans, the bulk of the development teams working alongside are mainly younger employees. The division is broken up into two departments; Software Planning & Development Department and [[Nintendo Software Design & Development|Software Design & Development Department]].

;Integrated Research & Development (IRD)
:The [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development]] (or IRD) division is Nintendo's hardware group specialized in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's home console and handheld development. The division also houses industrial designers who design peripherals such as the [[WaveBird Wireless Controller|WaveBird]], [[Wii Zapper]], and Wii steering wheel. The group was originally known as Research and Development Department 3 (R&D3),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page2.jsp |title=Investigating a Glove Interface |work=Iwata Asks: Punch-Out!! |publisher=Nintendo of America, Inc. |date=September 13, 2009 |accessdate=August 22, 2010}}</ref> with the same primary functions, with the exception that manager [[Genyo Takeda]] enjoyed moonlighting by developing console and arcade games. On February 16, 2013, Nintendo IRD was combined with ''[[Nintendo Research & Engineering Department]]'' (or ''RED''), the former hardware group specialized in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's handheld development.<ref name="ignnintendo">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/16/report-nintendo-to-restructure-hardware-divisions |title=Report: Nintendo to Restructure Hardware Divisions |publisher=IGN | date=2013-01-15}}</ref><ref name="ignnintendo2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/01/nintendo-confirms-hardware-development-reorganization |title=Nintendo Confirms Hardware Development Reorganization |publisher=IGN |date=2013-02-01}}</ref>

;System Development (SDD)
:The [[Nintendo System Development]] (or SDD) division, which used to be centered in peripheral and software development, is currently a hybrid development group with several distinct duties. The development team originates from [[Nintendo Research & Development 2]] and was mainly responsible for ports and inhouse development for low profile hardware like the [[Pokémon Mini]] and the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] [[Satellaview]] service. The department handles most [[Nintendo Network]] programming and server maintenance inside Nintendo's in-house projects and throughout various other external Nintendo software in cooperation with [[Nintendo Network Services]]. Lastly, the department also cooperates in software development. The group also created mechanical devices and peripherals like the Pokéwalker and Pokémotion. Current general manager, Masaru Shimomura, described the group as a small creative unit that has a hardware and a software team working jointly together to create innovative products.<ref>NOM Magazine. [http://personaltrainerwalking.com/iwata-asks/section-1.html Iwata Asks: Personal Trainer: Walking]</ref>

=== Subsidiaries ===

Although most of the Research & Development is being done in [[Japan]], there are some R&D facilities in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that are focused on developing software and hardware technologies used in Nintendo products. Although they all are subsidiaries of Nintendo (and therefore first party), they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the Japanese personal involved. This can be seen in a variety of "Iwata asks..." interviews.<ref>{{cite web | title=Wii U: Internet Browser |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/internet-browser/0/2 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 | quote="I didn't really go into this today, but Nintendo European Research and Development SAS France (NERD) helped us with our video player and Nintendo Software Technology (NST) helped with WebKit's JavaScript JIT, '''so''' this new [[Web browser|Internet Browser]] really came about with help from so many different '''people outside the company'''." —Tetsuya Sasaki, Software Development & Design Department }}</ref> [[Nintendo Software Technology]] (NST) and [[Nintendo Technology Development]] (NTD) are located in [[Redmond, Washington]], [[United States|USA]], while [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] (''NERD'') is located in [[Paris, France]], and [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] (NSD) is located in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]].

Most external [[First-party developer|first-party]] software development is done in [[Japan]], since the only overseas subsidiary is [[Retro Studios]] in the [[United States]]. Although these studios are all subsidiaries of Nintendo, they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (SPD) division. [[1-UP Studio]] and [[Nd Cube]] are located in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], while [[Monolith Soft]] has one studio located in Tokyo and another in [[Kyoto]]. Finally, [[Retro Studios]] is located in [[Austin, Texas]], [[United States|USA]].

=== Partners ===
{{further|Nintendo development teams#Partners}}
Since the release of the [[Famicom]]/[[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo has built up a large group of [[Second-party developer|second-party development partners]], through publishing agreements and development collaboration. Most of these ''external'' Nintendo project are overseen by the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD'') division.

== Policy ==

=== Content guidelines ===
For many years, Nintendo had a policy of strict content guidelines for video games published on its consoles. Although Nintendo of Japan allowed [[graphic violence]] in its video games, [[nudity and sexuality]] were strictly prohibited. Former Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] believed that if the company allowed the licensing of [[Pornography|pornographic]] games, the company's image would be forever tarnished.<ref name="Game Over 1993">''[[Game Over (book)|''Game Over'']], David Sheff, 1993.</ref> Nintendo of America went further in that games released for Nintendo consoles could not feature nudity, sexuality, [[profanity]] (including [[racism]], [[sexism]] or [[Hate speech|slurs]]), blood, graphic or [[domestic violence]], [[drug]]s, political messages or [[Religious symbolism|religious symbols]] (with the exception of widely unpracticed religions, such as the [[Greek mythology|Greek Pantheon]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php |title=Nintendo of America Content Guidelines |publisher=Filibustercartoons.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> The Japanese parent company was concerned that it may be viewed as a "Japanese Invasion" by forcing Japanese [[community standards]] on North American and European children. Despite the strict guidelines, some exceptions have occurred: ''[[Bionic Commando (Nintendo Entertainment System)|Bionic Commando]]'' (though [[Nazi swastika|swastikas]] were eliminated in the US version), ''[[Smash TV]]'' and ''[[Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode]]'' contained human violence, the latter also containing implied [[Human sexuality|sexuality]] and [[Smoking|tobacco use]]; ''[[River City Ransom]]'' and ''[[Taboo: The Sixth Sense]]'' contained nudity, and the latter also contained religious images, as did ''[[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest|Castlevania II]]'' and ''[[Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse|III]]''.

A known side effect of this policy was the [[Sega Genesis]] version of ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' selling over double the number of the Super NES version, mainly because Nintendo had forced publisher [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] to recolor the red blood to look like white sweat and replace some of the more gory graphics in its release of the game, making it less violent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20081017054400/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archivedate=2008-10-17|title=IGN Presents the History of Mortal Kombat - Retro Feature at IGN|publisher=IGN|first=Travis|last=Fahs|accessdate=2010-08-16}}</ref> By contrast, [[Sega]] allowed blood and gore to remain in the Genesis version (though a code was required to unlock the gore). Nintendo allowed the Super NES version of ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' to ship uncensored the following year with a content warning on the packaging.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/mortal-kombat-ii/cover-art/gameCoverId,22874|title=''Mortal Kombat II'' cover artwork at MobyGames}}</ref>

In 1994 and 2003, when the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] and [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] (respectively) video game ratings systems were introduced, Nintendo chose to abolish most of these policies in favor of consumers making their own choices about the content of the games they played. Today, changes to the content of games are done primarily by the game's developer or, occasionally, at the request of Nintendo. The only clear-set rule is that ESRB AO-rated games will not be licensed on Nintendo consoles in North America,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp |title=Nintendo of America Customer Service – Nintendo Buyer's Guide |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> a practice which is also enforced by [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]] and [[Microsoft]], its two greatest competitors in the present market. Nintendo has since allowed several mature-content games to be published on its consoles, including: ''[[Perfect Dark]]'', ''[[Conker's Bad Fur Day]]'', ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Doom 64]]'', ''[[BMX XXX]]'', the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series, ''[[Killer7]]'', the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series, ''[[Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', ''[[BloodRayne]]'', ''[[Geist (video game)|Geist]]'' and ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]''. Certain games have continued to be modified, however. For example, [[Konami]] was forced to remove all references to cigarettes in the 2000 [[Game Boy Color]] game ''[[Metal Gear Solid (Game Boy)|Metal Gear Solid]]'' (although the previous NES version of ''[[Metal Gear]]'' and the subsequent GameCube game ''[[Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes]]'' both included such references, as did Wii title ''[[MadWorld]]''), and maiming and blood were removed from the Nintendo 64 [[Porting|port]] of ''[[Cruis'n USA]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060333p1.html | title=IGN: Nintendo to censor Cruis'n | date=1996-10-08 | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> Another example is in the Game Boy Advance game ''[[Mega Man Zero 3]]'', in which one of the bosses, called Hellbat Schilt in the Japanese and European releases, was renamed Devilbat Schilt in the North American [[Internationalization and localization|localization]]. In North America releases of the ''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' games, enemies and bosses killed with a saber attack would not gush blood as they did in the Japanese versions. However, the release of the Wii has been accompanied by a number of even more controversial mature titles, such as ''[[Manhunt 2]]'', ''[[No More Heroes (video game)|No More Heroes]]'', ''[[The House of the Dead: Overkill]]'' and ''[[MadWorld]]'', the latter three of which are published exclusively for the console. The Nintendo DS also has violent games, such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]'', ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]'' and its [[Dementium II|sequel]], ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat]]'', and ''[[Resident Evil: Deadly Silence]]''.

=== License guidelines ===
Nintendo of America also had guidelines before 1993 that had to be followed by its licensees to make games for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], in addition to the above content guidelines.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> Guidelines were enforced through the [[10NES]] lockout chip.

* Licensees were not permitted to release the same game for a competing console until two years had passed.
* Nintendo would decide how many cartridges would be supplied to the licensee.
* Nintendo would decide how much space would be dedicated for articles, advertising, etc. in the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' magazine.
* There was a minimum number of cartridges that had to be ordered by the licensee from Nintendo.
* There was a yearly limit of five games that a licensee may produce for a Nintendo console.<ref>D. Sheff: "Game Over", p. 215. CyberActive Media Group, 1999.</ref> This rule was created to prevent market over-saturation, which had contributed to the [[North American video game crash of 1983]].

The last rule was circumvented in a number of ways; for example, Konami, wanting to produce more games for Nintendo's consoles, formed [[Ultra Games]] and later [[Ultra Games|Palcom]] to produce more games as a technically different publisher.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> This disadvantaged smaller or emerging companies, as they could not afford to start additional companies. In another side effect, [[Square (company)|Square Co.]] (now [[Square Enix]]) executives have suggested that the price of publishing games on the [[Nintendo 64]] along with the degree of censorship and control that Nintendo enforced over its games, most notably ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', were factors in switching its focus towards [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]]'s [[PlayStation]] console.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}

In 1993, a [[class action]] suit was taken against Nintendo under allegations that their lockout chip enabled [[unfair business practices]]. The case was settled, with the condition that California consumers were entitled to a $3 discount coupon for a game of Nintendo's choice.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=Nintendo May Owe You $3|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=55|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=February 1994|page=187}}</ref>

=== Emulation ===
{{expand section|date=October 2014}}
Nintendo is opposed to any third-party [[Video game console emulator|emulation]] of its video games and consoles, stating that it is the single largest threat to the [[intellectual property]] rights of video game developers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#roms | title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.) | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> However, emulators have been used by Nintendo and licensed third party companies as a means to re-release older games (through the [[Virtual Console]]). Nintendo remains the only modern console manufacturer that has not sued an emulator developer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emulationnation.com/nintendo/ |title=Nintendo |publisher=Emulationnation.com |date=1989-07-31 |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref>

=== Seal of Quality {{anchor|officialseal}} ===
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| header = The Nintendo Seal of Quality
| width = 170

| image1 = Nintendo Official Seal.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Official Nintendo Seal in [[NTSC]] regions.

| image2 = Nintendo seal of quality.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Nintendo's Official Seal of Quality in [[PAL]] regions.
}}

The gold sunburst seal was first used by [[#Offices and locations|Nintendo of America]], and later Nintendo of Europe. It is displayed on any game, system, or accessory licensed for use on one of its [[video game console]]s, denoting the game has been properly approved by Nintendo. The seal is also displayed on any Nintendo-licensed merchandise, such as trading cards, game guides, or apparel, albeit with the words "Official Nintendo Licensed Product".<ref name="Seal">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/licensed.jsp |title=Customer Service | Licensed and Unlicensed Products |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref>

[[Sid Meier]] in 2008 cited the Seal of Quality as one of the three most important innovations in videogame history, as it helped set a standard for game quality that protected consumers from [[shovelware]].<ref name="arendt20080304">{{cite news | url=http://www.wired.com/2008/03/sid-meier-names/ | title=Civilization Creator Lists Three Most Important Innovations in Gaming | work=Wired | date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=July 7, 2014 | author=Arendt, Susan}}</ref>

==== NTSC regions ====
In [[NTSC]] regions, this seal is an elliptical starburst titled "Official Nintendo Seal." Originally, for NTSC countries, the seal was a large, black and gold circular starburst. The seal read as follows: "This seal is your assurance that NINTENDO has approved and guaranteed the quality of this product." This seal was later altered in 1988: "approved and guaranteed" was changed to "evaluated and approved." In 1989, the seal became gold and white, as it currently appears, with a shortened phrase, "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality." It was changed in 2003 to read "Official Nintendo Seal."<ref name="Seal" />

The seal currently reads:<ref name=3DS-XL-manual>{{cite document|title=Nintendo 3DS XL Operations Manual|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/SPR_EN_NA.pdf|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=September 2, 2012}}</ref>
{{quote | The official seal is your assurance that this product is licensed or manufactured by Nintendo. Always look for this seal when buying video game systems, accessories, games and related products.}}

==== PAL regions ====
In [[PAL]] regions, the seal is a circular starburst titled, "Original Nintendo Seal of Quality." Text near the seal in the [[Australians|Australian]] [[Wii]] manual states:

{{quote | This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has reviewed this product and that it has met our standards for excellence in workmanship, reliability and entertainment value. Always look for this seal when buying games and accessories to ensure complete compatibility with your Nintendo product.<ref>{{cite document | url=http://www.nintendo.com.au/support/files/Wii_Manuals/WiiMotionPlusOperationsManual.pdf | title=Wii MotionPlus Operations Manual | publisher=Nintendo | date=2009 | accessdate=10 Mar 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Environmental record ===
Nintendo has consistently been ranked last in [[Greenpeace]]'s "Guide to Greener Electronics" due to Nintendo's failure to publish information.<ref>{{cite web|title=Greenpeace Still Says Nintendo Is Bad For the Environment|url=http://kotaku.com/5549072/greenpeace-still-says-nintendo-is-bad-for-the-environment/|publisher=Kokaku|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|date=May 27, 2010|accessdate=December 25, 2012}}</ref> Similarly, they are ranked last in the [[Enough Project]]'s "Conflict Minerals Company Rankings" due to Nintendo's refusal to respond to multiple requests for information.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings|url=http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings|publisher=Enough Project|accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

Like many other electronics companies, Nintendo does offer a take-back [[recycling]] program which allows customers to mail in old products they no longer use; Nintendo of America claimed that it took in 548 tons of returned products in 2011, 98% of which was either reused or recycled.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Product Recycling and Take Back Program|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/recycle.jsp|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=April 19, 2013}}</ref>



== See also ==
* [[List of divisions of Nintendo]]
* [[List of Nintendo development teams]]
* [[List of products published by Nintendo]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo characters]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo games]]
* [[Nintendo Selects]], formerly Player's Choice
* [[Nintendo World Store]]
* ''[[Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.]]''
* ''[[Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.]]''

== Notes ==
{{reflist|60em|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFKent2001 |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |authorlink=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |location=Roseville, California |isbn=0-7615-3643-4 | oclc=47254175 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover}}
* {{cite book |last=Sloan |first=Daniel |title=Playing to Wiin: Nintendo and the Video Game Industry's Greatest Comeback |year=2011 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-82512-9 | oclc=707935885 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=utONPpgEWDUC&printsec=frontcover}}
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="FY 2014 financial results">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2014/140507e.pdf |title=Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2013 and 2014 |format=PDF |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |date=2014-05-07|accessdate=2014-05-25}}</ref>
<ref name="num_employees">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html |script-title=ja:会社概要|trans_title=Company Profile|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. | accessdate=2012-07-14}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Nintendo}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website}} (country selector)
* [http://www.nintendopower.com/ ''Nintendo Power''] (discontinued in December 2012)
* [http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/ ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' (UK)]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/nintendo/ Nintendo in Depth Archive] by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''



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[[Category:Companies listed on the Pink Sheets]]
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Nintendo

2015-09-14T14:36:50Z

Dorsal Axe: Update to reflect management changes.

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
<noinclude>{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}</noinclude>{{about|the Nintendo corporation|the third-generation video game console from the company|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nintendo Co., Ltd.
| logo = File:Nintendo.svg
| logo_caption = Nintendo's logo, which dates back to the 1970s. The current gray color was adopted in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/202585/nintendo-switched-logos-two-years-ago/|title=Nintendo News:Nintendo switched logos "two years" ago|publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames.com|accessdate=2010-06-01}}</ref>
| image = Nintendo office.jpg
| image_caption = The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
| trading_name = 
| native_name = 任天堂株式会社
| native_name_lang = "jp"
| romanized_name = Nintendō Kabushiki gaisha
| former_name = {{plainlist|
* Nintendo Koppai
* Nintendo Playing Card Co.
}}
| former type =
| type = [[Kabushiki gaisha]]
| traded_as = {{Tyo|7974}}
| industry = {{flatlist|
* [[Video game industry|Video games]]
* [[Interactive entertainment]]
* [[Consumer electronics]]
}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]] ({{Start date and age|1889|09|23|}})<ref name="history NOJ"/>
| founder = [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]
| defunct = 
| location_city = Kyoto
| location_country = Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/distributors_international.jsp|title=International Distributors - Company List|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2008-11-17}}</ref>
| locations = [[Nintendo World Store|1 store]] (as of 2015)
|coordinates={{Coord|34.969739|135.756209|display=inline,title}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list||[[Tatsumi Kimishima]] (President)|[[Genyo Takeda]] (Technology Fellow)|[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (Creative Fellow)|[[Reggie Fils-Aimé]] (NOA President)|Satoru Shibata (NOE President)}}
| products = {{plainlist|
* [[#Products|List of Nintendo consoles]]
* [[Template:Nintendo franchises|List of Nintendo franchises]]
}}
| brands =
| production = {{unbulleted list|'''Hardware:'''|{{decrease}} 16.30 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 23.73 million (2013)|'''Software:'''|{{decrease}} 123.20 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 147.02 million (2013)}}
| services = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Network]]
* [[Nintendo eShop]]
* [[Nintendo TVii]]
* [[Miiverse]]
}}
| revenue = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|571.726 billion|link=yes}} (2014)|{{decrease}} {{yen|635.422 billion}} (2013)}}
| operating_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-46.425 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|-36.410 billion}} (2013)}}
| net_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-23.222 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|7.099 billion}} (2013)}}
| assets = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.306 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.448 trillion}} (2013)}}
| equity = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.118 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.228 trillion}} (2013)}}
| market_cap = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.491 trillion}} (1/1/2015)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.794 trillion}} (1/1/2014)<ref name="marketcap">{{cite web |url=http://marketcapitalizations.com/historical-data/historical-market-caps-of-the-largest-japanese-companies/ |title=Historical market caps of the largest Japanese companies |accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref>}}
| owner =
| num_employees = {{unbulleted list|{{increase}} 5,213 (2014)|{{increase}} 5,080 (2013)}}
| parent =
| divisions = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|EAD]]
* [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|IRD]]
* [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development|SPD]]
* [[Nintendo System Development|SDD]]
}}
| subsid = {{flatlist|
* [[1-UP Studio]]
* [[iQue]]
* [[Monolith Soft]]
* [[Nd Cube]]
* [[Nintendo European Research & Development|NERD]]
* [[Nintendo Network Service Database|NSD]]
* [[Nintendo Software Technology|NTS]]
* [[Nintendo Technology Development|NTD]]
* [[Retro Studios]]
* [[HAL Laboratory|Warpstar]]
}}
| homepage = {{Official website|www.nintendo.com|Nintendo.com}}
| footnotes =<ref name="consolidatedsales"/><ref name="consolidatedsales 2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2013-04-27 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20130526130209/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf |archivedate=May 26, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="FY 2014 financial results"/><ref name="num_employees"/>
| intl = yes
| bodystyle =
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Nintendo Co., Ltd.'''|任天堂株式会社|Nintendō [[Kabushiki gaisha]]|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[multinational corporation|multinational]] consumer electronics company headquartered in [[Kyoto]], Japan. Nintendo is the world's largest [[List of video game companies|video game company]] by revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130116053515/http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archivedate=2013-01-16|title=Gaming company Top 25|year=2011|publisher=Softwaretop100.org|accessdate=November 12, 2011}}</ref> Founded on September 23, 1889,<ref name="history NOJ">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|language=Japanese|accessdate=2006-07-29}}</ref> by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]], it originally produced handmade [[hanafuda]] [[playing card]]s.<ref name="history NOA">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2006-06-04}}</ref> By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as cab services and [[love hotel]]s.<ref name="history N-Sider">{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=45|title=Nintendo History Lesson: The Lucky Birth|publisher=N-Sider|accessdate= 2006-06-04}}</ref>

Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s, Nintendo then developed into a [[video game]] company in the 1970s, ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the [[Video game industry|industry]] and Japan's third most valuable listed company with a market value of over $85 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUST30751820071015 |title=Nintendo sets $85 bln high score, thanks to Wii, Nintendo DS |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-10-15 |accessdate=2011-05-25 |first=Kiyoshi |last=Takenaka}}</ref> Nintendo of America is also the majority owner of the [[Seattle Mariners]] [[Major League Baseball]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.nintendolife.com/companies/nintendo|title=Nintendo - Company Profile|publisher=nintendolife|accessdate=2010-07-12}}</ref>

The word "Nintendo" can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |title=Nintendo Corporation, Limited |accessdate=2011-02-22 |format=doc |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20120722181708/http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc |archivedate=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports historically cumulative sales of over 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units.<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{cite document |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1403.pdf|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2014-05-07 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015 Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. He is succeeded by [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], who has previously served as president of Nintendo of America and managing director for Nintendo Co., Ltd.

{{TOC level|3}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Nintendo}}


=== 1889–1956: As a card company ===
[[File:Nintendo former headquarter plate Kyoto.jpg|thumb|left|Former headquarters plate, from when Nintendo was solely a playing card company]]
Nintendo was founded as a card company in late 1889, later (1951) named ''Nintendo Koppai'' (Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.), by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]. Based in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]], the business produced and marketed a [[playing card]] game called [[Hanafuda]]. The handmade cards soon became popular, and Yamauchi hired assistants to mass-produce cards to satisfy demand. Nintendo now continues to manufacture playing cards in Japan<ref name="nintendo's card game product">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n09/index.html|title=Nintendo's card game product|publisher= nintendo |accessdate=2009}}</ref> and organizes its own [[contract bridge]] tournament called the "Nintendo Cup".<ref name="List of japan contract bridge league tournaments ">{{cite web|url=http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080624174252/http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archivedate=2008-06-24|title=List of Japan contract bridge league tournaments|publisher= jcbl|language=japanese|accessdate=2010}}</ref>

=== 1956–1974: New ventures ===
[[File:Nintendo love tester.jpg|thumb|The [[Love Tester]], one of Nintendo's experimental toys.]]

In 1956, [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], grandson of Fusajiro Yamauchi, visited the U.S. to talk with the [[United States Playing Card Company]], the dominant playing card manufacturer there. He found that the biggest playing card company in the world was using only a small office. Yamauchi's realization that the playing card business had limited potential was a turning point. He then acquired the license to use Disney characters on playing cards to drive sales.

In 1963, Yamauchi renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd. to Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref name="Nintendo History">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQB0bQ5E |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=Nintendo History |publisher=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |accessdate=May 27, 2014}}</ref> The company then began to experiment in other areas of business using newly injected capital during the period of time between 1963 and 1968. Nintendo set up a [[Taxicab|taxi]] company called ''Daiya''. This business was earlier successful however Nintendo was forced to sell it because problems with the labour unions were making it too expensive to run the service. It also set up a [[love hotel]] chain, a TV network, a food company (selling [[instant rice]]) and several other ventures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/as-nintendo-turns-125-6-things-you-may-not-know-about-this-gaming-giant-596606|title= As Nintendo turns 125, 6 things you may not know about this gaming giant|work= NDTV Gadgets|publisher= [[NDTV]]|accessdate= September 23, 2014|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> All of these ventures eventually failed, and after the 1964 [[1964 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]], playing card sales dropped, and Nintendo's stock price plummeted to its lowest recorded level of [[Japanese yen|¥]]60.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S7dvvs_0nIC&pg=PT44&lpg=PT44&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics+%C2%A560&source=bl&ots=gL5e-EKI3B&sig=KU5h8uYnEkGQaBVlLphXMgQOV_k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XhlOVdLwJseTuQTBsoC4CA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics%20%C2%A560&f=false|title=Freelancers!|work=google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M-pGHGDm5a4C&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics&source=bl&ots=NVZO2rCRsf&sig=5s8CmPDhn5F73nkdm9II6329omI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hhOVZnfIZSQuASixIDYCA&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics&f=false|title=The Story of Nintendo|work=google.com}}</ref>

In 1966, Nintendo moved into the Japanese toy industry with the [[Ultra Hand]], an extendable arm developed by its maintenance engineer [[Gunpei Yokoi]] in his free time. Yokoi was moved from maintenance to the new "Nintendo Games" department as a product developer. Nintendo continued to produce popular toys, including the [[Ultra Machine]], [[Love Tester]] and the ''Kousenjuu'' series of [[light gun]] games. Despite some successful products, Nintendo struggled to meet the fast development and manufacturing turnaround required in the toy market, and fell behind the well-established companies such as [[Bandai]] and [[Tomy]].

In 1973, its focus shifted to family entertainment venues with the [[Laser Clay Shooting System]], using the same light gun technology used in Nintendo's ''Kousenjuu'' series of toys, and set up in abandoned bowling alleys. Following some success, Nintendo developed several more light gun machines (such as the [[light gun shooter]] game ''[[Wild Gunman]]'') for the emerging arcade scene. While the Laser Clay Shooting System ranges had to be shut down following excessive costs, Nintendo had found a new market.

=== 1974–1978: Early electronic era ===
Nintendo's first venture into the video gaming industry was securing rights to distribute the [[Magnavox Odyssey]] [[video game console]] in Japan in 1974. Nintendo began to produce its own hardware in 1977, with the [[Color TV-Game]] home video game consoles. Four versions of these consoles were produced, each including variations of a single game (for example, Color TV Game 6 featured six versions of ''Light Tennis'').

A student product developer named [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] was hired by Nintendo at this time.<ref name="SM_CBS">{{cite news|title=Famous Names in Gaming|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130511085030/http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archivedate=2013-05-11|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=|accessdate=2010-06-13}}</ref> He worked for Yokoi, and one of his first tasks was to design the casing for several of the Color TV Game consoles. Miyamoto went on to create, direct and produce some of Nintendo's most famous video games and become one of the most recognizable figures in the video game industry.<ref name="SM_CBS"/>

In 1975, Nintendo moved into the video [[arcade game]] industry with ''[[EVR Race]]'', designed by their first game designer, [[Genyo Takeda]],<ref name="Iwata Asks-Punch Out!!">{{cite web|url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20090810124557/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archivedate=2009-08-10|title=Iwata Asks-Punch-Out!!|publisher= Nintendo|accessdate=2009-07-07}}</ref> and several more titles followed. Nintendo had some small success with this venture, but the release of ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' in 1981, designed by Miyamoto, changed Nintendo's fortunes dramatically. The success of the game and many licensing opportunities (such as ports on the [[Atari 2600]], [[Intellivision]] and [[ColecoVision]]) gave Nintendo a huge boost in profit and in addition, the game also introduced an early iteration of [[Mario]], known then as Jumpman, the eventual company [[mascot]].

=== 1979–2003: Success with video games ===
[[File:Game & Watch.png|thumb|The ''[[Game & Watch]]'' series was Nintendo's first worldwide success in [[video game console]]s.]]


In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi conceived the idea of a [[handheld video game]], while observing a fellow bullet train commuter who passed the time by interacting idly with a portable LCD calculator, which gave birth to ''[[Game & Watch]]''.<ref name="Searching for Gunpei">{{cite web | first=Lara | last=Crigger |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_87/490-Searching-for-Gunpei-Yokoi | title=The Escapist: Searching for Gunpei Yokoi | date=March 6, 2007 | magazine=The Escapist | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref> In 1980, Nintendo launched ''Game & Watch''—a [[handheld video game]] series developed by Yokoi. These systems do not contain interchangeable cartridges and thus the hardware was tied to the game. The first Game & Watch game released, titled ''Ball'', was distributed worldwide. The modern "cross" [[D-pad]] design was developed in 1982, by Yokoi for a ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' version. Proven to be popular, the design was patented by Nintendo. It later earned a [[Technology & Engineering Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |title=Nintendo Wins Emmy For DS And Wii Engineering | Technology | Sky News |publisher=News.sky.com |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2010-08-30 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20111227002549/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |archivedate=December 27, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Magrino |first=Tom |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184421.html |title=CES '08: Nintendo wins second Emmy - News at GameSpot |publisher=Gamespot.com |date=2008-01-08 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}</ref>


In 1983, Nintendo launched the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]] (colloquialized as "Famicom") home [[video game console]] in Japan, alongside ports of its most popular arcade titles. In 1985, a cosmetically reworked version of the system known outside of Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, launched in North America. The practice of bundling the system along with select games helped to make ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games in history]].<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp">Nagata, Kazuaki, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/03/10/news/nintendo-secret-its-all-in-the-game/ Nintendo secret: It's all in the game]", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', March 10, 2009, p. 3.</ref>


In 1988, Gunpei Yokoi and his team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] conceived the new [[Game Boy]] handheld system, with the purpose of merging the two very successful ideas of the Game & Watch's portability along with the NES's cartridge interchangeability. Nintendo released the Game Boy in Japan on April 21, 1989, and in North America on July 31, 1989. Nintendo of America president [[Minoru Arakawa]] managed a deal to bundle the popular third party game ''[[Tetris]]'' along with the Game Boy, and the pair launched as an instant success.


In 1989, Nintendo announced plans to release the successor to the Famicom, the [[Super Famicom]]. Based on a [[16-bit]] [[CPU|processor]], Nintendo boasted significantly superior hardware specifications of graphics, sound, and game speed over the original 8-bit Famicom. The system was also said to have backwards compatibility with Famicom games, though this feature was ultimately cut upon release. The Super Famicom was finally released relatively late to the market in Japan on November 21, 1990, and released as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (abbreviated to SNES or Super Nintendo) in North America on August 23, 1991 and in Europe in 1992. Its main rival was the 16-bit [[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive]], known in North America as Sega Genesis, which had been advertised aggressively against the nascent 8-bit NES. A [[Console wars|console war]] between Sega and Nintendo ensued during the early 1990s.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 431. "''Sonic'' was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for Super NES to arrive now decided to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the [[history of video games]] was about to begin."</ref> From 1990 to 1992, Nintendo opened ''World of Nintendo'' shops in the United States where consumers could test and buy Nintendo products.


In August 1993, Nintendo announced the SNES's successor, code-named ''Project Reality''. Featuring [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|64-bit graphics]], the new system was developed as a joint venture between Nintendo and North-American-based technology company [[Silicon Graphics]]. The system was announced to be released by the end of 1995, but was subsequently delayed. Meanwhile, Nintendo continued the Nintendo Entertainment System family with the release of the [[NES-101]], a smaller redesign of the original NES. Nintendo also announced a [[Compact disc|CD]] drive peripheral called the [[SNES-CD]], which was co-developed first by [[Sony]] with the name "Play Station" and then by [[Philips]]. Bearing prototypes and joint announcements at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]], it was on track for a 1994 release, but was controversially cancelled.


During 1995, Nintendo announced that it had sold one billion game cartridges worldwide,<ref>{{cite journal|last= |first= |title=Tidbits... |journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=78|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=January 1996|page=24}}</ref> one tenth of it being from the [[Mario franchise]].{{cn|date=June 2015}} Nintendo deemed 1994 the "Year of the Cartridge". To further their support for cartridges, Nintendo announced that Project Reality, which had now been renamed the Ultra 64, would not use a CD format as expected, but would rather use cartridges as its primary media format. [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Nintendo IRD]] general manager [[Genyo Takeda]] was impressed by video game development company [[Rare Ltd.]]'s progress with real-time 3D graphics technology, using state of the art [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations. As a result, Nintendo bought a 25% stake in the company, eventually expanding to 49%, and offered their catalogue of characters to create a CGI game around, making Rare a Nintendo's first western-based [[Video game development party#Second-party developer|second-party developer]].<ref name="Rare history">{{cite web|accessdate=2012-05-17 |url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |title=IGN Presents the History of Rare |publisher=IGN |date=2008-07-29 |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080805122442/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |archivedate=2008-08-05 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Their first game as partners with Nintendo was ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. The game was a critical success and sold over eight million copies worldwide, making it the second [[List of best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System video games|best-selling game in the SNES library]].<ref name="Rare history"/> In September 1994, Nintendo, along with six other video game giants including Sega, [[Electronic Arts]], Atari, [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]], Philips, and [[3DO Company|3DO]] approached the [[United States Senate]] and demanded a ratings system for video games to be enforced, with prompted the decision to create the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]].


Aiming to produce an affordable [[virtual reality]] console, Nintendo released the [[Virtual Boy]] in 1995, designed by Gunpei Yokoi. The console consists of a head-mounted semi-portable system with one red-colored screen for each of the user's eyes, featuring [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic graphics]]. Games are viewed through a binocular eyepiece and controlled using an affixed gamepad. Critics were generally disappointed with the quality of the games and the red-colored graphics, and complained of gameplay-induced headaches.<ref name="WaPo">Frischling, Bill. "Sideline Play." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 11. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877–1995). October 25, 1995. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> The system sold poorly and was quietly discontinued.<ref name="Boyer">Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> Amid the system's failure, Yokoi retired from Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time|accessdate= 2010-06-12|first=Blake|last=Snow|publisher=[[GamePro]]|date=2007-05-04|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607134204/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|archivedate=2011-06-07}}</ref> During the same year, Nintendo launched the [[Satellaview]] in Japan, a peripheral for the Super Famicom. The accessory allowed users to play video games via broadcast for a set period of time. Various games were made exclusively for the platform, as well as various [[remake (software)|remakes]].


In 1996, Nintendo released the Ultra 64 as the [[Nintendo 64]] in Japan and North America. The console was later released in Europe and Australia in 1997. Despite the limitations set by using cartridges, the technical specifications of the Nintendo 64 surpassed its competitors. With its market shares slipping to the [[Sega Saturn]] and partner-turned-rival [[Sony]] [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], Nintendo revitalized its brand by launching a $185 million marketing campaign centered around the "Play it Loud" slogan.<ref>Miller, Cyndee. "Sega Vs. Nintendo: This Fights almost as Rough as their Video Games." Marketing News 28.18 (1994): 1-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> During the same year, Nintendo also released the [[Game Boy Pocket]] in Japan, a smaller version of the Game Boy that generated more sales for the platform. On October 4, 1996, famed Nintendo developer Gunpei Yokoi died in a car crash. In 1997, Nintendo released the [[SNS-101]] (called Super Famicom Jr. in Japan), a smaller redesigned version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


In 1998, the successor to the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color, was released. The system had improved technical specifications allowing it to run games made specifically for the system as well as games released for the Game Boy, albeit with added color. The [[Game Boy Camera]] and [[Game Boy Printer|Printer]] were also released as accessories. In October 1998, Retro Studios was founded as an alliance between Nintendo and former [[Iguana Entertainment]] founder [[Jeff Spangenberg]]. Nintendo saw an opportunity for the new studio to create games for the upcoming [[GameCube]] targeting an older demographic, in the same vein as Iguana Entertainment's successful ''[[Turok: Dinosaur Hunter|Turok]]'' series for the Nintendo 64.<ref name=nsiderhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=423&page=1|title=History of Retro Studios|last=Wade|first=Kenneth Kyle|publisher=N-sider|date=December 17, 2004 |accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>

In 2001, just three years later, Nintendo introduced the redesigned Game Boy Advance. The same year, Nintendo also released the [[GameCube]] to lukewarm sales, and it ultimately failed to regain the market share lost by the Nintendo 64. When Yamauchi, the company's president since 1949, retired on May 24, 2002,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=May 24, 2002|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Yamauchi Retires|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/24/yamauchi-retires}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Lucas M.|last=Thomas|publisher=IGN|date=May 24, 2012|accessdate=July 19, 2015|title=Hiroshi Yamauchi: Nintendo's Legendary President|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/25/hiroshi-yamauchi-nintendos-legendary-president}}</ref> [[Satoru Iwata]] succeeded as Nintendo's fourth president, becoming the first Nintendo president who was unrelated to the Yamauchi family through blood or marriage since its founding in 1889.<ref name="ap">{{Cite web | url = http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2015-07-12-AS--Japan-Obit-Nintendo%20President/id-62869fddfd054d72b98981cf64a6cfab | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies of Tumor | first = Yuri | last = Kageyama | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | publisher = [[Associated Press]] |location=Tokyo, Japan|archivedate=August 1, 2015|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6aRru22RK}}</ref><Ref name="nytimes">{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/business/satoru-iwata-nintendo-chief-executive-dies-at-55.html | title = Satoru Iwata, Nintendo Chief Executive, Dies at 55 | first= Liam | last = Stack | date = July 13, 2015| accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work =[[New York Times]] }}</ref>

In 2003, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Advance SP]], its fourth handheld system.

=== 2004–2011: Nintendo DS and Wii ===
In 2004, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS]], its fourth major handheld system. The DS is a dual screened handheld featuring [[touch screen]] capabilities, which respond to either a stylus or the touch of a finger. Former Nintendo president and now chairman [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] was translated by GameScience as explaining, "If we can increase the scope of the industry, we can re-energise the global market and lift Japan out of depression - that is Nintendo's mission." Regarding lukewarm GameCube sales which had yielded the company's first reported operating loss in over 100 years, Yamauchi continued: "The DS represents a critical moment for Nintendo's success over the next two years. If it succeeds, we rise to the heavens, if it fails, we sink into hell."<ref name="Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata">{{cite web | title=Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata | publisher=GameScience | url=http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127211555/http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | archivedate=January 27, 2006 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS">{{cite web | title=Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS | url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/9256/iwata-yamauchi-speak-out-on-nintendo-ds | date=February 13, 2004 | first=Jonathan | last=Metts | publisher=Nintendo Worldwide Report | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DS history">{{cite web|last=Constantine|first=John|title=Rise to Heaven: Five Years of Nintendo DS|url=http://www.1up.com/features/years-nintendo-ds.html|publisher=1UP.com|accessdate=May 27, 2014|quote="If the DS succeeds, we will rise to heaven, but if it fails we will sink to hell." — Hiroshi Yamauchi}}</ref> Thanks to titles such as [[Nintendogs]] and [[Mario Kart DS]], the DS became a success. In 2005, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Micro]] in North America, a redesign of the Game Boy Advance. The last system in the [[Game Boy line]], it was also the smallest Game Boy, and the least successful. In the middle of 2005, Nintendo opened the [[Nintendo World Store]] in [[New York City]], which would sell Nintendo games, present a museum of Nintendo history, and host public parties such as for product launches.

[[File:Wii Remote Image.jpg|thumb|The [[Wii Remote]], along with the [[Wii]], was said to be revolutionary because of its motion detection capabilities.]]

In the first half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS Lite]], a version of the original Nintendo DS with lighter weight, brighter screen, and better battery life. In addition to this streamlined design, its prolific subset of [[casual game]]s appealed to the masses, such as the [[Brain Age (series)|Brain Age]] series. Meanwhile, [[New Super Mario Bros.]] provided a substantial addition to the [[Super Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] when it was launched to the top of sales charts. The successful direction of the Nintendo DS had a big influence on Nintendo's next home console, which had been code named "Revolution" and was now renamed to "[[Wii]]".

In the latter half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Wii]] as the backwards-compatible successor to the GameCube. Based upon intricate [[Wii Remote]] motion controls and a [[Wii Balance Board|balance board]], the Wii inspired several new game franchises, some targeted at entirely new market segments of casual and fitness gaming. At over 100 million units, the Wii is the best selling console of the seventh generation, regaining the market share lost during the tenures of the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube.


On May 1, 2007, Nintendo acquired an 80% stake on video game development company [[Monolith Soft]], previously owned by [[Bandai Namco]]. Monolith Soft is best known for developing [[role-playing game]]s such as the [[Xenosaga]] and [[Baten Kaitos series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|title=XENOSAGA DEVELOPER SWITCHES SIDES|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/04/27/xenosaga-developer-switches-sides|publisher=IGN|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

During the holiday season of 2008, Nintendo followed up the success of the DS Lite with the release of the [[Nintendo DSi]] in Japan. The system features two cameras, one facing towards the player and one facing outwards, and had an [[online distribution]] store called [[DSiWare]]. The DSi was later released worldwide during 2009. In the latter half of 2009, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DSi XL]] in Japan, a larger version of the DSi. This updated system was later released worldwide in 2010.

=== 2011–present: Nintendo 3DS and Wii U ===
In 2011, Nintendo greatly expanded the DS legacy by releasing the [[Nintendo 3DS]], based upon a [[autostereoscopic|glasses-free]] 3D display.

In February 2012, Nintendo acquired [[Mobiclip]], a [[France]]-based research and development company specialized in highly optimized software technologies such as video compression. The company's name was later changed to Nintendo European Research & Development.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fletcher|title=Nintendo acquires video research/middleware company Mobiclip|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-acquires-video-research-middleware-company-mobiclip/|publisher=Joystiq|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref> During the fourth quarter of 2012, Nintendo released the [[Wii U]]. It sold slower than expected,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/slow-wii-u-sales-send-nintendo-shares-into-a-downward-spiral/|title=Slow Wii U sales send Nintendo shares into a downward spiral|accessdate=2014-04-07|date=2014-01-19|archiveurl=}}</ref> despite being the first eighth generation console. By September 2013, however, sales had rebounded.{{Clarify|date=May 2014}} Intending to broaden the 3DS market, Nintendo released 2013's cost-reduced [[Nintendo 2DS]]. The 2DS is compatible with but lacks the 3DS's more expensive but cosmetic [[autostereoscopy|autostereoscopic]] 3D feature. Nintendo also released the [[Wii Mini]], a cheaper and non-networked redesign of the Wii.

On September 25, 2013, Nintendo announced it had purchased a 28% stake in a [[Panasonic]] spin-off company called PUX Corporation. The company specializes in face and voice recognition technology, with which Nintendo intends to improve the usability of future game systems. Nintendo has also worked with this company in the past to create character recognition software for a Nintendo DS touchscreen.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:パナソニック・任天堂、ゲーム機操作法を共同開発|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD250K5_V20C13A9TJ1000/|publisher=Nikkei|accessdate=May 25, 2014|language=Japanese}}</ref> After announcing a 30% dive in profits for the April to December 2013 period, President [[Satoru Iwata]] announced he would take a 50% pay-cut, with other executives seeing reductions by 20%-30%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25941070|title=Nintendo executives take pay cuts after profits tumble|accessdate=May 31, 2014|date=January 29, 2014|archiveurl=}}</ref> During a May 7, 2014, investors' meeting, Nintendo confirmed that it had spent over $150 million on an acquisition of an unspecified, non-Japanese, non-gaming, technology company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gibson|first=David|title=Twitter / gibbogame|url=https://twitter.com/gibbogame/status/464547992008417282|publisher=David Gibson|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

=== Future: Mobile, and the Nintendo NX {{anchor|Nintendo NX}} ===
In January 2015, Nintendo announced its exit from the Brazilian market after four years of distributing products in the country. Nintendo cited high import [[Duty (economics)|duties]] and lack of local manufacturing operation as reasons for leaving. Nintendo continues its partnership with Juegos de Video Latinoamérica to distribute products to the rest of [[Latin America]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nutt|first1=Christian|title=Nintendo exits the Brazilian market, citing high import duties|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/233909/Nintendo_exits_the_Brazilian_market_citing_high_import_duties.php|website=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=[[UBM plc]]|accessdate=January 11, 2015|date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2015, Nintendo announced that it would team up with Japanese mobile company [[DeNA]] to produce games for [[smart device]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Russell|first1=Jon|title=Nintendo Partners With DeNA To Bring Its Games And IP To Smartphones|url=http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/nintendo-partners-with-dena-to-brings-its-games-and-ip-to-smartphones/|website=TechCrunch|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> On the same day, Nintendo announced a new "dedicated games platform with a brand new concept" under the codename "NX" that would be further revealed in 2016.<ref name=CnetNX>{{cite web|last1=Westaway|first1=Luke|title=Nintendo will make games for phones, new 'NX' system|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/mario-set-for-smartphones-as-nintendo-forges-new-mobile-deal/|website=CNet|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> In May 2015, [[Universal Parks and Resorts]] announced that it was teaming up with Nintendo to create attractions at Universal Parks based upon Nintendo properties.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kohler|first1=Chris|title=Nintendo, Universal Team Up For Theme Park Attractions|url=http://www.wired.com/2015/05/nintendo-turns-profit/|website=Wired|accessdate=8 May 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015, Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. Following his death, representative directors Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto jointly helmed the company on an interim basis until the appointment of [[Tatsumi Kimishima]] as Iwata's successor on September 16, 2015.<ref name= "Bloomberg">{{cite web|url= http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-12/nintendo-says-president-satoru-iwata-died-from-bile-duct-cancer|title= Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President Who Introduced Wii, Dies|author= Takashi Amano|work= [[Bloomberg News]]|publisher= [[Bloomberg L.P.]]|date= July 12, 2015|accessdate= July 14, 2015}}</ref> In addition to Kimishima's appointment, the company's management organisation was also restructured with Miyamoto taking on the role of "Creative Fellow", and Takeda the role of "Technology Fellow".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150914e.pdf|title=Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate= September 14, 2015|date= September 14, 2015}}</ref>

== Products ==


=== Home consoles ===

==== Nintendo Entertainment System ====
{{main|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
[[File:Nes-console-with-controller.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo's first major success in the home console market.]]

The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as '''NES''') is an [[8-bit]] video game console, which released in North America in 1985, and in Europe throughout 1986 and 1987. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] as the '''Family Computer''' (abbreviated as '''Famicom''') in 1983. The [[List of million-selling game consoles|best-selling gaming console]] of its time,<ref name="dominate">{{cite book |title=Game Over |last=Sheff |first=David |authorlink=David Sheff |year=1993 |publisher=Random House |location=New York |isbn=0-679-40469-4 |page=349}}</ref>{{cref|e}} the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the [[North American video game crash of 1983|video game crash of 1983]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Consalvo |first=Mia |year=2006 |title=Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture |journal=New Media Society |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=117–137 |doi=10.1177/1461444806059921 |format=PDF}}{{subscription required}}</ref> With the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard [[business model]] of licensing [[Video game developer|third-party developers]], authorizing them to produce and distribute titles for Nintendo's platform.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sanchez-Crespo |first=Daniel |title=Core Techniques and Algorithms in Game Programming|accessdate=2007-10-24|date=2003-09-08|publisher=New Riders Games|isbn=0-13-102009-9|page=14}}</ref> The NES was bundled with ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games of all time]], and received ports of Nintendo's most popular arcade titles.<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp"/> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 61.91 million NES hardware units and 500.01 million NES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Super NES ====
{{main | Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
The '''Super Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as the '''Super NES''' or '''SNES''') is a [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit]] video game console, which was released in North America in 1991, and in Europe in 1992. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] in 1990 as the '''Super Famicom''', officially adopting the colloquially abbreviated name of its predecessor. The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other consoles at the time. Soon, the development of [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|a variety of enhancement chips]] which were integrated onto each new game cartridge's circuit boards, progressed the SNES's competitive edge. While even crude [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] graphics had previously rarely been seen on home consoles,<ref>Gibson, Nick. [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/11/f-22-interceptor-advanced-tactical-fighter/ "F-22 Interceptor (Genesis)"] ''Sega-16'', November 6, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2013.</ref> the SNES's [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|enhancement chips]] suddenly enabled a new caliber of games containing increasingly sophisticated [[faux]] 3D effects as seen in 1991's ''[[Pilotwings]]'' and 1992's ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''. [[Argonaut Games]] developed the Super FX chip in order to replicate 3D graphics from their earlier [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]] [[Starglider]] games on the Super Nintendo (more specifically, [[Starglider 2]]),<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/31/the-starglider-saga</ref> starting with [[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]] in 1993. The SNES is the best-selling console of the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]] although having experienced a relatively late start and fierce competition from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] console. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 49.10 million SNES hardware units and 379.06 million SNES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Nintendo 64 ====
{{main|Nintendo 64}}
The '''Nintendo 64''' was released in 1996, featuring [[3D computer graphics|3D polygon model rendering]] capabilities and built-in [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] for up to four players. The system's controller introduced the [[analog stick]] and later introduced the [[Rumble Pak]], an accessory for the controller that produces [[Haptic technology|force feedback]] with compatible games. Both are the first such features to have come to market for home console gaming and eventually became the [[De facto standard|''de facto'' industry standard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/03/happy-birthday-rumble-pak |title=IGN: Happy Birthday, Rumble Pak |first=Levi |last= Buchanan |date=2008-04-03 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2008-09-12}}</ref> Announced in 1995, prior to the console's 1996 launch, the [[64DD]] ("DD" standing for "Disk Drive") was designed to enable the development of new genre of video games<ref name="The 64Dream Dec 1997">{{ cite journal | title=A friendly discussion between the "Big 2" | others=[http://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/itoi-miyamoto-interview-64dd/ Translation] | magazine=The 64DREAM | subjectlink1=Shigeru Miyamoto | subjectlink2=Shigesato Itoi | first1=Shigeru | last1=Miyamoto | first2=Shigesato | last2=Itoi | date=December 1997 | page=91}}</ref> by way of 64 MB writable magnetic disks, video editing, and Internet connectivity. Eventually released only in Japan in 1999, the 64DD peripheral's commercial failure there resulted in only nine games being released and precluded further worldwide release.

==== GameCube ====
{{main|GameCube}}
The '''GameCube''' (officially called '''Nintendo GameCube''', abbreviated '''NGC''' in Japan and '''GCN''' in North America) was released in 2001, in Japan and North America, and in 2002 worldwide. The [[History of video game consoles (sixth generation)|sixth-generation console]] is the successor to the [[Nintendo 64]] and competed with Sony's [[PlayStation 2]], Microsoft's [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and Sega's [[Dreamcast]]. The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use [[optical disc]]s as its primary storage medium.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Company History|accessdate=2009-07-24|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The discs are similar to the [[miniDVD]] format, but the system was not designed to play standard [[DVD]]s or [[Compact disc|audio CDs]]. Nintendo introduced a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. The GameCube's game library has sparse support for [[online game|Internet gaming]], a feature that requires the use of the aftermarket [[Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter]]. The GameCube supports connectivity to the [[Game Boy Advance]], allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a [[second screen]] and controller. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 21.74 million GameCube hardware units and 208.57 million GameCube software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Wii ====
{{main|Wii}}
[[File:Wii-Console.png|thumb|200px|The [[Wii]], Nintendo's best selling home video game console.]]

The '''Wii''' was released during the holiday season of 2006 worldwide. The system the [[Wii Remote]] [[Game controller|controller]], which can be used as a handheld [[pointing device]] and which [[accelerometer|detects movement]] in [[three-dimensional space|three dimensions]]. Another notable feature of the console is [[WiiConnect24]], which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in [[Sleep mode|standby mode]].<ref name="Iwata Speech 06">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/e3_2006/speech/english.html Nintendo Corporation] - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006</ref> It also features a game download service, called "[[Virtual Console]]", which features emulated games from past systems. Since its release, the Wii has spawned many peripheral devices, including the [[Wii Balance Board]] and [[Motion Plus]], and has had several [[Wii#Revisions|hardware revisions]]. The ''Wii Family Edition'' variant is identical to the original model, but is designed to sit horizontally and removes the GameCube compatibility. The ''Wii Mini'' is a smaller, redesigned Wii which lacks GameCube compatibility, online connectivity, the [[SD card]] slot and [[Wi-Fi]] support, and has only one [[USB]] port unlike the previous models' two.<ref name=EurogamerReview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-nintendo-wii-mini-review|title= Nintendo Wii Mini review |last=Leadbetter|first=Richard|date=December 12, 2012|work=Eurogamer|accessdate=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=WiiMiniManual>{{cite document|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/WiiMiniOpMn_RVO_en.pdf|title= Nintendo Wii Mini Operations Manual|publisher=Nintendo of America|page=10|accessdate=December 16, 2012|quote=The Wii Mini console will not work with any AV cable other than the model supplied.}}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 101.06 million Wii hardware units and 895.22 million Wii software units worldwide, making it Nintendo's best-selling home video game console.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Wii U ====
{{main | Wii U}}
The '''Wii U''', the successor to the Wii, was released during the holiday season of 2012 worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/888470-wii-u-confirmed-for-europe-this-year|title=Wii U confirmed for Europe this year|newspaper=Metro}}</ref><ref name="pricerelease">{{cite web|url=http://wiiu.dcemu.co.uk/wiiu-price-and-release-date-announced-491879.html| title=WiiU Price and Release Date Announced| publisher=WiiU News | date=September 13, 2012 | accessdate=September 13, 2012}}</ref> The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support [[High-definition video|high-definition]] [[Video game graphics|graphics]]. The Wii U's primary [[Gamepad|controller]] is the [[Wii U GamePad]], which features an embedded [[touchscreen]]. Each software title may be designed to utilize this touchscreen as being supplemental to the main TV, or as the only screen for [[Off-TV Play]]. The system supports most Wii controllers and accessories, and the more classically shaped [[Wii U Pro Controller]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/1943/20120605/nintendo-wii-u-pro-controller-e3.htm|title=Nintendo Unveils Wii U Pro Controller before E3, Wireless but No Touch Screen|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=GameNGuide}}</ref> The system is [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] with Wii software and accessories; this mode also utilizes Wii-based controllers, and it optionally offers the GamePad as its primary Wii display and motion sensor bar. The console has various online services powered by [[Nintendo Network]], including: the [[Nintendo eShop]] for online distribution of software and content; and [[Miiverse]], a [[social network]] which can be variously integrated with games and applications. As of December 2014, worldwide Wii U sales had totaled 9.20 million hardware units and 52.87 million software units.<ref name="Nintendo Financial Jan 28 2015">{{cite document | title=Consolidated Financial Highlights: Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 2013 and 2014 | publisher=Nintendo Co, Ltd. | location=Kyoto, Japan | date=January 28, 2015 | url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150128e.pdf | accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>

=== Handheld consoles ===

==== Game & Watch ====
{{main|Game & Watch}}
{{expand section|date=March 2014}}
'''Game and Watch''' is a handheld line produced from 1980 to 1991 by [[Gunpei Yokoi]]. It features a single game and a clock and/or alarm.

==== Game Boy ====
{{main|Game Boy line}}
After the success of the ''Game & Watch'' series, Yokoi developed the '''[[Game Boy]]''' handheld console, which was released in 1989. Eventually becoming the best-selling handheld of all time, the Game Boy remained dominant for more than a decade, seeing critically and commercially popular games such as ''[[Pokémon Yellow]]'' released as late as 1998 in Japan and 2000 in Europe. Incremental updates of the Game Boy, including ''[[Game Boy Pocket]]'', ''[[Game Boy Light]]'' and ''[[Game Boy Color]]'', did little to change the original formula, though the latter introduced color graphics to the Game Boy line.

The first major update to its handheld line since 1989, '''[[Game Boy Advance]]''' features improved technical specifications similar to those of the SNES. The ''[[Game Boy Advance SP]]'' was the first revision to the GBA line and introduced screen lighting and a clam shell design, while later iteration, the ''[[Game Boy Micro]]'', brought a smaller form factor.

[[File:Nintendo-DS-Lite-Black-Open.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Nintendo DS Lite]] is the best-selling handheld console of all time.]]
==== Nintendo DS ====
{{main | Nintendo DS | Nintendo DS line}}
Although originally advertised as an alternative to the Game Boy Advance, the '''[[Nintendo DS]]''' replaced the [[Game Boy line]] after its initial release in 2004.<ref name="newconsole">{{cite web| url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/11/14/nintendo-going-back-to-the-basics| title=Nintendo Going Back to the Basics. Full story about the company offering a new system in 2004.| accessdate=2007-10-04| date=2003-11-13| work=[[IGN]]| publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc.}}</ref> It was distinctive for its dual screens and a microphone, as well as a [[Touchscreen|touch-sensitive lower screen]]. The ''[[Nintendo DS Lite]]'' brought a smaller form factor<ref>{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Peter|date =2006-02-20| url= http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/20/the-engadget-interview-reggie-fils-aime-executive-vice-preside/|title= The Engadget Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Nintendo|publisher= Engadget|accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> while the ''[[Nintendo DSi]]'' features larger screens and two cameras,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendodsi.com/meet-dsi.jsp | title = Explore Nintendo DSi | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> and was followed by an even larger model, the ''[[Nintendo DSi XL]]'', with a 90% bigger screen.<ref name=mcvuk>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/37129/DSi-XL-gets-March-5th-launch|title=Nintendo DSi XL to launch on March 5th|first=Dave|last=Roberts|date=2010-01-14|work=MCV|publisher=Intent Media|accessdate=2010-01-30}}</ref>

==== Nintendo 3DS ====
{{main | Nintendo 3DS}}
Further expanding the Nintendo DS line, the '''[[Nintendo 3DS]]''' uses the process of [[autostereoscopy]] to produce a [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] three-dimensional effect without [[3D viewer|glasses]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf |title=Launch of New Portable Game Machine |date=March 23, 2010 |publisher=Nintendo |accessdate=2010-03-23 |location=[[Minami-ku, Kyoto]]}}</ref> Released to major markets during 2011, the 3DS got off to a slow start, initially missing many key features that were promised before the system launched.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.techspot.com/news/44226-nintendo-3DS-passes-1-million-units-sold-in-japan-finally.html |title=Nintendo 3DS passes 1 million units sold in Japan, finally |date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=TechSpot |accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Partially as a result of slow sales, Nintendo stock declined in value. Subsequent price cuts and game releases helped to boost 3DS and 3DS software sales and to renew investor confidence in the company.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=nintendo-shares-leap-on-3ds-optimism-2011-08-23 |title=Nintendo shares leap on 3DS optimism |date=August 23, 2011 |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News |accessdate=2011-10-26}}</ref> As of August 2013, the 3DS was the best selling console in the United States for four consecutive months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gengame.net/2013/09/august-npd-sales-data-madden-25-tops-software-3ds-tops-hardware-four-months-in-a-row/ |title=August NPD Sales Data: Madden 25 Tops Software, 3DS Tops Hardware Four Months in a Row |publisher=Gengame |date=2013-09-12 |accessdate=2013-10-17}}</ref> The ''[[Nintendo 3DS XL]]'' was introduced in August 2012 and includes a 90% larger screen, a 4GB SD card and extended battery life. In August 2013, Nintendo announced the cost-reduced ''[[Nintendo 2DS]]'', a version of the 3DS without an [[autostereoscopic]] 3D screen. It has a slate-like design as opposed to the hinged, [[clamshell design]] of its DS-line predecessors. The 2DS was released on October 12, 2013 in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, although no Japanese release has been announced.

In August 2014, it was announced that Japan would receive a new 3DS called "New 3DS" with extra shoulder buttons, a right analogue stick, faster processor, compatibility with [[Amiibo]] and other changes. It was released in October 2014.

=== Software ===
{{see also|List of products published by Nintendo}}
{{empty section|date=January 2014}}

== Organization ==

=== Marketing ===
{{main|Nintendo marketing}}

Nintendo of America has engaged in several high-profile marketing campaigns to define and position its brand. One of its earliest and most enduring slogans was "Now you're playing with power!", used first to promote its Nintendo Entertainment System. It modified the slogan to include "SUPER power" for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and "PORTABLE power" for the Game Boy. Its 1994 "Play It Loud!" campaign played upon teenage rebellion and fostered an edgy reputation. During the Nintendo 64 era, the slogan was "Get N or get out." During the GameCube era, the "Who Are You?" suggested a link between the games and the players' identities. The company promoted its Nintendo DS handheld with the tagline "Touching is Good." For the Wii, they used the "Wii would like to play" slogan to promote the console with the people who tried the games including ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''. The Nintendo DS's successor, the Nintendo 3DS, used the slogan "Take a look inside". The Wii's successor, the [[Wii U]], used the slogan "How U will play next."

=== Board of directors ===
* [[Genyo Takeda]], Senior Managing Director, Chief Director of [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|General Development]]
* [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], Senior Managing Director, Chief Director of [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|Information Development]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=NTDOY.PK |title=Profile |work=Nintendo Co. Ltd. (NTDOY.PK) |publisher=Yahoo! News Network |accessdate=June 10, 2011}}</ref>
* [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], Managing Director, Chief Senior Director of Business Administration, Chief Director of General Affairs
* Kauro Takemura, Chief Director of Human Resources, Director
* Shigeyuki Takahashi, Director of Finance, Chief Director of Administration, Director
* Satoshi Yamato, Chief Director of Sales, Director
* Susumo Tanaka, Chief Director of Operation, Director
* Shinya Takahashi, Chief Director of Planning and Development, Director of Planning and Development
* Hirokazu Shinshi, Chief Director of Manufacture, Manager of Production Planning, Director

'''Other key executives:'''
* [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]], President and COO of Nintendo of America (NOA)
* Satoru Shibata, President of Nintendo of Europe (NOE)

=== International divisions ===
{{see also|List of divisions of Nintendo}}

==== Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) ====
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan since the beginning, Nintendo Co., Ltd. oversees the organization's global operations and manages Japanese operations specifically. The company's two major subsidiaries, Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, manage operations in North America and Europe respectively. Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/jobs/work_at_nintendo/interview05-02/contents02.html |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQBDu3BO |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=製品技術編(2) |work=社長が訊く任天堂で働くということ |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |accessdate=January 1, 2011}}</ref> moved from its original Kyoto location<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|59|30.03|N|135|45|58.66|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref>{{Where|date=May 2014}} to a new office in [[Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto]],;<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|29.00|N|135|46|10.48|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref> in 2000, this became the [[research and development]] building when the head office relocated to its {{as of|2000|alt=present}} location in [[Minami-ku, Kyoto]].<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|11.89|N|135|45|22.33|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref><ref>"[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/starfox/0/2 Fushimi Inari Taisha and Fox]." Nintendo. Retrieved on January 1, 2011. "12. Former head office: Before Nintendo's head office moved to Minami Ward, Kyoto City (its current location) in 2000, it was in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. The former head office's location is now occupied by Nintendo Kyoto Research Center."</ref>

==== Nintendo of America (NOA) ====
Nintendo's North American subsidiary is based in [[Redmond, Washington]]. Originally the NOA headquarters handled sales, marketing, and advertising. However, the office in [[Redwood City]], [[California]] now directs those functions. The company maintains distribution centers in [[Atlanta]] (Nintendo Atlanta) and [[North Bend, Washington]] ([[Nintendo North Bend]]). The {{convert|380000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Nintendo North Bend facility processes more than 20,000 orders a day to Nintendo customers, which include [[Retail|retail stores]] that sell Nintendo products in addition to [[consumer]]s who [[Online shopping|shop]] Nintendo's web site.<ref name="casestudy">{{cite web | author=R.H. Brown Co. Inc. | year=2007 | title=Case Studies | url=http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20070817205829/http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archivedate=2007-08-17 | work=Hytrol.com | accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> Nintendo of America's Canadian branch,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/?country=CA&lang=en |title=Nintendo.com |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}</ref> Nintendo of Canada, Ltd. (NOCL), is based in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] with a [[distribution center]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].

==== Nintendo of Europe (NOE) ====
Nintendo's European subsidiary was established in June 1990,<ref name="history_9911">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html |title=History |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> based in [[Großostheim]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html | title=Corporate - Nintendo | accessdate=2009-07-24}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> close to [[Frankfurt]], Germany. The company handles operations in Europe and [[South Africa]].<ref name="history_9911" /> Nintendo of Europe's [[United Kingdom]] branch<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html |title=Corporate |publisher=Nintendo |date=2012-08-29 |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> handles operations in that country and in [[Ireland]] from its headquarters in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], [[Berkshire]]. In June 2014, NOE initiated a reduction and consolidation process, yielding a combined 130 layoffs: the closing of its office and warehouse, and termination of all employment, in Großostheim; and the consolidation of all of those operations into, and terminating some employment at, its Frankfurt location.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-06-130-jobs-lost-in-nintendo-of-europe-reshuffle |title=130 jobs lost in Nintendo of Europe reshuffle |first=Dan |last=Pearson |publisher=Games Industry |date=2014-06-06 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/06/06/nintendo-to-close-european-headquarters-lay-off-130/ | title=Nintendo to close European headquarters, lay off 130 | work=USA Today | date=June 6, 2014 | accessdate=June 9, 2014}}</ref>

==== Nintendo Australia (NAL) ====
{{main | Nintendo Australia}}
Nintendo's Australian subsidiary is based in [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Victoria]]. It handles the publishing, distribution, sales and marketing of Nintendo products in [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and Oceania ([[Cook Islands]], [[Fiji]], [[New Caledonia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Samoa]], and [[Vanuatu]]). It also manufactures some Wii games locally. Nintendo Australia is also a third-party distributor of some titles from [[Rising Star Games]], [[Namco Bandai Games]] Europe, [[Atlus]], [[The Tetris Company]], [[Sega]], [[Tecmo Koei]] Games Europe and [[Capcom]] Europe.

==== iQue, Ltd. ====
{{main | iQue}}
A Chinese [[joint venture]] between its founder, [[Wei Yen]], and Nintendo, manufactures and distributes official Nintendo consoles and games for the mainland Chinese market, under the iQue brand. The product lineup for the Chinese market is considerably different from that for other markets. For example, Nintendo's only console in China is the [[iQue Player]], a modified version of the Nintendo 64. The company has not released its more modern GameCube or Wii to the market, although a version of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] was released in 2012. As of 2013, it is a 100% Nintendo-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/|title=Up-to-date listing of Nintendo subsidiaries|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo Everything|date=2013-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5|title=関係会社の状況|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo|date=2013-06-28}}</ref>

==== Nintendo of Korea (NOK) ====
Nintendo's South Korean subsidiary was established on July 7, 2006.<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{cite web|author=Paul, Loughrey|title=Nintendo establishes Korean subsidiary|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-establishes-korean-subsidiary}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Nintendo office.jpg|The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
File:Nintendo of America Headquarters.jpg|The Nintendo of America headquarters in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], United States
File:Frankfurt Herriotstraße 4.20130511.jpg|Nintendo of Europe headquarters in [[Frankfurt]], Germany
File:NintendoTokyoOffice.jpg|Nintendo's Tokyo office
</gallery>

=== Logo ===
{{Gallery
|title=The Nintendo logo through the years
|width=100 | height=100 | lines=1
|align=center
|footer=
|File:Nintendo - 1889.png | width1=150 |
alt1=
| 1889–1950
|File:Nintendo - 1950.png | width2=150 |
alt2=
| 1950–1960
|File:Nintendo - 1960.png |
alt3=
| 1960–1965
|File:Nintendo - 1965.png |
alt4=
| 1965–1967
|File:Nintendo - 1967.png | width5=150 |
alt5=
| 1967–1968
|File:Nintendo - 1968.png | width6=150 |
alt6=
| 1968–1970
|File:Nintendo Logo 1970.png | width7=150 |
alt7=
| 1970–1972
|File:Nintendo - 1972.png |
alt8=
| 1972–1975
|File:Nintendo red logo.svg | width9=150 |
alt9=
| 1975–2006
|File:Nintendo.svg| width10=150 |
alt10=
| 2006–present
}}

== Research & Development ==
{{main|List of Nintendo development teams}}

=== Divisions ===
[[File:Nintendo EAD logo.png|thumb|250px|right|The Nintendo EAD division develops games for Nintendo's most well known franchises, such as [[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]] and [[The Legend of Zelda]].]]

Nintendo's internal Research & Development operations are divided into four main division: the ''[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]]'' (or ''EAD''), the main software development division of Nintendo, which focuses on internal-only [[video game]] development; the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD''), which main focus is overseeing second and third-party licensing and development activity; the ''[[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development]]'' (or ''IRD''), the main hardware development division of Nintendo, which focuses on [[Home video game console|home]] and [[handheld video game console]] development; and the ''[[Nintendo System Development]]'' (or ''SDD''), which focuses on developing [[Nintendo Network]] services and [[Software Development Kit]]s (SDK's) for Nintendo consoles and other experimental technology.

;Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD)
:The [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]] (or EAD) division is the premier development arm at Nintendo. The group is the largest concentration of R&D, housing more than 800 engineers and designers. The division is rather large and currently broken into seven different subdivisions, each led by a designated producer and group manager. The overseeing managers are [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Takashi Tezuka]]. Currently, five divisions are located in the central Kyoto R&D building under the Software Development Department, while two divisions reside in the Tokyo offices under the Tokyo Software Development Department.

;Software Planning & Development (SPD)
:The [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (or SPD) division is the development group includes several of the original development officers from the old software and hardware development sectors. While the group leaders are decade old veterans, the bulk of the development teams working alongside are mainly younger employees. The division is broken up into two departments; Software Planning & Development Department and [[Nintendo Software Design & Development|Software Design & Development Department]].

;Integrated Research & Development (IRD)
:The [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development]] (or IRD) division is Nintendo's hardware group specialized in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's home console and handheld development. The division also houses industrial designers who design peripherals such as the [[WaveBird Wireless Controller|WaveBird]], [[Wii Zapper]], and Wii steering wheel. The group was originally known as Research and Development Department 3 (R&D3),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page2.jsp |title=Investigating a Glove Interface |work=Iwata Asks: Punch-Out!! |publisher=Nintendo of America, Inc. |date=September 13, 2009 |accessdate=August 22, 2010}}</ref> with the same primary functions, with the exception that manager [[Genyo Takeda]] enjoyed moonlighting by developing console and arcade games. On February 16, 2013, Nintendo IRD was combined with ''[[Nintendo Research & Engineering Department]]'' (or ''RED''), the former hardware group specialized in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's handheld development.<ref name="ignnintendo">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/16/report-nintendo-to-restructure-hardware-divisions |title=Report: Nintendo to Restructure Hardware Divisions |publisher=IGN | date=2013-01-15}}</ref><ref name="ignnintendo2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/01/nintendo-confirms-hardware-development-reorganization |title=Nintendo Confirms Hardware Development Reorganization |publisher=IGN |date=2013-02-01}}</ref>

;System Development (SDD)
:The [[Nintendo System Development]] (or SDD) division, which used to be centered in peripheral and software development, is currently a hybrid development group with several distinct duties. The development team originates from [[Nintendo Research & Development 2]] and was mainly responsible for ports and inhouse development for low profile hardware like the [[Pokémon Mini]] and the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] [[Satellaview]] service. The department handles most [[Nintendo Network]] programming and server maintenance inside Nintendo's in-house projects and throughout various other external Nintendo software in cooperation with [[Nintendo Network Services]]. Lastly, the department also cooperates in software development. The group also created mechanical devices and peripherals like the Pokéwalker and Pokémotion. Current general manager, Masaru Shimomura, described the group as a small creative unit that has a hardware and a software team working jointly together to create innovative products.<ref>NOM Magazine. [http://personaltrainerwalking.com/iwata-asks/section-1.html Iwata Asks: Personal Trainer: Walking]</ref>

=== Subsidiaries ===

Although most of the Research & Development is being done in [[Japan]], there are some R&D facilities in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that are focused on developing software and hardware technologies used in Nintendo products. Although they all are subsidiaries of Nintendo (and therefore first party), they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the Japanese personal involved. This can be seen in a variety of "Iwata asks..." interviews.<ref>{{cite web | title=Wii U: Internet Browser |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/internet-browser/0/2 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 | quote="I didn't really go into this today, but Nintendo European Research and Development SAS France (NERD) helped us with our video player and Nintendo Software Technology (NST) helped with WebKit's JavaScript JIT, '''so''' this new [[Web browser|Internet Browser]] really came about with help from so many different '''people outside the company'''." —Tetsuya Sasaki, Software Development & Design Department }}</ref> [[Nintendo Software Technology]] (NST) and [[Nintendo Technology Development]] (NTD) are located in [[Redmond, Washington]], [[United States|USA]], while [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] (''NERD'') is located in [[Paris, France]], and [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] (NSD) is located in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]].

Most external [[First-party developer|first-party]] software development is done in [[Japan]], since the only overseas subsidiary is [[Retro Studios]] in the [[United States]]. Although these studios are all subsidiaries of Nintendo, they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (SPD) division. [[1-UP Studio]] and [[Nd Cube]] are located in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], while [[Monolith Soft]] has one studio located in Tokyo and another in [[Kyoto]]. Finally, [[Retro Studios]] is located in [[Austin, Texas]], [[United States|USA]].

=== Partners ===
{{further|Nintendo development teams#Partners}}
Since the release of the [[Famicom]]/[[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo has built up a large group of [[Second-party developer|second-party development partners]], through publishing agreements and development collaboration. Most of these ''external'' Nintendo project are overseen by the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD'') division.

== Policy ==

=== Content guidelines ===
For many years, Nintendo had a policy of strict content guidelines for video games published on its consoles. Although Nintendo of Japan allowed [[graphic violence]] in its video games, [[nudity and sexuality]] were strictly prohibited. Former Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] believed that if the company allowed the licensing of [[Pornography|pornographic]] games, the company's image would be forever tarnished.<ref name="Game Over 1993">''[[Game Over (book)|''Game Over'']], David Sheff, 1993.</ref> Nintendo of America went further in that games released for Nintendo consoles could not feature nudity, sexuality, [[profanity]] (including [[racism]], [[sexism]] or [[Hate speech|slurs]]), blood, graphic or [[domestic violence]], [[drug]]s, political messages or [[Religious symbolism|religious symbols]] (with the exception of widely unpracticed religions, such as the [[Greek mythology|Greek Pantheon]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php |title=Nintendo of America Content Guidelines |publisher=Filibustercartoons.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> The Japanese parent company was concerned that it may be viewed as a "Japanese Invasion" by forcing Japanese [[community standards]] on North American and European children. Despite the strict guidelines, some exceptions have occurred: ''[[Bionic Commando (Nintendo Entertainment System)|Bionic Commando]]'' (though [[Nazi swastika|swastikas]] were eliminated in the US version), ''[[Smash TV]]'' and ''[[Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode]]'' contained human violence, the latter also containing implied [[Human sexuality|sexuality]] and [[Smoking|tobacco use]]; ''[[River City Ransom]]'' and ''[[Taboo: The Sixth Sense]]'' contained nudity, and the latter also contained religious images, as did ''[[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest|Castlevania II]]'' and ''[[Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse|III]]''.

A known side effect of this policy was the [[Sega Genesis]] version of ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' selling over double the number of the Super NES version, mainly because Nintendo had forced publisher [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] to recolor the red blood to look like white sweat and replace some of the more gory graphics in its release of the game, making it less violent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20081017054400/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archivedate=2008-10-17|title=IGN Presents the History of Mortal Kombat - Retro Feature at IGN|publisher=IGN|first=Travis|last=Fahs|accessdate=2010-08-16}}</ref> By contrast, [[Sega]] allowed blood and gore to remain in the Genesis version (though a code was required to unlock the gore). Nintendo allowed the Super NES version of ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' to ship uncensored the following year with a content warning on the packaging.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/mortal-kombat-ii/cover-art/gameCoverId,22874|title=''Mortal Kombat II'' cover artwork at MobyGames}}</ref>

In 1994 and 2003, when the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] and [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] (respectively) video game ratings systems were introduced, Nintendo chose to abolish most of these policies in favor of consumers making their own choices about the content of the games they played. Today, changes to the content of games are done primarily by the game's developer or, occasionally, at the request of Nintendo. The only clear-set rule is that ESRB AO-rated games will not be licensed on Nintendo consoles in North America,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp |title=Nintendo of America Customer Service – Nintendo Buyer's Guide |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> a practice which is also enforced by [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]] and [[Microsoft]], its two greatest competitors in the present market. Nintendo has since allowed several mature-content games to be published on its consoles, including: ''[[Perfect Dark]]'', ''[[Conker's Bad Fur Day]]'', ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Doom 64]]'', ''[[BMX XXX]]'', the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series, ''[[Killer7]]'', the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series, ''[[Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', ''[[BloodRayne]]'', ''[[Geist (video game)|Geist]]'' and ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]''. Certain games have continued to be modified, however. For example, [[Konami]] was forced to remove all references to cigarettes in the 2000 [[Game Boy Color]] game ''[[Metal Gear Solid (Game Boy)|Metal Gear Solid]]'' (although the previous NES version of ''[[Metal Gear]]'' and the subsequent GameCube game ''[[Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes]]'' both included such references, as did Wii title ''[[MadWorld]]''), and maiming and blood were removed from the Nintendo 64 [[Porting|port]] of ''[[Cruis'n USA]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060333p1.html | title=IGN: Nintendo to censor Cruis'n | date=1996-10-08 | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> Another example is in the Game Boy Advance game ''[[Mega Man Zero 3]]'', in which one of the bosses, called Hellbat Schilt in the Japanese and European releases, was renamed Devilbat Schilt in the North American [[Internationalization and localization|localization]]. In North America releases of the ''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' games, enemies and bosses killed with a saber attack would not gush blood as they did in the Japanese versions. However, the release of the Wii has been accompanied by a number of even more controversial mature titles, such as ''[[Manhunt 2]]'', ''[[No More Heroes (video game)|No More Heroes]]'', ''[[The House of the Dead: Overkill]]'' and ''[[MadWorld]]'', the latter three of which are published exclusively for the console. The Nintendo DS also has violent games, such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]'', ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]'' and its [[Dementium II|sequel]], ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat]]'', and ''[[Resident Evil: Deadly Silence]]''.

=== License guidelines ===
Nintendo of America also had guidelines before 1993 that had to be followed by its licensees to make games for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], in addition to the above content guidelines.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> Guidelines were enforced through the [[10NES]] lockout chip.

* Licensees were not permitted to release the same game for a competing console until two years had passed.
* Nintendo would decide how many cartridges would be supplied to the licensee.
* Nintendo would decide how much space would be dedicated for articles, advertising, etc. in the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' magazine.
* There was a minimum number of cartridges that had to be ordered by the licensee from Nintendo.
* There was a yearly limit of five games that a licensee may produce for a Nintendo console.<ref>D. Sheff: "Game Over", p. 215. CyberActive Media Group, 1999.</ref> This rule was created to prevent market over-saturation, which had contributed to the [[North American video game crash of 1983]].

The last rule was circumvented in a number of ways; for example, Konami, wanting to produce more games for Nintendo's consoles, formed [[Ultra Games]] and later [[Ultra Games|Palcom]] to produce more games as a technically different publisher.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> This disadvantaged smaller or emerging companies, as they could not afford to start additional companies. In another side effect, [[Square (company)|Square Co.]] (now [[Square Enix]]) executives have suggested that the price of publishing games on the [[Nintendo 64]] along with the degree of censorship and control that Nintendo enforced over its games, most notably ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', were factors in switching its focus towards [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]]'s [[PlayStation]] console.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}

In 1993, a [[class action]] suit was taken against Nintendo under allegations that their lockout chip enabled [[unfair business practices]]. The case was settled, with the condition that California consumers were entitled to a $3 discount coupon for a game of Nintendo's choice.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=Nintendo May Owe You $3|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=55|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=February 1994|page=187}}</ref>

=== Emulation ===
{{expand section|date=October 2014}}
Nintendo is opposed to any third-party [[Video game console emulator|emulation]] of its video games and consoles, stating that it is the single largest threat to the [[intellectual property]] rights of video game developers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#roms | title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.) | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> However, emulators have been used by Nintendo and licensed third party companies as a means to re-release older games (through the [[Virtual Console]]). Nintendo remains the only modern console manufacturer that has not sued an emulator developer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emulationnation.com/nintendo/ |title=Nintendo |publisher=Emulationnation.com |date=1989-07-31 |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref>

=== Seal of Quality {{anchor|officialseal}} ===
{{multiple image
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| header = The Nintendo Seal of Quality
| width = 170

| image1 = Nintendo Official Seal.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Official Nintendo Seal in [[NTSC]] regions.

| image2 = Nintendo seal of quality.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Nintendo's Official Seal of Quality in [[PAL]] regions.
}}

The gold sunburst seal was first used by [[#Offices and locations|Nintendo of America]], and later Nintendo of Europe. It is displayed on any game, system, or accessory licensed for use on one of its [[video game console]]s, denoting the game has been properly approved by Nintendo. The seal is also displayed on any Nintendo-licensed merchandise, such as trading cards, game guides, or apparel, albeit with the words "Official Nintendo Licensed Product".<ref name="Seal">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/licensed.jsp |title=Customer Service | Licensed and Unlicensed Products |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref>

[[Sid Meier]] in 2008 cited the Seal of Quality as one of the three most important innovations in videogame history, as it helped set a standard for game quality that protected consumers from [[shovelware]].<ref name="arendt20080304">{{cite news | url=http://www.wired.com/2008/03/sid-meier-names/ | title=Civilization Creator Lists Three Most Important Innovations in Gaming | work=Wired | date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=July 7, 2014 | author=Arendt, Susan}}</ref>

==== NTSC regions ====
In [[NTSC]] regions, this seal is an elliptical starburst titled "Official Nintendo Seal." Originally, for NTSC countries, the seal was a large, black and gold circular starburst. The seal read as follows: "This seal is your assurance that NINTENDO has approved and guaranteed the quality of this product." This seal was later altered in 1988: "approved and guaranteed" was changed to "evaluated and approved." In 1989, the seal became gold and white, as it currently appears, with a shortened phrase, "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality." It was changed in 2003 to read "Official Nintendo Seal."<ref name="Seal" />

The seal currently reads:<ref name=3DS-XL-manual>{{cite document|title=Nintendo 3DS XL Operations Manual|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/SPR_EN_NA.pdf|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=September 2, 2012}}</ref>
{{quote | The official seal is your assurance that this product is licensed or manufactured by Nintendo. Always look for this seal when buying video game systems, accessories, games and related products.}}

==== PAL regions ====
In [[PAL]] regions, the seal is a circular starburst titled, "Original Nintendo Seal of Quality." Text near the seal in the [[Australians|Australian]] [[Wii]] manual states:

{{quote | This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has reviewed this product and that it has met our standards for excellence in workmanship, reliability and entertainment value. Always look for this seal when buying games and accessories to ensure complete compatibility with your Nintendo product.<ref>{{cite document | url=http://www.nintendo.com.au/support/files/Wii_Manuals/WiiMotionPlusOperationsManual.pdf | title=Wii MotionPlus Operations Manual | publisher=Nintendo | date=2009 | accessdate=10 Mar 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Environmental record ===
Nintendo has consistently been ranked last in [[Greenpeace]]'s "Guide to Greener Electronics" due to Nintendo's failure to publish information.<ref>{{cite web|title=Greenpeace Still Says Nintendo Is Bad For the Environment|url=http://kotaku.com/5549072/greenpeace-still-says-nintendo-is-bad-for-the-environment/|publisher=Kokaku|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|date=May 27, 2010|accessdate=December 25, 2012}}</ref> Similarly, they are ranked last in the [[Enough Project]]'s "Conflict Minerals Company Rankings" due to Nintendo's refusal to respond to multiple requests for information.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings|url=http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings|publisher=Enough Project|accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

Like many other electronics companies, Nintendo does offer a take-back [[recycling]] program which allows customers to mail in old products they no longer use; Nintendo of America claimed that it took in 548 tons of returned products in 2011, 98% of which was either reused or recycled.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Product Recycling and Take Back Program|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/recycle.jsp|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=April 19, 2013}}</ref>



== See also ==
* [[List of divisions of Nintendo]]
* [[List of Nintendo development teams]]
* [[List of products published by Nintendo]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo characters]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo games]]
* [[Nintendo Selects]], formerly Player's Choice
* [[Nintendo World Store]]
* ''[[Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.]]''
* ''[[Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.]]''

== Notes ==
{{reflist|60em|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFKent2001 |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |authorlink=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |location=Roseville, California |isbn=0-7615-3643-4 | oclc=47254175 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover}}
* {{cite book |last=Sloan |first=Daniel |title=Playing to Wiin: Nintendo and the Video Game Industry's Greatest Comeback |year=2011 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-82512-9 | oclc=707935885 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=utONPpgEWDUC&printsec=frontcover}}
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="FY 2014 financial results">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2014/140507e.pdf |title=Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2013 and 2014 |format=PDF |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |date=2014-05-07|accessdate=2014-05-25}}</ref>
<ref name="num_employees">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html |script-title=ja:会社概要|trans_title=Company Profile|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. | accessdate=2012-07-14}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Nintendo}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website}} (country selector)
* [http://www.nintendopower.com/ ''Nintendo Power''] (discontinued in December 2012)
* [http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/ ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' (UK)]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/nintendo/ Nintendo in Depth Archive] by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''



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Satoru Iwata

2015-07-16T09:43:40Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Career */ Added some info about Iwata's role at Hobonichi

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{pp-protected|small=yes}}

{{Expand Japanese|岩田聡|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Satoru Iwata
| native_name = 岩田聡
| native_name_lang = Japanese
| image = Satoru Iwata - Game Developers Conference 2011 - Day 2 (1).jpg
| caption = Satoru Iwata at [[Game Developers Conference|GDC]] 2011
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1959|12|06}}
| birth_place = [[Sapporo]], [[Hokkaido]], Japan
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|07|11|1959|12|06}}
| death_place = [[Kyoto]], Japan
| death_cause = [[Cholangiocarcinoma|Bile duct tumor]]
| occupation = [[President (corporate title)|President]] and [[CEO]] of [[Nintendo]] (2002–2015)
| alma_mater = [[Tokyo Institute of Technology]]
| spouse = Kayoko Iwata <ref name="GuardianObit">{{cite web|author=Steve Boxer |date=July 14, 2015|accessdate=July 14, 2015|title=Satoru Iwata obituary |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/14/satoru-iwata}}</ref>
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Satoru Iwata'''|岩田聡|Iwata Satoru|extra=December 6, 1959 – July 11, 2015|lead=yes}} was a Japanese [[game programmer]] and businessman who served as the fourth [[President (corporate title)|president]] and [[chief executive officer]] (CEO) of [[Nintendo]]. Early in his career he worked as a programmer at [[HAL Laboratory]], helping to develop games in the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', ''[[Kirby (series)|Kirby]]'', and ''[[Pokémon (video game series)|Pokémon]]'' series, eventually becoming president of the company in 1993 before joining Nintendo as head of corporate planning in 2000. He succeeded [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] as the company's president in May 2002. Iwata directed the company to pursue development of the [[Nintendo DS]] and [[Wii]] consoles in 2004 and 2006, respectively, helping the company to become financially successful in the field.

Iwata died on July 11, 2015 due to [[bile duct cancer]]. He is widely regarded as a major contributor towards broadening video games' appeal to new audiences by using "[[Blue Ocean Strategy|blue ocean]]" strategic thinking.<ref name="GuardianObit" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Satoru Iwata changed the whole games industry and now leaves it in mourning |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/13/satoru-iwata-games-nintendo-president |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 July 2015 |accessdate=2015-07-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Satoru Iwata: a gentle revolutionary |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-07-13-it-would-have-been-more-frightening-to-take-the-conventional-path-remembering-iwata |work=Eurogamer.net |date=13 July 2015 |accessdate=2015-07-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Satoru Iwata: Nintendo's gamer CEO |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33502916 |work=BBC News |date=13 July 2015 |accessdate=2015-07-15}}</ref>

==Early life==
Iwata was born on December 6, 1959, and raised in [[Sapporo]], Japan; where his father was a municipal mayor.<ref name="la times">{{cite news | url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-nintendo-president-satoru-iwata-dies-at-55-20150712-story.html | title = Nintendo's Satoru Iwata dies at 55; under him, Wii created hordes of new gamers | work = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | first = Todd | last = Martens }}</ref> He expressed interest in the creation of [[video game]]s early on, and began producing electronic games at his home during his high school years. The several simple number games Iwata produced made use of an electronic calculator he shared with his schoolmates. Following high school, Iwata was admitted to the [[Tokyo Institute of Technology]], where he majored in [[computer science]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/the-man-behind-the-casual-gaming-boom/story-e6frfro0-1111118263048|title=Satoru Iwata - the man behind Nintendo's casual gaming boom|author=Kiyoshi Takenaka|publisher=''[[News Limited]]''|date=December 9, 2008|accessdate=March 27, 2012}}</ref> While attending the school, he was one of several unpaid interns at [[Commodore International|Commodore Japan]], assisting the subsidiary's head engineer with technical and software development tasks.<ref name="commodore">{{cite book | last=Bagnall | first=Brian | authorlink=Brian Bagnall | title=Commodore: A Company on the Edge | chapter=Chapter 15: Turning Japanese | publisher=Variant Press | publication-date=December 15, 2010 | edition=2nd | ISBN=978-0-9738649-6-0}}</ref> He also did freelance work as a programmer for [[HAL Laboratory|HAL Laboratory, Inc.]], a [[video game developer|game developer]] that often collaborated closely with Nintendo.<ref name="RG-35">{{cite journal| journal = [[Retro Gamer]]| publisher = [[Imagine Publishing]]| title = Before They Were Famous| issue = 35| page = 76|first = John| last = Szczepaniak}}</ref>

==Career==
===HAL Laboratory===
After graduating from university, Iwata joined HAL Laboratory in a full-time capacity.<ref name="RG-35"/> He became the company's coordinator of software production in 1983. Some of the video games he worked on were ''[[Balloon Fight]]'', ''[[EarthBound]]'', and the ''[[Kirby (series)|Kirby]]'' games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/nsmb/1/0|title=Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. Wii: It All Began in 1984|accessdate=November 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/special_edition_interview/0/0|title=Iwata Asks : Special Edition Interview: Turning the Tables: Asking Iwata|accessdate=November 22, 2013}}</ref> With the company on the verge of bankrupcy, Iwata was promoted to president of HAL in 1993 and helped to turn the company around and stablize its finances.<ref name="RG-35"/><ref name="la times"/> Iwata assisted in the founding of [[Creatures (company)|Creatures Inc.]], which was established in 1995 by Tsunekazu Ishihara.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Nintendo|year=2015|accessdate=July 12, 2015|title=Iwata Asks - Pokémon HeartGold Version & SoulSilver Version: Just Making The Last Train|url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Pokemon-HeartGold-Version-SoulSilver-Version/Iwata-Asks-Pokemon-HeartGold-Version-SoulSilver-Version/1-Just-Making-The-Last-Train/1-Just-Making-The-Last-Train-225842.html}}</ref> Although not part of Nintendo at the time, Iwata assisted in the development of [[Pokémon Gold and Silver|''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'']], which were released for the [[Game Boy Color]] in November 1999. Simultaneously, he aided in the programming of ''[[Pokémon Stadium]]'' for the [[Nintendo 64]] by reading the original coding in [[Pokémon Red and Blue|''Pokémon Red'' and ''Green'']] and reworking it for the new game. Iwata also created a set of compression tools utilized in ''Gold'' and ''Silver''.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Nintendo|year=2015|accessdate=July 12, 2015|title=Iwata Asks - Pokémon HeartGold Version & SoulSilver Version: Just Being President Was A Waste!|url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Pokemon-HeartGold-Version-SoulSilver-Version/Iwata-Asks-Pokemon-HeartGold-Version-SoulSilver-Version/3-Just-Being-President-Was-A-Waste-/3-Just-Being-President-Was-A-Waste--225951.html}}</ref>

===Nintendo===
{{Quote box|align=right|width=30%|quote="On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer."|source=Satoru Iwata in his keynote speech at [[Game Developers Conference|GDC 2005]]<ref>{{cite news|author=Matt Casamassina|publisher=IGN|date=March 10, 2005|accessdate=July 12, 2015|title=GDC 2005: Iwata Keynote Transcript|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/03/11/gdc-2005-iwata-keynote-transcript}}</ref>}}
In 2000, Iwata took a position at Nintendo as the head of its corporate planning division. When [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], the company's president since 1949, retired on May 31, 2002, Iwata succeeded as Nintendo's fourth president with Yamauchi's blessing, and Yamauchi would advise Iwata over the next few years.<ref name="ap">{{Cite web | url = http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/nintendo-president-satoru-iwata-dies-tumor-32405637 | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies of Tumor | first = Yuri | last = Kageyama | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | publisher = [[Associated Press]] }}</ref> He was the first Nintendo president who was unrelated to the Yamauchi family through blood or marriage.<Ref name="nytimes">{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/business/satoru-iwata-nintendo-chief-executive-dies-at-55.html | title = Satoru Iwata, Nintendo Chief Executive, Dies at 55 | first= Liam | last = Stack | date = July 13, 2015| accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work =[[New York Times]] }}</ref> Iwata continued to help out at HAL as a consultant.

{{Image frame|width=300|content=[[File:Nintendo-DS-Fat-Blue.jpg|150px]][[File:Wii-Console.png|150px]]|caption=Iwata directed Nintendo to produce the [[Nintendo DS]] (left) and [[Wii]] units, which proved financially successful for the company.|align=left}}
At the time of Iwata's promotion, Nintendo was not performing as well as other console makers, with its latest release the [[GameCube]] performing poorly compared to competitors. Iwata had stated in 2006 that he felt that the gaming industry was becoming too exclusive, and wanted to develop hardware and games that would be appealing to all players.<ref name="la times"/> Under his charge at Nintendo, he helped to lead a revitalization of their handheld system, transitioning from the [[Game Boy]] to the [[Nintendo DS]] with a unique form factor and inclusion of a [[touchscreen]] that allowed for more novel games to be played on it. He also pushed on the development of the [[Wii]] platform which introduced the use of [[motion control]]-based video games.<ref name="ars tech"/> Both units proved highly successful to the company, with the release of the Wii in 2006 helping to nearly double the stock price of Nintendo.<ref name="ars tech"/> Iwata's former experience as a programmer, a rarity for technology CEOs, was said to help contribute towards his leadership of the company.<ref name="wired"/><Ref name="time why mattered">{{cite web | url = http://time.com/3954934/nintendo-satoru-iwata/ | title = Why Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Mattered | first = Matt | last = Peckman | date = July 13, 2015 | accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] }}</ref> Due to his success, ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]'' included Iwata on their list of the 30 top CEOs worldwide from 2007 to 2009.<ref name="ars tech">{{Cite web | url = http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/03/nintendo-boss-levels-up-to-top-30-ceo/ | title = Nintendo boss levels up to “top 30 CEO” | work = [[Ars Technica]] | publisher = [[Condé Nast]] | date = March 28, 2007 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | first = Jeremy | last = Reimer |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201222848/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/03/nintendo-boss-levels-up-to-top-30-ceo/|archivedate=December 1, 2012|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://online.barrons.com/articles/SB126964409156568321 | title = The Best CEOs | date = March 11, 2010 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | work = [[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] |subscription=yes }}</ref> Subsequent hardware units under Iwata's tenure, including the [[Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Wii U]], were not as successful as the DS and Wii, and Nintendo's finances took a downward turn in 2009. Iwata voluntarily cut his salary in half to help Nintendo's poor finances and to better compete against [[Microsoft]] and [[Sony Computer Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33502838 | title = Nintendo's Satoru Iwata dies at 55 | publisher = [[BBC]] | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="rolling stone">{{Cite web | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/satoru-iwata-president-and-ceo-of-nintendo-dead-at-55-20150713 | title = Satoru Iwata, President and CEO of Nintendo, Dead at 55 | first = Daniel | last =Kreps | date = July 13, 2015 | accessdate = July 13, 2015 | work = [[Rolling Stone]] }}</ref> In 2015, Iwata put part of Nintendo's focus on the growing [[mobile game]] market, creating a partnership with mobile provider [[DeNA]] to publish titles, as traditional hardware console sales began to falter.<ref name="ap"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://time.com/3748920/nintendo-mobile-games/|title=Exclusive: Nintendo CEO Reveals Plans for Smartphones|last=Peckham|first=Matt|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|date=March 18, 2015|accessdate=July 13, 2015}}</ref>

Iwata helped Nintendo to improve public relations with its fans, regularly responding to them through social media,<ref name="time why mattered"/> and commented on Nintendo games in his section of Nintendo's Wii website, [[Iwata Asks]].<ref name="wired">{{cite web | url = http://www.wired.com/2015/07/satoru-iwata/ | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies at 55 | first = Chris | last = Kohler | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 12, 2015 | work = [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] }}</ref> In 2011, he helped to institute "[[Nintendo Direct]]", a series of online press conferences open to all that revealed upcoming Nintendo games and products outside of typical industry channels, and often done in a quirky, humorous manner, such as a mock battle between him and Nintendo of America president [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]].<Ref name="time why mattered"/> In June 2013, he took the role of Nintendo of America's CEO;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-24-iwata-becomes-ceo-of-nintendo-of-america|title=Iwata becomes CEO of Nintendo of America|last=Martin|first=Matt|publisher=[[GamesIndustry.biz]]|date=April 24, 2013|accessdate=July 12, 2015}}</ref><ref name="iwatadeath">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150713e.pdf|title=Notification of Death and Personnel Change of a Representative Director (President)|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|accessdate=July 13, 2015|date=July 12, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713000056/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150713e.pdf|archivedate=July 13, 2015|deadurl=no}}</ref> As one of his first changes as CEO, Iwata decided that they would not hold large press conferences at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]], and instead have several smaller events, each aimed at a certain demographic.<ref>{{cite web|last=Goldfarb|first=Andrew|title=No Nintendo Press Conference at E3 2013|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/25/no-nintendo-press-conference-at-e3-2013|date=April 23, 2013|accessdate=July 12, 2015|work=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611020826/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/25/no-nintendo-press-conference-at-e3-2013|archivedate=June 11, 2015|dead-url=no}}</ref>

While at Nintendo, Iwata worked on [[The Legend of Zelda (series)|''The Legend of Zelda'']], [[Mario (series)|''Mario'']], and the ''[[Animal Crossing]]'' series of games.<ref name="rolling stone"/> He also had a cameo in ''[[WarioWare: Smooth Moves]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/postscript-satoru-iwata-nintendo-president|title=Postscript: Satoru Iwata (1959-2015)|last=Parkin|first=Simon|work=[[The New Yorker]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast]]|date=July 13, 2015|accessdate=July 13, 2015}}</ref>

===Other projects===
In 1998, Iwata helped his colleague and personal friend [[Shigesato Itoi]] establish [[Hobonichi]] by working as the company's IT Manager. He acquired this position after being asked by Itoi one month prior to the June 6 launch date to arrange a website and the company's technical systems, to which Iwata complied. Iwata personally enjoyed the role and even still held the position in 2007, despite running Nintendo full-time by this point.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1101.com/iwata/2007-09-14.html|title=Mr Iwata, president of Nintendo came to our office. We had a nice talk over supper.|date=10 September 2007|publisher=HOBO NIKKAN ITOI SHINBUN|page=11|language=English and Japanese|accessdate=16 July 2015|location=HOBO NIKKAN ITOI SHINBUN}}</ref>

==Illness and death==
In June 2014, Nintendo announced that Iwata would not be present at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014|E3 2014]] due to medical-related reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geek.com/games/nintendo-ceo-satoru-iwata-missed-e3-because-he-had-a-tumor-1597570/|title=Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata missed E3 because he had a tumor|first= Matthew|last=Humphries|date=June 24, 2014|website=Geek.com|accessdate=February 24, 2015}}</ref> It was later revealed that he was undergoing surgery to remove a [[Neoplasm|tumor]] in his [[bile duct]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/stock/meeting/140627/index.html|title=The 74th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders: To our shareholders|work=nintendo.co.jp}}</ref><ref name="rolling stone"/> A little over a year later on July 12, 2015, Nintendo announced that Iwata died the previous day at the age of 55 due to complications from the tumor.<ref name="iwatadeath"/>

Flags at Nintendo's headquarters were lowered to half-staff.<ref name="flag"/> All of Nintendo's regional offices took a day of silence on July 13 across all of its social media accounts in remembrance of Iwata.<ref>{{cite web|author=Saira Mueller|publisher=International Business Times|date=July 13, 2015|accessdate=July 13, 2015|title=Gaming Industry Pays Tribute To Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, Dead At 55|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/gaming-industry-pays-tribute-nintendo-ceo-satoru-iwata-dead-55-2005560}}</ref> Nintendo confirmed that until an official replacement is announced, general directors [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Genyo Takeda]] would be acting presidents, taking over Iwata's former duties together managing the company in the interim.<ref name="CNNMoneycitesNactingpresidents>{{Cite web | url = http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/12/technology/nintendo-president-satoru-iwata-dead/index.html | title = Nintendo President Satoru Iwata dies at 55 | publisher = [[CNN]] Money | date = July 12, 2015 | accessdate = July 15, 2015 | first = Charles | last = Riley }}</ref> Members across the gaming industry and fans alike expressed their sadness on social media over Iwata's passing and gratitude for his accomplishments.<ref name="flag">{{cite web|first=Luke | last = Plunkett|work=[[Kotaku]]|publisher=[[Gawker Media]]|date=July 12, 2015|accessdate=July 12, 2015|title=The Video Game Community Pays Tribute To Satoru Iwata|url=http://kotaku.com/the-video-game-community-pays-tribute-to-satoru-iwata-1717397315}}</ref><Ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/trending/nintendo-fans-pay-tribute-to-satoru-iwata-1.3149239 | title = Nintendo fans pay tribute to Satoru Iwata | publisher = [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] | date = July 13, 2015 | accessdate = July 13, 2015 | first = John | last = Bowman }}</ref> [[Shuhei Yoshida]], president of [[SCE Worldwide Studios]], stated: "He has given a great contribution to the development of the gaming industry. I will pray for Iwata's soul".<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Shuhei Yoshida|user=yosp |number= 620388345969971200|date=July 12, 2015|title=ゲーム業界の発展に多大な貢献をされた岩田さんのご冥福をお祈りします。|language= Japanese}}</ref> Composer and director [[Junichi Masuda]], most known for his work with the ''[[Pokémon (video game series)|Pokémon]]'' games, tweeted: "He was a man who understood ''Pokémon'', and a great leader. When I visited the other day, he was well. I will pray for his soul from the bottom of my heart".<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Junichi Masuda|user=Junichi_Masuda |number= 620396563240628225|date=July 12, 2015|title=任天堂の岩田社長が逝去されました。ポケモンの理解者であり、素晴らしいリーダーでした。先日お会いした時はお元気だったのに。。心よりご冥福をお祈り致します|language= Japanese}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0412631}}
* [https://miiverse.nintendo.net/users/SatoruIwataA Satoru Iwata] at Nintendo [[Miiverse]]
* [http://cube.ign.com/articles/617/617814p1.html Seattle Post Intelligence: Satoru Iwata Interview]
* [http://games.kikizo.com/features/satoruiwata_vidint.asp Satoru Iwata Kikizo Video Interview]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20040610163632/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/505/505234p1.html Gamespy: ''Nintendo's New Direction''] - A discussion with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata
* [http://cube.ign.com/articles/595/595089p1.html Heart of a Gamer speech at GDC '05]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20071016113755/http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/07/an_interview_with_satoru_iwata_ceo_of_nintendo.html A+E Interactive E3 2007 Interview]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081011002714/http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/archive/2007/09/05/nintendo-president-satoru-iwata-takes-victory-lap.aspx Level Up E3 2007 Interview]
{{Mario series}}
{{Nintendo president}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iwata, Satoru}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:21st-century businesspeople]]
[[Category:Nintendo people]]
[[Category:Video game programmers]]
[[Category:People from Sapporo]]
[[Category:Tokyo Institute of Technology alumni]]
[[Category:Cancer deaths in Japan]]
[[Category:Deaths from cholangiocarcinoma]]

Hobonichi

2015-07-16T09:35:00Z

Dorsal Axe: Satoru Iwata was the company's IT manager

'''Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun'''（''ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞''）、'''Hobonichi'''（''ほぼ日''） is a Japanese company that designs and produces various daily life products like [[Haramaki]] and the [[Hobonichi Techo|Techo]] notebook. The company was founded by [[Shigesato Itoi]] on June 6, 1998. Nintendo's president [[Satoru Iwata]] was the IT manager for the company since its inception, and in 2007 was still the IT manager for Hobonichi despite also leading Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1101.com/iwata/2007-09-14.html|title=Mr Iwata, president of Nintendo came to our office. We had a nice talk over supper.|date=10 September 2007|publisher=HOBO NIKKAN ITOI SHINBUN|page=11|language=English and Japanese|accessdate=16 July 2015|location=HOBO NIKKAN ITOI SHINBUN}}</ref>

''Hobonichi'' means "Almost Everyday".

==External links==
*[http://www.1101.com/home.html Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun](Japanese)
*[http://www.1101.com/store/index.html Hobonichi Store](Japanese)

[[Category:Companies_of_Japan]]

{{japan-company-stub}}

Nintendo

2015-07-13T15:13:52Z

Dorsal Axe: Adding Genyo Takeda to the infobox, since he is joint director with Miyamoto

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
<noinclude>{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}</noinclude>{{about|the Nintendo corporation|the third-generation video game console from the company|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nintendo Co., Ltd.
| logo = File:Nintendo.svg
| logo_caption = Nintendo's logo, which dates back to the 1970s. The current gray color was adopted in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/202585/nintendo-switched-logos-two-years-ago/|title=Nintendo News:Nintendo switched logos "two years" ago|publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames.com|accessdate=2010-06-01}}</ref>
| image = Nintendo office.jpg
| image_caption = The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
| trading_name = 
| native_name = 任天堂株式会社
| native_name_lang = "jp"
| romanized_name = Nintendō Kabushiki gaisha
| former_name = {{plainlist|
* Nintendo Koppai
* Nintendo Playing Card Co.
}}
| former type =
| type = [[Kabushiki gaisha]]
| traded_as = {{Tyo|7974}}
| industry = {{flatlist|
* [[Video game industry|Video games]]
* [[Interactive entertainment]]
* [[Consumer electronics]]
}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = [[Kyoto]], Japan ({{Start date|1889|09|23|}})<ref name="history NOJ"/>
| founder = [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]
| defunct = 
| location_city = Kyoto
| location_country = Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/distributors_international.jsp|title=International Distributors - Company List|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2008-11-17}}</ref>
| locations = [[Nintendo World Store|1 store]] (as of 2015)
|coordinates={{Coord|34.969739|135.756209|display=inline,title}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list||[[Genyo Takeda]] (Representative Director, IRD General Manager)|[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (Representative Director, EAD General Manager)|[[Reggie Fils-Aimé]] (NOA President)|[[Satoru Shibata]] (NOE President)}}
| products = {{plainlist|
* [[#Products|List of Nintendo consoles]]
* [[Template:Nintendo franchises|List of Nintendo franchises]]
}}
| brands =
| production = {{unbulleted list|'''Hardware:'''|{{decrease}} 16.30 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 23.73 million (2013)|'''Software:'''|{{decrease}} 123.20 million (2014)|{{decrease}} 147.02 million (2013)}}
| services = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Network]]
* [[Nintendo eShop]]
* [[Nintendo TVii]]
* [[Miiverse]]
}}
| revenue = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|571.726 billion|link=yes}} (2014)|{{decrease}} {{yen|635.422 billion}} (2013)}}
| operating_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-46.425 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|-36.410 billion}} (2013)}}
| net_income = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|-23.222 billion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|7.099 billion}} (2013)}}
| assets = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.306 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.448 trillion}} (2013)}}
| equity = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.118 trillion}} (2014)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.228 trillion}} (2013)}}
| market_cap = {{unbulleted list|{{decrease}} {{yen|1.491 trillion}} (1/1/2015)|{{increase}} {{yen|1.794 trillion}} (1/1/2014)<ref name="marketcap">{{cite web |url=http://marketcapitalizations.com/historical-data/historical-market-caps-of-the-largest-japanese-companies/ |title=Historical market caps of the largest Japanese companies |accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref>}}
| owner =
| num_employees = {{unbulleted list|{{increase}} 5,213 (2014)|{{increase}} 5,080 (2013)}}
| parent =
| divisions = {{flatlist|
* [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|EAD]]
* [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|IRD]]
* [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development|SPD]]
* [[Nintendo System Development|SDD]]
}}
| subsid = {{flatlist|
* [[1-UP Studio]]
* [[iQue]]
* [[Monolith Soft]]
* [[Nd Cube]]
* [[Nintendo European Research & Development|NERD]]
* [[Nintendo Network Service Database|NSD]]
* [[Nintendo Software Technology|NTS]]
* [[Nintendo Technology Development|NTD]]
* [[Retro Studios]]
* [[HAL Laboratory|Warpstar]]
}}
| homepage = {{Official website|www.nintendo.com|Nintendo.com}}
| footnotes =<ref name="consolidatedsales"/><ref name="consolidatedsales 2013">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1303.pdf|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2013-04-27 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref><ref name="FY 2014 financial results"/><ref name="num_employees"/>
| intl = yes
| bodystyle =
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Nintendo Co., Ltd.'''|任天堂株式会社|Nintendō [[Kabushiki gaisha]]|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[multinational corporation|multinational]] consumer electronics company headquartered in [[Kyoto]], Japan. Nintendo is the world's largest [[List of video game companies|video game company]] by revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130116053515/http://www.softwaretop100.org/gaming-company-top-25|archivedate=2013-01-16|title=Gaming company Top 25|year=2011|publisher=Softwaretop100.org|accessdate=November 12, 2011}}</ref> Founded on September 23, 1889,<ref name="history NOJ">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|language=Japanese|accessdate=2006-07-29}}</ref> by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]], it originally produced handmade [[hanafuda]] [[playing card]]s.<ref name="history NOA">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Company History|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2006-06-04}}</ref> By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as cab services and [[love hotel]]s.<ref name="history N-Sider">{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=45|title=Nintendo History Lesson: The Lucky Birth|publisher=N-Sider|accessdate= 2006-06-04}}</ref>

Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s, Nintendo then developed into a [[video game]] company in the 1970s, ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the [[Video game industry|industry]] and Japan's third most valuable listed company with a market value of over $85 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUST30751820071015 |title=Nintendo sets $85 bln high score, thanks to Wii, Nintendo DS |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-10-15 |accessdate=2011-05-25 |first=Kiyoshi |last=Takenaka}}</ref> Nintendo of America is also the majority owner of the [[Seattle Mariners]] [[Major League Baseball]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.nintendolife.com/companies/nintendo|title=Nintendo - Company Profile|publisher=nintendolife|accessdate=2010-07-12}}</ref>

The word "Nintendo" can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staff.science.uva.nl/~egoris/teaching/spring2005/week%201%20intro/Example%20Nintendo.doc|title=Nintendo Corporation, Limited|accessdate=2011-02-22|format=doc}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports historically cumulative sales of over 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units.<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{cite document |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1403.pdf|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2014-05-25 |date=2014-05-07 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015, Nintendo President & CEO [[Satoru Iwata]] died from a [[bile duct tumor]] at the age of 55. Iwata had succeeded President [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] in 2002, just its fourth president in over 100 years of operations.<ref>http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/12/technology/nintendo-president-satoru-iwata-dead/index.html</ref> Following his death, Nintendo announced that Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto would take over on an interim basis until a replacement is found.

{{TOC level|3}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of Nintendo}}


=== 1889–1956: As a card company ===
[[File:Nintendo former headquarter plate Kyoto.jpg|thumb|left|Former headquarters plate, from when Nintendo was solely a playing card company]]
Nintendo was founded as a card company in late 1889, later (1951) named ''Nintendo Koppai'' (Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.), by [[Fusajiro Yamauchi]]. Based in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]], the business produced and marketed a [[playing card]] game called [[Hanafuda]]. The handmade cards soon became popular, and Yamauchi hired assistants to mass-produce cards to satisfy demand. Nintendo now continues to manufacture playing cards in Japan<ref name="nintendo's card game product">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n09/index.html|title=Nintendo's card game product|publisher= nintendo |accessdate=2009}}</ref> and organizes its own [[contract bridge]] tournament called the "Nintendo Cup".<ref name="List of japan contract bridge league tournaments ">{{cite web|url=http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080624174252/http://www.jcbl.or.jp/english/tournament.html|archivedate=2008-06-24|title=List of Japan contract bridge league tournaments|publisher= jcbl|language=japanese|accessdate=2010}}</ref>

=== 1956–1974: New ventures ===
[[File:Nintendo love tester.jpg|thumb|The [[Love Tester]], one of Nintendo's experimental toys.]]

In 1956, [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], grandson of Fusajiro Yamauchi, visited the U.S. to talk with the [[United States Playing Card Company]], the dominant playing card manufacturer there. He found that the biggest playing card company in the world was using only a small office. Yamauchi's realization that the playing card business had limited potential was a turning point. He then acquired the license to use Disney characters on playing cards to drive sales.

In 1963, Yamauchi renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd. to Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref name="Nintendo History">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQB0bQ5E |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=Nintendo History |publisher=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |accessdate=May 27, 2014}}</ref> The company then began to experiment in other areas of business using newly injected capital during the period of time between 1963 and 1968. Nintendo set up a [[Taxicab|taxi]] company called ''Daiya''. This business was earlier successful however Nintendo was forced to sell it because problems with the labour unions were making it too expensive to run the service. It also set up a [[love hotel]] chain, a TV network, a food company (selling [[instant rice]]) and several other ventures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/as-nintendo-turns-125-6-things-you-may-not-know-about-this-gaming-giant-596606|title=Tech News, Reviews, Latest Gadgets & Technology News, Mobile, Tablet, Laptop, Gaming, Tech, Photos, Videos: NDTV Gadgets|work=gadgets.ndtv.com}}</ref> All of these ventures eventually failed, and after the 1964 [[1964 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]], playing card sales dropped, and Nintendo's stock price plummeted to its lowest recorded level of [[Japanese yen|¥]]60.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S7dvvs_0nIC&pg=PT44&lpg=PT44&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics+%C2%A560&source=bl&ots=gL5e-EKI3B&sig=KU5h8uYnEkGQaBVlLphXMgQOV_k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XhlOVdLwJseTuQTBsoC4CA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics%20%C2%A560&f=false|title=Freelancers!|work=google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M-pGHGDm5a4C&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=nintendo+stock+tokyo+olympics&source=bl&ots=NVZO2rCRsf&sig=5s8CmPDhn5F73nkdm9II6329omI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hhOVZnfIZSQuASixIDYCA&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=nintendo%20stock%20tokyo%20olympics&f=false|title=The Story of Nintendo|work=google.com}}</ref>

In 1966, Nintendo moved into the Japanese toy industry with the [[Ultra Hand]], an extendable arm developed by its maintenance engineer [[Gunpei Yokoi]] in his free time. Yokoi was moved from maintenance to the new "Nintendo Games" department as a product developer. Nintendo continued to produce popular toys, including the [[Ultra Machine]], [[Love Tester]] and the ''Kousenjuu'' series of [[light gun]] games. Despite some successful products, Nintendo struggled to meet the fast development and manufacturing turnaround required in the toy market, and fell behind the well-established companies such as [[Bandai]] and [[Tomy]].

In 1973, its focus shifted to family entertainment venues with the [[Laser Clay Shooting System]], using the same light gun technology used in Nintendo's ''Kousenjuu'' series of toys, and set up in abandoned bowling alleys. Following some success, Nintendo developed several more light gun machines (such as the [[light gun shooter]] game ''[[Wild Gunman]]'') for the emerging arcade scene. While the Laser Clay Shooting System ranges had to be shut down following excessive costs, Nintendo had found a new market.

=== 1974–1978: Early electronic era ===
Nintendo's first venture into the video gaming industry was securing rights to distribute the [[Magnavox Odyssey]] [[video game console]] in Japan in 1974. Nintendo began to produce its own hardware in 1977, with the [[Color TV-Game]] home video game consoles. Four versions of these consoles were produced, each including variations of a single game (for example, Color TV Game 6 featured six versions of ''Light Tennis'').

A student product developer named [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] was hired by Nintendo at this time.<ref name="SM_CBS">{{cite news|title=Famous Names in Gaming|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130511085030/http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1673418-2.html|archivedate=2013-05-11|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=|accessdate=2010-06-13}}</ref> He worked for Yokoi, and one of his first tasks was to design the casing for several of the Color TV Game consoles. Miyamoto went on to create, direct and produce some of Nintendo's most famous video games and become one of the most recognizable figures in the video game industry.<ref name="SM_CBS"/>

In 1975, Nintendo moved into the video [[arcade game]] industry with ''[[EVR Race]]'', designed by their first game designer, [[Genyo Takeda]],<ref name="Iwata Asks-Punch Out!!">{{cite web|url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20090810124557/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archivedate=2009-08-10|title=Iwata Asks-Punch-Out!!|publisher= Nintendo|accessdate=2009-07-07}}</ref> and several more titles followed. Nintendo had some small success with this venture, but the release of ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' in 1981, designed by Miyamoto, changed Nintendo's fortunes dramatically. The success of the game and many licensing opportunities (such as ports on the [[Atari 2600]], [[Intellivision]] and [[ColecoVision]]) gave Nintendo a huge boost in profit and in addition, the game also introduced an early iteration of [[Mario]], known then as Jumpman, the eventual company [[mascot]].

=== 1979–2003: Success with video games ===
[[File:Game & Watch.png|thumb|The ''[[Game & Watch]]'' series was Nintendo's first worldwide success in [[video game console]]s.]]


In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi conceived the idea of a [[handheld video game]], while observing a fellow bullet train commuter who passed the time by interacting idly with a portable LCD calculator, which gave birth to ''[[Game & Watch]]''.<ref name="Searching for Gunpei">{{cite web | first=Lara | last=Crigger |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_87/490-Searching-for-Gunpei-Yokoi | title=The Escapist: Searching for Gunpei Yokoi | date=March 6, 2007 | magazine=The Escapist | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref> In 1980, Nintendo launched ''Game & Watch''—a [[handheld video game]] series developed by Yokoi. These systems do not contain interchangeable cartridges and thus the hardware was tied to the game. The first Game & Watch game released, titled ''Ball'', was distributed worldwide. The modern "cross" [[D-pad]] design was developed in 1982, by Yokoi for a ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' version. Proven to be popular, the design was patented by Nintendo. It later earned a [[Technology & Engineering Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641299976 |title=Nintendo Wins Emmy For DS And Wii Engineering | Technology | Sky News |publisher=News.sky.com |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Magrino |first=Tom |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184421.html |title=CES '08: Nintendo wins second Emmy - News at GameSpot |publisher=Gamespot.com |date=2008-01-08 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}</ref>


In 1983, Nintendo launched the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]] (colloquialized as "Famicom") home [[video game console]] in Japan, alongside ports of its most popular arcade titles. In 1985, a cosmetically reworked version of the system known outside of Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, launched in North America. The practice of bundling the system along with select games helped to make ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games in history]].<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp">Nagata, Kazuaki, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/03/10/news/nintendo-secret-its-all-in-the-game/ Nintendo secret: It's all in the game]", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', March 10, 2009, p. 3.</ref>


In 1988, Gunpei Yokoi and his team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] conceived the new [[Game Boy]] handheld system, with the purpose of merging the two very successful ideas of the Game & Watch's portability along with the NES's cartridge interchangeability. Nintendo released the Game Boy in Japan on April 21, 1989, and in North America on July 31, 1989. Nintendo of America president [[Minoru Arakawa]] managed a deal to bundle the popular third party game ''[[Tetris]]'' along with the Game Boy, and the pair launched as an instant success.


In 1989, Nintendo announced plans to release the successor to the Famicom, the [[Super Famicom]]. Based on a [[16-bit]] [[CPU|processor]], Nintendo boasted significantly superior hardware specifications of graphics, sound, and game speed over the original 8-bit Famicom. The system was also said to have backwards compatibility with Famicom games, though this feature was ultimately cut upon release. The Super Famicom was finally released relatively late to the market in Japan on November 21, 1990, and released as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (abbreviated to SNES or Super Nintendo) in North America on August 23, 1991 and in Europe in 1992. Its main rival was the 16-bit [[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive]], known in North America as Sega Genesis, which had been advertised aggressively against the nascent 8-bit NES. A [[Console wars|console war]] between Sega and Nintendo ensued during the early 1990s.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 431. "''Sonic'' was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for Super NES to arrive now decided to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the [[history of video games]] was about to begin."</ref> From 1990 to 1992, Nintendo opened ''World of Nintendo'' shops in the United States where consumers could test and buy Nintendo products.


In August 1993, Nintendo announced the SNES's successor, code-named ''Project Reality''. Featuring [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|64-bit graphics]], the new system was developed as a joint venture between Nintendo and North-American-based technology company [[Silicon Graphics]]. The system was announced to be released by the end of 1995, but was subsequently delayed. Meanwhile, Nintendo continued the Nintendo Entertainment System family with the release of the [[NES-101]], a smaller redesign of the original NES. Nintendo also announced a [[Compact disc|CD]] drive peripheral called the [[SNES-CD]], which was co-developed first by [[Sony]] with the name "Play Station" and then by [[Philips]]. Bearing prototypes and joint announcements at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]], it was on track for a 1994 release, but was controversially cancelled.


During 1995, Nintendo announced that it had sold one billion game cartridges worldwide,<ref>{{cite journal|last= |first= |title=Tidbits... |journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=78|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=January 1996|page=24}}</ref> one tenth of it being from the [[Mario franchise]].{{cn|date=June 2015}} Nintendo deemed 1994 the "Year of the Cartridge". To further their support for cartridges, Nintendo announced that Project Reality, which had now been renamed the Ultra 64, would not use a CD format as expected, but would rather use cartridges as its primary media format. [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|Nintendo IRD]] general manager [[Genyo Takeda]] was impressed by video game development company [[Rare Ltd.]]'s progress with real-time 3D graphics technology, using state of the art [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations. As a result, Nintendo bought a 25% stake in the company, eventually expanding to 49%, and offered their catalogue of characters to create a CGI game around, making Rare a Nintendo's first western-based [[Video game development party#Second-party developer|second-party developer]].<ref name="Rare history">{{cite web|accessdate=2012-05-17 |url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |title=IGN Presents the History of Rare |publisher=IGN |date=2008-07-29 |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080805122442/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/894/894511p1.html |archivedate=2008-08-05 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Their first game as partners with Nintendo was ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. The game was a critical success and sold over eight million copies worldwide, making it the second [[List of best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System video games|best-selling game in the SNES library]].<ref name="Rare history"/> In September 1994, Nintendo, along with six other video game giants including Sega, [[Electronic Arts]], Atari, [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]], Philips, and [[3DO Company|3DO]] approached the [[United States Senate]] and demanded a ratings system for video games to be enforced, with prompted the decision to create the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]].


Aiming to produce an affordable [[virtual reality]] console, Nintendo released the [[Virtual Boy]] in 1995, designed by Gunpei Yokoi. The console consists of a head-mounted semi-portable system with one red-colored screen for each of the user's eyes, featuring [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic graphics]]. Games are viewed through a binocular eyepiece and controlled using an affixed gamepad. Critics were generally disappointed with the quality of the games and the red-colored graphics, and complained of gameplay-induced headaches.<ref name="WaPo">Frischling, Bill. "Sideline Play." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 11. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877–1995). October 25, 1995. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> The system sold poorly and was quietly discontinued.<ref name="Boyer">Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> Amid the system's failure, Yokoi retired from Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time|accessdate= 2010-06-12|first=Blake|last=Snow|publisher=[[GamePro]]|date=2007-05-04|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607134204/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/|archivedate=2011-06-07}}</ref> During the same year, Nintendo launched the [[Satellaview]] in Japan, a peripheral for the Super Famicom. The accessory allowed users to play video games via broadcast for a set period of time. Various games were made exclusively for the platform, as well as various [[remake (software)|remakes]].


In 1996, Nintendo released the Ultra 64 as the [[Nintendo 64]] in Japan and North America. The console was later released in Europe and Australia in 1997. Despite the limitations set by using cartridges, the technical specifications of the Nintendo 64 surpassed its competitors. With its market shares slipping to the [[Sega Saturn]] and partner-turned-rival [[Sony]] [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], Nintendo revitalized its brand by launching a $185 million marketing campaign centered around the "Play it Loud" slogan.<ref>Miller, Cyndee. "Sega Vs. Nintendo: This Fights almost as Rough as their Video Games." Marketing News 28.18 (1994): 1-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. May 24, 2012.</ref> During the same year, Nintendo also released the [[Game Boy Pocket]] in Japan, a smaller version of the Game Boy that generated more sales for the platform. On October 4, 1996, famed Nintendo developer Gunpei Yokoi died in a car crash. In 1997, Nintendo released the [[SNS-101]] (called Super Famicom Jr. in Japan), a smaller redesigned version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


In 1998, the successor to the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color, was released. The system had improved technical specifications allowing it to run games made specifically for the system as well as games released for the Game Boy, albeit with added color. The [[Game Boy Camera]] and [[Game Boy Printer|Printer]] were also released as accessories. In October 1998, Retro Studios was founded as an alliance between Nintendo and former [[Iguana Entertainment]] founder [[Jeff Spangenberg]]. Nintendo saw an opportunity for the new studio to create games for the upcoming [[GameCube]] targeting an older demographic, in the same vein as Iguana Entertainment's successful ''[[Turok: Dinosaur Hunter|Turok]]'' series for the Nintendo 64.<ref name=nsiderhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-sider.com/articleview.php?articleid=423&page=1|title=History of Retro Studios|last=Wade|first=Kenneth Kyle|publisher=N-sider|date=December 17, 2004 |accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>

In 2001, just three years later, Nintendo introduced the redesigned Game Boy Advance. The same year, Nintendo also released the [[GameCube]] to lukewarm sales, and it ultimately failed to regain the market share lost by the Nintendo 64.

In 2003, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Advance SP]], its fourth handheld system.

=== 2004–2011: Nintendo DS and Wii ===
In 2004, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS]], its fourth major handheld system. The DS is a dual screened handheld featuring [[touch screen]] capabilities, which respond to either a stylus or the touch of a finger. Former Nintendo president and now chairman [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] was translated by GameScience as explaining, "If we can increase the scope of the industry, we can re-energise the global market and lift Japan out of depression - that is Nintendo's mission." Regarding lukewarm GameCube sales which had yielded the company's first reported operating loss in over 100 years, Yamauchi continued: "The DS represents a critical moment for Nintendo's success over the next two years. If it succeeds, we rise to the heavens, if it fails, we sink into hell."<ref name="Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata">{{cite web | title=Nikkei talks with Nintendo's Yamauchi and Iwata | publisher=GameScience | url=http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127211555/http://game-science.com/news/000406.html | archivedate=January 27, 2006 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS">{{cite web | title=Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS | url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/9256/iwata-yamauchi-speak-out-on-nintendo-ds | date=February 13, 2004 | first=Jonathan | last=Metts | publisher=Nintendo Worldwide Report | accessdate=May 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DS history">{{cite web|last=Constantine|first=John|title=Rise to Heaven: Five Years of Nintendo DS|url=http://www.1up.com/features/years-nintendo-ds.html|publisher=1UP.com|accessdate=May 27, 2014|quote="If the DS succeeds, we will rise to heaven, but if it fails we will sink to hell." — Hiroshi Yamauchi}}</ref> Thanks to titles such as [[Nintendogs]] and [[Mario Kart DS]], the DS became a success. In 2005, Nintendo released the [[Game Boy Micro]] in North America, a redesign of the Game Boy Advance. The last system in the [[Game Boy line]], it was also the smallest Game Boy, and the least successful. In the middle of 2005, Nintendo opened the [[Nintendo World Store]] in [[New York City]], which would sell Nintendo games, present a museum of Nintendo history, and host public parties such as for product launches.

[[File:Wii Remote Image.jpg|thumb|The [[Wii Remote]], along with the [[Wii]], was said to be revolutionary because of its motion detection capabilities.]]

In the first half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DS Lite]], a version of the original Nintendo DS with lighter weight, brighter screen, and better battery life. In addition to this streamlined design, its prolific subset of [[casual game]]s appealed to the masses, such as the [[Brain Age (series)|Brain Age]] series. Meanwhile, [[New Super Mario Bros.]] provided a substantial addition to the [[Super Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] when it was launched to the top of sales charts. The successful direction of the Nintendo DS had a big influence on Nintendo's next home console, which had been code named "Revolution" and was now renamed to "[[Wii]]".

In the latter half of 2006, Nintendo released the [[Wii]] as the backwards-compatible successor to the GameCube. Based upon intricate [[Wii Remote]] motion controls and a [[Wii Balance Board|balance board]], the Wii inspired several new game franchises, some targeted at entirely new market segments of casual and fitness gaming. At over 100 million units, the Wii is the best selling console of the seventh generation, regaining the market share lost during the tenures of the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube.


On May 1, 2007, Nintendo acquired an 80% stake on video game development company [[Monolith Soft]], previously owned by [[Bandai Namco]]. Monolith Soft is best known for developing [[role-playing game]]s such as the [[Xenosaga]] and [[Baten Kaitos series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|title=XENOSAGA DEVELOPER SWITCHES SIDES|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/04/27/xenosaga-developer-switches-sides|publisher=IGN|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref>

During the holiday season of 2008, Nintendo followed up the success of the DS Lite with the release of the [[Nintendo DSi]] in Japan. The system features two cameras, one facing towards the player and one facing outwards, and had an [[online distribution]] store called [[DSiWare]]. The DSi was later released worldwide during 2009. In the latter half of 2009, Nintendo released the [[Nintendo DSi XL]] in Japan, a larger version of the DSi. This updated system was later released worldwide in 2010.

=== 2011–2013: Nintendo 3DS and Wii U ===
In 2011, Nintendo greatly expanded the DS legacy by releasing the [[Nintendo 3DS]], based upon a [[autostereoscopic|glasses-free]] 3D display.

In February 2012, Nintendo acquired [[Mobiclip]], a [[France]]-based research and development company specialized in highly optimized software technologies such as video compression. The company's name was later changed to Nintendo European Research & Development.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fletcher|title=Nintendo acquires video research/middleware company Mobiclip|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-acquires-video-research-middleware-company-mobiclip/|publisher=Joystiq|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref> During the fourth quarter of 2012, Nintendo released the [[Wii U]]. It sold slower than expected,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/slow-wii-u-sales-send-nintendo-shares-into-a-downward-spiral/|title=Slow Wii U sales send Nintendo shares into a downward spiral|accessdate=2014-04-07|date=2014-01-19|archiveurl=}}</ref> despite being the first eighth generation console. By September 2013, however, sales had rebounded.{{Clarify|date=May 2014}} Intending to broaden the 3DS market, Nintendo released 2013's cost-reduced [[Nintendo 2DS]]. The 2DS is compatible with but lacks the 3DS's more expensive but cosmetic [[autostereoscopy|autostereoscopic]] 3D feature. Nintendo also released the [[Wii Mini]], a cheaper and non-networked redesign of the Wii.

=== 2013-present: Mobile, QOL, and the NX {{anchor|Nintendo NX}} ===
On September 25, 2013, Nintendo announced it had purchased a 28% stake in a [[Panasonic]] spin-off company called PUX Corporation. The company specializes in face and voice recognition technology, with which Nintendo intends to improve the usability of future game systems. Nintendo has also worked with this company in the past to create character recognition software for a Nintendo DS touchscreen.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:パナソニック・任天堂、ゲーム機操作法を共同開発|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD250K5_V20C13A9TJ1000/|publisher=Nikkei|accessdate=May 25, 2014|language=Japanese}}</ref> After announcing a 30% dive in profits for the April to December 2013 period, President [[Satoru Iwata]] announced he would take a 50% pay-cut, with other executives seeing reductions by 20%-30%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25941070|title=Nintendo executives take pay cuts after profits tumble|accessdate=May 31, 2014|date=January 29, 2014|archiveurl=}}</ref> During a May 7, 2014, investors' meeting, Nintendo confirmed that it had spent over $150 million on an acquisition of an unspecified, non-Japanese, non-gaming, technology company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gibson|first=David|title=Twitter / gibbogame|url=https://twitter.com/gibbogame/status/464547992008417282|publisher=David Gibson|accessdate=May 25, 2014}}</ref> In January 2015, Nintendo announced its exit from the Brazilian market after four years of distributing products in the country. Nintendo cited high import [[Duty (economics)|duties]] and lack of local manufacturing operation as reasons for leaving. Nintendo continues its partnership with Juegos de Video Latinoamérica to distribute products to rest of [[Latin America]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nutt|first1=Christian|title=Nintendo exits the Brazilian market, citing high import duties|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/233909/Nintendo_exits_the_Brazilian_market_citing_high_import_duties.php|website=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=[[UBM plc]]|accessdate=January 11, 2015|date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2015, Nintendo announced that it would team up with Japanese mobile company [[DeNA]] to produce games for [[smart device]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Russell|first1=Jon|title=Nintendo Partners With DeNA To Bring Its Games And IP To Smartphones|url=http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/nintendo-partners-with-dena-to-brings-its-games-and-ip-to-smartphones/|website=TechCrunch|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> On the same day, Nintendo announced a new "dedicated games platform with a brand new concept" under the codename "NX" that would be further revealed in 2016.<ref name=CnetNX>{{cite web|last1=Westaway|first1=Luke|title=Nintendo will make games for phones, new 'NX' system|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/mario-set-for-smartphones-as-nintendo-forges-new-mobile-deal/|website=CNet|accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref>

In May 2015, [[Universal Parks and Resorts]] announced that it was teaming up with Nintendo to create attractions at Universal Parks based upon Nintendo properties.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kohler|first1=Chris|title=Nintendo, Universal Team Up For Theme Park Attractions|url=http://www.wired.com/2015/05/nintendo-turns-profit/|website=Wired|accessdate=8 May 2015}}</ref>

On July 11, 2015, Nintendo CEO and President [[Satoru Iwata]] passed away due to a tumor on his bile duct.

== Products ==


=== Home consoles ===

==== Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom Disk System ====
{{main|Nintendo Entertainment System}}
[[File:Nes-console-with-controller.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo's first major success in the home console market.]]

The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as '''NES''' or '''Nintendo''') is an [[8-bit]] video game console, which released in North America in 1985, and in Europe throughout 1986 and 1987. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] as the '''Family Computer''' (abbreviated as '''Famicom''') in 1983. The [[List of million-selling game consoles|best-selling gaming console]] of its time,<ref name="dominate">{{cite book |title=Game Over |last=Sheff |first=David |authorlink=David Sheff |year=1993 |publisher=Random House |location=New York |isbn=0-679-40469-4 |page=349}}</ref>{{cref|e}} the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the [[North American video game crash of 1983|video game crash of 1983]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Consalvo |first=Mia |year=2006 |title=Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture |journal=New Media Society |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=117–137 |doi=10.1177/1461444806059921 |format=PDF}}{{subscription required}}</ref> With the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard [[business model]] of licensing [[Video game developer|third-party developers]], authorizing them to produce and distribute titles for Nintendo's platform.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sanchez-Crespo |first=Daniel |title=Core Techniques and Algorithms in Game Programming|accessdate=2007-10-24|date=2003-09-08|publisher=New Riders Games|isbn=0-13-102009-9|page=14}}</ref> The NES was bundled with ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', one of the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video games of all time]], and received ports of Nintendo's most popular arcade titles.<ref name="search.japantimes.co.jp"/> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 61.91 million NES hardware units and 500.01 million NES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Super Nintendo Entertainment System ====
{{main | Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
The '''Super Nintendo Entertainment System''' (abbreviated as '''SNES''', '''Super NES''' or '''Super Nintendo''') is a [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit]] video game console, which was released in North America in 1991, and in Europe in 1992. The console was initially released in [[Japan]] in 1990 as the '''Super Famicom''', officially adopting the colloquially abbreviated name of its predecessor. The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other consoles at the time. Soon, the development of [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|a variety of enhancement chips]] which were integrated onto each new game cartridge's circuit boards, progressed the SNES's competitive edge. While even crude [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] graphics had previously rarely been seen on home consoles,<ref>Gibson, Nick. [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/11/f-22-interceptor-advanced-tactical-fighter/ "F-22 Interceptor (Genesis)"] ''Sega-16'', November 6, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2013.</ref> the SNES's [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|enhancement chips]] suddenly enabled a new caliber of games containing increasingly sophisticated [[faux]] 3D effects as seen in 1991's ''[[Pilotwings]]'' and 1992's ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', and then fundamentally three-dimensional worlds beginning with 1993's [[SuperFX]]-powered ''[[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]]'' game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historiadetudo.com/videogame.html|title=História do Video Game|publisher=|accessdate=October 13, 2014}}</ref> This platform-enhancing development in cartridge technology sparked the industry's increasingly widespread interest in polygon graphics, helping to usher in a fundamental shift to 3D graphics as seen in the [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|next generation]].<ref>Waldron, Valerie. [http://www.lib.umich.edu/online-exhibits/exhibits/show/cvga-disassembled/gamegen5 "CVGA Disassembled - Fifth Generation (1993-2001)"] ''Computer and Video Game Archive'', Fall 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.</ref> The SNES is the best-selling console of the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]] although having experienced a relatively late start and fierce competition from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] console. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 49.10 million SNES hardware units and 379.06 million SNES software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Nintendo 64 ====
{{main|Nintendo 64}}
The '''Nintendo 64''' was released in 1996, featuring [[3D computer graphics|3D polygon model rendering]] capabilities and built-in [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] for up to four players. The system's controller introduced the [[analog stick]] and later introduced the [[Rumble Pak]], an accessory for the controller that produces [[Haptic technology|force feedback]] with compatible games. Both are the first such features to have come to market for home console gaming and eventually became the [[De facto standard|''de facto'' industry standard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/03/happy-birthday-rumble-pak |title=IGN: Happy Birthday, Rumble Pak |first=Levi |last= Buchanan |date=2008-04-03 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2008-09-12}}</ref> Announced in 1995, prior to the console's 1996 launch, the [[64DD]] ("DD" standing for "Disk Drive") was designed to enable the development of new genre of video games<ref name="The 64Dream Dec 1997">{{ cite journal | title=A friendly discussion between the "Big 2" | others=[http://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/itoi-miyamoto-interview-64dd/ Translation] | magazine=The 64DREAM | subjectlink1=Shigeru Miyamoto | subjectlink2=Shigesato Itoi | first1=Shigeru | last1=Miyamoto | first2=Shigesato | last2=Itoi | date=December 1997 | page=91}}</ref> by way of 64 MB writable magnetic disks, video editing, and Internet connectivity. Eventually released only in Japan in 1999, the 64DD peripheral's commercial failure there resulted in only nine games being released and precluded further worldwide release.

==== GameCube ====
{{main|GameCube}}
The '''GameCube''' (officially called '''Nintendo GameCube''', abbreviated '''NGC''' in Japan and '''GCN''' in North America) was released in 2001, in Japan and North America, and in 2002 worldwide. The [[History of video game consoles (sixth generation)|sixth-generation console]] is the successor to the [[Nintendo 64]] and competed with Sony's [[PlayStation 2]], Microsoft's [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and Sega's [[Dreamcast]]. The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use [[optical disc]]s as its primary storage medium.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp|title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Company History|accessdate=2009-07-24|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The discs are similar to the [[miniDVD]] format, but the system was not designed to play standard [[DVD]]s or [[Compact disc|audio CDs]]. Nintendo introduced a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. The GameCube's game library has sparse support for [[online game|Internet gaming]], a feature that requires the use of the aftermarket [[Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter]]. The GameCube supports connectivity to the [[Game Boy Advance]], allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a [[second screen]] and controller. {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 21.74 million GameCube hardware units and 208.57 million GameCube software units worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" />

==== Wii ====
{{main|Wii}}
[[File:Wii-Console.png|thumb|200px|The [[Wii]], Nintendo's best selling home video game console.]]

The '''Wii''' was released during the holiday season of 2006 worldwide. The system the [[Wii Remote]] [[Game controller|controller]], which can be used as a handheld [[pointing device]] and which [[accelerometer|detects movement]] in [[three-dimensional space|three dimensions]]. Another notable feature of the console is [[WiiConnect24]], which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in [[Sleep mode|standby mode]].<ref name="Iwata Speech 06">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/e3_2006/speech/english.html Nintendo Corporation] - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006</ref> It also features a game download service, called "[[Virtual Console]]", which features emulated games from past systems. Since its release, the Wii has spawned many peripheral devices, including the [[Wii Balance Board]] and [[Motion Plus]], and has had several [[Wii#Revisions|hardware revisions]]. The ''Wii Family Edition'' variant is identical to the original model, but is designed to sit horizontally and removes the GameCube compatibility. The ''Wii Mini'' is a smaller, redesigned Wii which lacks GameCube compatibility, online connectivity, the [[SD card]] slot and [[Wi-Fi]] support, and has only one [[USB]] port unlike the previous models' two.<ref name=EurogamerReview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-nintendo-wii-mini-review|title= Nintendo Wii Mini review |last=Leadbetter|first=Richard|date=December 12, 2012|work=Eurogamer|accessdate=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=WiiMiniManual>{{cite document|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/WiiMiniOpMn_RVO_en.pdf|title= Nintendo Wii Mini Operations Manual|publisher=Nintendo of America|page=10|accessdate=December 16, 2012|quote=The Wii Mini console will not work with any AV cable other than the model supplied.}}</ref> {{As of|2014|3|31|df=US}}, Nintendo reports sales of 101.06 million Wii hardware units and 895.22 million Wii software units worldwide, making it Nintendo's best-selling home video game console.<ref name="consolidatedsales"/>

==== Wii U ====
{{main | Wii U}}
The '''Wii U''', the successor to the Wii, was released during the holiday season of 2012 worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/888470-wii-u-confirmed-for-europe-this-year|title=Wii U confirmed for Europe this year|newspaper=Metro}}</ref><ref name="pricerelease">{{cite web|url=http://wiiu.dcemu.co.uk/wiiu-price-and-release-date-announced-491879.html| title=WiiU Price and Release Date Announced| publisher=WiiU News | date=September 13, 2012 | accessdate=September 13, 2012}}</ref> The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support [[High-definition video|high-definition]] [[Video game graphics|graphics]]. The Wii U's primary [[Gamepad|controller]] is the [[Wii U GamePad]], which features an embedded [[touchscreen]]. Each software title may be designed to utilize this touchscreen as being supplemental to the main TV, or as the only screen for [[Off-TV Play]]. The system supports most Wii controllers and accessories, and the more classically shaped [[Wii U Pro Controller]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/1943/20120605/nintendo-wii-u-pro-controller-e3.htm|title=Nintendo Unveils Wii U Pro Controller before E3, Wireless but No Touch Screen|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=GameNGuide}}</ref> The system is [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] with Wii software and accessories; this mode also utilizes Wii-based controllers, and it optionally offers the GamePad as its primary Wii display and motion sensor bar. The console has various online services powered by [[Nintendo Network]], including: the [[Nintendo eShop]] for online distribution of software and content; and [[Miiverse]], a [[social network]] which can be variously integrated with games and applications. As of December 2014, worldwide Wii U sales had totaled 9.20 million hardware units and 52.87 million software units.<ref name="Nintendo Financial Jan 28 2015">{{cite document | title=Consolidated Financial Highlights: Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 2013 and 2014 | publisher=Nintendo Co, Ltd. | location=Kyoto, Japan | date=January 28, 2015 | url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150128e.pdf | accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>

=== Handheld consoles ===

==== Game & Watch ====
{{main|Game & Watch}}
{{expand section|date=March 2014}}
'''Game and Watch''' is a handheld line produced from 1980 to 1991 by [[Gunpei Yokoi]]. It features a single game and a clock and/or alarm.

==== Game Boy ====
{{main|Game Boy line}}
After the success of the ''Game & Watch'' series, Yokoi developed the '''[[Game Boy]]''' handheld console, which was released in 1989. Eventually becoming the best-selling handheld of all time, the Game Boy remained dominant for more than a decade, seeing critically and commercially popular games such as ''[[Pokémon Yellow]]'' released as late as 1998 in Japan and 2000 in Europe. Incremental updates of the Game Boy, including ''[[Game Boy Pocket]]'', ''[[Game Boy Light]]'' and ''[[Game Boy Color]]'', did little to change the original formula, though the latter introduced color graphics to the Game Boy line.

The first major update to its handheld line since 1989, '''[[Game Boy Advance]]''' features improved technical specifications similar to those of the SNES. The ''[[Game Boy Advance SP]]'' was the first revision to the GBA line and introduced screen lighting and a clam shell design, while later iteration, the ''[[Game Boy Micro]]'', brought a smaller form factor.

[[File:Nintendo-DS-Lite-Black-Open.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Nintendo DS Lite]] is the best-selling handheld console of all time.]]
==== Nintendo DS ====
{{main | Nintendo DS | Nintendo DS line}}
Although originally advertised as an alternative to the Game Boy Advance, the '''[[Nintendo DS]]''' replaced the [[Game Boy line]] after its initial release in 2004.<ref name="newconsole">{{cite web| url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/11/14/nintendo-going-back-to-the-basics| title=Nintendo Going Back to the Basics. Full story about the company offering a new system in 2004.| accessdate=2007-10-04| date=2003-11-13| work=[[IGN]]| publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc.}}</ref> It was distinctive for its dual screens and a microphone, as well as a [[Touchscreen|touch-sensitive lower screen]]. The ''[[Nintendo DS Lite]]'' brought a smaller form factor<ref>{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Peter|date =2006-02-20| url= http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/20/the-engadget-interview-reggie-fils-aime-executive-vice-preside/|title= The Engadget Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Nintendo|publisher= Engadget|accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> while the ''[[Nintendo DSi]]'' features larger screens and two cameras,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendodsi.com/meet-dsi.jsp | title = Explore Nintendo DSi | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> and was followed by an even larger model, the ''[[Nintendo DSi XL]]'', with a 90% bigger screen.<ref name=mcvuk>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/37129/DSi-XL-gets-March-5th-launch|title=Nintendo DSi XL to launch on March 5th|first=Dave|last=Roberts|date=2010-01-14|work=MCV|publisher=Intent Media|accessdate=2010-01-30}}</ref>

==== Nintendo 3DS ====
{{main | Nintendo 3DS}}
Further expanding the Nintendo DS line, the '''[[Nintendo 3DS]]''' uses the process of [[autostereoscopy]] to produce a [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] three-dimensional effect without [[3D viewer|glasses]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf |title=Launch of New Portable Game Machine |date=March 23, 2010 |publisher=Nintendo |accessdate=2010-03-23 |location=[[Minami-ku, Kyoto]]}}</ref> Released to major markets during 2011, the 3DS got off to a slow start, initially missing many key features that were promised before the system launched.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.techspot.com/news/44226-nintendo-3DS-passes-1-million-units-sold-in-japan-finally.html |title=Nintendo 3DS passes 1 million units sold in Japan, finally |date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=TechSpot |accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Partially as a result of slow sales, Nintendo stock declined in value. Subsequent price cuts and game releases helped to boost 3DS and 3DS software sales and to renew investor confidence in the company.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=nintendo-shares-leap-on-3ds-optimism-2011-08-23 |title=Nintendo shares leap on 3DS optimism |date=August 23, 2011 |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News |accessdate=2011-10-26}}</ref> As of August 2013, the 3DS was the best selling console in the United States for four consecutive months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gengame.net/2013/09/august-npd-sales-data-madden-25-tops-software-3ds-tops-hardware-four-months-in-a-row/ |title=August NPD Sales Data: Madden 25 Tops Software, 3DS Tops Hardware Four Months in a Row |publisher=Gengame |date=2013-09-12 |accessdate=2013-10-17}}</ref> The ''[[Nintendo 3DS XL]]'' was introduced in August 2012 and includes a 90% larger screen, a 4GB SD card and extended battery life. In August 2013, Nintendo announced the cost-reduced ''[[Nintendo 2DS]]'', a version of the 3DS without an [[autostereoscopic]] 3D screen. It has a slate-like design as opposed to the hinged, [[clamshell design]] of its DS-line predecessors. The 2DS was released on October 12, 2013 in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, although no Japanese release has been announced.

In August 2014, it was announced that Japan would receive a new 3DS called "New 3DS" with extra shoulder buttons, a right analogue stick, faster processor, compatibility with [[Amiibo]] and other changes. It was released in October 2014.

=== Software ===
{{see also|List of products published by Nintendo}}
{{empty section|date=January 2014}}

== Organization ==

=== Marketing ===
{{main|Nintendo marketing}}

Nintendo of America has engaged in several high-profile marketing campaigns to define and position its brand. One of its earliest and most enduring slogans was "Now you're playing with power!", used first to promote its Nintendo Entertainment System. It modified the slogan to include "SUPER power" for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and "PORTABLE power" for the Game Boy. Its 1994 "Play It Loud!" campaign played upon teenage rebellion and fostered an edgy reputation. During the Nintendo 64 era, the slogan was "Get N or get out." During the GameCube era, the "Who Are You?" suggested a link between the games and the players' identities. The company promoted its Nintendo DS handheld with the tagline "Touching is Good." For the Wii, they used the "Wii would like to play" slogan to promote the console with the people who tried the games including ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''. The Nintendo DS's successor, the Nintendo 3DS, used the slogan "Take a look inside". The Wii's successor, the [[Wii U]], used the slogan "How U will play next."

=== Board of directors ===
* [[Genyo Takeda]], Senior Managing Director, Chief Director of [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development|General Development]]
* [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], Senior Managing Director, Chief Director of [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|Information Development]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=NTDOY.PK |title=Profile |work=Nintendo Co. Ltd. (NTDOY.PK) |publisher=Yahoo! News Network |accessdate=June 10, 2011}}</ref>
* [[Tatsumi Kimishima]], Managing Director, Chief Senior Director of Business Administration, Chief Director of General Affairs
* Kauro Takemura, Chief Director of Human Resources, Director
* Shigeyuki Takahashi, Director of Finance, Chief Director of Administration, Director
* Satoshi Yamato, Chief Director of Sales, Director
* Susumo Tanaka, Chief Director of Operation, Director
* Shinya Takahashi, Chief Director of Planning and Development, Director of Planning and Development
* Hirokazu Shinshi, Chief Director of Manufacture, Manager of Production Planning, Director

'''Other key executives:'''
* [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]], President and COO of Nintendo of America (NOA)
* [[Satoru Shibata]], President of Nintendo of Europe (NOE)

=== International divisions ===
{{see also|List of divisions of Nintendo}}

==== Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) ====
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan since the beginning, Nintendo Co., Ltd. oversees the organization's global operations and manages Japanese operations specifically. The company's two major subsidiaries, Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, manage operations in North America and Europe respectively. Nintendo Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/jobs/work_at_nintendo/interview05-02/contents02.html |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5vQBDu3BO |archivedate=January 1, 2011 |title=製品技術編(2) |work=社長が訊く任天堂で働くということ |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |accessdate=January 1, 2011}}</ref> moved from its original Kyoto location<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|59|30.03|N|135|45|58.66|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref>{{Where|date=May 2014}} to a new office in [[Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto]],;<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|29.00|N|135|46|10.48|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref> in 2000, this became the [[research and development]] building when the head office relocated to its {{as of|2000|alt=present}} location in [[Minami-ku, Kyoto]].<ref group="lower-alpha">{{Coord|34|58|11.89|N|135|45|22.33|E|display=inline|format=dms}}</ref><ref>"[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/starfox/0/2 Fushimi Inari Taisha and Fox]." Nintendo. Retrieved on January 1, 2011. "12. Former head office: Before Nintendo's head office moved to Minami Ward, Kyoto City (its current location) in 2000, it was in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. The former head office's location is now occupied by Nintendo Kyoto Research Center."</ref>

==== Nintendo of America (NOA) ====
Nintendo's North American subsidiary is based in [[Redmond, Washington]]. Originally the NOA headquarters handled sales, marketing, and advertising. However, the office in [[Redwood City]], [[California]] now directs those functions. The company maintains distribution centers in [[Atlanta]] (Nintendo Atlanta) and [[North Bend, Washington]] ([[Nintendo North Bend]]). The {{convert|380000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Nintendo North Bend facility processes more than 20,000 orders a day to Nintendo customers, which include [[Retail|retail stores]] that sell Nintendo products in addition to [[consumer]]s who [[Online shopping|shop]] Nintendo's web site.<ref name="casestudy">{{cite web | author=R.H. Brown Co. Inc. | year=2007 | title=Case Studies | url=http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20070817205829/http://www.hytrol.com/casestudy.cfm?id=35 | archivedate=2007-08-17 | work=Hytrol.com | accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> Nintendo of America's Canadian branch,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/?country=CA&lang=en |title=Nintendo.com |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}</ref> Nintendo of Canada, Ltd. (NOCL), is based in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] with a [[distribution center]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].

==== Nintendo of Europe (NOE) ====
Nintendo's European subsidiary was established in June 1990,<ref name="history_9911">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/service/nintendo_history_9911.html |title=History |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> based in [[Großostheim]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html | title=Corporate - Nintendo | accessdate=2009-07-24}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> close to [[Frankfurt]], Germany. The company handles operations in Europe and [[South Africa]].<ref name="history_9911" /> Nintendo of Europe's [[United Kingdom]] branch<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/corporate_10102.html |title=Corporate |publisher=Nintendo |date=2012-08-29 |accessdate=2012-10-09}}{{Dead link|date=December 2012}}</ref> handles operations in that country and in [[Ireland]] from its headquarters in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], [[Berkshire]]. In June 2014, NOE initiated a reduction and consolidation process, yielding a combined 130 layoffs: the closing of its office and warehouse, and termination of all employment, in Großostheim; and the consolidation of all of those operations into, and terminating some employment at, its Frankfurt location.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-06-130-jobs-lost-in-nintendo-of-europe-reshuffle |title=130 jobs lost in Nintendo of Europe reshuffle |first=Dan |last=Pearson |publisher=Games Industry |date=2014-06-06 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2014/06/06/nintendo-to-close-european-headquarters-lay-off-130/ | title=Nintendo to close European headquarters, lay off 130 | work=USA Today | date=June 6, 2014 | accessdate=June 9, 2014}}</ref>

==== Nintendo Australia (NAL) ====
{{main | Nintendo Australia}}
Nintendo's Australian subsidiary is based in [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Victoria]]. It handles the publishing, distribution, sales and marketing of Nintendo products in [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and Oceania ([[Cook Islands]], [[Fiji]], [[New Caledonia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Samoa]], and [[Vanuatu]]). It also manufactures some Wii games locally. Nintendo Australia is also a third-party distributor of some titles from [[Rising Star Games]], [[Namco Bandai Games]] Europe, [[Atlus]], [[The Tetris Company]], [[Sega]], [[Tecmo Koei]] Games Europe and [[Capcom]] Europe.

==== iQue, Ltd. ====
{{main | iQue}}
A Chinese [[joint venture]] between its founder, [[Wei Yen]], and Nintendo, manufactures and distributes official Nintendo consoles and games for the mainland Chinese market, under the iQue brand. The product lineup for the Chinese market is considerably different from that for other markets. For example, Nintendo's only console in China is the [[iQue Player]], a modified version of the Nintendo 64. The company has not released its more modern GameCube or Wii to the market, although a version of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] was released in 2012. As of 2013, it is a 100% Nintendo-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/|title=Up-to-date listing of Nintendo subsidiaries|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo Everything|date=2013-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5|title=関係会社の状況|accessdate=2014-07-20|publisher=Nintendo|date=2013-06-28}}</ref>

==== Nintendo of Korea (NOK) ====
Nintendo's South Korean subsidiary was established on July 7, 2006.<ref>{{registration required|date=February 2011}} {{cite web|author=Paul, Loughrey|title=Nintendo establishes Korean subsidiary|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-establishes-korean-subsidiary}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Nintendo office.jpg|The exterior of Nintendo's main headquarters in [[Kyoto]], Japan
File:Nintendo of America Headquarters.jpg|The Nintendo of America headquarters in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], United States
File:Frankfurt Herriotstraße 4.20130511.jpg|Nintendo of Europe headquarters in [[Frankfurt]], Germany
File:NintendoTokyoOffice.jpg|Nintendo's Tokyo office
</gallery>

=== Logo ===
{{Gallery
|title=The Nintendo logo through the years
|width=100 | height=100 | lines=1
|align=center
|footer=
|File:Nintendo - 1889.png | width1=150 |
alt1=
| 1889–1950
|File:Nintendo - 1950.png | width2=150 |
alt2=
| 1950–1960
|File:Nintendo - 1960.png |
alt3=
| 1960–1965
|File:Nintendo - 1965.png |
alt4=
| 1965–1967
|File:Nintendo - 1967.png | width5=150 |
alt5=
| 1967–1968
|File:Nintendo - 1968.png | width6=150 |
alt6=
| 1968–1970
|File:Nintendo Logo 1970.png | width7=150 |
alt7=
| 1970–1972
|File:Nintendo - 1972.png |
alt8=
| 1972–1975
|File:Nintendo red logo.svg | width9=150 |
alt9=
| 1975–2006
|File:Nintendo.svg| width10=150 |
alt10=
| 2006–present
}}

== Research & Development ==
{{main|List of Nintendo development teams}}

=== Divisions ===
[[File:Nintendo EAD logo.png|thumb|250px|right|The Nintendo EAD division develops games for Nintendo's most well known franchises, such as [[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]] and [[The Legend of Zelda]].]]

Nintendo's internal Research & Development operations are divided into four main division: the ''[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]]'' (or ''EAD''), the main software development division of Nintendo, which focuses on internal-only [[video game]] development; the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD''), which main focus is overseeing second and third-party licensing and development activity; the ''[[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development]]'' (or ''IRD''), the main hardware development division of Nintendo, which focuses on [[Home video game console|home]] and [[handheld video game console]] development; and the ''[[Nintendo System Development]]'' (or ''SDD''), which focuses on developing [[Nintendo Network]] services and [[Software Development Kit]]s (SDK's) for Nintendo consoles and other experimental technology.

;Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD)
:The [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development]] (or EAD) division is the premier development arm at Nintendo. The group is the largest concentration of R&D, housing more than 800 engineers and designers. The division is rather large and currently broken into seven different subdivisions, each led by a designated producer and group manager. The overseeing managers are [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Takashi Tezuka]]. Currently, five divisions are located in the central Kyoto R&D building under the Software Development Department, while two divisions reside in the Tokyo offices under the Tokyo Software Development Department.

;Software Planning & Development (SPD)
:The [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (or SPD) division is the development group includes several of the original development officers from the old software and hardware development sectors. While the group leaders are decade old veterans, the bulk of the development teams working alongside are mainly younger employees. The division is broken up into two departments; Software Planning & Development Department and [[Nintendo Software Design & Development|Software Design & Development Department]].

;Integrated Research & Development (IRD)
:The [[Nintendo Integrated Research & Development]] (or IRD) division is Nintendo's hardware group specialized in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's home console and handheld development. The division also houses industrial designers who design peripherals such as the [[WaveBird Wireless Controller|WaveBird]], [[Wii Zapper]], and Wii steering wheel. The group was originally known as Research and Development Department 3 (R&D3),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page2.jsp |title=Investigating a Glove Interface |work=Iwata Asks: Punch-Out!! |publisher=Nintendo of America, Inc. |date=September 13, 2009 |accessdate=August 22, 2010}}</ref> with the same primary functions, with the exception that manager [[Genyo Takeda]] enjoyed moonlighting by developing console and arcade games. On February 16, 2013, Nintendo IRD was combined with ''[[Nintendo Research & Engineering Department]]'' (or ''RED''), the former hardware group specialized in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's handheld development.<ref name="ignnintendo">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/16/report-nintendo-to-restructure-hardware-divisions |title=Report: Nintendo to Restructure Hardware Divisions |publisher=IGN | date=2013-01-15}}</ref><ref name="ignnintendo2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/01/nintendo-confirms-hardware-development-reorganization |title=Nintendo Confirms Hardware Development Reorganization |publisher=IGN |date=2013-02-01}}</ref>

;System Development (SDD)
:The [[Nintendo System Development]] (or SDD) division, which used to be centered in peripheral and software development, is currently a hybrid development group with several distinct duties. The development team originates from [[Nintendo Research & Development 2]] and was mainly responsible for ports and inhouse development for low profile hardware like the [[Pokémon Mini]] and the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] [[Satellaview]] service. The department handles most [[Nintendo Network]] programming and server maintenance inside Nintendo's in-house projects and throughout various other external Nintendo software in cooperation with [[Nintendo Network Services]]. Lastly, the department also cooperates in software development. The group also created mechanical devices and peripherals like the Pokéwalker and Pokémotion. Current general manager, [[Masaru Shimomura]] described the group as a small creative unit that has a hardware and a software team working jointly together to create innovative products.<ref>NOM Magazine. [http://personaltrainerwalking.com/iwata-asks/section-1.html Iwata Asks: Personal Trainer: Walking]</ref>

=== Subsidiaries ===

Although most of the Research & Development is being done in [[Japan]], there are some R&D facilities in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that are focused on developing software and hardware technologies used in Nintendo products. Although they all are subsidiaries of Nintendo (and therefore first party), they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the Japanese personal involved. This can be seen in a variety of "Iwata asks..." interviews.<ref>{{cite web | title=Wii U: Internet Browser |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/internet-browser/0/2 | accessdate=May 27, 2014 | quote="I didn't really go into this today, but Nintendo European Research and Development SAS France (NERD) helped us with our video player and Nintendo Software Technology (NST) helped with WebKit's JavaScript JIT, '''so''' this new [[Web browser|Internet Browser]] really came about with help from so many different '''people outside the company'''." —Tetsuya Sasaki, Software Development & Design Department }}</ref> [[Nintendo Software Technology]] (NST) and [[Nintendo Technology Development]] (NTD) are located in [[Redmond, Washington]], [[United States|USA]], while [[Nintendo European Research & Development]] (''NERD'') is located in [[Paris, France]], and [[Nintendo Network Service Database]] (NSD) is located in [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]].

Most external [[First-party developer|first-party]] software development is done in [[Japan]], since the only overseas subsidiary is [[Retro Studios]] in the [[United States]]. Although these studios are all subsidiaries of Nintendo, they are often referred to as external resources when being involved in joint development processes with Nintendo's internal developers by the [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]] (SPD) division. [[1-UP Studio]] and [[Nd Cube]] are located in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], while [[Monolith Soft]] has one studio located in Tokyo and another in [[Kyoto]]. Finally, [[Retro Studios]] is located in [[Austin, Texas]], [[United States|USA]].

=== Partners ===
{{further|Nintendo development teams#Partners}}
Since the release of the [[Famicom]]/[[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo has built up a large group of [[Second-party developer|second-party development partners]], through publishing agreements and development collaboration. Most of these ''external'' Nintendo project are overseen by the ''[[Nintendo Software Planning & Development]]'' (or ''SPD'') division.

== Policy ==

=== Content guidelines ===
For many years, Nintendo had a policy of strict content guidelines for video games published on its consoles. Although Nintendo of Japan allowed [[graphic violence]] in its video games, [[nudity and sexuality]] were strictly prohibited. Former Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] believed that if the company allowed the licensing of [[Pornography|pornographic]] games, the company's image would be forever tarnished.<ref name="Game Over 1993">''[[Game Over (book)|''Game Over'']], David Sheff, 1993.</ref> Nintendo of America went further in that games released for Nintendo consoles could not feature nudity, sexuality, [[profanity]] (including [[racism]], [[sexism]] or [[Hate speech|slurs]]), blood, graphic or [[domestic violence]], [[drug]]s, political messages or [[Religious symbolism|religious symbols]] (with the exception of widely unpracticed religions, such as the [[Greek mythology|Greek Pantheon]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php |title=Nintendo of America Content Guidelines |publisher=Filibustercartoons.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> The Japanese parent company was concerned that it may be viewed as a "Japanese Invasion" by forcing Japanese [[community standards]] on North American and European children. Despite the strict guidelines, some exceptions have occurred: ''[[Bionic Commando (Nintendo Entertainment System)|Bionic Commando]]'' (though [[Nazi swastika|swastikas]] were eliminated in the US version), ''[[Smash TV]]'' and ''[[Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode]]'' contained human violence, the latter also containing implied [[Human sexuality|sexuality]] and [[Smoking|tobacco use]]; ''[[River City Ransom]]'' and ''[[Taboo: The Sixth Sense]]'' contained nudity, and the latter also contained religious images, as did ''[[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest|Castlevania II]]'' and ''[[Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse|III]]''.

A known side effect of this policy was the [[Sega Genesis]] version of ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' selling over double the number of the Super NES version, mainly because Nintendo had forced publisher [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] to recolor the red blood to look like white sweat and replace some of the more gory graphics in its release of the game, making it less violent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20081017054400/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/919/919357p10.html|archivedate=2008-10-17|title=IGN Presents the History of Mortal Kombat - Retro Feature at IGN|publisher=IGN|first=Travis|last=Fahs|accessdate=2010-08-16}}</ref> By contrast, [[Sega]] allowed blood and gore to remain in the Genesis version (though a code was required to unlock the gore). Nintendo allowed the Super NES version of ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' to ship uncensored the following year with a content warning on the packaging.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/mortal-kombat-ii/cover-art/gameCoverId,22874|title=''Mortal Kombat II'' cover artwork at MobyGames}}</ref>

In 1994 and 2003, when the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] and [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] (respectively) video game ratings systems were introduced, Nintendo chose to abolish most of these policies in favor of consumers making their own choices about the content of the games they played. Today, changes to the content of games are done primarily by the game's developer or, occasionally, at the request of Nintendo. The only clear-set rule is that ESRB AO-rated games will not be licensed on Nintendo consoles in North America,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp |title=Nintendo of America Customer Service – Nintendo Buyer's Guide |publisher=Nintendo.com |date= |accessdate=2011-05-25}}</ref> a practice which is also enforced by [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]] and [[Microsoft]], its two greatest competitors in the present market. Nintendo has since allowed several mature-content games to be published on its consoles, including: ''[[Perfect Dark]]'', ''[[Conker's Bad Fur Day]]'', ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Doom 64]]'', ''[[BMX XXX]]'', the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series, ''[[Killer7]]'', the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series, ''[[Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', ''[[BloodRayne]]'', ''[[Geist (video game)|Geist]]'' and ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]''. Certain games have continued to be modified, however. For example, [[Konami]] was forced to remove all references to cigarettes in the 2000 [[Game Boy Color]] game ''[[Metal Gear Solid (Game Boy)|Metal Gear Solid]]'' (although the previous NES version of ''[[Metal Gear]]'' and the subsequent GameCube game ''[[Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes]]'' both included such references, as did Wii title ''[[MadWorld]]''), and maiming and blood were removed from the Nintendo 64 [[Porting|port]] of ''[[Cruis'n USA]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/060/060333p1.html | title=IGN: Nintendo to censor Cruis'n | date=1996-10-08 | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> Another example is in the Game Boy Advance game ''[[Mega Man Zero 3]]'', in which one of the bosses, called Hellbat Schilt in the Japanese and European releases, was renamed Devilbat Schilt in the North American [[Internationalization and localization|localization]]. In North America releases of the ''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' games, enemies and bosses killed with a saber attack would not gush blood as they did in the Japanese versions. However, the release of the Wii has been accompanied by a number of even more controversial mature titles, such as ''[[Manhunt 2]]'', ''[[No More Heroes (video game)|No More Heroes]]'', ''[[The House of the Dead: Overkill]]'' and ''[[MadWorld]]'', the latter three of which are published exclusively for the console. The Nintendo DS also has violent games, such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]'', ''[[Dementium: The Ward]]'' and its [[Dementium II|sequel]], ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat]]'', and ''[[Resident Evil: Deadly Silence]]''.

=== License guidelines ===
Nintendo of America also had guidelines before 1993 that had to be followed by its licensees to make games for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], in addition to the above content guidelines.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> Guidelines were enforced through the [[10NES]] lockout chip.

* Licensees were not permitted to release the same game for a competing console until two years had passed.
* Nintendo would decide how many cartridges would be supplied to the licensee.
* Nintendo would decide how much space would be dedicated for articles, advertising, etc. in the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' magazine.
* There was a minimum number of cartridges that had to be ordered by the licensee from Nintendo.
* There was a yearly limit of five games that a licensee may produce for a Nintendo console.<ref>D. Sheff: "Game Over", p. 215. CyberActive Media Group, 1999.</ref> This rule was created to prevent market over-saturation, which had contributed to the [[North American video game crash of 1983]].

The last rule was circumvented in a number of ways; for example, Konami, wanting to produce more games for Nintendo's consoles, formed [[Ultra Games]] and later [[Ultra Games|Palcom]] to produce more games as a technically different publisher.<ref name="Game Over 1993"/> This disadvantaged smaller or emerging companies, as they could not afford to start additional companies. In another side effect, [[Square (company)|Square Co.]] (now [[Square Enix]]) executives have suggested that the price of publishing games on the [[Nintendo 64]] along with the degree of censorship and control that Nintendo enforced over its games, most notably ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', were factors in switching its focus towards [[Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]]'s [[PlayStation]] console.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}

In 1993, a [[class action]] suit was taken against Nintendo under allegations that their lockout chip enabled [[unfair business practices]]. The case was settled, with the condition that California consumers were entitled to a $3 discount coupon for a game of Nintendo's choice.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=Nintendo May Owe You $3|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=55|publisher=[[IDG]]|date=February 1994|page=187}}</ref>

=== Emulation ===
{{expand section|date=October 2014}}
Nintendo is opposed to any third-party [[Video game console emulator|emulation]] of its video games and consoles, stating that it is the single largest threat to the [[intellectual property]] rights of video game developers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#roms | title=Nintendo - Corporate Information - Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.) | accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> However, emulators have been used by Nintendo and licensed third party companies as a means to re-release older games (through the [[Virtual Console]]). Nintendo remains the only modern console manufacturer that has not sued an emulator developer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emulationnation.com/nintendo/ |title=Nintendo |publisher=Emulationnation.com |date=1989-07-31 |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref>

=== Seal of Quality {{anchor|officialseal}} ===
{{multiple image
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| image1 = Nintendo Official Seal.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Official Nintendo Seal in [[NTSC]] regions.

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| alt2 =
| caption2 = Nintendo's Official Seal of Quality in [[PAL]] regions.
}}

The gold sunburst seal was first used by [[#Offices and locations|Nintendo of America]], and later Nintendo of Europe. It is displayed on any game, system, or accessory licensed for use on one of its [[video game console]]s, denoting the game has been properly approved by Nintendo. The seal is also displayed on any Nintendo-licensed merchandise, such as trading cards, game guides, or apparel, albeit with the words "Official Nintendo Licensed Product".<ref name="Seal">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/licensed.jsp |title=Customer Service | Licensed and Unlicensed Products |publisher=Nintendo |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref>

[[Sid Meier]] in 2008 cited the Seal of Quality as one of the three most important innovations in videogame history, as it helped set a standard for game quality that protected consumers from [[shovelware]].<ref name="arendt20080304">{{cite news | url=http://www.wired.com/2008/03/sid-meier-names/ | title=Civilization Creator Lists Three Most Important Innovations in Gaming | work=Wired | date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=July 7, 2014 | author=Arendt, Susan}}</ref>

==== NTSC regions ====
In [[NTSC]] regions, this seal is an elliptical starburst titled "Official Nintendo Seal." Originally, for NTSC countries, the seal was a large, black and gold circular starburst. The seal read as follows: "This seal is your assurance that NINTENDO has approved and guaranteed the quality of this product." This seal was later altered in 1988: "approved and guaranteed" was changed to "evaluated and approved." In 1989, the seal became gold and white, as it currently appears, with a shortened phrase, "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality." It was changed in 2003 to read "Official Nintendo Seal."<ref name="Seal" />

The seal currently reads:<ref name=3DS-XL-manual>{{cite document|title=Nintendo 3DS XL Operations Manual|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/SPR_EN_NA.pdf|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=September 2, 2012}}</ref>
{{quote | The official seal is your assurance that this product is licensed or manufactured by Nintendo. Always look for this seal when buying video game systems, accessories, games and related products.}}

==== PAL regions ====
In [[PAL]] regions, the seal is a circular starburst titled, "Original Nintendo Seal of Quality." Text near the seal in the [[Australians|Australian]] [[Wii]] manual states:

{{quote | This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has reviewed this product and that it has met our standards for excellence in workmanship, reliability and entertainment value. Always look for this seal when buying games and accessories to ensure complete compatibility with your Nintendo product.<ref>{{cite document | url=http://www.nintendo.com.au/support/files/Wii_Manuals/WiiMotionPlusOperationsManual.pdf | title=Wii MotionPlus Operations Manual | publisher=Nintendo | date=2009 | accessdate=10 Mar 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Environmental record ===
Nintendo has consistently been ranked last in [[Greenpeace]]'s "Guide to Greener Electronics" due to Nintendo's failure to publish information.<ref>{{cite web|title=Greenpeace Still Says Nintendo Is Bad For the Environment|url=http://kotaku.com/5549072/greenpeace-still-says-nintendo-is-bad-for-the-environment/|publisher=Kokaku|last=Ashcraft|first=Brian|date=May 27, 2010|accessdate=December 25, 2012}}</ref> Similarly, they are ranked last in the [[Enough Project]]'s "Conflict Minerals Company Rankings" due to Nintendo's refusal to respond to multiple requests for information.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings|url=http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings|publisher=Enough Project|accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

Like many other electronics companies, Nintendo does offer a take-back [[recycling]] program which allows customers to mail in old products they no longer use; Nintendo of America claimed that it took in 548 tons of returned products in 2011, 98% of which was either reused or recycled.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Product Recycling and Take Back Program|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/recycle.jsp|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=April 19, 2013}}</ref>



== See also ==
* [[List of divisions of Nintendo]]
* [[List of Nintendo development teams]]
* [[List of products published by Nintendo]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo characters]]
* [[Lists of Nintendo games]]
* [[Nintendo Selects]], formerly Player's Choice
* [[Nintendo World Store]]
* ''[[Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.]]''
* ''[[Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.]]''

== Notes ==
{{reflist|60em|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFKent2001 |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |authorlink=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |location=Roseville, California |isbn=0-7615-3643-4 | oclc=47254175 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover}}
* {{cite book |last=Sloan |first=Daniel |title=Playing to Wiin: Nintendo and the Video Game Industry's Greatest Comeback |year=2011 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-82512-9 | oclc=707935885 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=utONPpgEWDUC&printsec=frontcover}}
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="FY 2014 financial results">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2014/140507e.pdf |title=Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2013 and 2014 |format=PDF |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |date=2014-05-07|accessdate=2014-05-25}}</ref>
<ref name="num_employees">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/outline/index.html |script-title=ja:会社概要|trans_title=Company Profile|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. | accessdate=2012-07-14}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Nintendo}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website}} (country selector)
* [http://www.nintendopower.com/ ''Nintendo Power''] (discontinued in December 2012)
* [http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/ ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' (UK)]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/nintendo/ Nintendo in Depth Archive] by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''



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Virtual desktop

2015-06-24T08:52:27Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Windows */ caption

{{About||software that creates a virtualized environment between the computer platform and its operating system|Virtual machine|virtual machines running desktop environments|Desktop virtualization}}

[[File:Compiz-fusion-3d-desktop-cube.png|right|thumb|Virtual desktops rendered as the faces of a cube. In this example a Unix-like operating system is using the X windowing system and the Compiz cube plugin to decorate the KDE desktop environment.]]
In [[computing]], a '''virtual desktop''' is a term used with respect to [[user interface]]s, usually within the [[WIMP (computing)|WIMP]] paradigm, to describe ways in which the virtual space of a [[computer]]'s [[Desktop metaphor|desktop]] [[desktop environment|environment]] is expanded beyond the physical limits of the [[Visual display unit|screen]]'s display area through the use of software. This compensates for a limited desktop area and can also be helpful in reducing clutter. There are two major approaches to expanding the virtual area of the screen. Switchable virtual desktops allow the user to make virtual copies of their desktop view-port and switch between them, with open windows existing on single virtual desktops. Another approach is to expand the size of a single virtual screen beyond the size of the physical viewing device. Typically, scrolling/panning a subsection of the virtual desktop into view is used to navigate an oversized virtual desktop.

== Overview ==

=== Switching desktops ===

Switchable desktops were designed and implemented at Xerox PARC as "Rooms" by [[Austin Henderson]] and [[Stuart Card]] in 1986<ref>D. Austin Henderson, Jr., Stuart Card (1986) [http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=24056&coll=portal&dl=ACM&CFID=23778768&CFTOKEN=77139655 Rooms: the use of multiple virtual workspaces to reduce space contention in a window-based graphical user interface] ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG)</ref> based upon work by [[Patrick Peter Chan]] in 1984. This work was covered by a US patent.<ref>[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=1&l=50&f=G&d=PALL&s1=5533183.PN.&OS=PN/5533183&RS=PN/5533183 User interface with multiple workspaces for sharing display system objects], US Patent 5,533,183</ref>

Switchable desktops were introduced to a much larger audience by [[Tom LaStrange]] in [[swm]] (the Solbourne Window Manager, for the [[X Window System]]) in 1989. ("Virtual Desktop" was originally a trademark of [[Solbourne Computer]].)<ref>Thomas E. LaStrange (1990) [http://www.lastrange.com/work/swm.pdf swm: An X window manager shell]. [[USENIX]] Summer.</ref> Rather than simply being placed at an x, y position on the computer's display, windows of running applications are then placed at x, y positions on a given virtual desktop “context”. They are then only accessible to the user if that particular context is enabled. A switching desktop provides a [[Pager (GUI)|pager]] for the user to switch between "contexts", or pages of screen space, only one of which can be displayed on the computer's display at any given time. Several [[X window manager]]s provide switching desktops.

=== Oversized Desktops ===

Other kinds of virtual desktop environments do not offer discrete virtual screens, but instead make it possible to pan around a desktop that is larger than the available hardware is capable of displaying. This facility is sometimes referred to as panning, scrolling desktops or viewport. For example, if a [[graphics card]] has a maximum resolution that is higher than the monitor's display resolution, the virtual desktop manager may allow windows to be placed "off the edge" of the screen. The user can then scroll to them by moving the mouse pointer to the edge of the display. The visible part of the larger virtual screen is called a [[viewport]].

== Implementation ==

Virtual desktop managers are available for most [[graphical user interface]] [[operating systems]] and offer various features, such as placing different wallpapers for each virtual desktop and use of hotkeys or other convenient methods to allow the user to switch amongst the different screens.

=== Amiga ===

The first platform to implement multiple desktop display as a hardware feature was [[Amiga]] 1000, released in 1985. The Amiga moved on to succeed in the consumer and [[desktop video|video production]] market.
All Amigas supported multiple in-memory screens displayed concurrently via the use of the graphics co-processor, AKA the "Copper". The [[original Amiga chipset#Copper|Copper]] was a simple processor who could wait for a screen position and write to hardware registers. Using the GUI implemented in system ROM API's, programs could transparently display multiple independent screens, from non-consecutive memory, without moving the memory. This hardware-based scrolling does not use blitting, but something more like what is sometimes called hardware panning. The video output is simply told (once, or many times) where to display (scanline) and from what screen memory address. A screen can move to any position, or display any portion, by modifying the wait, or fetch position. Typically a single byte value. The Copperlist did need to be sorted in vertical and horizontal wait position in order to function. Note: See http://www.faqs.org/faqs/amiga/books/ for a list of reference material.

Each desktop or 'screen' could have its own colour depth (number of available colours) and resolution, including use of interlacing. The display chipset ('graphics card' on a PC) could switch between these desktop modes on the fly, and during the drawing of a single screen, usually with three pixel deep line between each desktop shown on the screen. However, if one interlaced (flickering) desktop was displayed, all desktops onscreen would be similarly affected.

This also allowed the OS to seamlessly mix "Full Screen" and Windowed "desktop"-style applications in a single environment.

Some programs, VWorlds (an astronomy simulator) being an example, used the multiple desktops feature to overlay a set of controls over the main display screen. The controls could then be dragged up and down in order to show more or less of the main display.

===X Window System (Unix and Unix-like)===

[[File:GNOME Shell Workspaces.png|thumb|Dynamic virtual desktops in GNOME Shell. Workspaces are automatically added or deleted as the existing ones are respectively consumed or freed.]]
Almost all [[Unix]] and [[Unix-like]] systems use the [[X Window System]] to provide their windowing environment.

The X Window System is unique in that the decoration, placement, and management of windows are handled by a separate, replaceable program known as a [[X window manager|window manager]]. This separation allowed third-party developers to introduce a host of different window manager features, resulting in the early development of virtual desktop capabilities in X.{{when|date=November 2014}} Many of today's X window managers now include virtual desktop capabilities.

Configurations range from as few as two virtual desktops to several hundred. The most popular [[desktop environment]]s, [[GNOME]] and [[KDE]], use multiple virtual desktops (two or four by default) called [[Workspace#Graphical interfaces|workspaces]]. Some window managers, like [[FVWM]], offer separate "desks" that allow the user to organize applications even further. For example, a user may have separate desks labeled "Work" and "Home", with the same programs running on both desks, but fulfilling different functions. Some window managers such as [[dwm]] and [[Sawfish]] support "tagging" where applications can be configured to always launch on a particular, named desktop, supporting automatic organization and easy navigation.

=== OS/2 ===
IBM's personal computer [[OS/2]] operating system included multiple desktops (up to 4 natively) in the OS/2 Warp 4 release in 1996. This functionality has also been provided by the open source XWorkplace project, with support for up to 100 virtual desktops. (A somewhat limited functionality version of XWorkplace is bundled with [[eComStation]] as eWorkplace, which includes this same functionality.)

=== Windows ===
[[File:Virtual Desktops in Windows 10.png|right|thumb|Virtual desktop in Windows 10 showing two open apps, each running in separate desktops]]
[[Microsoft Windows]] does not implement virtual desktops natively in a user-accessible way. There are objects in the architecture of Windows known as "desktop objects" that are used to implement separate screens for logon and the secure desktop sequence ([[Control-Alt-Delete|{{Keypress|Ctrl|Alt|Delete}}]]). There is no native and easy way for users to create their own desktops or populate them with programs.<ref>"Desktops." Windows Dev Center. 27 Mar 2012 21:35 EST. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms682573.aspx</ref> However, there are many [[Third-party software component|third-party]] (e. g. [[VirtuaWin]], Dexpot and others) and some partially supported Microsoft products that implement virtual desktops to varying degrees of completeness.

Currently, Microsoft offers a utility called [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx Desktops] which allows users running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 or later operating systems to run applications on up to 4 virtual desktops. Unlike nearly all other virtual desktop solutions for Windows, this utility actually uses native "desktop objects," as discussed above. Because of this, it does not offer the ability to move programs between desktops, or in fact to stop using virtual desktops at all, short of logging off,<ref>"Desktops." Windows Sysinternals, Microsoft TechNet. 17 Oct 2010 11:07 AM EDT. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx</ref> and [[Windows Aero]] only works on the primary desktop object.

Microsoft had previously provided a Virtual Desktop [[Microsoft PowerToys|PowerToy]] for Windows XP, which simulates many desktops with the more common method of hiding and showing windows in groups, each group being a different desktop. However, the functionality provided is less comprehensive than that of many other virtual desktop solutions (e. g. maintain a window in a given desktop even when its application bar button flashes, etc.). As with all virtual desktop utilities that work by hiding and showing windows, application compatibility problems are common, because application developers do not expect virtual desktops to be in use on the Windows platform.

Historically, software packaged with some video card drivers provided virtual desktop functionality, such as in [[Nvidia]]'s nView product (this product has been discontinued for GeForce card owners since Vista). Some of these programs provide [[Attractiveness#Eye candy|eye-candy]] features similar to those available on [[Compiz]].

Many [[List of alternative shells for Windows|desktop shell replacement]]s for Windows, including [[LiteStep]], [[bblean]], [[GeoShell]], [[SharpE]], [[Emerge Desktop]] and others, also support virtual desktops via optional modules.

[[Windows 10]] will offer virtual desktops through a system known as "Task View".<ref name=tomsguide-unveiled>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 with New Start Menu|url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/windows-10-unveiled,news-19648.html|website=Tom's Guide|accessdate=30 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="verge-win10">{{cite web|title=Windows 10 is the official name for Microsoft's next version of Windows|url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6868695/microsoft-windows-10-announced-official|website=The Verge|accessdate=30 September 2014}}</ref>

=== Mac OS ===
Beginning with version 10.5 "Leopard" in late 2007, [[Mac OS X]] has shipped with native virtual desktop support, called [[Spaces (software)|Spaces]], which allows up to 16 virtual desktops. It allows the user to associate applications with a particular "Space". As of Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion", this functionality has been moved into [[Mission Control (Mac OS X)|Mission Control]].

[[File:Spaces.jpg|thumb|[[Spaces (software)|Spaces]] in Mac OS X "Leopard"]]
Scrolling desktops were made available to [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] users by a 3rd party extension called Stepping Out created by [[Wes Boyd]] (the future founder of [[Berkeley Systems]]) in 1986. The code for this extension was integrated by Apple into a later version of the Mac OS, although the ability to create virtual desktops larger than the screen was removed. The code was used instead as an assist for visually impaired users to zoom into portions of the desktop and view them as larger, more easily discerned images.

=== BeOS ===
[[BeOS]] includes an implementation of virtual desktops called "Workspaces". Up to 32 different Workspaces are supported.

[[File:BeOS Workspaces.gif]]

==References==

<references />

==External links==
*[http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/amiga.ars/3 Ars Technica: "The Micro-AmigaOne and Amiga OS4 Developer Prerelease"] (Update 1), By Jeremy Reimer, Monday January 17, 2005 ("Desktop and drawers" section).
*[http://gamewallpapers.ru/en/home/3 The best wallpapers of computer and console games.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virtual Desktop}}
[[Category:Graphical user interfaces]]
[[Category:User interface techniques]]

Virtual desktop

2015-06-24T08:51:31Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Windows */ Update Windows 10 image

{{About||software that creates a virtualized environment between the computer platform and its operating system|Virtual machine|virtual machines running desktop environments|Desktop virtualization}}

[[File:Compiz-fusion-3d-desktop-cube.png|right|thumb|Virtual desktops rendered as the faces of a cube. In this example a Unix-like operating system is using the X windowing system and the Compiz cube plugin to decorate the KDE desktop environment.]]
In [[computing]], a '''virtual desktop''' is a term used with respect to [[user interface]]s, usually within the [[WIMP (computing)|WIMP]] paradigm, to describe ways in which the virtual space of a [[computer]]'s [[Desktop metaphor|desktop]] [[desktop environment|environment]] is expanded beyond the physical limits of the [[Visual display unit|screen]]'s display area through the use of software. This compensates for a limited desktop area and can also be helpful in reducing clutter. There are two major approaches to expanding the virtual area of the screen. Switchable virtual desktops allow the user to make virtual copies of their desktop view-port and switch between them, with open windows existing on single virtual desktops. Another approach is to expand the size of a single virtual screen beyond the size of the physical viewing device. Typically, scrolling/panning a subsection of the virtual desktop into view is used to navigate an oversized virtual desktop.

== Overview ==

=== Switching desktops ===

Switchable desktops were designed and implemented at Xerox PARC as "Rooms" by [[Austin Henderson]] and [[Stuart Card]] in 1986<ref>D. Austin Henderson, Jr., Stuart Card (1986) [http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=24056&coll=portal&dl=ACM&CFID=23778768&CFTOKEN=77139655 Rooms: the use of multiple virtual workspaces to reduce space contention in a window-based graphical user interface] ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG)</ref> based upon work by [[Patrick Peter Chan]] in 1984. This work was covered by a US patent.<ref>[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=1&l=50&f=G&d=PALL&s1=5533183.PN.&OS=PN/5533183&RS=PN/5533183 User interface with multiple workspaces for sharing display system objects], US Patent 5,533,183</ref>

Switchable desktops were introduced to a much larger audience by [[Tom LaStrange]] in [[swm]] (the Solbourne Window Manager, for the [[X Window System]]) in 1989. ("Virtual Desktop" was originally a trademark of [[Solbourne Computer]].)<ref>Thomas E. LaStrange (1990) [http://www.lastrange.com/work/swm.pdf swm: An X window manager shell]. [[USENIX]] Summer.</ref> Rather than simply being placed at an x, y position on the computer's display, windows of running applications are then placed at x, y positions on a given virtual desktop “context”. They are then only accessible to the user if that particular context is enabled. A switching desktop provides a [[Pager (GUI)|pager]] for the user to switch between "contexts", or pages of screen space, only one of which can be displayed on the computer's display at any given time. Several [[X window manager]]s provide switching desktops.

=== Oversized Desktops ===

Other kinds of virtual desktop environments do not offer discrete virtual screens, but instead make it possible to pan around a desktop that is larger than the available hardware is capable of displaying. This facility is sometimes referred to as panning, scrolling desktops or viewport. For example, if a [[graphics card]] has a maximum resolution that is higher than the monitor's display resolution, the virtual desktop manager may allow windows to be placed "off the edge" of the screen. The user can then scroll to them by moving the mouse pointer to the edge of the display. The visible part of the larger virtual screen is called a [[viewport]].

== Implementation ==

Virtual desktop managers are available for most [[graphical user interface]] [[operating systems]] and offer various features, such as placing different wallpapers for each virtual desktop and use of hotkeys or other convenient methods to allow the user to switch amongst the different screens.

=== Amiga ===

The first platform to implement multiple desktop display as a hardware feature was [[Amiga]] 1000, released in 1985. The Amiga moved on to succeed in the consumer and [[desktop video|video production]] market.
All Amigas supported multiple in-memory screens displayed concurrently via the use of the graphics co-processor, AKA the "Copper". The [[original Amiga chipset#Copper|Copper]] was a simple processor who could wait for a screen position and write to hardware registers. Using the GUI implemented in system ROM API's, programs could transparently display multiple independent screens, from non-consecutive memory, without moving the memory. This hardware-based scrolling does not use blitting, but something more like what is sometimes called hardware panning. The video output is simply told (once, or many times) where to display (scanline) and from what screen memory address. A screen can move to any position, or display any portion, by modifying the wait, or fetch position. Typically a single byte value. The Copperlist did need to be sorted in vertical and horizontal wait position in order to function. Note: See http://www.faqs.org/faqs/amiga/books/ for a list of reference material.

Each desktop or 'screen' could have its own colour depth (number of available colours) and resolution, including use of interlacing. The display chipset ('graphics card' on a PC) could switch between these desktop modes on the fly, and during the drawing of a single screen, usually with three pixel deep line between each desktop shown on the screen. However, if one interlaced (flickering) desktop was displayed, all desktops onscreen would be similarly affected.

This also allowed the OS to seamlessly mix "Full Screen" and Windowed "desktop"-style applications in a single environment.

Some programs, VWorlds (an astronomy simulator) being an example, used the multiple desktops feature to overlay a set of controls over the main display screen. The controls could then be dragged up and down in order to show more or less of the main display.

===X Window System (Unix and Unix-like)===

[[File:GNOME Shell Workspaces.png|thumb|Dynamic virtual desktops in GNOME Shell. Workspaces are automatically added or deleted as the existing ones are respectively consumed or freed.]]
Almost all [[Unix]] and [[Unix-like]] systems use the [[X Window System]] to provide their windowing environment.

The X Window System is unique in that the decoration, placement, and management of windows are handled by a separate, replaceable program known as a [[X window manager|window manager]]. This separation allowed third-party developers to introduce a host of different window manager features, resulting in the early development of virtual desktop capabilities in X.{{when|date=November 2014}} Many of today's X window managers now include virtual desktop capabilities.

Configurations range from as few as two virtual desktops to several hundred. The most popular [[desktop environment]]s, [[GNOME]] and [[KDE]], use multiple virtual desktops (two or four by default) called [[Workspace#Graphical interfaces|workspaces]]. Some window managers, like [[FVWM]], offer separate "desks" that allow the user to organize applications even further. For example, a user may have separate desks labeled "Work" and "Home", with the same programs running on both desks, but fulfilling different functions. Some window managers such as [[dwm]] and [[Sawfish]] support "tagging" where applications can be configured to always launch on a particular, named desktop, supporting automatic organization and easy navigation.

=== OS/2 ===
IBM's personal computer [[OS/2]] operating system included multiple desktops (up to 4 natively) in the OS/2 Warp 4 release in 1996. This functionality has also been provided by the open source XWorkplace project, with support for up to 100 virtual desktops. (A somewhat limited functionality version of XWorkplace is bundled with [[eComStation]] as eWorkplace, which includes this same functionality.)

=== Windows ===
[[File:Virtual Desktops in Windows 10.png|right|thumb|Virtual desktop in Windows 10 with Network window opened in selected desktop.]]
[[Microsoft Windows]] does not implement virtual desktops natively in a user-accessible way. There are objects in the architecture of Windows known as "desktop objects" that are used to implement separate screens for logon and the secure desktop sequence ([[Control-Alt-Delete|{{Keypress|Ctrl|Alt|Delete}}]]). There is no native and easy way for users to create their own desktops or populate them with programs.<ref>"Desktops." Windows Dev Center. 27 Mar 2012 21:35 EST. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms682573.aspx</ref> However, there are many [[Third-party software component|third-party]] (e. g. [[VirtuaWin]], Dexpot and others) and some partially supported Microsoft products that implement virtual desktops to varying degrees of completeness.

Currently, Microsoft offers a utility called [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx Desktops] which allows users running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 or later operating systems to run applications on up to 4 virtual desktops. Unlike nearly all other virtual desktop solutions for Windows, this utility actually uses native "desktop objects," as discussed above. Because of this, it does not offer the ability to move programs between desktops, or in fact to stop using virtual desktops at all, short of logging off,<ref>"Desktops." Windows Sysinternals, Microsoft TechNet. 17 Oct 2010 11:07 AM EDT. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx</ref> and [[Windows Aero]] only works on the primary desktop object.

Microsoft had previously provided a Virtual Desktop [[Microsoft PowerToys|PowerToy]] for Windows XP, which simulates many desktops with the more common method of hiding and showing windows in groups, each group being a different desktop. However, the functionality provided is less comprehensive than that of many other virtual desktop solutions (e. g. maintain a window in a given desktop even when its application bar button flashes, etc.). As with all virtual desktop utilities that work by hiding and showing windows, application compatibility problems are common, because application developers do not expect virtual desktops to be in use on the Windows platform.

Historically, software packaged with some video card drivers provided virtual desktop functionality, such as in [[Nvidia]]'s nView product (this product has been discontinued for GeForce card owners since Vista). Some of these programs provide [[Attractiveness#Eye candy|eye-candy]] features similar to those available on [[Compiz]].

Many [[List of alternative shells for Windows|desktop shell replacement]]s for Windows, including [[LiteStep]], [[bblean]], [[GeoShell]], [[SharpE]], [[Emerge Desktop]] and others, also support virtual desktops via optional modules.

[[Windows 10]] will offer virtual desktops through a system known as "Task View".<ref name=tomsguide-unveiled>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 with New Start Menu|url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/windows-10-unveiled,news-19648.html|website=Tom's Guide|accessdate=30 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="verge-win10">{{cite web|title=Windows 10 is the official name for Microsoft's next version of Windows|url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6868695/microsoft-windows-10-announced-official|website=The Verge|accessdate=30 September 2014}}</ref>

=== Mac OS ===
Beginning with version 10.5 "Leopard" in late 2007, [[Mac OS X]] has shipped with native virtual desktop support, called [[Spaces (software)|Spaces]], which allows up to 16 virtual desktops. It allows the user to associate applications with a particular "Space". As of Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion", this functionality has been moved into [[Mission Control (Mac OS X)|Mission Control]].

[[File:Spaces.jpg|thumb|[[Spaces (software)|Spaces]] in Mac OS X "Leopard"]]
Scrolling desktops were made available to [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] users by a 3rd party extension called Stepping Out created by [[Wes Boyd]] (the future founder of [[Berkeley Systems]]) in 1986. The code for this extension was integrated by Apple into a later version of the Mac OS, although the ability to create virtual desktops larger than the screen was removed. The code was used instead as an assist for visually impaired users to zoom into portions of the desktop and view them as larger, more easily discerned images.

=== BeOS ===
[[BeOS]] includes an implementation of virtual desktops called "Workspaces". Up to 32 different Workspaces are supported.

[[File:BeOS Workspaces.gif]]

==References==

<references />

==External links==
*[http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/amiga.ars/3 Ars Technica: "The Micro-AmigaOne and Amiga OS4 Developer Prerelease"] (Update 1), By Jeremy Reimer, Monday January 17, 2005 ("Desktop and drawers" section).
*[http://gamewallpapers.ru/en/home/3 The best wallpapers of computer and console games.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virtual Desktop}}
[[Category:Graphical user interfaces]]
[[Category:User interface techniques]]

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

2015-06-16T23:00:01Z

Dorsal Axe: Also the press release specifies that Paper Jam is an entry in the Mario & Luigi series

{{under construction}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
| image =
| caption =
| developer = [[AlphaDream]]
| publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| series = ''[[Mario & Luigi]]''
| platforms = [[Nintendo 3DS]]
| released = {{Video game release|WW|Q1/Q2 2016}}
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

'''''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''''', known in Europe as '''''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros.''''' and in Japan as {{nihongo|'''''Mario & Luigi RPG Paper Mario Mix'''''|マリオ＆ルイージRPG ペーパーマリオMIX}}, is a [[video game]] developed by [[AlphaDream]] and published by [[Nintendo]]. The game is the fifth title in the ''Mario & Luigi'' series. It is expected for release on the [[Nintendo 3DS]] in 2016.<ref name="Polygon: announce"/>

==Overview==
{{seealso|Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga#Gameplay|l1=Gameplay of the Mario & Luigi series}}
The story of ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'' crosses together the universes of the ''Mario & Luigi'' and ''Paper Mario'' series, resulting in the sprite-based residents of one universe meeting their paper thin counterparts from the other. As such, players control a team consisting of [[Mario]], [[Luigi]], and Paper Mario, whose actions are controlled by different buttons. In addition to the moves Mario and Luigi can make in their series, Paper Mario can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions, such as squeezing through tight gaps. Like previous games, battles incorporate various mechanics such as timing attacks or using special abilities, with Paper Mario lending his own. There are also sections where players control a giant Papercraft Mario.

== References ==

{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="Polygon: announce">{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/e3-2015/2015/6/16/8789553/mario-luigi-paper-jam-3ds-launch-date |accessdate=June 16, 2015 |title=The next Mario & Luigi RPG is Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam for 3DS |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=June 16, 2015 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZKhb8LZv |archivedate=June 16, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

}}

== External links ==

* {{official website|http://nintendo.com}}

{{Mario RPG series}}

{{Portal bar|Video games}}
[[Category:Upcoming video games scheduled for 2016]]
[[Category:Mario role-playing games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS-only games]]
[[Category:Nintendo games]]
[[Category:Intelligent Systems games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS games]]
[[Category:Role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Single-player-only video games]]
[[Category:Mario Universe games]]
{{videogame-stub}}

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

2015-06-16T22:59:01Z

Dorsal Axe: According to the press release, Paper Jam is developed by AlphaDream, with no mention of Intelligent Systems.

{{under construction}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
| image =
| caption =
| developer = [[AlphaDream]]
| publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| series = ''[[Mario & Luigi]]''
| platforms = [[Nintendo 3DS]]
| released = {{Video game release|WW|Q1/Q2 2016}}
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

'''''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''''', known in Europe as '''''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros.''''' and in Japan as {{nihongo|'''''Mario & Luigi RPG Paper Mario Mix'''''|マリオ＆ルイージRPG ペーパーマリオMIX}}, is a [[video game]] developed by [[AlphaDream]] and published by [[Nintendo]]. The game is the fifth title in both the ''Mario & Luigi'' and ''Paper Mario'' RPG series, crossing the two universes together. It is expected for release on the [[Nintendo 3DS]] in 2016.<ref name="Polygon: announce"/>

==Overview==
{{seealso|Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga#Gameplay|l1=Gameplay of the Mario & Luigi series}}
The story of ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'' crosses together the universes of the ''Mario & Luigi'' and ''Paper Mario'' series, resulting in the sprite-based residents of one universe meeting their paper thin counterparts from the other. As such, players control a team consisting of [[Mario]], [[Luigi]], and Paper Mario, whose actions are controlled by different buttons. In addition to the moves Mario and Luigi can make in their series, Paper Mario can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions, such as squeezing through tight gaps. Like previous games, battles incorporate various mechanics such as timing attacks or using special abilities, with Paper Mario lending his own. There are also sections where players control a giant Papercraft Mario.

== References ==

{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="Polygon: announce">{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/e3-2015/2015/6/16/8789553/mario-luigi-paper-jam-3ds-launch-date |accessdate=June 16, 2015 |title=The next Mario & Luigi RPG is Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam for 3DS |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=June 16, 2015 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6ZKhb8LZv |archivedate=June 16, 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

}}

== External links ==

* {{official website|http://nintendo.com}}

{{Mario RPG series}}

{{Portal bar|Video games}}
[[Category:Upcoming video games scheduled for 2016]]
[[Category:Mario role-playing games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS-only games]]
[[Category:Nintendo games]]
[[Category:Intelligent Systems games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS games]]
[[Category:Role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Single-player-only video games]]
[[Category:Mario Universe games]]
{{videogame-stub}}

Template:Mario role-playing games

2015-06-16T22:56:23Z

Dorsal Axe: According to the press release, Paper Jam is specifically an entry in the Mario & Luigi series.

{{Navbox
|name=Mario role-playing games
|title=[[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'']] [[List of Mario role-playing games|role-playing games]]
|state = {{{state|autocollapse}}}
|listclass=hlist

|group1 = ''Paper Mario'' series
|list1=
* ''[[Paper Mario]]''
* ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door|The Thousand-Year Door]]''
* ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''
* ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star|Sticker Star]]''

|group2 = ''Mario & Luigi'' series
|list2 =
* ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''
* ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time|Partners in Time]]''
* ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story|Bowser's Inside Story]]''
* ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team|Dream Team]]''
* ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam|Paper Jam]]''

|group3 = Other games
|list3 =
* ''[[Super Mario RPG]]''
* ''[[Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''
}}<noinclude>
{{collapsible option}}
[[Category:Nintendo game series navigational boxes]]
[[Category:Video game navigational boxes by series]]

</noinclude>

Windows 10

2015-06-03T19:23:51Z

Dorsal Axe: Replacing mock-up image (with UI elements that don't exist in the actual OS) with an actual shot of Windows 10 in its current state. Also updating Task View screenshot with one that is more representative of the feature as it is now.

{{Redirect|Windows 9|the series of Microsoft Windows computer operating systems produced from 1995 to 2000|Windows 9x}}
{{For|Windows 10 on smartphones and sub 8″ tablets|Windows 10 Mobile}}{{Infobox OS version
|name = Windows 10
|version of = [[Windows NT]]
|logo = [[File:Windows 10 Logo.svg|290px]]
|screenshot = Windows_10.png
|caption = Screenshot of Windows 10 Build 10130, showcasing the [[desktop]], [[taskbar]], Action Center, [[Microsoft Cortana|Cortana]] search bar and the [[Start menu]] with Live Tiles.
|developer = [[Microsoft]]
|website = {{URL|https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/}}
|source_model =
|license =
|supported_platforms = [[IA-32]], [[x64]], [[ARMv7]]
|kernel_type = [[Hybrid kernel|Hybrid]] ([[Windows NT]])
|updatemodel = [[Windows Update]], [[Windows Store]], [[Windows Server Update Services]]
|first_release_date =
|GA_date ={{release date and age|2015|07|29}}
|preview_version = Insider Preview (v10.0.10130)
|preview_date = {{Start date and age|2015|05|29}}
|preceded_by = [[Windows 8.1]] (2013)
|succeeded_by =
}}

'''Windows 10''' (codenamed '''Threshold''') is an upcoming computer [[operating system]] being developed by [[Microsoft]] as part of the [[Windows NT]] family of operating systems. First presented in April 2014 at the [[Build (developer conference)|Build Conference]], it is scheduled to be released on July 29, 2015.<ref name=release-date>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/06/01/hello-world-windows-10-available-on-july-29|title=Hello World: Windows 10 Available on July 29|work=windows.com|accessdate=1 June 2015|date=1 June 2015}}</ref> It is currently in public [[beta testing]] through the Windows Insider program. During its first year of availability, upgrades to Windows 10 will be offered at no charge for consumer users of [[Windows Genuine Advantage|genuine]] [[Windows 7]] and [[Windows 8.1]].

The goal of Windows 10 is to unify the Windows [[Personal computer|PC]], [[Windows Phone]], [[Windows Embedded]] and [[Xbox One]] product families, as well as new product categories such as the [[Surface Hub]] and [[HoloLens]], around a common internal core. These products will share a common, "universal" application architecture and [[Windows Store]] ecosystem that expands upon the [[Windows Runtime]] platform introduced by [[Windows 8]]. Windows 10 provides further integration with Microsoft services and platforms, such as the addition of [[Microsoft Cortana|Cortana]] (an [[intelligent personal assistant]]), a notification system that can be synchronized between devices, and new [[Xbox Live]] features. A new default [[web browser]], [[Microsoft Edge]], will also make its debut in Windows 10, though [[Internet Explorer]] will still be available in a reduced capacity for compatibility reasons.

Windows 10's user interface is an evolution of Windows 8's, with a focus on transitioning between behaviors suitable for the type of device and the available input methods. To improve the experience for keyboard and mouse users, Windows 10 adds a revision of the desktop [[start menu]] and a [[virtual desktop]] system, and allows [[Windows Store apps]] to run within windows on the desktop as well as in full-screen mode. The operating system will introduce new technologies and system components, including [[DirectX#DirectX_12|DirectX]] and new frameworks for [[biometric]] authentication. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Microsoft has also planned to treat Windows 10 as a "[[Software as a service|service]]" that will receive non-critical updates over its lifespan, in combination with periodic long-term support milestones for enterprise environments.

== Development ==
At the [[Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference]] in 2011, Andrew Lees, then chief of Microsoft's mobile technologies, stated that the company intended to have a single ecosystem for PCs, phones, tablets, and other devices. “We won’t have an ecosystem for PCs, and one for phones, and one for tablets—they’ll all come together.”<ref name="UniversalOS">{{cite web |url=http://blog.chron.com/techblog/2011/07/microsoft-envisions-a-universal-os-but-it-might-not-be-called-windows/ |title=Microsoft envisions a universal OS, but it might not be called Windows |last=Silverman |first=Dwight |date=July 15, 2011 |publisher=[[Hearst Corporation]] |work=[[Houston Chronicle]] |accessdate=May 26, 2015}}</ref><ref name="SingleEcosystem">{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2011/07/14/microsoft-one-ecosystem-pcs-tablets-phones-tvs-windows-brand-over |title=Microsoft says it will have a 'single ecosystem' for PCs, tablets, phones, and TVs... and is 'Windows' dead? |last=Patel |first=Nilay |date=July 14, 2011 |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |work=[[The Verge]] |accessdate=May 26, 2015}}</ref>

In December 2013, technology writer [[Mary Jo Foley]] reported that Microsoft was working on an update to [[Windows 8]], codenamed Threshold after a planet in Microsoft's ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]'' franchise.<ref name=zdnet-threshold /> Similarly to "Blue" (which became [[Windows 8.1]]),<ref name="pcw-whatisblue">{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2027618/is-windows-blue-a-set-of-coordinated-updates-for-all-microsoft-products-.html | title=Is 'Windows Blue' a set of coordinated updates for all Microsoft products? | publisher=[[IDG]] | work=[[PC World]] | date=February 8, 2013 | last=Chacos | first=Brad | accessdate=April 7, 2015}}</ref> Foley called Threshold a "wave of operating systems" across multiple Microsoft platforms and services, scheduled for the second quarter of 2015. Foley reported that among the goals for Threshold was to create a unified application platform and development toolkit for Windows, [[Windows Phone]] and [[Xbox One]] (which all use a similar [[Windows NT kernel]]).<ref name="zdnet-threshold">{{cite web | url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-codename-threshold-the-next-major-windows-wave-takes-shape/ | title=Microsoft codename 'Threshold': The next major Windows wave takes shape | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | first=Mary Jo | website=[[ZDNet]] | date=December 2, 2013 | last=Foley}}</ref><ref name="verge-9leaks">{{cite web | url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/21/5924013/windows-9-screenshots-start-menu | title=Leaked 'Windows 9' screenshots offer a closer look at the new Start Menu | publisher=[[Vox Media]] | date=July 21, 2014 | accessdate=September 30, 2014 | website=[[The Verge]] | first=Tom | last=Warren}}</ref> It was speculated that Threshold would be branded as "Windows 9".<ref name="slate-name" />

In April 2014, at the [[Build (developer conference)|Build Conference]], Microsoft's [[Terry Myerson]] unveiled an updated version of Windows 8.1 that added the ability to run [[Windows Store app]]s inside desktop windows and [[Start menu#Second version|a more traditional Start menu]] in place of the [[Start screen]] seen in Windows 8. The new Start menu takes after Windows 7's design by using only a portion of the screen and including a Windows 7-style application listing in the first column. The second column displays Windows 8-style app tiles. Myerson stated that these changes would occur in a future update, but did not elaborate.<ref name="pcw-startback">{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2138443/rejoice-the-start-menu-is-coming-back-to-windows.html | title=Rejoice! The Start menu is coming back to Windows | publisher=[[IDG]] | work=[[PC World]] | date=April 2, 2014 | first=Brad | last=Chacos | accessdate=April 7, 2015}}</ref><ref name="ars-startreturn">{{cite web | url=http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/04/future-windows-8-1-update-will-finally-bring-back-the-start-menu/ | title=Future Windows 8.1 update will finally bring back the Start menu | work=[[Ars Technica]] | date=April 2, 2014 | first=Andrew | last=Cunningham}}</ref> Microsoft also unveiled the concept of a "universal Windows app," allowing Windows Store apps created for Windows 8.1 to be [[porting|ported]] to [[Windows Phone 8.1]] and Xbox One while sharing a common codebase, with an interface designed for different device form factors, and allowing user data and [[Software licensing|licenses]] for an app to be shared between multiple platforms. Windows Phone 8.1 would share nearly 90% of the common [[Windows Runtime]] APIs with Windows 8.1 on PCs.<ref name=pcw-startback>{{cite web |title=Rejoice! The Start menu is coming back to Windows |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2138443/rejoice-the-start-menu-is-coming-back-to-windows.html |work=PC World |publisher=IDG |accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="windowsApps"/><ref name="pcworld-universalapps">{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2138625/microsoft-introduces-universal-apps-that-scale-across-phones-tablets-and-pcs.html | title=Microsoft's universal Windows apps run on tablets, phones, Xbox, and PCs | publisher=[[IDG]] | work=[[PC World]] | accessdate=April 5, 2014 | first=Brad | last=Chacos}}</ref><ref name="UniversalApps">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/developers/articles/week03jul14/universal-apps-what-are-they-and-how-are-they-good-for-developers |title=Universal Apps: What are they and how are they good for developers? |last=Wigley |first=Andy |date=July 18, 2014 |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=March 31, 2015}}</ref>

In July 2014, Microsoft's new CEO [[Satya Nadella]] explained that the company was planning to "streamline the next version of Windows from three operating systems into one single converged operating system for screens of all sizes," unifying Windows, Windows Phone, and [[Windows Embedded]] around a common architecture and a unified application ecosystem. However, Nadella stated that these internal changes would not have any effect on how the operating systems are [[Stock-keeping unit|marketed and sold]].<ref name="pcmag-streamline">{{cite web | url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2461253,00.asp | title=Nadella Raises Eyebrows With Plans to 'Streamline' Windows | publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] | accessdate=October 1, 2014 | website=[[PC Magazine]] | first=Chloe | last=Albanesius}}</ref><ref name="Techradar-whydid">{{cite web | url=http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/why-did-microsoft-choose-windows-10-instead-of-windows-9--1267366 | title=Why did Microsoft choose Windows 10 instead of Windows 9? | publisher=[[Future Publishing]] | accessdate=September 30, 2014 | website=[[TechRadar]] | first=Desire | last=Athow}}</ref> Screenshots of a Windows build which purported to be Threshold were leaked in July 2014, showing the previously presented Start menu and windowed Windows Store apps<ref name="verge-9leaks">{{cite web |title=Leaked 'Windows 9' screenshots offer a closer look at the new Start Menu |url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/21/5924013/windows-9-screenshots-start-menu |website=[[The Verge]] |accessdate=September 30, 2014 |date=July 21, 2014 |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref> followed by further screenshot in September 2014 of a build identifying itself as "Windows Technical Preview", numbered 9834, showing a new [[virtual desktop]] system, a notification center, and a new [[File Explorer]].<ref name="verge-futuredesktop">{{cite web | url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/11/6135079/windows-9-leak-technical-preview | title=Leaked Windows 9 screenshots reveal the future of the desktop | publisher=[[Vox Media]] | accessdate=September 30, 2014 | website=[[The Verge]] | first=Tom | last=Warren}}</ref>

=== Announcement ===
Threshold was officially unveiled during a media event on September 30, 2014, under the name Windows 10; Myerson said that Windows 10 would be Microsoft's "most comprehensive platform ever," providing a single, unified platform for [[desktop computer]]s, [[laptop]]s, [[Tablet computer|tablets]], [[smartphone]]s, and [[all-in-One PC|all-in-one]] devices.<ref name="slate-name">{{cite web | url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/09/30/microsoft_windows_10_operating_system_windows_8_was_so_bad_it_s_skipping.html | title=Windows 8 Was So Bad That Microsoft Is Skipping Windows 9 | publisher=The Slate Group | work=Slate | date=September 30, 2014 | last=Oremus | first=Will}}</ref><ref name="seatimes-windows10">{{cite web | url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/brierdudley/2014/09/29/microsoft-previews-windows-9/ | title=Microsoft reveals Windows 10 | publisher=Seattle Times Network | work=Seattle Times | last=Dudley | first=Brier}}</ref><ref name="ext-why10">{{cite web | url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/191279-why-is-it-called-windows-10-not-windows-9 | title=Why is it called Windows 10 not Windows 9? | publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] | date=February 2, 2015 | work=[[ExtremeTech]]}}</ref> He emphasized that Windows 10 would take steps towards restoring user interface mechanics from [[Windows 7]] to improve the experience for users on non-touch devices, noting criticism of Windows 8's touch-oriented interface by keyboard and mouse users.<ref name="verge-win10">{{cite web | url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6868695/microsoft-windows-10-announced-official | title=Windows 10 is the official name for Microsoft's next version of Windows | publisher=[[Vox Media]] | date=September 30, 2014 | website=[[The Verge]] | first=Tom | last=Warren}}</ref><ref name=verge-continuum /> Despite these concessions, Myerson noted that the touch-oriented interface would "evolve" as well on 10.<ref name=ext-liveblog /> In describing the changes, [[Joe Belfiore]] likened the two operating systems to [[electric cars]], comparing Windows 7 to a first-generation [[Toyota Prius (XW10)|Toyota Prius]] [[Hybrid car|hybrid]], and Windows 10 to an all-electric [[Tesla Motors|Tesla]]—considering the latter to be an extension of the technology first introduced in the former.<ref name="verge-teslawin10">{{cite web | url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6874011/if-windows-10-is-the-tesla-to-the-windows-7-prius-what-was-windows-8 | title=If Windows 10 is the Tesla to the Windows 7 Prius, what was Windows 8? | publisher=[[Vox Media]] | website=[[The Verge]] | date=September 30, 2014 | first=Tom | last=Warren}}</ref> Regarding the operating system's name, Terry Myerson refused to elaborate on why Microsoft skipped directly from Windows 8 to 10, stating only that "based on the product that's coming, and just how different our approach will be overall, it wouldn't be right to call it Windows 9". He also joked that they couldn't call it "Windows One" (alluding to several recent Microsoft products with a similar brand, such as [[OneNote]], [[Xbox One]] and [[OneDrive]]) because they had already made a [[Windows 1.0|Windows 1]].<ref name="slate-name" />

Further details surrounding Windows 10's consumer-oriented features were presented during another media event held on January 21, 2015, entitled "Windows 10: The Next Chapter". The keynote featured the unveiling of [[Microsoft Cortana|Cortana]] integration within the operating system, new [[Xbox]]-oriented features, [[Windows 10 (mobile)|Windows 10 for phones and small tablets]], an updated [[Office Mobile]] suite, [[Surface Hub]]—a large-screened Windows 10 device for enterprise collaboration based upon [[Perceptive Pixel]] technology,<ref name=verge-surfacehub>{{cite web |title=Microsoft announces 84-inch Surface Hub tailored for Windows 10 |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/21/7867585/microsoft-surface-hub-announced |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=January 24, 2015}}</ref> along with [[HoloLens]]—[[augmented reality]] eyewear and an associated platform for building apps that can render "[[holograms]]" through HoloLens.<ref name=pcmag-nextchapterevent>{{cite web |title=Windows 10: Cortana, a New Browser ...and Holograms? |url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2475515,00.asp |website=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis Media |accessdate=January 24, 2015}}</ref>

== Features ==
A major aspect of Windows 10 is a focus on harmonizing user experiences and functionality between different classes of devices, along with addressing shortcomings in the Windows user interface that was first introduced in Windows 8.<ref name="verge-win10" /><ref name="verge-continuum"/><ref name="tomsguide-unveiled" /> Continuing with this pattern, [[Windows 10 Mobile|the successor to Windows Phone 8.1]] unveiled at the same event is also branded as Windows 10, and will share some user interface elements and apps with its PC counterpart.<ref name=verge-thisiswp10 />

The Windows Store app ecosystem has been revised into "Windows apps".<ref name="windowsApps">{{cite web | url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/dont-call-them-metro-microsoft-rebrands-universal-apps-as-windows-apps/ | title=Don’t call them Metro: Microsoft rebrands Universal apps as "Windows apps" | publisher=[[Condé Nast]] | work=[[Ars Technica]] | date=March 29, 2015 | last=Anthony | first=Sebastian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/26/8295177/microsoft-windows-apps-universal-apps |title=Microsoft's universal apps are now called Windows apps |author=Tom Warren |date=March 26, 2015 |accessdate=April 3, 2015}}</ref> They are made to run across multiple platforms and device classes, including smartphone, tablet, Xbox One, and other compatible Windows 10 devices. Windows apps share code across platforms, have [[responsive design]]s that adapt to the needs of the device and available inputs, can synchronize data between Windows 10 devices (including notifications, credentials, and allowing cross-platform multiplayer for games), and will be distributed through a unified Windows Store. Developers can allow "cross-buys", where purchased licenses for an app apply to all of the user's compatible devices, rather than only the one they purchased on (i.e. a user purchasing an app on PC is also entitled to use the smartphone version at no extra cost).<ref name=pcworld-universalapps/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2015/03/02/a-first-look-at-the-windows-10-universal-app-platform/ |title=A first look at the Windows 10 universal app platform |last1=Kevin |first1=Gallo |date=March 2, 2015 |website=Windows Blog |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=March 9, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ars-w10universal>{{cite web |title=Our first look at Windows 10 on phones, and Universal Apps for touchscreens |url=http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/01/our-first-look-at-windows-10-on-phones-and-universal-apps-for-touchscreens/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=February 7, 2015}}</ref>

Windows 10 will also allow [[web app]]s and desktop software (using either [[Win32]] or [[.NET Framework]]) to be packaged for distribution on Windows Store. Desktop software distributed through Windows Store will be packaged using the [[App-V]] system to allow [[sandbox (computer security)|sandbox]]ing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/microsofts-next-attempt-to-fill-the-windows-10-app-gap-web-app-apps/ |title=Microsoft's next attempt to fill the Windows 10 app gap: Web app apps |last1=Peter |first1=Bright |date=March 3, 2015 |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=March 9, 2015}}</ref><ref name=zdnet-appvappgap>{{cite web|title=Here's how Microsoft hopes to get Android and iOS phone apps into its Windows 10 Store|url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-microsoft-hopes-to-get-android-and-ios-phone-apps-into-its-windows-10-store/|website=ZDNet|accessdate=May 3, 2015}}</ref>

=== User interface and desktop ===
[[File:Virtual Desktops in Windows 10.png|left|thumb|The "Task View" display allows the use of multiple workspaces.]]

Windows 10's user interface changes its setting depending on the type of device being used and available input methods. A new feature called Continuum handles transitions between interface modes on convertible laptops and tablets with docking keyboards. When a keyboard is attached, the user is asked if they want to switch to a user interface mode that is optimized for mouse and keyboard, or stay within the touch-optimized mode.<ref name="verge-continuum">{{cite web |title=Watch how Windows 10 works with touch interfaces |url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6873963/windows-10-continuum-touch-interface |website=[[The Verge]] |accessdate=September 30, 2014 |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref> A new iteration of the [[Start menu]] is used, with an application list and the "All apps" button on the left side, and live tiles on the right. The menu can be resized, and expanded into a full-screen display, which is the default option in touch environments.<ref name="verge-win10" /><ref name="tomsguide-unveiled" /><ref name=verge-closerlook />

A new [[virtual desktop]] system known as Task View was added. Clicking the Task View button on the taskbar or swiping from the left side of the screen displays all open windows and allows users to switch between them, or switch between multiple workspaces. Windows Store apps, which previously could only be used full-screen, can now be used in desktop windows or full-screen mode.<ref name="verge-win10" /><ref name="tomsguide-unveiled">{{cite web |title=Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 with New Start Menu |url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/windows-10-unveiled,news-19648.html |website=Tom's Guide |accessdate=September 30, 2014}}</ref> Program windows can now be snapped to quadrants of the screen by dragging them to the corner. When a window is snapped to one side of the screen, the user is prompted to choose a second window to fill the unused side of the screen (called "Snap Assist").<ref name="tomsguide-unveiled" /> Windows' system icons were also changed to a new, flatter design, with the exemption of the 'Recycle Bin' icon, which remains unchanged since [[Windows Vista]].<ref name=verge-closerlook />

[[Windows Shell#The charms|The charms]] have been removed; their functionality in Windows Store apps is accessed from an "App commands" menu on their titlebar.<ref name="verge-win10" /><ref name="tomsguide-unveiled" /> In its place is Action Center, which displays notifications and settings toggles. It is accessed by clicking an icon in the system tray, or dragging from the right of the screen. Notifications can be synced between multiple devices.<ref name=verge-thisiswp10 /><ref name=verge-closerlook>{{cite web |title=Windows 10: a closer look at the future of Microsoft's vision for PCs |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/28/7927109/windows-10-features-hands-on |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=February 7, 2015}}</ref> The Settings app (formerly PC Settings) has been refreshed and now includes more options that were previously exclusive to the desktop [[Control Panel (Windows)|Control Panel]].<ref name=pcpro-settingsmenu>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 review: Technical Preview (January 2015) |url=http://www.pcpro.co.uk/software/1000331/windows-10-review-technical-preview-january-2015 |website=PC Pro |accessdate=February 7, 2015}}</ref><ref name=cnet-settingsmenu>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 Settings Menu: The System tab |url=http://www.cnet.com/how-to/windows-10-settings-menu-the-system-tab/ |website=CNET |accessdate=February 7, 2015}}</ref>

=== System and security ===
Windows 10 will incorporate [[multi-factor authentication]] technology based upon standards developed by the [[FIDO Alliance]].<ref name=zdnet-nextgencredentials>{{cite web |last1=Bott |first1=Ed |title= Microsoft reveals audacious plans to tighten security with Windows 10 |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-reveals-audacious-plans-to-tighten-security-with-windows-10/ |website=ZDNet |accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref> The operating system includes improved support for [[biometric authentication]] through the "Windows Hello" and "Passport" platforms; devices with supported cameras (requiring [[infrared]] illumination) will allow users to login with [[face recognition|face]]- or iris-recognition, similarly to [[Kinect]]. Devices with supported readers will support [[fingerprint recognition | fingerprint-recognition]] login. Credentials are stored locally and protected using [[asymmetric encryption]]. The "Passport" platform will allow networks, software and websites to authenticate users using either a PIN or biometric login to verify their identity, without sending a password.<ref name=ars-hello>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 says "Hello" to logging in with your face and the end of passwords |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/windows-10-says-hello-to-logging-in-with-your-face-and-the-end-of-passwords/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=March 17, 2015}}</ref> On the enterprise version of Windows 10, administrators can set up policies for the automatic [[Data encryption|encryption]] of sensitive data, selectively block applications from accessing encrypted data, or even outright require all software to be signed with a Microsoft key.<ref name=zdnet-nextgencredentials/>

To reduce the storage footprint of the operating system, Windows 10 will automatically [[Data compression|compress]] system files. The system can reduce the storage footprint of Windows by approximately 1.5 GB for 32-bit systems and 2.6 GB for 64-bit systems. The level of compression used will be dependent on a performance assessment performed during installations or by [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEMs]], which will test how much compression can be used without harming operating system performance. Furthermore, the Refresh and Reset functions will use runtime system files instead, making a separate recovery partition redundant, allowing patches and updates to remain installed following the operation, and further reducing the amount of space required for Windows 10 by up to 12 GB. These functions replace the "[[Features new to Windows 8#Installation|WIMBoot" mode]] introduced on Windows 8.1 Update, which allowed OEMs to configure low-capacity devices with flash-based storage to use Windows system files out of the compressed [[Windows Imaging Format|WIM image]] typically used for installation and recovery.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/2062/microsoft-explains-os-compression-in-windows-10 |title=Microsoft Explains OS Compression in Windows 10 |last1=Thurrot |first1=Paul |date=March 16, 2015 |website=Thurrot.com |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-promises-drastic-cuts-in-disk-space-use-for-windows-10/ |title=Microsoft promises drastic cuts in disk space use for Windows 10 |last1=Bott |first1=Ed |date=March 16, 2015 |website=ZDnet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref><ref name="winblog-compression">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/03/16/how-windows-10-achieves-its-compact-footprint/ |title=How Windows 10 achieves its compact footprint |date=March 16, 2015 |website=Windows Blog |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref> Windows 10 also includes a related function in its Settings app known as "Storage Sense", which allows users to view a breakdown of how their device's storage capacity is being used by different types of files, and determine whether certain types of files are saved to internal storage or an [[SD card]] by default.<ref name=techrepublic-storagesense>
{{cite web
|title= Leaked Windows 10 Build 9901 shows smarter Storage Sense
|url= http://www.techrepublic.com/article/leaked-windows-10-build-9901-shows-smarter-storage-sense/
|website= TechRepublic |accessdate= March 20, 2015
}}</ref>

=== Online services and functionality ===
Windows 10 introduces a new default [[web browser]], [[Microsoft Edge]].<ref name=verge-msedge>{{cite web|title=The successor to Internet Explorer will be named Microsoft Edge|url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/29/8511169/microsoft-edge-official-name-internet-explorer-upgrade|website=The Verge|accessdate=April 29, 2015|date=April 29, 2015}}</ref> It features a new [[Web standards|standards]]-compliant rendering engine forked from [[Trident (layout engine)|Trident]], annotation tools, and offers integration with other Microsoft platforms present within Windows 10.<ref name=zdnet-underhood>{{cite web |title=Microsoft's Spartan browser: What's under the hood |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-spartan-browser-whats-under-the-hood/ |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ieblog-spartan>{{cite web |title=Project Spartan and the Windows 10 January Preview Build |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2015/01/22/project-spartan-and-the-windows-10-january-preview-build.aspx |website=IEBlog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref> Internet Explorer 11 will be maintained on Windows 10 for compatibility purposes, and is deprecated in favor of Edge.<ref name=verge-relegatesie11>{{cite web |title=Microsoft relegates Internet Explorer to a 'legacy engine' to make way for new browser |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/24/8284781/internet-explorer-is-slowly-dying |website=The Verge |accessdate=March 25, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ieblog-edge>{{cite web |title=Living on the Edge – our next step in helping the web just work |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/11/11/living-on-the-edge-our-next-step-in-interoperability.aspx |website=IEBlog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref>

Windows 10 incorporates Microsoft's [[intelligent personal assistant]], [[Microsoft Cortana|Cortana]], which was first introduced with Windows Phone 8.1 in 2014. Cortana will replace Windows' embedded search feature, supporting both text and voice input. Many of the features are a direct carry-over from Windows Phone, including integration with [[Bing]], setting reminders, a "Notebook" feature for managing personal information, as well as searching for files, playing music, launching applications and setting reminders or sending emails.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-can-cortana-persuade-us-to-talk-to-our-tech/ |title=Windows 10: Can Cortana persuade us to talk to our tech? |last1=Kingsley-Hughes |first1=Adrian |date=January 21, 2015 |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/01/windows-10-brings-cortana-to-the-desktop/ |title=Windows 10 brings Cortana to the desktop |last1=Gallagher |first1=Sean |date=January 22, 2015 |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref> Cortana is implemented as a universal search box located alongside the Start and Task View buttons, which can be hidden or condensed to a single button.<ref name=verge-closerlook />

=== Multimedia and gaming ===
Windows 10 will provide heavier integration with the [[Xbox]] ecosystem: an updated Xbox app allows users to browse their game library (including both PC and Xbox console games), and Game DVR is also available using a [[keyboard shortcut]], allowing users to save the last 30 seconds of gameplay as a video that can be shared to [[Xbox Live]], [[OneDrive]], or elsewhere.<ref name=engadget-w10xbox>{{cite web |title=Xbox on Windows 10: social features, game DVR and more |url=http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/21/microsoft-windows-10-xbox/ |website=Engadget |publisher=AOL |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref><ref name=polygon-10xboxapp>{{cite web |title=Xbox app coming to Windows 10, Microsoft confirms |url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/1/21/7867479/xbox-app-windows-10-microsoft-phil-spencer |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref> Windows 10 will also allow users to control and play games from an [[Xbox One]] console over a local network.<ref name=polygon-w10streamone>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 will let you stream Xbox One games to any Windows 10 PC or tablet |url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/1/21/7867545/windows-10-stream-xbox-one-games |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Everything you need to know about Windows 10 |url=http://www.thebigcomputing.com/2015/04/it-is-not-just-a-start-menu-windows-10-has-much-more |website=The Big Computing |author=Saurabh Tripathi |date=April 1, 2015 |accessdate=April 1, 2015}}</ref> An Xbox Live SDK will allow application developers to incorporate Xbox Live functionality into their apps, and future wireless Xbox One accessories (such as controllers) will be supported on Windows with an adapter.<ref name=xboxgdc15>{{cite web |title=Phil Spencer Announces Developer Tools to Bring Games to Billions |url=http://news.xbox.com/2015/03/xbox-gdc-2015 |website=Xbox Blog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref> Some of the classic Windows games are scheduled to return, and [[Candy Crush Saga]] will also be included.<ref>{{cite news |title=Candy Crush Saga is Coming to Windows 10 |author=Xbox Wire Staff |publisher=Microsoft |url=http://news.xbox.com/2015/05/games-candy-crush-saga-is-coming-to-windows-10 |date=May 14, 2014 |accessdate=May 15, 2014}}</ref>

Windows 10 adds [[FLAC]] and [[HEVC]] codecs and the [[Matroska]] media container format, allowing them to be opened in [[Windows Media Player]] and other applications.<ref name=MicrosoftHEVCNovember2014W10>{{cite news |title=New build available to the Windows Insider Program |author=Gabe Aul |publisher=Microsoft |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/12/new-build-available-to-the-windows-insider-program/ |date=November 12, 2014 |accessdate=November 15, 2014}}</ref><ref name=pcw-flac10>{{cite web |title=Audio snobs rejoice: Windows 10 will have system-wide FLAC support |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2852595/audio-snobs-rejoice-windows-10-will-have-system-wide-flac-support.html |website=PC World |publisher=IDG |accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref><ref name=engadget-mkv10>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 will play your .MKV and .FLAC files all on its own |url=http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/27/windows-10-native-flac-mkv-support/ |website=Engadget |accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref>

==== DirectX 12 ====
Windows 10 will ship with [[DirectX 12]] and [[Windows Display Driver Model|WDDM]] [[Windows Display Driver Model#WDDM 2.0|2.0]].<ref name=dx12PreviewAnandtech>{{cite web |url=http://anandtech.com/show/8962/the-directx-12-performance-preview-amd-nvidia-star-swarm |title=The DirectX 12 Performance Preview: AMD, NVIDIA, & Star Swarm |date=February 6, 2015 |website=Anandtech.com |publisher=Anandtech |access-date=February 6, 2015}}</ref><ref name=dx12-w10>{{cite web |last1=Langley |first1=Bryan |title=DirectX 12 and Windows 10 |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/directx/archive/2014/10/01/directx-12-and-windows-10.aspx |website=DirectX Developer Blog |accessdate=October 3, 2014}}</ref> Unveiled March 2014 at [[Game Developers Conference|GDC]], DirectX aims to provide "[[Video game console|console]]-level efficiency" with "closer to the metal" access to hardware resources, and reduced CPU and graphics driver [[Overhead (computing)|overhead]].<ref name=pcworld-woogamers>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 will woo gamers with supercharged DirectX 12 graphics API |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2690788/windows-10-will-woo-gamers-with-supercharged-directx-12-graphics-api.html |website=PCWorld |accessdate=October 3, 2014}}</ref><ref name=techradar-dx12>{{cite web |title=Microsoft details DirectX 12 for better Xbox One, PC performance |url=http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/microsoft-previews-directx-12-for-better-pc-and-xbox-one-performance-1235804 |website=Techradar |accessdate=October 3, 2014}}</ref> Most of the performance improvements will be achieved through [[Low-level programming language|low-level programming]] [[Application programming interface|APIs]] which can reduce single-[[Thread (computing)|threaded]] CPU bottlenecking caused by abstraction through higher level APIs, similar to other low-level [[Rendering (computer graphics)|rendering]] technologies such as [[Advanced Micro Devices|AMD]]'s [[Mantle (API)|Mantle]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://anandtech.com/show/7889/microsoft-announces-directx-12-low-level-graphics-programming-comes-to-directx/2 |title=Microsoft Announces DirectX 12: Low Level Graphics Programming Comes To DirectX |last1=Smith |first1=Ryan |date=March 24, 2014 |website=AnandTech |publisher=Purch Inc. |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref>

== Editions and pricing ==
{{main|Windows 10 editions}}
Windows 10 will be available in [[Windows 10 editions|seven main editions]]; ''Windows 10 Home'' is intended for mainstream PC devices. ''Windows 10 Pro'' contains additional features aimed towards [[power user]]s and professional environments. ''Windows 10 Enterprise'' contains additional features aimed towards business environments, and is only available through [[volume licensing]]. A new variant of ''Enterprise'', ''Windows 10 Education'', is intended for the academic market. ''[[Windows 10 Mobile]]'' and ''Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise'' are editions of the operating system designed for smaller devices such as [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer|tablets]]. Versions of ''Enterprise'' and ''Mobile Enterprise'' will also be released for embedded systems, along with ''Windows 10 [[Internet of things|IoT]] Core''.<ref name=verge-w10editions>{{cite web|title=Microsoft reveals all the editions of Windows 10|url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/13/8599841/windows-10-home-mobile-pro-editions|website=The Verge|accessdate=13 May 2015}}</ref><ref name=ms-w10editions>{{cite web|title=Introducing Windows 10 Editions|url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/13/introducing-windows-10-editions/|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=13 May 2015}}</ref>

=== Preview releases ===
{{see also|Windows Insider}}
A [[public beta]] version of Windows 10 branded as ''Windows Technical Preview'' (later known as ''Windows Insider Preview'') was released on October 1, 2014; the insider preview builds are aimed towards enthusiasts and enterprise users.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Warren|first1=Tom|title=Windows 10 Technical Preview now available to download|url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/1/6877195/windows-10-technical-preview-download|publisher=The Verge|accessdate=April 14, 2015}}</ref> Testers who opt into the [[Windows Insider|"Windows Insider" program]] received occasional automatic updates to newer preview builds of the operating system—a contrast to previous Windows beta programs, where public preview builds were released less frequently.<ref name=verge-win10 /><ref name="ext-liveblog" /><ref name=verge-windows10turbo>{{cite web |title=Windows 10: Microsoft hits a turbo button to get back to business |url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/1/6880953/windows-10-microsoft-hits-a-turbo-button-to-get-back-to-business |website=The Verge |accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name=verge-10tp>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 Technical Preview now available to download |url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/1/6877195/windows-10-technical-preview-download |website=The Verge |accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name=ars-10tp>{{cite web |title=Microsoft launches Windows Insider Program to get Windows betas |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/09/microsoft-launches-windows-insider-program-to-get-windows-betas/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref> These builds are not available to low-capacity devices configured using the "[[Features new to Windows 8#Installation|WIMBOOT]]" method, due to the upgrade process's need to back up the original operating system so that it can be restored if the upgrade is interrupted. Microsoft is currently "evaluating a couple of options for a safe and reliable upgrade path for those devices."<ref name="winblog-compression"/>

=== Public release ===
Windows 10 is expected to be [[released to manufacturing]] in June 2015<ref name=ars-freeforall/> and released to the public on July 29, 2015.<ref name=release-date /> While previous reports suggested a late-2015 release with a release to manufacturers in June, it was reported that Microsoft wanted Windows 10 devices to be released in time for the [[Back to school (marketing)|back to school shopping season]] in North America and the United Kingdom, which traditionally falls during August and September.<ref name=verge-windows10turbo /><ref name=techradar-10june>{{cite web |title=Final version of Windows 10 set to be release in June |url=http://www.techradar.com/us/news/software/operating-systems/final-version-of-windows-10-set-to-be-release-in-june-1284082 |website=TechRadar |publisher=Future Publishing |accessdate=March 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name=nw-w10june>{{cite web |title=Microsoft will reportedly release Windows 10 RTM in June |url=http://www.networkworld.com/article/2882341/microsoft-subnet/microsoft-will-reportedly-release-windows-10-rtm-in-june.html |website=Networkworld |publisher=IDG |accessdate=March 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ars-win10freefirstyear/> At retail, Windows 10 will be priced similarly to Windows 8, with the ''Home'' version having an [[MSRP]] of US$119, and ''Pro'' having an MSRP of $199. A ''Windows 10 Pro Pack'' license costing US$99 will allow upgrades from ''Windows 10 Home'' to ''Windows 10 Pro''.<ref name=cnet-10msrp>{{cite web|title=Microsoft prices Windows 10 licenses at $119 for Home, $199 for Pro|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-prices-single-windows-10-licenses-at-119-for-home-199-for-pro/|website=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=1 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=ars-10upgradedetails/> Microsoft has also filed for a [[trademark]] for "Windows 365", suggesting that the company may be developing a subscription-based Windows product.<ref name=ars-freeforall/><ref name=ars-winasaservice /><ref name=pcw-noenterprise>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html |website=PCWorld |publisher=IDG |accessdate=January 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Warren|first1=Tom|title=Why Microsoft is calling Windows 10 'the last version of Windows'|url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/7/8568473/windows-10-last-version-of-windows|publisher=Verge|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref>

The operating system will be available in 190 countries and 111 languages upon launch, and as part of efforts to "re-engage" with users in [[China]], Microsoft also announced that it would partner with [[Qihoo]] and [[Tencent]] to help promote and distribute Windows 10 in China, and that Chinese PC maker [[Lenovo]] would provide assistance at its service centers and retail outlets for helping users upgrade to Windows 10.<ref name=ars-freeforall>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for all users worldwide [Updated] |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-genuine-and-non-genuine-users/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref><ref name=pcw-w10keepcoming>{{cite web |title=Microsoft says Windows 10 could ship this summer, and new features keep coming |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2898418/microsoft-will-ship-windows-10-this-summer.html |website=PC World |accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref><ref name=verge-10pirate>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 will be free for software pirates |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/18/8241023/windows-10-free-for-software-pirates |website=The Verge |accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref>

Users will be able to upgrade through [[Windows Update]]; this process requires Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 with prerequisite updates.<ref name=zdnet-w10paths>{{cite web |last1=Bott |first1=Ed |title=Windows 10 to launch 'this summer' with free upgrades even for pirated copies |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-to-launch-this-summer-with-free-upgrades-for-pirated-copies/ |website=ZDNet |accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref> A separate update with "some" of the changes of Windows 10 is planned for [[Windows RT]]; as such, Microsoft does not officially consider these devices to be compatible with Windows 10.<ref name=zdnet-w10paths/><ref name=cnet-notdeadyet>{{cite web |title=Microsoft's Windows RT isn't dead ... yet |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/microsofts-windows-rt-isnt-dead-yet/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref>

On February 2, 2015, Microsoft announced that it would provide a free [[ARM architecture|ARM]] port of Windows 10 for [[Raspberry Pi 2]] devices through its [[Internet of Things]] developer program.<ref name=verge-rp2w10>{{cite web |title=Microsoft to support Raspberry Pi 2 with a free version of Windows 10 |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/2/7962179/raspberry-pi-windows-10 |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=February 3, 2015}}</ref>

==== Free upgrade ====
During the first year of availability, upgrade licenses for Windows 10 will be available at no charge for eligible retail editions of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.<ref name=ars-winasaservice /> Windows 8 users are also eligible through updating to Windows 8.1.<ref name=ars-10upgradedetails>{{cite web|title=Details of free Windows 10 update become a little clearer, but questions remain|url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/05/details-of-free-windows-10-update-become-a-little-clearer-but-questions-remain/|website=Ars Technica|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; width:auto; font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|+Windows 10 free upgrade matrix (for the first year of availability)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/3887/windows-10-upgrade-matrix-which-version-you-get-for-free |title=Windows 10 Upgrade Matrix: Which Version You Get For Free |last1=Thurrot |first1=Paul |date=1 June 2015 |website=thurrot.com |publisher=Petri |access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref>
|-
! Windows version and edition
! Eligible Windows 10 upgrade edition
|-
| style="background:#dcf05d" | Windows 7 Starter
| rowspan=5 style="background:#0AB1DB; color:white" | Windows 10 Home
|-
| style="background:#99d818" | Windows 7 Home Basic
|-
| style="background:#60b937" | Windows 7 Home Premium
|-
| style="background:#F4BD27;" | Windows 8.1 with Bing
|-
| style="background:#9F559C; color:white" | Windows 8.1
|-
| style="background:#0098d4; color:white;" | Windows 7 Professional
| rowspan=3 style="background:#0D6895; color:white;" | Windows 10 Pro
|-
| style="background:#312e25; color:white;" | Windows 7 Ultimate
|-
| style="background:#0054A0; color:white;" | Windows 8.1 Pro
|}

Enterprise customers under an active [[Microsoft Software Assurance|Software Assurance]] (SA) contract with Microsoft are entitled to obtain Windows 10 ''Enterprise'' under their existing terms, as with previous versions of Windows. Enterprise customers whose SA agreement is expired or are under a [[volume licensing|volume license]] that does not have upgrade rights, and all users running [[Windows Genuine Advantage|non-genuine]] copies of Windows, are not entitled to freely upgrade to Windows 10.<ref name=ars-freeforall/><ref name=ars-winasaservice /><ref name=pcw-noenterprise/><ref name=ms-w10piratednongen>{{cite web|title=Genuine Windows and Windows 10|url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/15/genuine-windows-and-windows-10/|website=Windows Blog|publisher=Microsoft|quote="While our free offer to upgrade to Windows 10 will not apply to Non-Genuine Windows devices"|accessdate=16 May 2015}}</ref><ref name=ars-notfreepirate>{{cite web |title=The Windows 10 free upgrade for pirates: More confusing than it seems |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/the-windows-10-free-upgrade-for-pirates-more-confusing-than-it-seems/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref>

On June 1, 2015, Microsoft began to push a notification program to devices deemed compatible with Windows 10 to inform users of the upcoming upgrade, check for device compatibility, and pre-register for an automatic download of the operating system upon its release.<ref name=nw-reserve10>{{cite web|title=Reserve your free Windows 10 upgrade, download available on July 29|url=http://www.networkworld.com/article/2929473/microsoft-subnet/reserve-your-free-windows-10-upgrade-download-available-on-july-29.html|website=Network World|accessdate=1 June 2015}}</ref>

=== Update and support system ===
Windows 10 will be serviced in a significantly different manner from previous releases of Windows.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Chris|title=One more way Windows 10 will significantly improve your daily computing experience|url=https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/one-more-way-windows-10-significantly-improve-daily-194533444.html|publisher=Yahoo Tech|accessdate=April 14, 2015}}</ref> While Microsoft began to distribute a larger number of updates for Windows 8 that added features (such as interface improvements) beyond security patches and bug fixes, Windows 10 will adopt a tiered approach: users receive critical updates, security patches and non-critical updates to the operating system and its functionality as they are released. On Windows 10 Enterprise,<ref name=ms-w10editions/> administrators can choose between "Current Branch for Business" (CBB) and [[long-term support]] release channels. CBB will receive all updates at the same pace as consumers, but allow administrators to delay non-critical updates to ensure they are suitable for their environment. LTSB versions of Windows 10 are periodic snapshots of Windows 10's CBB branch, and will only receive critical patches over their 10-year support lifecycle. Systems can also be placed one or two versions behind the most recent LTSB version to allow for structured deployments and internal lifecycles.<ref name=ars-winasaservice /><ref name=cw-biggestchange>{{cite web |title=Microsoft reveals biggest-ever change in Windows updates |url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2691211/microsoft-reveals-biggest-ever-change-in-windows-updates.html |website=Computerworld |accessdate=October 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name=winblog-w10forbusiness>{{cite web |title=Introducing Windows 10 for Business |url=http://blogs.windows.com/business/2014/09/30/introducing-windows-10-for-business/ |website=Windows Blog |accessdate=October 4, 2014}}</ref> Stella Chernyak explained that "we have businesses [that] may have mission-critical environments where we respect the fact they want to test and stabilize the environment for a long time".<ref name=iw-unanswered>{{cite web |last1=Endler |first1=Michael |title=Windows 10: 5 Unanswered Questions |url=http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-10-5-unanswered-questions/d/d-id/1316350 |website=InformationWeek |accessdate=October 4, 2014}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; width:auto; font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|+Windows support and update branches<ref name=ars-winasaservice /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/business/2015/01/30/windows-10-for-enterprise-more-secure-and-up-to-date/ |title=Windows 10 for Enterprise: More secure and up to date |date=January 30, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/piecing-together-the-windows-as-a-service-puzzle-for-windows-10/ |title=Piecing together the Windows as a Service puzzle for Windows 10 |last1=Foly |first1=Mary Jo |date=14 May 2015 |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref>
|-
! Update branch
| '''Current Branch''' (CB)
| '''Current Branch for Business''' (CBB)
| '''Long-term Servicing Branches''' (LTSB)
|-
! rowspan=4 | Editions
| colspan=3 | Windows 10 Education
|-
| colspan=3 | Windows 10 Enterprise
|-
| Windows 10 Home
| colspan=2 style="background: #ececec;"|  
|-
| colspan=2 | Windows 10 Pro
| style="background: #ececec;"|  
|-
! Critical updates Security patches and stability updates
| {{Yes}}
| {{Optional|Deferrable for a period of time}}
| {{Partial|Deferrable indefinitely}}
|-
! Non-critical updates Functionality and feature upgrades
| {{Yes}}
| {{Optional|Deferrable for a period of time}}
| {{Partial|Deferrable indefinitely}}
|-
! Preview releases [[Beta release]]s through the [[Windows Insider]] Program Choice of ''fast'' or ''slow'' update ring
| {{Partial|Optional}}
| {{Partial|Optional or if permitted}}
| {{No}}
|-
! Update methods
| [[Windows Update]]
| [[Windows Update]] Windows Update for Business [[Windows Server Update Services]]
| Windows Update for Business [[Windows Server Update Services]]
|-
! Upgrade support
| Continuous updating
| colspan="2" | The three most recent LTSB versions (periodic snapshots of CBB will be released as LTSB versions)
|-
! Update support
| Lifetime
| The three most recent LTSB versions
| Five years mainstream + Five years extended (from release date of the LTSB version)
|}

Terry Myerson explained that with these changes, Microsoft thought of Windows 10 as a "service" which would be "kept current for the supported lifetime of the device", and that "the question 'what version of Windows are you running' will cease to make sense".<ref name=ars-win10freefirstyear>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 free for all Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users for first year |url=http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/01/windows-10-free-for-all-windows-8-1-and-windows-7-users-for-first-year/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ars-winasaservice>{{cite web |title=What Windows as a Service and a "free upgrade" mean at home and at work |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/01/what-windows-as-a-service-and-a-free-upgrade-mean-at-home-and-at-work/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=February 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ms-nextgen>{{cite web |last1=Myerson |first1=Terry |title=The next generation of Windows: Windows 10 |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/01/21/the-next-generation-of-windows-windows-10/ |website=Windows blog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref>

=== Table of versions ===


{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#fa8072"|
|Discontinued/disabled release
|style="background:silver"|
|Previous release
|style="background:#a0e75a"|
|Stable release
|style="background:plum"|
|Preview release
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible uncollapsed" style="width:100%; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="background:plum; text-align:center;" colspan="3"| Table of versions: Windows 10
|-
! style="width:8em; text-align:center;" | Version {{small|Branch}}
! style="width:10em; text-align:center; background::#FFFFFF;" | Release dates
! style="background::#FFFFFF; text-align:center;"|Highlights
|- valign="top" 
| style="white-space:wrap; background:#fa8072; text-align:center" |
'''6.4.9841''' {{small|fbl_release}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/10/01/join-the-windows-insider-program-and-get-the-windows-10-technical-preview/ |title=Join the Windows Insider Program and get the Windows 10 Technical Preview |last1=LeBlanc |first1=Brandon |date=October 1, 2014 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref>
|
{{date|2014-10-01|mdy}}
|
* New "experimental" options, including [[word wrapping|word wrap]] and [[Control key]] [[keyboard shortcuts]] (such as [[Cut, copy, and paste|pasting]] text using {{key press|[[Ctrl key|Ctrl]]|[[V]]}}) in console windows such as [[cmd.exe|Command Prompt]], and a revised fullscreen mode usable on both the 32 and 64-bit versions at a native resolution with mouse support and a scroll bar.<ref name="verge-win10" /><ref name="ext-liveblog">{{cite web |title=Microsoft's Windows 10 event in San Francisco: Updated live blog |url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/191135-windows-9-event-san-francisco-live-blog |website=ExtremeTech |accessdate=September 30, 2014 |date=September 30, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ars-commandprompt">{{cite web |title=Windows 10 command prompt finally gets dragged into the 21st century |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/09/windows-10-command-prompt-finally-gets-dragged-into-the-21st-century/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=September 30, 2014}}</ref>
* Reintroduction of a [[Windows 7]] style Start menu
* Snap windows to quadrants of the screen by dragging them to a corner.<ref name="verge-win10">{{cite web |title=Windows 10 is the official name for Microsoft's next version of Windows |url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6868695/microsoft-windows-10-announced-official |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>
* Task View (virtual desktops)
* Traditional [[Calculator (Windows)|calculator]] [[application software|app]] is not present in a clean install, but it is kept when doing an upgrade.
* Windows Store apps can run on the desktop in windows, rather than only full screen.<ref name=winblog-w10>{{cite web |title=Announcing Windows 10 |last=Aul |first=Gabe |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/09/30/announcing-windows-10/ |website=Blogging Windows |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=November 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 is the official name for Microsoft's next version of Windows |url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/30/6868695/microsoft-windows-10-announced-official |website=[[The Verge]] |accessdate=September 30, 2014 |date=September 30, 2014 |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref>
|- valign="top" 
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:#fa8072; text-align:center"|
'''6.4.9860''' {{small|fbl_release}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/10/21/were-rolling-out-our-first-new-build-to-the-windows-insider-program/ |title=We're rolling out our first new build to the Windows Insider Program |last1=Aul |first1=Gabe |date=October 21, 2014 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref>
|{{date|2014-10-21|mdy}}
|
* "Nearly 7,000 improvements and fixes"<ref name="winblog-9860">{{cite web |title=We're rolling out our first preview build to the Windows Insider Program |last=Aul |first=Gabe |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/10/21/were-rolling-out-our-first-new-build-to-the-windows-insider-program/ |website=Blogging Windows |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=November 22, 2014}}</ref>
* Notification center: A window that can be invoked from [[notification area]] and shows the history of [[pop-up notification]]s<ref name="winblog-9860" />
|- valign="top" 
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:#fa8072; text-align:center"|
'''6.4.9879''' {{small|fbl_release}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/12/new-build-available-to-the-windows-insider-program/ |title=New build available to the Windows Insider Program |last1=Gabe |first1=Aul |date=November 12, 2014 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2014-11-12|mdy}}
'''Slow ring:''' {{date|2014-11-25|mdy}}
|
* New 3 finger gestures<ref name="winblog-9879" />
* Internet Explorer contains opt-in preview of new [[EdgeHTML]] rendering engine.<ref name=ieblog-spartan /><ref name=ieblog-edge>{{cite web |title=Living on the Edge – our next step in helping the web just work |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/11/11/living-on-the-edge-our-next-step-in-interoperability.aspx |website=IEBlog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref><ref name=verge-spartanannounce>{{cite web |title=Microsoft officially announces Project Spartan, its new web browser for Windows 10 |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/21/7863331/microsoft-project-spartan-new-web-browser |website=The Verge |accessdate=January 21, 2015}}</ref>
* [[Windows 10#Operating system compression|Operating system compression]] through the Disk Cleanup utility<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/hands-on-with-windows-10-preview-build-9879/3/ |title=Hands-on with Windows 10 Preview build 9879 |last1=Bott |first1=Ed |date=November 13, 2014 |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref>
* Selective synchronization of local contents with [[OneDrive]]<ref name="winblog-9879">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/12/new-build-available-to-the-windows-insider-program/ |title=New build available to the Windows Insider Program |last=Aul |first=Gabe |date=November 12, 2014 |work=Blogging Windows |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=November 23, 2014}}</ref>
* "Task View" and "Search" buttons on Taskbar (new to Windows 10) can be hidden<ref name="winblog-9879" />
|- valign="top" 
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Silver; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.9926''' {{small|fbl_awesome1501}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/01/23/january-build-now-available-to-the-windows-insider-program/ |title=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=January 23, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-01-23|mdy}}
|
* Alarm app including world clock, timer and stop watch<ref>[https://twitter.com/GabeAul/status/562745376328130561 Gabriel Aul on Twitter: "@LuigiLaera We'll be bringing the Windows10 Alarms app to phones. As a Windows App, the same code will run on both platforms."]. Twitter.com (February 3, 2015). Retrieved on 2015-02-09.</ref>
* [[Microsoft Cortana|Cortana]] support for U.S. English locale.
* [[Calculator (Windows)|Calculator]] app replacing the traditional Win32 calculator
* Full screen button added to Start menu<ref name=verge-closerlook />
* [[Bing Maps|Maps]] app with Cortana integration<ref name="Microsoft_Windows_10_event">{{cite web |url=http://news.microsoft.com/windows10story/ |title=Microsoft Windows 10 Event January 2015 (Full) |date=January 21, 2015 |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref> and ability to save maps for offline use.<ref name=neowinofflinemaps>{{cite web |last1=Sams |first1=Brad |title=Windows 10: Offline maps arrive on the desktop with build 9888 |url=http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-10-offline-maps-arrive-on-the-desktop-with-build-9888 |website=Neowin |accessdate=April 4, 2015}}</ref>
* Photos app with aggregated content and automatic enhancements.<ref name=verge-thisiswp10>{{cite web |title=This is Windows 10 for phones |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/21/7869441/windows-10-for-phones-features-hands-on |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=January 22, 2015}}</ref>
* Restyled window frames
* Settings app updated with new layout.<ref name=cnet-settingsmenu />
* Taskbar re-styled with new opaque appearance, smaller application icons, and underlines to denote active applications.<ref name=pcpro-settingsmenu />
* Taskbar search button changed to a search box by default
* New Xbox app.<ref name=engadget-w10xbox />
* DirectX 12 has been added, but can't be used yet.
|- valign="top"
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Silver; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.10041''' {{small|fbl_impressive}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/03/18/windows-10-technical-preview-build-10041-now-available/ |title=Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10041 now available |first1=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=March 18, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-03-18|mdy}}
'''Slow ring:''' {{date|2015-03-24|mdy}}
|
* Cortana support added for China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain & United Kingdom
* Handwriting input canvas optimizations for short text entries
* Insider Hub, Photos and Windows Feedback apps have been updated
* Lock screen changes with "did you know" backgrounds to help users with Windows 10
* Network connections as a fly-out from the taskbar instead of through the Settings app
* Open applications do not appear on the taskbar across all virtual desktops by default, and can be moved across desktops
* Print to PDFs
* Start button is smaller and has a new hover animation
* Start menu functionality changes and transparency
|- valign="top"
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Silver; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.10049''' {{small|fbl_impressive}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/03/30/windows-10-technical-preview-build-10049-now-available/ |title=Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10049 now available |first1=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=March 30, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=March 30, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-03-30|mdy}}
|

* Alarms & Clocks, Calculator and Voice recorder have been updated with new interfaces
* Preview debut of [[Microsoft Edge]] web browser<ref name=ars-spartanw10build>{{cite web |title=Project Spartan gets its first public outing in new Windows 10 build |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/04/project-spartan-gets-its-first-public-outing-in-new-windows-10-build/ |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast Digital |accessdate=March 30, 2015 |date=March 30, 2015}}</ref>
* Bio Enrollment is also added, although its purpose is still not known and the app is not accessible<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-bundles-bio-enrollment-app-latest-windows-10-tech-preview-build|title = Latest Windows 10 build bundles mysterious Bio Enrollment app|last = |first = |date = |work = |access-date = |via = }}</ref>
|- valign="top"
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Silver; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.10061''' {{small|fbl_impressive}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/04/22/windows-10-technical-preview-build-10061-now-available/|title=Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10061 now available |first1=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=April 22, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=April 22, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-04-22|mdy}}
|
* Mail, Calendar, [[MSN Weather]], [[MSN Money]], and other apps have been updated with new interfaces and improved performance
* Preview versions of the Music and Video apps are included along with their Windows 8 counterparts
* New black system theme across the Start menu, Taskbar and Action Center
* The Start menu, the Taskbar, the Action Center, and preview windows now have an option for transparency
* The Start menu is resizable
* Entering Tablet Mode now causes the Start button, Cortana, and the Task View buttons to all grow in size and space out to be more touchable
* New setting to boot direct into Tablet Mode. For tablets under 10 inches, this is the default behavior
* New refined Windows icons, close buttons, and thumbnails
* Microsoft Solitaire Collection is included with this build<ref name="Solitare">{{cite web | url=http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-solitaire-returning-to-windows-10-2015-4 | title=Microsoft is bringing back Solitaire for Windows 10 | accessdate=April 30, 2015 | author=Tweedie, Steven}}</ref>

|- valign="top"
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Silver; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.10074''' {{small|fbl_impressive}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/04/29/new-windows-10-insider-preview-build-10074-now-available/|title=New Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10074 now available |first1=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=April 29, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=April 29, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-04-29|mdy}}
'''Slow ring:''' {{date|2015-04-29|mdy}}
|
* Cortana has been integrated with the Start menu
* Enhancements to Live Tiles, including new animations and the option to disable the Live Tile
* Improved UI for the Start menu, some users see a blurred background
* New sounds for multiple actions
* Personalization options have been moved to the Settings app and other improvements to the app

|- valign="top"
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Silver; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.10122''' {{small|fbl_impressive}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/20/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-10122-for-pcs/|title=Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10122 for PCs |first1=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=May 20, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=May 20, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-05-20|mdy}}
|
* New Tab page for Microsoft Edge
* Moved File Explorer and Settings in the Start Menu to the bottom, near Power
* Ability to toggle between Start menu and Start screen has been moved to the new Start settings page under Personalization settings.
* Changes to how Windows 10 handles default apps.
* People, MSN Weather, MSN Money, Insider Hub, and other apps have been updated with new interfaces and improved performance

|- valign="top"
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:Plum; text-align:center"|
'''10.0.10130''' {{small|fbl_impressive}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/29/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-10130-for-pcs/|title=Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10130 for PCs |first1=Gabe |last1=Aul |date=May 29, 2015 |website=blogs.windows.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=May 29, 2015}}</ref>
| '''Fast ring:''' {{date|2015-05-29|mdy}}
|

* You can now customize your Start experience by opening the Settings app > Personalization > Start.
* New Icon design
* New UI for Jump Lists
* Continuum Improvements
* Improvements to Microsoft Edge (still named Project Spartan in this build)
* Playback improvements with the Movies & TV app
* You can now launch Cortana’s speech recognition using Win key + C
|}

== System requirements ==
The basic hardware [[System requirements|requirements]] to install the Windows 10 Insider Preview are the same as for [[Windows 8.1]]. Devices running a [[Features new to Windows 8#Installation|compressed operating system]] (including some 32 GB devices and all 16 GB devices) or PCs using older 64-bit CPUs may not be supported.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/preview-faq-system-requirements-pc |title=Before you install |website=windows.microsoft.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dn641833(v=vs.85).aspx |title=Dev center: Windows Image File Boot (WimBoot) |website=msdn.microsoft.com |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 12, 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin: auto;"
|+ Hardware requirements for Windows 10<ref>{{cite web |title=Windows 8 system requirements |url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/system-requirements |work=Windows Help |publisher=Microsoft Corporation |accessdate=December 15, 2012}}</ref>
|-
! scope="col"| Component
! scope="col"| Minimum
! scope="col"| Recommended
|-
! scope="row" | [[Central processing unit|Processor]]
| 1 [[Gigahertz|GHz]] [[clock rate]] [[IA-32]] or [[x64]] architecture Support for [[Physical Address Extension|PAE]], [[NX bit|NX]] and [[SSE2]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh975398.aspx |title=PAE/NX/SSE2 Support Requirement Guide for Windows 8 |accessdate=June 4, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What is PAE, NX, and SSE2 and why does my PC need to support them to run Windows 8? |url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/what-is-pae-nx-sse2 |work=Windows Help |publisher=Microsoft Corporation |accessdate=December 15, 2012}}</ref>
| [[x64]] architecture [[Second Level Address Translation]] (SLAT) support for [[Hyper-V]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[Random-access memory|Memory (RAM)]]
| '''IA-32 edition:''' 1 [[Gigabyte|GB]] '''x64 edition:''' 2 [[Gigabyte|GB]]
| 4 [[Gigabyte|GB]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[Graphics Card]]
| [[DirectX 9]] graphics device [[Windows Display Driver Model|WDDM]] 1.0 or higher driver
| [[DirectX 10]] graphics device
|-
! scope="row" | [[Computer monitor|Display screen]]
| 1024×600 [[pixel]]s
| 1024×768 pixels
|-
! scope="row" | Input device
| [[Computer keyboard|Keyboard]] and [[mouse (computing)|mouse]]
| [[multi-touch]] display
|-
! scope="row" | Hard disk space
| '''IA-32 edition:''' 16 [[Gigabyte|GB]] '''x64 edition:''' 20 [[Gigabyte|GB]]
| {{N/A}}
|-
! scope="row" | Other
| {{N/A}}
| [[UEFI]] v2.3.1 Errata B with Microsoft Windows Certification Authority in its database [[Trusted Platform Module]] (TPM) 2.0 Internet connectivity
|}

Certified tablets must include {{Keypress|Power}}, {{keypress|Volume up}}, and {{keypress|Volume down}} keys; {{keypress|Win}} and {{Keypress|Rotation lock}} keys are no longer required.<ref name=ndtv-specs>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 Minimum Hardware Requirements and Upgrade Paths Detailed |url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/laptops/news/windows-10-minimum-hardware-requirements-and-upgrade-paths-detailed-672319 |website=NDTV |accessdate=March 20, 2015}}</ref> As with Windows 8, all certified devices must ship with [[UEFI Secure Boot]] enabled by default. Unlike Windows 8, OEMs are no longer required to make Secure Boot settings user-configurable, meaning that devices may optionally be locked to only run Microsoft operating systems.<ref name=arstechnica-securebootw10>{{cite web |title=Windows 10 to make the Secure Boot alt-OS lock out a reality |url=http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/windows-10-to-make-the-secure-boot-alt-os-lock-out-a-reality/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=March 21, 2015}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{portal|Microsoft|Software}}
* [[Comparison of operating systems]]
* [[History of Microsoft Windows]]
* [[History of operating systems]]
* [[List of operating systems]]
{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|3}}

{{Microsoft Windows family}}
{{Microsoft Windows components}}
{{Microsoft}}

{{Use American English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}

[[Category:2015 software]]
[[Category:Windows 10]]

File:Virtual Desktops in Windows 10.png

2015-06-03T19:21:24Z

Dorsal Axe: ==Summary== {{Non-free image data |Description = Screenshot of multiple desktops in Windows 10 with various default program windows open in the selected desktop. |Source = Self-taken screenshot |Portion = Entire screen cov...

==Summary==
{{Non-free image data
|Description = Screenshot of multiple desktops in Windows 10 with various default program windows open in the selected desktop.
|Source = Self-taken screenshot
|Portion = Entire screen covering the taskbar.
|Low_resolution = Yes. Original image resolution was 1680 x 1050.
|other_information =
}}

== Licensing ==
{{Non-free software screenshot|Screenshots of Windows software|image has rationale=yes}}

== Image use rationale ==
{{Non-free image rationale
|Article = Windows 10
|Purpose = To identify a new feature of Windows 10 known as Virtual Desktops.
|Replaceability = No. Windows 10 is under copyright and Microsoft releases the OS—including its desktop environment, user interface, and built-in applications—under non-[[Free content|free]] terms. The same details cannot be correctly represented in a free image, as one would require the same copyrighted material.
}}
{{Non-free image rationale
|Article = virtual desktop
|Purpose = To identify the interface of virtual desktop in Windows 10.
|Replaceability = No. Windows 10 is under copyright and Microsoft releases the OS—including its desktop environment, user interface, and built-in applications—under non-[[Free content|free]] terms. The same details cannot be correctly represented in a free image, as one would require the same copyrighted material.
}}

User:Dorsal Axe/sandbox

2015-06-03T19:18:39Z

Dorsal Axe: ←Redirected page to User:Dorsal Axe/Sandbox

#REDIRECT[[User:Dorsal Axe/Sandbox]]

List of Futurama episodes

2015-03-01T13:49:37Z

Dorsal Axe: Restoring home media information which should not have been removed from the article. Futurama seasons are a mess, so "standardising" the table is pointless. Also correcting Season 6 and 7 names (they are officially 6-A/6-B and 7-A/7-B)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:List of ''Futurama'' episodes}}
[[File:Futurama 1999 logo.svg|right|alt=Red capital letters with a yellow border that spell out "Futurama"|300px]]
The American [[animated cartoon|animated]] [[science fiction]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Futurama]]'', created by [[Matt Groening]] for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]], aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] from March 28, 1999, to August 10, 2003; [[Cartoon Network]]'s [[Adult Swim]] aired [[rerun]]s of the show from 2003 through 2007. Following a commitment from [[20th Century Fox Television]] to produce four [[direct-to-video|straight-to-DVD]] ''Futurama'' films, [[Comedy Central]] announced on June 23, 2006 that they were resurrecting the show and would air the films as new ''Futurama'' episodes (reconfiguring each film into four episodes) after each film's DVD release.<ref name=RottenTomatoesMattGroenigClarifiesFuture>{{cite web|url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1648183/|title=Groening's Bargain to Yield Four ''Futurama'' Movies|publisher=Reuters|date= 2007-01-28|accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref><ref name=reuters>{{cite web|last=Wallenstein|first=Andrew|url= http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/va/20060622/115104459800.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061106224128/http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/va/20060622/115104459800.html|archivedate=2006-06-11|title="Futurama" gets new life on Comedy Central|publisher=Reuters|date=2006-06-22|accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> Comedy Central began airing ''Futurama'' reruns in January 2008 and broadcast [[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|the first film]] on March 23, 2008.<ref name="FutoncriticBBS">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7549|title=Comedy Central's 'South Park,' 'Lil' Bush,' More to Return in March|date=08–02–07|accessdate=2008-11-08}}</ref> Following the four films (considered the [[Futurama (season 5)|fifth season]] of the show), Comedy Central has broadcast a [[Futurama (season 6)|sixth season]] of twenty-six episodes, split over 2010 and 2011.<ref name=YahooDXC>{{cite web|url=http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/ustv.associatedcontent.com/ustv.associatedcontent.com-futurama-producer-david-x-cohen-talks-holiday-special|title='Futurama' Producer David X. Cohen Talks Holiday Special|date=2010-09-19|accessdate=2010-09-29}}</ref> A [[Futurama (season 7)|seventh season]] was announced in March 2011 and debuted in the summer of 2012.<ref name="CCSeason7announcement">{{cite web|url=http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2011/032811_futurama-renewed-for-26-new-episodes.jhtml|title=COMEDY CENTRAL® RENEWS "FUTURAMA" FOR 26 NEW EPISODES|date=March 29, 2011|accessdate=March 30, 2011}}</ref>

The original 72-episode run of ''Futurama'' was produced as four seasons; Fox broadcast the episodes out of the intended order, resulting in five aired seasons. This list features the episodes in original production order, as featured on the DVD box sets.

The show aired its final episode on September 4, 2013.<ref name="finale">{{cite news|last=Snierson|first=Dan|title='Futurama' to end seven-season run on Sept. 4 -- EXCLUSIVE|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/04/22/futurama-not-renewed-comedy-central/|accessdate=April 22, 2013|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=April 22, 2013}}</ref> A total of 140 episodes were broadcast over seven seasons.

{{TOC top}}'''[[#Seasons|Seasons]]''': [[#Season 1 (1999)|1]] '''·''' [[#Season 2 (1999–2000)|2]] '''·''' [[#Season 3 (2001–02)|3]] '''·''' [[#Season 4 (2002–03)|4]] '''·''' [[#Season 5 (2008–09)|5]] '''·''' [[#Season 6 (2010–11)|6]] '''·''' [[#Season 7 (2012–13)|7]] '''·''' [[#Specials|Specials]] '''·''' [[#References|References]] '''·''' [[#External links|External links]]{{TOC bottom}}__NOTOC__

==Series overview==
[[Fox Broadcasting Company]] broadcast many episodes of the original four ''production'' seasons of ''Futurama'' out of order, resulting in five ''broadcast'' seasons. [[Comedy Central]] also aired parts of season 6 and 7 out of order. This list follows the season box sets, which feature the episodes in the original, intended production season order, ignoring order of broadcast.

Season 5 is comprised of the four straight-to-video movies ''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]'', ''[[Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]'', ''[[Futurama: Benders Game|Benders Game]]'', ''[[Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder|Into the Wild Green Yonder]]'' each split into four episodes. Seasons 6 and 7 are divided into separate broadcast seasons known as 6-A/6-B and 7-A/7-B and have separate home media releases for each.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" colspan="2" rowspan="2"| Season
! scope="col" colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="padding:0 8px; width:12px;"| Episodes
! scope="col" colspan="3"| Originally aired
|-
! scope="col"| [[Season premiere]]
! scope="col"| [[Season finale]]
! scope="col"| Network
|-
|bgcolor="#FF8566"|
|[[#Season 1 (1999)|1]]
|colspan="2"| 13
|{{Start date|1999|3|28}}
|style="padding: 0px 8px"| {{End date|1999|11|14}}
|rowspan="4"| [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
|bgcolor="#47A375"|
|[[#Season 2 (1999–2000)|2]]
|colspan="2"| 19
|style="padding: 0px 8px"| {{Start date|1999|11|21}}
|{{End date|2000|12|3}}
|-
|bgcolor="#646584"|
|[[#Season 3 (2001–02)|3]]
|colspan="2"| 22
|{{Start date|2001|1|21}}
|{{End date|2002|12|8}}
|-
|bgcolor="#E25B6C"|
|[[#Season 4 (2002–03)|4]]
|colspan="2"| 18
|{{Start date|2002|2|10}}
|{{End date|2003|8|10}}
|-
|bgcolor="#C0C0C0" rowspan="4"|
|rowspan="4"| [[#Season 5 (2008–09)|5]]
|rowspan="4"| 16
|4
|colspan="2"| {{Start date|2008|3|23}} (''Bender's Big Score'')
|style="padding: 0px 8px" rowspan="8"| [[Comedy Central|Comedy Central]]
|-
|4
|colspan="2"| {{Start date|2008|10|19}} (''The Beast with a Billion Backs'')
|-
|4
|colspan="2"| {{Start date|2009|4|26}} (''Bender's Game'')
|-
|4
|colspan="2"| {{Start date|2009|8|30}} (''Into the Wild Green Yonder'')
|-
|bgcolor="#66CDAA"|
|[[#Futurama Season 6 Part 1|6-A]]
|rowspan="2"|26
|13
|{{Start date|2010|6|24}}
|{{End date|2010|11|21}}
|-
|bgcolor="#BA55D3"|
|[[#Futurama Season 6 Part 2|6-B]]
|13
|{{Start date|2011|6|23}}
|{{End date|2011|9|8}}
|-
|bgcolor="#6D667C"|
|[[#Futurama Season 7 Part 1|7-A]]
|rowspan="2"|26
|13
|{{Start date|2012|6|20}}
|{{End date|2012|8|29}}
|-
|bgcolor="#DB0B91"|
|[[#Futurama Season 7 Part 2|7-B]]
|13
|{{Start date|2013|6|19}}
|{{End date|2013|9|4}}
|}

===Home media===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" colspan="4" rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Home release
! style="padding:0 8px;" colspan="3"| Home release date
|-
! scope="col"| [[Region 1]]
! scope="col"| [[Region 2]]
! scope="col"| [[Region 4]]
|-
|bgcolor="#FF8566"|
|colspan="3"|[[#Season 1 (1999)|1]]
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 1''
|{{Start date|2003|3|25}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000083C6W |title=Futurama, Vol. 1 (1999) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2002|1|28}}
|{{Start date|2002|11|27}}
|-
|bgcolor="#47A375"|
|colspan="3"|[[#Season 2 (1999–2000)|2]]
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 2''
|{{Start date|2003|8|12}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008YGRS |title=Futurama, Vol. 2 (1999) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|style="padding: 0px 8px"| {{Start date|2002|11|11}}
|{{Start date|2003|5|13}}
|-
|bgcolor="#646584"|
|colspan="3"|[[#Season 3 (2001–02)|3]]
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 3''
|{{Start date|2004|3|9}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00013RBX0 |title=Futurama, Vol. 3 (1999) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2003|6|2}}
|style="padding: 0px 8px"| {{Start date|2003|9|24}}
|-
|bgcolor="#E25B6C"|
|colspan="3"|[[#Season 4 (2002–03)|4]]
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 4''
|{{Start date|2004|08|24}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002B15J2 |title=Futurama, Vol. 4 (1999) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2003|11|24}}
|{{Start date|2004|2|18}}
|-
|bgcolor="#C0C0C0" rowspan="5"|
|colspan="3" rowspan="5"| [[#Season 5 (2008–09)|5]]
|-
|align="left"| ''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]''
|style="padding: 0px 8px"| {{Start date|2007|11|27}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZDO62 |title=Futurama – Bender's Big Score (2007) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2008|3|31}}
|{{Start date|2008|3|5}}
|-
|style="padding-right: 8px" align="left"| ''[[Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]''
|{{Start date|2008|6|24}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00158K0V0 |title=Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2008|6|30}}
|{{Start date|2008|8|6}}
|-
|align="left"| ''[[Futurama: Bender's Game|Bender's Game]]''
|{{Start date|2008|11|4}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DZOC78 |title=Futurama: Bender's Game (2008) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2008|11|3}}
|{{Start date|2008|12|10}}
|-
|align="left"| ''[[Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder|Into the Wild Green Yonder]]''
|{{Start date|2009|2|24}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MT7ZI8 |title=Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009) |work=[[Amazon.com]] |accessdate=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2009|2|23}}
|{{Start date|2009|3|4}}
|-
|bgcolor="#66CDAA"|
|colspan="2" rowspan="2"|[[#Season 6 (2010–11)|6]]
|A
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 5''<ref name="tvshowsondvd.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Futurama-Volume-5/14507 |title=Futurama DVD news: Announcement for Futurama – Volume 5 on DVD and Blu-ray |work=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]]|accessdate=October 6, 2010}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2010|12|21}}<ref name="tvshowsondvd.com"/>
|{{Start date|2011|12|26}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Futurama-Season-DVD-Billy-West/dp/B005N8095U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1317301734&sr=8-7|title=Futurama – Season 5 [DVD]|accessdate=2011-09-29}}</ref>
|{{start date|2011|11|2}} (DVD) {{start date|2012|03|28}} (Blu-ray)
|-
|bgcolor="#BA55D3"|
|B
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 6''<ref name="FuturamaVolume6bpbs">{{cite web|url=http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Rio-More-Glee-Modern-Family-Simpsons-and-Futurama-Coming-on-Blu-ray-from-Fox.shtml|title=Rio, Glee S2, Modern Family, Simpsons, Futurama and More Coming to Blu-ray from Fox|first=Chris|last=Chiarella|date=June 30, 2011|accessdate=June 30, 2011}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2011|12|20}}<ref name="FuturamaVolume6bpbs"/>
|{{Start date|2013|6|24}}<ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Futurama-Season-DVD-Billy-West/dp/B006TFRMCY/ Futurama – Season 6 [DVD<nowiki>]</nowiki>]</ref>
|{{start date|2011|12|21}} (DVD) {{start date|2012|03|28}} (Blu-ray)
|-
|bgcolor="#6D667C"|
|colspan="2" rowspan="2"|[[#Season 7 (2012–13)|7]]
|A
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 7''<ref name="FutuVol7">{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Futurama-Volume-7-Blu-ray/49285/#Overview|title=Futurama: Volume 7 Blu-ray|date=July 1, 2012|accessdate=July 1, 2012}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2012|12|11}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Futurama-Volume-7/17318 |title=Futurama DVD news: Date Change and Extras for Futurama — Volume 7 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |date= |accessdate=2013-04-22}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2014|7|21}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/futurama-season-7/10952270.html|title=Futurama - Season 7 Blu-ray|work=Zavvi.com|accessdate=May 5, 2014}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2012|12|12}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/blu-ray/futurama-season-7/dp/6120199 |title=Futurama: Season 7 |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=1999-12-31 |accessdate=2013-04-22}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#DB0B91"|
|B
|align="left"| ''Futurama, Volume 8''<ref name="Vol8"/>
|{{Start date|2013|12|10}}<ref name="Vol8">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Futurama-Volume-8/18937|title=Futurama - Date, Packaging for {{'}}''Volume 8''{{'}} and Plans for {{'}}''The Complete Series''{{'}}|work=TV Shows on DVD|last=Lambert|first=David|date=September 5, 2013|accessdate=September 6, 2013}}</ref>
|{{n/a}}
|{{Start date|2013|12|11}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/blu-ray/futurama-season-8/dp/6146911|title=Futurama: Season 8|work=Ezy DVD|accessdate=November 29, 2013}}</ref>
|}

==Episodes==
===Season 1 (1999)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 1)}}
{{:Futurama (season 1)}}

===Season 2 (1999–2000)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 2)}}
{{:Futurama (season 2)}}

===Season 3 (2001–02)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 3)}}
{{:Futurama (season 3)}}

===Season 4 (2002–03)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 4)}}
{{:Futurama (season 4)}}

===Season 5 (2008–09)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 5)}}
{{:Futurama (season 5)}}

===Season 6 (2010–11)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 6)}}
{{:Futurama (season 6)}}

===Season 7 (2012–13)===
{{Main|Futurama (season 7)}}
{{:Futurama (season 7)}}

==Specials==
===''Everybody Loves Hypnotoad''===
{{main|Amazon Adventure (film)}}
Included on the DVD release of ''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]'' is a full-length 22-minute episode of ''Everybody Loves Hypnotoad'', titled "Amazon Adventure", based on the fictional show produced by [[Hypnotoad]]. "Amazon Adventure" begins with an establishing shot of a house, before immediately cutting to Hypnotoad [[Hypnosis|hypnotising]] the audience. Other establishing shots and advertisements are interspersed throughout the episode.

===''Futurama: The Lost Adventure''===
{{Anchor|Futurama: The Lost Adventure}}
The [[Futurama (video game)|''Futurama'' video game]] was released shortly after the airing of the 72nd episode in August 2003. The game's story and dialogue was written by [[J. Stewart Burns]], and the voice direction was by [[David X. Cohen]]. According to Cohen, the half-hour's worth of [[cutscene]]s in the game were originally written as "the 73rd episode of the original series."<ref name="baker">Baker, Chris. "[http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/12/video-games-f-3/ Videogames & Futurama, Part 4: The Lost Episode is on a PS2 Disc]" 20 December 2007.</ref> These cutscenes were compiled together (along with footage of the video game being played) and released as a bonus feature on the DVD release of ''[[Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]''. Renamed ''Futurama: The Lost Adventure'', the episode tells of how the Planet Express crew prevented Mom from using Earth to take over the universe.

===''Futurama Live''===
{{anchor|Futurama Live}}
''Futurama Live'' was a live Internet webcast event broadcast on September 4, 2013 on the [[Comedy Central]] website and the [[Nerdist YouTube Channel|Nerdist]] [[YouTube]] channel as part of the Futurama series finale. It was broadcast in two parts, the first part was the pre-show hosted by [[Chris Hardwick]] and featured Futurama creator [[Matt Groening]], series showrunner [[David X. Cohen]] and voice actor [[Phil Lamarr]]. The second part was the post-series finale webcast again hosted by Hardwick with Groening and Cohen and actors [[Maurice LaMarche]] and [[Billy West]] discussing the series finale and different aspects of the show.<ref>{{YouTube|8OThQqFcdog Futurama Live! Pre-Show Webcast with Matt Groening, David X. Cohen and Phil LaMarr}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|M_MBFxSEpqo Futurama Live! Post-Show Webcast with Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, Billy West and Maurice LaMarche}}</ref><ref>[http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/09/futurama-live-chris-hardwick-hosts-finale-special-live-stream.html Chris Hardwick Hosts Finale Special Live Stream] (Retrieved from Zap2it.com on 09 September 2013)</ref>

==See also==
*"[[Simpsorama]]" - a crossover episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* List of [[Infosphere:Episode Listing|''Futurama'' episodes by production order]] at The Infosphere
* List of [[Infosphere:Episode Listing (broadcast order)|''Futurama'' episodes by broadcast order]] at The Infosphere
* {{Imdb episodes|0149460|Futurama}}
* {{bcdb |20th_Century_Fox/Television/Futurama/|Futurama}}
* {{Tv.com episodes|futurama|249|Futurama}}
* {{Epguides|Futurama|Futurama}}

{{Futurama}}
{{Fox Animation}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Futurama Episodes}}
[[Category:Futurama episodes| ]]
[[Category:Futurama lists|Episodes]]
[[Category:Lists of American animated television series episodes|Futurama episodes, List of]]
[[Category:Lists of science fiction television series episodes|Futurama episodes, List of]]
[[Category:Lists of American comedy television series episodes|Futurama episodes, List of]]
[[Category:Lists of television series episodes]]

Template:Microsoft

2014-02-06T11:54:48Z

Dorsal Axe: Update

{{Navbox
|name = Microsoft
|title = [[Microsoft]]
|state = {{{state<includeonly>|collapsed</includeonly>}}}
|bodyclass = hlist
|above=
*[[History of Microsoft|History]]
*[[List of Microsoft topics|All topics]]

|group1 = [[Board of directors]]
|list1 =
* [[Steve Ballmer]]
* [[Dina Dublon]]
* [[Bill Gates]]
* [[Maria Klawe]]
* [[Stephen J. Luczo]]
* [[David Marquardt]]
* [[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)
* [[Charles Noski]]
* [[Helmut Panke]]
* [[John W. Thompson]] (Chairman)

|group2 = Chief officers
|list2 =
*[[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)
*[[Amy Hood]] (CFO)
*[[Craig Mundie]] (CRSO)
*[[B. Kevin Turner|Kevin Turner]] (COO)

|group3 = Senior Leaders
|list3 =
*[[Tony Bates]]
*[[Lisa Brummel]]
*[[Julie Larson-Green]]
*[[Qi Lu]]
*[[Terry Myerson]]
*[[Mark Penn]]
*[[Tami Reller]]
*[[Harry Shum]]

|group4 = Presidents and VPs
|list4 =
*[[Joe Belfiore]]
*[[Jon DeVaan]] (SVP)
*[[Richard Rashid]] (SVP)
*[[S. Somasegar]] (SVP)

| group5 = Product families
| list5 =
* [[List of Microsoft operating systems|Operating systems]]
** [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
** [[Windows Phone]]
* [[List of Microsoft software applications|Software]]
** [[Microsoft Office|Office]]
** [[Microsoft Servers|Servers]]
** [[Skype]]
** [[Microsoft Visual Studio|Visual Studio]]
* [[Microsoft Hardware|Hardware]]
** [[Xbox]]
** [[Microsoft Surface|Surface]]

| group6 = Web properties
| list6 =
*[[MSN]]
*[[Bing]]
*[[Outlook.com]]
*[[SkyDrive]]
* [[Microsoft Developer Network|MSDN]]
* [[Microsoft TechNet|TechNet]]

| group7 = Conferences
| list7 =
* [[Build (conference)|Build]]
* [[MIX (Microsoft)|MIX]]
* [[Professional Developers Conference|PDC]]
* [[TechEd]]
* [[Windows Hardware Engineering Conference|WinHEC]]

| group8 = [[Criticism of Microsoft|Criticism]]
| list8 =
* [[Bundling of Microsoft Windows]]
* [[iLoo#Reaction|iLoo]]
* [[Internet Explorer#Security vulnerabilities|Internet Explorer]]
* [[_NSAKEY]]
* [[Criticism of Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
** [[Windows 9x#Disadvantages|9x]]
** [[Windows 2000#Security criticisms|2000]]
** [[Windows ME#Criticism|ME]]
** [[Criticism of Windows XP|XP]]
** [[Criticism of Windows Vista|Vista]]
* [[Xbox 360 technical problems|Xbox 360]]

| group9 = [[Microsoft litigation|Litigation]]
| list9 =
* ''[[Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft Corp.|Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft]]''
* [[Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp.|''Apple v. Microsoft'']]
* [[European Union Microsoft competition case]]
* ''[[Microsoft Corp. v. Lindows.com, Inc.|Microsoft v. Lindows]]''
* ''[[Microsoft vs. MikeRoweSoft]]''
* ''[[Microsoft Corp. v. Shah|Microsoft v. Shah]]''
* [[United States v. Microsoft Corp.|''United States v. Microsoft'']]

| group10 = [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|Acquisitions]]
| list10 =
*[[Altamira Software]]
*[[aQuantive]]
*[[Microsoft Amalga|Azyxxi]]
*[[Blue Ribbon Soundworks]]
*[[Bungie]]
*[[Calista Technologies]]
*[[Colloquis]]
*[[Connectix]]
*[[Consumers Software]]
*[[Danger (company)|Danger]]
*[[Bing Travel|Farecast]]
*[[FASA Studio]]
*[[Fast Search & Transfer]]
*[[Firefly (website)|Firefly]]
*[[Forethought, Inc.|Forethought]]
*[[GIANT Company Software]]
*[[Groove Networks]]
*[[Outlook.com|Hotmail]]
*[[Jellyfish.com]]
*[[LinkExchange]]
*[[Lionhead Studios]]
*[[Massive Incorporated]]
*[[Windows Live Toolbar#Onfolio|Onfolio]]
*[[PlaceWare]]
*[[Powerset (company)|Powerset]]
*[[ProClarity]]
*[[Rare Ltd.|Rare]]
*[[ScreenTonic]]
*[[Skype Technologies|Skype Communications]]
*[[Teleo]]
*[[Tellme Networks]]
*[[Twisted Pixel Games]]
*[[Vermeer Technologies]]
*[[Visio Corporation]]
*[[NetShow|VXtreme]]
*[[MSN TV|WebTV Networks]]
*[[Winternals]]
*[[Yammer]]
*[[Yupi]]

| below =
*{{icon|category}} [[:Category:Microsoft|Category]]
*{{icon|commons}} [[:commons:Category:Microsoft|Commons]]
*{{Portal-inline|Microsoft|size=tiny}}

}}<noinclude>
{{documentation}}
[[Category:Microsoft-related templates]]
[[Category:Computer company templates]]
</noinclude>

Microsoft

2014-02-06T11:51:08Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Corporate affairs */ Update

{{pp-semi|small=yes}}{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Coord|47|38|23|N|122|7|42|W|region:US_dim:540|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Microsoft Corporation
| logo = Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg
| logo_alt = Microsoft's logo, introduced in 2012 consists of a square divided into four sub-squares colored red, green, yellow and blue (clockwise)
| image = Microsoft building 17 front door.jpg
| image_caption = Front lobby entrance of building 17, one of the largest buildings on Microsoft's main campus, Redmond
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{unbulleted list|{{NASDAQ|MSFT}}|[[Dow Jones Industrial Average|Dow Jones Industrial Average Component]]|[[NASDAQ-100|NASDAQ-100 Component]]|[[S&P 500|S&P 500 Component]]}}
| industry = [[Software|Computer software]], [[Computer hardware]]
| foundation = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], [[United States|U.S.]] ({{Start date|1975|04|04}})
| founder = [[Bill Gates]], [[Paul Allen]]
| location_city = [[Microsoft Redmond Campus]], [[Redmond, Washington]]
| location_country = U.S.
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|[[John W. Thompson]] (Chairman)|[[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)|[[Bill Gates]] (founder, technology advisor)}}
| products = {{unbulleted list|[[Windows]]|[[Microsoft Office|Office]]|[[Microsoft Dynamics|Dynamics]]|[[Windows Azure|Azure]]|[[Xbox]]|[[Microsoft Surface|Surface]]|[[Bing]]|[[Skype]]|''[[List of Microsoft software applications|more...]]''}}
| revenue = {{Increase}} [[United States dollar|US$]] 77.85 billion (2013)<ref name=10K>{{cite web|date=July 18, 2013|url=http://www.microsoft.com/investor/EarningsAndFinancials/Earnings/PressReleaseAndWebcast/FY13/Q4/default.aspx|title=Earnings Release FY13 Q4|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 18, 2013}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{Increase}} US$ 26.76 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| net_income = {{Increase}} US$ 21.86 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| assets = {{Increase}} US$ 142.43 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| equity = {{Increase}} US$ 78.94 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| num_employees = 100,932 (December 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/inside_ms.aspx|title=Facts About Microsoft |publisher=Microsoft |date= |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
| subsid = [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|List of Microsoft subsidiaries]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.microsoft.com/|Microsoft.com}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/000119312511200680/d10k.htm|title=2011 Form 10-K, Microsoft Corporation|date=July 28, 2011|publisher=United States Securities and Exchange Commission|accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
}}

'''Microsoft Corporation''' is an American [[multinational corporation]] headquartered in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells [[computer software]], [[consumer electronics]] and [[personal computers]] and services. Its best known software products are the [[Microsoft Windows]] line of [[operating systems]], [[Microsoft Office]] [[office suite]], and [[Internet Explorer]] [[web browser]]. Its flagship hardware products are [[Xbox]] game console and the [[Microsoft Surface]] series of tablets. It is the [[List of the largest software companies|world's largest software maker]] measured by revenues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/global-software-top-100-edition-2011 |title=Global Software Top 100 - Edition 2011 |publisher=Softwaretop100.Org|date=23 August 2011}}</ref> It is also one of the [[List of corporations by market capitalization|world's most valuable companies]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ycharts.com/rankings/market_cap | title=Market Cap Rankings | publisher=Zacks Investment Research | work=Ycharts | date=April 8, 2012 | accessdate=April 9, 2012}}</ref>

Microsoft was founded by [[Bill Gates]] and [[Paul Allen]] on April 4, 1975 to develop and sell [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computer software)|interpreters]] for [[Altair 8800]]. It rose to dominate the [[personal computer]] [[operating system]] market with [[MS-DOS]] in the mid-1980s, followed by the [[Microsoft Windows]]. The company's 1986 [[initial public offering]], and subsequent rise in its share price, created an estimated three billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. It is considered the third most successful startup company of all time by market capitalization, revenue, growth and cultural impact.<ref name="Top 20 Startups">{{cite web|last=Hunckler|first=Matt|title=Top 20 Startups of All Time|url=http://vergestartups.com/top-20-startups-of-all-time/|publisher=Verge Startups|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> Since the 1990s, it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|made a number of corporate acquisitions]]. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired [[Skype Technologies]] for $8.5 billion in its largest acquisition to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.searchofficespace.com/blog/sos-news/microsoft-buys-skype-for-8-5-billion.html |title=Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion |publisher=The Search Office Space Blog |date=May 10, 2011 |accessdate=April 4, 2011}}</ref>

As of 2013, Microsoft is market dominant in both the [[IBM PC-compatible]] operating system and [[office software suite]] markets (the latter with [[Microsoft Office]]). The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in areas including [[Web search engine|internet search]] (with [[Bing]]), the [[video game industry]] (with the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Xbox 360]] and [[Xbox One]] consoles), the digital services market (through [[MSN]]), and mobile phones (via the [[Windows Phone]] OS). In June 2012, Microsoft entered the personal computer production market for the first time, with the launch of the [[Microsoft Surface]], a line of [[tablet computer]]s.

==History==
{{Main|History of Microsoft|History of Microsoft Windows}}

===1972–83: Founding and company beginnings===
[[File:1981BillPaul.jpg|thumb|left|[[Paul Allen]] (l.) and [[Bill Gates]] (r.) on October 19, 1981, in a sea of PCs after signing a pivotal contract. IBM called Microsoft in July 1980 inquiring about [[programming language]]s for its upcoming PC line;<ref name="Allan 2001">{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=FLabRYnGrOcC|title=A History of the Personal Computer|last=Allan|first=Roy A.|publisher=Allan Publishing|isbn=0-9689108-0-7|year=2001|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|228|date=November 2012}} after failed negotiations with another company, IBM gave Microsoft a contract to develop the OS for the new line of PCs.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft"/>]]
[[Paul Allen]] and [[Bill Gates]], childhood friends with a passion in [[computer programming]], were seeking to make a successful business utilizing their shared skills. In 1972 they founded their first company named [[Traf-O-Data]], which offered a rudimentary computer that tracked and analyzed automobile traffic data. Allen went on to pursue a degree in computer science at the University of Washington, later dropping out of school to work at Honeywell. Gates began studies at Harvard.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Company HIstory|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/microsoft-corporation-history/}}</ref> The January 1975 issue of ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' featured [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]]'s (MITS) [[Altair 8800]] [[microcomputer]]. Allen noticed that they could program a [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] for the device; after a call from Gates claiming to have a working interpreter, MITS requested a demonstration. Since they didn't actually have one, Allen worked on a [[simulation|simulator]] for the Altair while Gates developed the interpreter. Although they developed the interpreter on a simulator and not the actual device, the interpreter worked flawlessly when they demonstrated the interpreter to MITS in [[Albuquerque]], New Mexico in March 1975; MITS agreed to distribute it, marketing it as [[Altair BASIC]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|108, 112–114|date=November 2012}} They officially established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the [[Chief executive officer|CEO]].<ref name="BBCTL">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5085630.stm|title=Bill Gates: A Timeline|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=July 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Allen came up with the original name of "Micro-Soft," the combination of the words microcomputer and software, as recounted in a [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/10/02/206528/index.htm 1995 Fortune magazine article]. In August 1977 the company formed an agreement with ASCII Magazine in Japan, resulting in its first international office, "[[ASCII (company)|ASCII Microsoft]]".<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n8/192_Kay_Nishi_bridges_the_cul.php|title=Kay Nishi bridges the cultural gap|author=Staples, Betsy|journal=Creative Computing|volume=10|issue=8|page=192|date=August 1984|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref> The company moved to a new home in [[Bellevue, Washington]] in January 1979.<ref name="BBCTL" />

Microsoft entered the OS business in 1980 with its own version of [[Unix]], called [[Xenix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|title=Under The Hood: Part 8|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901182630/http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|archivedate=September 11, 2006|work=Computer Source|author=Dyar, Dafydd Neal|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> However, it was [[MS-DOS]] that solidified the company's dominance. After negotiations with [[Digital Research]] failed, [[International Business Machines|IBM]] awarded a contract to Microsoft in November 1980 to provide a version of the [[CP/M]] OS, which was set to be used in the upcoming [[IBM Personal Computer]] (IBM PC).<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k9xS6t4ibxoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Engines+that+move+markets:+technology+investing+from+railroads+to+the&hl=en&ei=BJThTfsoiK3yA4bgoJQH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=november%201980&f=false |title=Engines that move markets |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> For this deal, Microsoft purchased a CP/M clone called [[86-DOS]] from [[Seattle Computer Products]], branding it as MS-DOS, which IBM rebranded to [[PC DOS]]. Following the release of the IBM PC in August 1981, Microsoft retained ownership of MS-DOS. Since IBM [[copyright]]ed the IBM PC [[BIOS]], other companies had to [[Reverse engineering|reverse engineer]] it in order for non-IBM hardware to run as [[IBM PC compatible]]s, but no such restriction applied to the operating systems. Due to various factors, such as MS-DOS's available software selection, Microsoft eventually became the leading PC operating systems vendor.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft">{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company|volume=6|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0603/09r03/09r03.asp&guid=|title=Microsoft to Microsoft disk operating system (MS-DOS)|date=March 2002|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Blaxill Eckardt 2009">{{Cite journal|url=http://books.google.com/?id=JO6kA0hebJIC&pg=PA210&lpg=PA210&dq=%22columbia+data+products%22+clone+bios&q=%22columbia%20data%20products%22%20clone%20bios|title=The Invisible Edge: Taking Your Strategy to the Next Level Using Intellectual Property|last=Blaxill|first=Mark|last2=Eckardt|first2=Ralph|publisher=Portfolio Hardcover|isbn=1-59184-237-9|date=March 5, 2009|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|210|date=November 2012}} The company expanded into new markets with the release of the ''Microsoft Mouse'' in 1983, as well as a publishing division named [[Microsoft Press]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|232|date=November 2012}} Paul Allen resigned from Microsoft in February after developing [[Hodgkin's lymphoma|Hodgkin's disease]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|231|date=November 2012}}

===1984–94: Windows and Office===
While jointly developing a new OS with IBM in 1984, [[OS/2]], Microsoft released [[Microsoft Windows]], a graphical extension for MS-DOS, on November 20, 1985.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|242–243, 246|date=November 2012}} Microsoft moved its headquarters to Redmond on February 26, 1986, and on March 13 the company went [[public company|public]];<ref name="CBSCHRON">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/06/16/in_depth_business/timeline1720211.shtml|title=Microsoft Chronology|work=CBS News|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}</ref> the ensuing rise in the stock would make an estimated four billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees.<ref name="stockrich">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/business/yourmoney/29millionaire.html?ex=1275019200&en=de3d71cbbb7e06f8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss|title=The Microsoft Millionaires Come of Age|author=Bick, Julie|date=May 29, 2005|work=The New York Times|accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Due to the partnership with IBM, in 1990 the [[Federal Trade Commission]] set its eye on Microsoft for possible [[collusion]]; it marked the beginning of over a decade of legal clashes with the U.S. Government.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2002/11/35212|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: Timeline|work=Wired|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft announced the release of its version of OS/2 to [[original equipment manufacturer]]s (OEMs) on April 2, 1987;<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|243–244|date=November 2012}} meanwhile, the company was at work on a [[32-bit]] OS, [[Microsoft Windows NT]], using ideas from OS/2; it shipped on July 21, 1993, with a new [[modular programming|modular]] [[kernel (computing)|kernel]] and the [[Windows API|Win32]] [[application programming interface]] (API), making [[porting]] from [[16-bit]] (MS-DOS-based) Windows easier. Once Microsoft informed IBM of NT, the OS/2 partnership deteriorated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp|title=Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=winsupersite.com|publisher=Penton Media|date=January 24, 2003|accessdate=July 15, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604082534/http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp |archivedate=June 4, 2010}}</ref>

In 1990, Microsoft introduced its office suite, [[Microsoft Office]]. The software bundled separate office productivity applications, such as [[Microsoft Word]] and [[Microsoft Excel]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|301|date=November 2012}} On May 22 Microsoft launched [[Windows 3.0]] with a streamlined [[user interface]] graphics and improved [[protected mode]] capability for the [[Intel 80386|Intel 386]] processor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itproportal.com/2010/05/22/microsoft-windows-30-20-years-today/|title=Microsoft Windows 3.0 Is 20 Years Old Today!!!|work=ITProPortal|author=Athow, Desire|date=May 22, 2010|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Both Office and Windows became dominant in their respective areas.<ref name="1993-2001 market share">{{cite news|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1159610,00.asp|title=Windows 98 Put to the Test (OS Market Share 1993–2001)|work=PC Magazine|date=August 1, 1998|accessdate=July 3, 2010|first=Michael|last=Miller}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/18462/a_peek_at_office_upgrade.html |title=A Peek at Office Upgrade |work=PCWorld |date=September 13, 2000 |author=McCracken, Harry |accessdate=July 4, 2006}}</ref> [[Novell]], a Word competitor from 1984–1986, filed a lawsuit years later claiming that Microsoft left part of its APIs undocumented in order to gain a competitive advantage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3435371/Novell-Files-WordPerfect-Suit-Against-Microsoft.htm|work=internetnews.com|title=Novell Files WordPerfect Suit Against Microsoft|author=Waner, Jim|date=November 12, 2004|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref>

On July 27, 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division filed a Competitive Impact Statement that said, in part:
"Beginning in 1988, and continuing until July 15, 1994, Microsoft induced many OEMs to execute anti-competitive "per processor" licenses. Under a per processor license, an OEM pays Microsoft a royalty for each computer it sells containing a particular microprocessor, whether the OEM sells the computer with a Microsoft operating system or a non-Microsoft operating system. In effect, the royalty payment to Microsoft when no Microsoft product is being used acts as a penalty, or tax, on the OEM's use of a competing PC operating system. Since 1988, Microsoft's use of per processor licenses has increased."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f0000/0045.htm |title=Competitive Impact Statement : U.S. v. Microsoft Corporation |publisher=Justice.gov |date= |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

===1995–2005: Internet and the 32-bit era===
[[File:Bill Gates - United States v. Microsoft.jpg|thumb|Bill Gates giving his deposition in 1998 for the [[United States v. Microsoft]] trial. Once the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] 1993 took over from the Federal Trade Commission, a protracted legal wrangling between Microsoft and the department ensued, resulting in various settlements and possible blocked mergers. Microsoft would point to companies such as [[Time Warner|AOL-Time Warner]] in its defense.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ"/>]]

Following Bill Gates's internal "Internet Tidal Wave memo" on May 26, 1995, Microsoft began to redefine its offerings and expand its product line into [[computer network]]ing and the [[World Wide Web]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/2009-1032-995681.html|title=Victor: Software empire pays high price|author=Borland, John|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=April 15, 2003|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released [[Windows 95]] on August 24, 1995, featuring [[pre-emptive multitasking]], a completely new user interface with a novel [[Start menu|start button]], and 32-bit compatibility; similar to NT, it provided the Win32 API.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company |volume=4|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/95win/95win02/95win02.asp&guid=|title=New And Improved|author=Cope, Jim|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Pietrek 1996">{{Cite journal|url=http://cs.mipt.ru/docs/comp/eng/os/win32/win95_sys_progr_secr/main.pdf|title=Windows 95 Programming Secrets|last=Pietrek|first=Matt|publisher=IDG|isbn=1-56884-318-6|format=PDF|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|20|date=November 2012}} Windows 95 came bundled with the [[online service]] [[MSN]], and for OEMs [[Internet Explorer]], a [[web browser]]. Internet Explorer was not bundled with the retail Windows 95 boxes because the boxes were printed before the team finished the web browser, and instead was included in the Windows 95 Plus! pack.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/msn_inside_01.asp|title=MSN: The Inside Story|work=winsupersite.com|author=Thurrott, Paul|publisher=Penton Media|date=May 31, 2005|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Branching out into new markets in 1996, Microsoft and [[NBC Universal]] created a new [[24/7]] cable news station, [[MSNBC]].<ref name="APM-NewsArchives">{{cite web|url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|title=Marketplace: News Archives|work=Marketplace|publisher=American Public Media|date=July 15, 1996|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040823174040/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|archivedate=August 23, 2004}}</ref> Microsoft created [[Windows CE 1.0]], a new OS designed for devices with low memory and other constraints, such as [[personal digital assistant]]s.<ref name="cehistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/windowsce/|author=Tilly, Chris|title=The History of Microsoft Windows CE|work=HPC:Factor|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In October 1997, the Justice Department filed a motion in the Federal [[United States district court|District Court]], stating that Microsoft violated an agreement signed in 1994 and asked the court to stop the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|323–324|date=November 2012}}

Bill Gates handed over the CEO position on January 13, 2000, to [[Steve Ballmer]], an old college friend of Gates and employee of the company since 1980, creating a new position for himself as Chief [[Software architect|Software Architect]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|111, 228|date=November 2012}}<ref name="BBCTL" /> Various companies including Microsoft formed the [[Trusted Computing Group|Trusted Computing Platform Alliance]] in October 1999 to, among other things, increase security and protect [[intellectual property]] through identifying changes in hardware and software. Critics decry the alliance as a way to enforce indiscriminate restrictions over how consumers use software, and over how computers behave, a form of [[digital rights management]]; for example the scenario where a computer is not only secured for its owner, but also secured against its owner as well.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/20/technology/20CODE.html?pagewanted=1|title=Fears of Misuse of Encryption System Are Voiced|work=The New York Times|author=Markoff, John|date=June 20, 2002|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~fms27/papers/2003-stajano-shifting.pdf|author=Stajano, Frank|title=Security for whom? The shifting security assumptions of pervasive computing|series=Lecture notes in computer science|journal=Software Security—Theories and Systems|volume=2609|pages=16–27|publisher=Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg|year=2003|accessdate=July 6, 2010|doi=10.1007/3-540-36532-X_2|isbn=978-3-540-00708-1}}</ref> On April 3, 2000, a judgment was handed down in the case of ''[[United States v. Microsoft]]'',<ref name="usvms">{{cite web |title=United States v. Microsoft |url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/ms_index.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |accessdate=August 5, 2005 }}</ref> calling the company an "abusive monopoly";<ref name="findingsoffact">{{cite web|author=Jackson, Thomas Penfield|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm |title=U.S. vs. Microsoft findings of fact |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=November 5, 1999 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> it settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2004.<ref name="CBSCHRON"/> On October 25, 2001, Microsoft released [[Windows XP]], unifying the mainstream and NT lines under the NT codebase.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-xp2/wininfo-short-takes-windows-xp-launch-special-edition.aspx|title=WinInfo Short Takes: Windows XP Launch Special Edition|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=Windows IT Pro|publisher=Penton Media|date=October 26, 2001|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] later that year, entering the [[game console]] market dominated by [[Sony]] and [[Nintendo]].<ref name="BizWire-2001Ent">{{cite news|title=NPD Reports Annual 2001 U.S. Interactive Entertainment Sales Shatter Industry Record|work=Business Wire|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=February 7, 2002|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Feb_7/ai_82604922|accessdate=March 31, 2007}}</ref> In March 2004 the [[European Union]] brought [[European Union Microsoft antitrust case|antitrust legal action against the company]], citing it abused its dominance with the Windows OS, resulting in a judgment of €497{{nbsp}}million ($613{{nbsp}}million) and to produce new versions of Windows XP without [[Windows Media Player]], Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N.<ref name="CNN-MSfine">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060413082435/http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archivedate=April 13, 2006|title=Microsoft hit by record EU fine|work=CNN|date=March 25, 2004|accessdate=August 14, 2010}}</ref><ref name="euantitrust">{{cite web |title=Commission Decision of 24.03.2004 relating to a proceeding under Article 82 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/C-3/37.792 Microsoft)|publisher=Commission of the European Communities |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:62004A0201:EN:NOT |date=April 21, 2004 |accessdate=August 5, 2005 |format=PDF}}</ref>

===2006–10: Windows Vista, mobile, and Windows 7===
[[File:Steve Ballmer - MIX 2008.jpg|thumb|CEO [[Steve Ballmer]] at the [[MIX (Microsoft)|MIX]] event in 2008. In an interview about his management style in 2005, he mentioned that his first priority was to get the people he [[delegate]]s to in order. Ballmer also emphasized the need to continue pursuing new technologies even if initial attempts fail, citing the original attempts with Windows as an example.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steve Ballmer on management style|url=http://www.itworld.com/051109ballmerinterview|work=ITWorld|agency=CIO Asia|publisher=[[IDG]]|date=November 10, 2005|first=Gerald |last=Wee|accessdate=January 29, 2011}}</ref>]]

Released in January 2007, the next version of Windows, [[Windows Vista]], focused on features, security, and a redesigned user interface dubbed [[Windows Aero|Aero]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/windows-vista-ultimate/4505-3672_7-32013603.html|title=Windows Vista Ultimate review|date=January 23, 2007|accessdate=April 4, 2012|last=Vamosi |first=Robert|work=[[CNET]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref><ref name="gatesrsa">{{cite web| url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/180201580|title=Gates Says Security Is Job One For Vista| date = February 14, 2006| accessdate =April 4, 2012|author=Ricadela, Aaron| work= [[InformationWeek]]| publisher = UBM TechWeb}}</ref> [[Microsoft Office 2007]], released at the same time, featured a "[[Ribbon (computing)|Ribbon]]" user interface which was a significant departure from its predecessors. Relatively strong sales of both titles helped to produce a record profit in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/vista-gives-microsoft-view-of-record-profit-1-1316524|title=Vista gives Microsoft view of record profit|work=Edinburgh Evening News|date=April 27, 2007|publisher=[[Johnston Press]]|accessdate=February 1, 2009}}</ref> The European Union imposed another fine of €899{{nbsp}}million ($1.4{{nbsp}}billion) for Microsoft's lack of compliance with the March 2004 judgment on February 27, 2008, saying that the company charged rivals unreasonable prices for key information about its [[Microsoft SQL Server|workgroup]] and [[Microsoft BackOffice Server|backoffice]] servers. Microsoft stated that it was in compliance and that "these fines are about the past issues that have been resolved".<ref name="msft_eufine_2008">{{cite news|title=AFP:EU hits Microsoft with record 899 million euro antitrust fine|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iozBXlp2nzuVxnMx_SwmtKvi7C-w|agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]|work=[[Google News]]|publisher=[[Google]]|date=February 27, 2008|accessdate=June 1, 2008}}</ref>

2007 also saw the creation of a multi-core unit at Microsoft, as they followed in the steps of server companies such as Sun and IBM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.serverwatch.com/trends/article.php/3657451/Microsoft-Multicore-and-the-Data-Center.htm|title=Microsoft, Multi-core and the Data Center}}</ref>

Bill Gates retired from his role as Chief Software Architect on June 27, 2008, while retaining other positions related to the company in addition to being an advisor for the company on key projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1977363,00.asp|title=Bill Gates Announces Resignation|authorlink=Natali Morris|author=Conte, Natali Del|work=[[PC Magazine]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> [[Azure Services Platform]], the company's entry into the [[cloud computing]] market for Windows, launched on October 27, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/microsoft-launches-windows-azure/|title=Microsoft launches Windows Azure|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=October 27, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> On February 12, 2009, Microsoft announced its intent to open a chain of Microsoft-branded retail stores, and on October 22, 2009, the first retail [[Microsoft Store]] opened in [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], Arizona; the same day the first store opened, [[Windows 7]] was officially released to the public. Windows 7's focus was on refining Vista with ease of use features and performance enhancements, rather than a large reworking of Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10163206-56.html|title=Microsoft follows Apple into the retail business|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=February 12, 2009|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/10/22/us-microsoft-store-idUSTRE59L5E220091022|title=Long lines as Microsoft opens retail store|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|author=Gaynor, Tim|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33429899/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/|title=Windows 7 operating system makes its debut|work=[[NBCNews.com]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]|agency=Associated Press|author=Mintz, Jessica|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref>

As the smartphone industry boomed beginning in 2007, Microsoft struggled to keep up with its rivals [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and [[Google]] in providing a modern smartphone operating system. As a result, in 2010, Microsoft revamped their aging flagship mobile operating system, [[Windows Mobile]], replacing it with the new [[Windows Phone]] OS; along with a new strategy in the smartphone industry that has Microsoft working more closely with smartphone manufacturers, such as [[Nokia]], and to provide a consistent user experience across all smartphones using Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. It used a new user interface design language, codenamed "Metro", which prominently used simple shapes, typography and iconography, and the concept of minimalism.

Microsoft is a founding member of the [[Open Networking Foundation]] started on March 23, 2011. Other founding companies include [[Google]], [[HP Networking]], [[Yahoo]], [[Verizon]], [[Deutsche Telekom]] and 17 other companies. The nonprofit organization is focused on providing support for a new [[cloud computing]] initiative called Software-Defined Networking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.openflow.org/wp/2011/03/open-networking-foundation-formed-to-speed-network-innovation/ |title=Open Networking Foundation News Release|first=David |last=Erickson |work=Openflow.org |date=March 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> The initiative is meant to speed innovation through simple software changes in telecommunications networks, wireless networks, data centers and other networking areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/380663/google_other_titans_form_open_networking_foundation/?fp=4&fpid=78268965 |title="Google and other titans form Open Networking Foundation." Noyes, March 23, 2011 |work=[[Computerworld]] |publisher=[[IDG]]|date=March 23, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref>

===2011–present: Rebranding, Windows 8, and Surface===
[[File:Windows 8 Start UI.svg|thumb|General design principle behind [[Start screen]] in [[Windows 8]], [[Windows Phone]], [[Xbox One]]]]
[[File:Microsoft Surface (black).jpg|thumb|[[Microsoft Surface]] tablet]]

Following the release of [[Windows Phone]], Microsoft underwent a gradual [[rebranding]] of its product range throughout 2011 and 2012—the corporation's logos, products, services, and websites adopted the principles and concepts of the [[Metro (design language)|Metro design language]].<ref name="WindowsPhone7UI">{{cite web|url= http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/archive/2010/03/18/windows-phone-7-series-ui-design-amp-interaction-guide.aspx| title= Windows Phone 7 Series UI Design & Interaction Guide|accessdate= 2010-10-09|date= March 18, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft previewed [[Windows 8]], an operating system designed to power both personal computers and [[tablet computer]]s, in Taipei in June 2011.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/info-tech/article3479381.ece | title=Microsoft releases final test version of Windows 8 |work=[[Business Line]] |publisher=Kasturi & Sons | date=June 1, 2012|accessdate=August 4, 2012}}</ref> A developer preview was released on September 13, and was replaced by a consumer preview on February 29, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/05/businessinsider-microsoft-spills-beans-on--at-ces-2011-1.DTL |title=OK, So Windows 8 Is Coming To ARM Tablets...Someday (MSFT) |newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |first=Matt |last=Rosoff |date=January 5, 2011 |accessdate=January 5, 2011}}</ref> On May 31, 2012, the preview version was released.

On June 18, 2012, Microsoft announced the [[Microsoft Surface]], the first computer in the company's history to have its hardware made by Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sullivan |first=Mark |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/257840/microsoft_announces_new_surface_tablet_pc.html |title=Microsoft Announces New 'Surface' Tablet PC |publisher=PCWorld |date= |accessdate=June 19, 2012}}</ref><ref name="VF2012" /> On June 25, Microsoft announced that it was paying US$1.2 billion to buy the social network [[Yammer]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft buys Internet startup Yammer for $1.2 billion|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-06-25/microsoft-yammer-aquisition/55811172/1|work=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|first=Byron|last=Acohido|date=June 25, 2012|accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> On July 31, 2012, Microsoft launched the [[Outlook.com]] [[Webmail|webmail service]] to compete with [[Gmail]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-live/outlookcom-mail-microsoft-reimagines-webmail-143877 |title=Outlook.com Mail: Microsoft Reimagines Webmail |first= Paul |last= Thurrott |authorlink= Paul Thurrott |date=31 July 2012 |work= Supersite for Windows |publisher= [[Penton Media]] |accessdate=1 August 2012}}</ref> On September 4, 2012, Microsoft released [[Windows Server 2012]].<ref name="MSofficialRTM">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/new.aspx | title=Windows Server 2012 "Save the Date" Announcement | date=8 August 2012| author=Microsoft Corp.}}</ref> On October 1, Microsoft announced its intention to launch a news operation, part of a new-look [[MSN]], at the time of the Windows 8 launch that was later in the month.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/01/us-microsoft-msn-idUSBRE8900WN20121001|title=Microsoft launching news operation, new MSN|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref> On October 26, 2012, Microsoft launched Windows 8 and the [[Microsoft Surface]].<ref name="VF2012">Eichenwald, Kurt, [http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2012/08/microsoft-lost-mojo-steve-ballmer "Microsoft's Lost Decade: How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo"], ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', August 2012</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8s-delivery-date-october-26-7000001158/|title=Windows 8's delivery date: October 26|newspaper=ZDNet|date=July 18, 2012|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref> Three days later, [[Windows Phone 8]] was launched.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveside.net/2012/08/30/mary-jo-foley-windows-phone-8-launch-dates-revealed/ |title=Mary Jo Foley: Windows Phone 8 launch date revealed |publisher=LiveSide.net |date=2012-08-30 |accessdate=2012-11-27}}</ref> To cope with the potential for an increase in demand for products and services, Microsoft opened a number of "holiday stores" across the U.S. to complement the increasing number of "bricks-and-mortar" Microsoft Stores that opened in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-prepping-everything-complete-brand-and-product-relaunch|title=Microsoft prepping for complete brand and product line relaunch, New York store coming the 26th|publisher=wpcentral.com|accessdate=November 3, 2012}}</ref>

On March 29, 2013, Microsoft launched a Patent Tracker.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/03/28/microsoft-launches-patent-tracker-to-help-you-search-its-library-of-intellectual-property/ | title=Microsoft launches 'Patent Tracker' to help you search its library of intellectual property | work=The Next Web | date=March 28, 2013 | accessdate=March 29, 2013}}</ref> The [[Kinect]] sensor device was upgraded for the 2013 release of the eighth-generation [[Xbox One]] and its capabilities were revealed in May 2013. The new Kinect uses an ultra-wide 1080p camera, it can function in the dark due to an infrared sensor, it employs higher-end processing power and new software, it can distinguish between fine movements (such as a thumb movements), and the device can determine a user's heart rate by looking at his/her face.<ref>{{cite web|title=The all-seeing Kinect: tracking my face, arms, body, and heart on the Xbox One|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4353232/kinect-xbox-one-hands-on/in/4116279|work=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media, Inc|accessdate=28 May 2013|author=David Pierce|date=21 May 2013}}</ref> Microsoft filed a patent application in 2011 that suggests that the corporation may use the Kinect camera system to monitor the behavior of television viewers as part of a plan to make the viewing experience more active.On July 19, 2013, Microsoft stocks suffered its biggest one-day percentage sell-off since the year 2000 after its fourth-quarter report raised concerns among the investors on the poor showings of both Windows 8 and the Surface tablet; with more than 11 percentage points declining Microsoft suffered a loss of more than USD 32billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57594612-75/funky-friday-more-than-$32-billion-in-microsoft-stock-value-wiped-out/|title=Funky Friday: More than $32 billion in Microsoft stock value wiped out | Microsoft - CNET News|publisher=News.cnet.com|accessdate=2013-07-21}}</ref> For the 2010 [[fiscal year]], Microsoft had five product divisions: Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division, Microsoft Business Division, and Entertainment and Devices Division.

<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional" style=text-align:center; margin:auto;">
File:Xbox One console and controller at Gamescom 2013.jpg|[[Xbox One]] console
File:Xbox-360-Kinect-Standalone.png|[[Kinect]] controller
</gallery>

On September 3, 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy [[Nokia]]'s mobile unit for $7 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4688530/microsoft-buys-nokias-devices-and-services-unit-unites-windows-phone/in/4453001|title=Microsoft buying Nokia's phone business in a $7.2 billion bid for its mobile future}}</ref> Also in 2013, [[Amy Hood]] became the CFO of Microsoft.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/us-microsoft-cfo-idUSBRE94711Q20130508 Microsoft names insider Amy Hood as CFO]</ref>

The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) was launched in October 2013 and Microsoft is part of the coalition of public and private organizations that also includes [[Facebook]], [[Intel]] and [[Google]]. Led by [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the A4AI seeks to make Internet access more affordable so that access is broadened in the developing world, where only 31% of people are online. Google will help to decrease internet access prices so that they fall below the UN Broadband Commission's worldwide target of 5% of monthly income.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Google lead coalition for cheaper internet|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/google-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=51918&et_rid=7107573&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2ftechnology%2f2013%2foct%2f07%2fgoogle-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa|accessdate=8 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 October 2013|author=Samuel Gibbs}}</ref>

In line with the maturing PC business, in July 2013 Microsoft announced to reorganize the business into 4 new business divisions by function: Operating System, Apps, Cloud and Devices. All previous divisions will be diluted into new divisions without any workforce cut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/microsofts-sweeping-reorganization-shifts-focus-services-devices/2013-07-11 |title=Microsoft's sweeping reorganization shifts focus to services, devices |date=July 11, 2013}}</ref>

In August 2013, [[Steve Ballmer]] announced he would resign as [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Microsoft within twelve months.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within 12 months|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/aug13/08-23AnnouncementPR.aspx}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Satya Nadella]] on February 4, 2014, who previously led Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise division. On the same day, it was announced that [[John W. Thompson]] will take on the role of chairman, with Bill Gates stepping down from the position to become more active within the company as Technology Advisor.<ref>http://www.nbcnews.com/business/microsoft-names-satya-nadella-ceo-2D12054182</ref>

==Businesses==

===Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division===
The company's Client division produces the flagship Windows OS line such as Windows 8; it also produces the [[Windows Live]] family of products and services. Server and Tools produces the server versions of Windows, such as [[Windows Server 2008 R2]] as well as a set of development tools called [[Microsoft Visual Studio]], [[Microsoft Silverlight]], a web application framework, and [[System Center Configuration Manager]], a collection of tools providing remote-control abilities, patch management, software distribution and a hardware/software inventory. Other server products include: [[Microsoft SQL Server]], a [[relational database]] management system, [[Microsoft Exchange Server]], for certain business-oriented [[e-mail]] and scheduling features, [[Windows Small Business Server|Small Business Server]], for messaging and other small business-oriented features; and [[Microsoft BizTalk Server]], for [[business process management]].

Microsoft provides [[information technology consulting|IT consulting]] ("Microsoft Consulting Services") and produces a set of certification programs handled by the Server and Tools division designed to recognize individuals who have a minimal set of proficiencies in a specific role; this includes developers ([[Microsoft Certified Professional|"Microsoft Certified Solution Developer"]]), system/network analysts ([[MCSE|"Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"]]), trainers ("[[Microsoft Certified Professional|Microsoft Certified Trainers]]") and administrators ("[[Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator]]" and [[MCDBA|"Microsoft Certified Database Administrator"]]). [[Microsoft Press]], which publishes books, is also managed by the division. The Online Services Business division handles the online service [[MSN]] and the search engine [[Bing]]. As of December 2009, the company also possesses an 18% ownership of the [[cable news]] channel [[MSNBC]] without any editorial control; however, the division develops the channel's website, [[msnbc.com]], in a [[joint venture]] with the channel's co-owner, [[NBC Universal]].<ref name="MSNBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/business/media/24msnbc.html|title=Microsoft Quits MSNBC TV, but Web Partnership Remains|work=The New York Times|author=Carter, Bill|date=December 24, 2005|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref>

===Business Division===
[[File:The Microsoft Commons.jpg|thumb|The Commons, located on the campus of the company's headquarters in Redmond]]

The Microsoft Business Division produces [[Microsoft Office]] including [[Microsoft Office 2010]], the company's line of office software. The software product includes [[Microsoft Office Word|Word]] (a word processor), [[Microsoft Access|Access]] (a [[relational database]] program), [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]] (a [[spreadsheet]] program), [[Microsoft Office Outlook|Outlook]] ([[collaborative software|Groupware]], frequently used with [[Microsoft Exchange Server|Exchange Server]]), [[Microsoft PowerPoint|PowerPoint]] (presentation software), [[Microsoft Publisher|Publisher]] ([[desktop publishing software]]) and [[Microsoft Sharepoint|Sharepoint]]. A number of other products were added later with the release of Office 2003 including [[Microsoft Visio|Visio]], [[Microsoft Project|Project]], [[Microsoft MapPoint|MapPoint]], [[Microsoft InfoPath|InfoPath]] and [[Microsoft Office OneNote|OneNote]]. The division also develops [[enterprise resource planning]] (ERP) software for companies under the [[Microsoft Dynamics]] brand. These include: [[Microsoft Dynamics AX]], [[Microsoft Dynamics NAV]], [[Microsoft Dynamics GP]], and [[Microsoft Dynamics SL]]. They are targeted at varying company types and countries, and limited to organizations with under 7,500 employees.<ref name="MS Dynamics Lineup">{{cite news|url=http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/samples/49-samples/743-four-products-advance-on-dynamics-erp-roadmap.html|work=Directions on Microsoft|title=Four Products Advance on Dynamics ERP Roadmap|date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Also included under the Dynamics brand is the [[customer relationship management]] software [[Microsoft Dynamics CRM]], part of the [[Azure Services Platform]].

===Entertainment and Devices Division===
The Entertainment and Devices Division produces the [[Windows CE]] OS for [[embedded system]]s and [[Windows Phone]] for [[smartphone]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20015314-85.html|title=Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7 to manufacturers|author=Cha, Bonnie|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=September 1, 2010|accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft initially entered the mobile market through Windows CE for [[handheld device]]s, eventually developing into the [[Windows Mobile]] OS and now, Windows Phone. Windows CE is designed for devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user, in particular, appliances and cars. The division also produces [[computer games]] that run on Windows PCs and other systems including titles such as [[Age of Empires]], [[Halo (video game series)|Halo]] and the [[Microsoft Flight Simulator]] series, and houses the [[Macintosh Business Unit]] which produces [[Mac OS]] software including [[Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac]]. Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division designs, markets, and manufactures [[consumer electronics]] including the [[Xbox 360]] game console, the handheld [[Zune]] media player, and the television-based [[Internet appliance]] [[MSN TV]]. Microsoft also markets [[personal computer hardware]] including [[computer mouse|mice]], [[Computer keyboard|keyboards]], and various [[game controller]]s such as [[joystick]]s and [[gamepad]]s.

==Culture==

Technical reference for developers and articles for various Microsoft magazines such as ''Microsoft Systems Journal'' (MSJ) are available through the [[Microsoft Developer Network]] (MSDN). MSDN also offers subscriptions for companies and individuals, and the more expensive subscriptions usually offer access to pre-release beta versions of Microsoft software.<ref name="MSDN-SubscribeFAQ">{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ms123402.aspx?missingurl=%2fsubscriptions%2ffaq%2fdefault.aspx |publisher=Microsoft|title=MSDN Subscription FAQ |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref><ref name="MSJ-home">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/msj/|title=Microsoft Systems Journal Homepage |publisher=Microsoft|date=April 15, 2004|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In April 2004 Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, titled [[Channel9]], that provides a [[wiki]] and an [[Internet forum]].<ref name="Hobson">{{cite news|author=Hobson, Neville|url=http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2005/04/11/microsofts-channel-and-cultural-rules |title=Microsoft's Channel 9 And Cultural Rules |work=WebProNews |publisher=iEntry Inc |date=April 11, 2005 |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Another community site that provides daily [[videocast]]s and other services, On10.net, launched on March 3, 2006.<ref name="On10-home">{{cite web|url=http://www.On10.net|title=On10.net homepage|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=May 4, 2006}}</ref> Free technical support is traditionally provided through online [[Usenet]] newsgroups, and [[CompuServe]] in the past, monitored by Microsoft employees; there can be several newsgroups for a single product. Helpful people can be elected by peers or Microsoft employees for [[Microsoft Most Valuable Professional]] (MVP) status, which entitles them to a sort of special social status and possibilities for awards and other benefits.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/06/13/somehow_usenet_lumbers_on/|title=Somehow, Usenet lumbers on|author=Bray, Hiawatha|date=June 13, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2006|work=The Boston Globe}} * {{cite web|url=http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs|title=Microsoft MVP Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Noted for its internal [[lexicon]], the expression [[eat one's own dog food|"eating our own dog food"]] is used to describe the policy of using pre-release and beta versions of products inside Microsoft in an effort to test them in "real-world" situations.<ref name="dogfood">{{cite news|title=Microsoft tests its own dog food|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108214545/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archivedate=January 8, 2007|author=CNET News.com Staff|work=ZDNet|publisher=CNET Networks, Inc.|date=July 21, 2003| accessdate=October 9, 2005}}</ref> This is usually shortened to just "dog food" and is used as noun, verb, and adjective. Another bit of [[jargon]], [[FYIFV]] or FYIV ("Fuck You, I'm [Fully] Vested"), is used by an employee to indicate they are [[financial independence|financially independent]] and can avoid work anytime they wish.<ref>{{cite news|author=Heileman, John|title=The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html|work=Wired|date=November 2000|accessdate=September 30, 2007}}</ref> The company is also known for its hiring process, mimicked in other organizations and dubbed the "[[Microsoft interview]]", which is notorious for off-the-wall questions such as "Why is a [[manhole cover]] round?".<ref name="manhole">{{cite news| url=http://g4tv.com/screensavers/features/6282/square_manhole_covers_and_crazy_questions.html|title=Square Manhole Covers and Crazy Questions|work=G4TV.com|author=Poundstone, William|date=May 21, 2003|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Microsoft is an outspoken opponent of the cap on [[H1B visa]]s, which allow companies in the U.S. to employ certain foreign workers. Bill Gates claims the cap on H1B visas makes it difficult to hire employees for the company, stating "I'd certainly get rid of the H1B cap" in 2005.<ref name="MarkRoy">{{cite news |url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3500986 |title=Gates Rakes Congress on H1B Visa Cap|author=Mark, Roy|work=internetnews.com|date=April 27, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Critics of H1B visas argue that relaxing the limits would result in increased unemployment for U.S. citizens due to H1B workers working for lower salaries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88154016|title=
Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers|work=NPR|date=March 12, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> The [[Human Rights Campaign]] Corporate Equality Index, a report of how progressive the organization deems company policies towards [[LGBT]] (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) employees, rated Microsoft as 87% from 2002 to 2004 and as 100% from 2005 to 2010 after they allowed gender expression.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corporate Equality Index Archive|url=http://www.hrc.org/about_us/7115.htm|publisher=Human Rights Campaign Foundation|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>

==Criticism==
{{main|Criticism of Microsoft}}
[[File:VistaParty3-cropped.jpg|thumb|[[BadVista]] and [[Defective by Design]] groups protest against [[Windows Vista]]]]

Criticism of Microsoft has followed the company's existence because of various aspects of its products and business practices. [[Ease of use]], [[wikt:stability|stability]], and [[computer security|security]] of the company's software are common targets for critics. More recently, [[Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horses]] and other exploits have plagued numerous users due to faults in the security of Microsoft Windows and other programs. Microsoft is also accused of locking vendors into their products, and not following and complying with existing standards in its software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/04/25/writing_history_with_microsofts_office/|title=Writing history with Microsoft's Office lock-in}}</ref> [[Total cost of ownership]] comparisons of [[Linux]] as well as [[Mac OS X|OS X]] to Windows are a continuous point of debate.

The company has been in numerous [[lawsuits]] by several governments and other companies for unlawful monopolistic practices. In 2004, the [[European Union]] found Microsoft guilty in a highly publicized [[anti-trust]] case. Additionally, Microsoft's [[EULA]] for some of its programs is often criticized as being too restrictive as well as being against [[open source]] software.

Microsoft has been criticized (along with [[Yahoo]], [[AOL]], [[Google]] and others) for its involvement in [[censorship in the People's Republic of China]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/china0806/ | title=Corporate Complicity in Chinese Internet Censorship | accessdate=2006-11-23}}</ref> Microsoft has also come under criticism for [[Offshoring|outsourcing jobs]] to China and [[India]].<ref>"[http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/whos-buying-microsofts-outsourcing-excuses-390 Who's buying Microsoft's outsourcing excuses?]". ''[[InfoWorld]]''. April 22, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002468560_msftgoogle03.html Microsoft plans to outsource more, says ex-worker]". ''The Seattle Times''. September 3, 2005.</ref><ref>"[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2004/06/17/2003175447 High-end tech jobs outsourced by Microsoft]". ''[[Taipei Times]]''. June 17, 2004.</ref> There were reports of poor working conditions at a factory in southern [[China]] that makes some of Microsoft's products.<ref>"[http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16146955 Microsoft Investigates 'Mass Suicide Threat']". ''[[Sky News]]''. January 11, 2012</ref>

==Corporate affairs==
The company is run by a [[board of directors]] made up of mostly company outsiders, as is customary for publicly traded companies. Members of the board of directors as of Feburary 2014 are: [[John W. Thompson]], [[Steve Ballmer]], [[Dina Dublon]], [[Bill Gates]], [[Maria Klawe]], [[Stephen Luczo]], [[David Marquardt]], [[Satya Nadella]], [[Charles Noski]], and [[Helmut Panke]].<ref name="MSPR-Board">{{cite press release |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/bod/bod.aspx|title=Microsoft Board of Directors|work=PressPass|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Board members are elected every year at the annual shareholders' meeting using a majority vote system. There are five committees within the board which oversee more specific matters. These committees include the Audit Committee, which handles accounting issues with the company including auditing and reporting; the Compensation Committee, which approves compensation for the CEO and other employees of the company; the Finance Committee, which handles financial matters such as proposing mergers and acquisitions; the Governance and Nominating Committee, which handles various corporate matters including nomination of the board; and the Antitrust Compliance Committee, which attempts to prevent company practices from violating [[antitrust]] laws.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines|url=http://www.microsoft.com/about/companyinformation/corporategovernance/guidelines.mspx |publisher=Microsoft|date=July 1, 2009|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Microsoft 5-Year Stock History.svg|350px|thumb|right|Five year history graph of {{NASDAQ|MSFT}} stock on July 17, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=MSFT&page=quotesearch|title=Five year history graph of (NASDAQ:MSFT) stock|work=ZenoBank|publisher=AlphaTrade|date=September 29, 2009|accessdate=September 29, 2009}}</ref>]]

When Microsoft went public and launched its [[Initial Public Offering|initial public offering (IPO)]] in 1986, the opening [[stock]] price was $21; after the [[trading day]], the price closed at $27.75. As of July 2010, with the company's nine [[stock split]]s, any IPO [[share (finance)|shares]] would be multiplied by 288; if one was to buy the IPO today given the splits and other factors, it would cost about 9{{nbsp}}cents.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|235–236|date=November 2012}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/102018.asp|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=March 14, 1986|title=Microsoft stock is red hot on first trading day|author=Monkman, Carol Smith|page=B9|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref><ref name="MSSTOCK">{{cite web|url=http://performance.morningstar.com/stock/performance-return.action?p=dividend_split_page&t=MSFT&region=USA&culture=en-US&s=SPYZ|title=MSFT stock performance and split info|publisher=Morningstar, Inc.|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> The stock price peaked in 1999 at around $119 ($60.928 adjusting for splits).<ref name="stocksheet">{{cite web |title=Microsoft stock price spreadsheet from Microsoft investor relations |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/a/7/da7e8eca-4410-4475-a211-03327408b655/msftpricehist.xls|format=xls|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> The company began to offer a [[dividend]] on January 16, 2003, starting at eight cents per share for the fiscal year followed by a dividend of sixteen cents per share the subsequent year, switching from yearly to quarterly dividends in 2005 with eight cents a share per quarter and a [[special dividend|special one-time payout]] of three dollars per share for the second quarter of the fiscal year.<ref name="stocksheet" /><ref name="dividendfaq">{{cite web|title=Dividend Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/FAQ/dividend.mspx|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Though the company had subsequent increases in dividend payouts, the price of Microsoft's stock remained steady for years.<ref name="dividendfaq" /><ref name="Yahoo-MSFTchart">{{cite web |title=Yahoo MSFT stock chart |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=my |publisher=Yahoo Finance |accessdate=December 13, 2008 }} * {{cite web|title=MSN Money MSFT chart with dividend and split info|url=http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/chartdl.aspx?Symbol=MSFT&C8=2005&CE=0&C5=10&C6=2005&C7=10&D9=1&C9=2&D0=1&CF=1&D4=1&D5=0&D3=0&ShowChtBt=Refresh+Chart&CP=0&PT=9|work=MSN Money|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=December 13, 2008}} * {{cite news|author=Fried, Ina; Ard, Scott|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-148474.html?tag=st.prev|title=Gates stepping down from full-time Microsoft role, page 2|work=ZDNet|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

One of Microsoft's business tactics, described by an executive as "[[embrace, extend and extinguish]]," initially embraces a competing standard or product, then extends it to produce their own version which is then incompatible with the standard, which in time extinguishes competition that does not or cannot use Microsoft's new version.<ref name="eee">{{cite news|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-100925.html|title=Intel exec: MS wanted to 'extend, embrace and extinguish' competition|author=Rodger, Will|work=ZDNet|date=November 8, 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref> Various companies and governments sue Microsoft over this set of tactics, resulting in billions of dollars in rulings against the company.<ref name="Orlowski2004-03-05">{{cite press release |url=http://www.burst.com/new/newsevents/pressrelease007.htm |title=Microsoft Corp. Licenses Burst.com Patents & Settles Suit |publisher=Burst.com Inc. |date=March 11, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/05/eolas_web_patent_nullified/ |title=Eolas' web patent nullified|author=Orlowski, Andrew|work=The Register|publisher=Situation Publishing Ltd|date=March 5, 2004|accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|author=Dennis, Tony|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529141141/http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears|archivedate=May 29, 2008|title=Sendo & Microsoft – it all ends in tears |date=December 24, 2002 |work=TheInquirer.net |accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/12/07/HNmicrosoftfined_1.html|title=Update: Microsoft fined $32M by South Korea|author=Nystedt, Dan|publisher=IDG News Service|date=December 7, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="usvms"/><ref name="euantitrust"/> Microsoft claims that the original strategy is not anti-competitive, but rather an exercise of its discretion to implement features it believes customers want.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning%20Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: We're Defending Our Right to Innovate|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117094549/http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning+Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|archivedate=November 17, 2007|date=May 20, 1998|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=March 31, 2006}}</ref>

===Financial===
[[Standard and Poor's]] and [[Moody's]] have both given a AAA rating to Microsoft, whose assets were valued at $41 billion as compared to only $8.5 billion in unsecured debt. Consequently, in February 2011 Microsoft released a corporate bond amounting to $2.25 billion with relatively low borrowing rates compared to [[government bonds]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/04/us-microsoft-bonds-idUSTRE7128EZ20110204|title=Microsoft sells $2.25 billion of debt at low rates|publisher=Reuters | date=February 4, 2011}}</ref>

For the first time in 20 years [[Apple Inc.]] surpassed Microsoft in Q1 2011 quarterly profits and revenues due to a slowdown in PC sales and continuing huge losses in Microsoft's Online Services Division (which contains its search engine [[Bing]]). Microsoft profits were $5.2 billion, while Apple Inc. profits were $6 billion, on revenues of $14.5 billion and $24.7 billion respectively.<ref>{{cite news|author=Charles Arthur |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/apr/28/microsoft-falls-behind-apple |title=Microsoft falls behind Apple for first time in 20 years | Technology |publisher=The Guardian |date= April 28, 2011|accessdate=May 11, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>

Microsoft's Online Services Division has been continuously loss-making since 2006 and in Q1 2011 it lost $726 million. This follows a loss of $2.5 billion for the year 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=MG Siegler Apr 29, 2011 |url=http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/29/microsoft-internet-bloodbath/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29 |title=When Will Microsoft's Internet Bloodbath End? |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=April 29, 2011 |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

On July 20, 2012, Microsoft posted its first quarterly loss ever, despite earning record revenues for the quarter and fiscal year, with a net loss of $492 million due to a [[writedown]] related to the advertising company [[aQuantive]], which had been acquired for $6.2 billion back in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Martha|title=Microsoft reports first quarterly loss ever|url=http://marketday.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/19/12837611-microsoft-reports-first-quarterly-loss-ever?lite|accessdate=20 July 2012}}</ref>

As of January 2014, Microsoft's market capitalization stands at $314B,<ref name="Marketwatch MSFT">{{cite web|title=Microsoft Overview|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/msft/|publisher=Marketwatch|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> making it the 8th largest company in the world by market capitalization.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Top 100 Companies|url=http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/audit-services/capital-market/publications/top100-market-capitalisation.jhtml|publisher=PWC|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

===Environment===
In 2011, [[Greenpeace]] released a report rating the top ten big brands in cloud computing on their sources of electricity for their data centers. At the time, data centers consumed up to 2% of all global electricity and this amount was projected to increase. [[Phil Radford]] of Greenpeace said "we are concerned that this new explosion in electricity use could lock us into old, polluting energy sources instead of the clean energy available today,"<ref name="Dirty Data Report Card">{{cite web |publisher=[[Greenpeace]] |url= http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf|title=Dirty Data Report Card|accessdate=August 22, 2013}}</ref> and called on "Amazon, Microsoft and other leaders of the information-technology industry must embrace clean energy to power their cloud-based data centers."<ref>[http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2018176038_guest10radford.html, "Amazon, Microsoft: Let's keep 'the cloud' clean"], Phil Radford</ref> In 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy power generated by a Texas wind project to power one of its data centers.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/04/microsoft-wind-powered-data-centre, "Microsoft looks to boost eco credentials with wind-powered data centre"], Suzanne Goldenberg</ref>

Microsoft is ranked on the 17th place in [[Greenpeace]]'s Guide to Greener Electronics (16th Edition) that ranks 18 electronics manufacturers according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change.<ref name="Greenpeace International">{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/cool-it/Guide-to-Greener-Electronics/Previous-Edition-October-2010/ |title=Guide to Greener Electronics – Greenpeace International (16th Edition)| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=April 3, 2012}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>
Microsoft's timeline for phasing out [[brominated flame retardant|BFRs]] and phthalates in all products is 2012 but its commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear. As yet (January 2011) it has no products that are completely free from PVC and BFRs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/toxics/2010/version16/Ranking%20tables%20Oct%202010-Microsoft.pdf |title=Ranking tables October 2010 – Greenpeace International| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

Microsoft's main U.S. campus received a silver certification from the [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] (LEED) program in 2008, and it installed over 2,000 solar panels on top of its buildings in its Silicon Valley campus, generating approximately 15 percent of the total energy needed by the facilities in April 2005.<ref name="news1">{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-vs.-Google-Whos-greener/2100-1022_3-6080297.html?tag=mncol;txt|title=Microsoft vs. Google: Who's greener?|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|author=Mills, Elinor|date=June 6, 2008|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft makes use of alternative forms of transit. It created one of the worlds largest private bus systems, the "Connector", to transport people from outside the company; for on-campus transportation, the "Shuttle Connect" uses a large fleet of hybrid cars to save fuel. The company also subsidises regional [[public transport]] as an incentive.<ref name="news1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|title=Fostering Alternative Ways to Commute at Microsoft|publisher=Microsoft|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501154211/http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|archivedate=May 1, 2008}}</ref> In February 2010 however, Microsoft took a stance against adding additional public transport and [[high-occupancy vehicle lane|high-occupancy vehicle]] (HOV) lanes to a bridge connecting Redmond to Seattle; the company did not want to delay the construction any further.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.king5.com/news/Microsofts-big-520-advertisement-85031317.html|work=King5 Television News|title=Seattle hires consultant to look at 520 bridge plan|date=February 23, 2010|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft was ranked number 1 in the list of the World's Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2016631709_microsoft_named_best_multinational_workplace_by_gr.html |title=Microsoft Pri0 | Microsoft named best multinational workplace |publisher=Seattle Times Newspaper |date= October 28, 2011|accessdate=November 3, 2011 |first=Janet I. |last=Tu}}</ref>

===Marketing===
In 2004, Microsoft commissioned research firms to do independent studies comparing the [[total cost of ownership]] (TCO) of [[Windows Server 2003]] to [[Linux]]; the firms concluded that companies found Windows easier to administrate than Linux, thus those using Windows would administrate faster resulting in lower costs for their company (i.e. lower TCO).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/business/158237_msftresearch27.html|title=Studies on Linux help their patron: Microsoft|author=Bishop, Todd|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=January 27, 2004|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> This spurred a wave of related studies; a study by the [[Yankee Group]] concluded that upgrading from one version of Windows Server to another costs a fraction of the [[switching barriers|switching costs]] from Windows Server to Linux, although companies surveyed noted the increased security and reliability of Linux servers and concern about being locked into using Microsoft products.<ref name="Foley">{{cite news |url=http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/yankee_independently_pits_windows_tco_vs_linux_tco.html|title=Yankee Independently Pits Windows TCO vs. Linux TCO |author=Foley, Mary Jo|work=eWeek |date=March 24, 2004 |accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> Another study, released by the [[Open Source Development Labs]], claimed that the Microsoft studies were "simply outdated and one-sided" and their survey concluded that the TCO of Linux was lower due to Linux administrators managing more servers on average and other reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150210/linux-fans-hit-back-microsoft |title=Linux fans hit back at Microsoft TCO claims|author=Jaques, Robert|work=vnunet.com|date=February 13, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

As part of the "Get the Facts" campaign, Microsoft highlighted the [[.NET framework|.NET]] trading platform that it had developed in partnership with [[Accenture]] for the [[London Stock Exchange]], claiming that it provided "[[High availability|five nines]]" reliability. After suffering extended downtime and unreliability<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/4676369/Seven-hour-LSE-blackout-caused-by-double-glitch.html|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|title=Seven-hour LSE blackout caused by double glitch|author=Rowena Mason|date=September 10, 2008|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8380607.stm|title=London Stock Exchange trading hit by technical glitch|date=November 26, 2009}}</ref> the LSE announced in 2009 that it was planning to drop its Microsoft solution and switch to a Linux based one in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ITWire|url=http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/the-linux-distillery/28359-london-stock-exchange-gets-the-facts-and-dumps-windows-for-linux|title=London Stock Exchange gets the facts and dumps Windows for Linux|author=David M. Williams|date=October 8, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Slashdot]]|url=http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/10/06/1742203/London-Stock-Exchange-Rejects-NET-For-Open-Source|title=London Stock Exchange Rejects .NET For Open Source|date=October 6, 2009}}</ref>

In 2012, Microsoft hired a political pollster named Mark Penn, whom the New York Times called "famous for bulldozing" his political opponents <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/technology/microsoft-battles-google-by-hiring-political-brawler-mark-penn.html?_r=0</ref> as Executive Vice-President, Advertising and Strategy. Penn created a series of negative ads targeting one of Microsoft's chief competitors, [[Google]]. The ads, called "[[Scroogled]]", attempt to make the case the Google is "screwing" consumers with search results rigged to favor Google's paid advertisers, that [[GMail]] violates the privacy of its users to place ad results related to the content of their emails and shopping results which favor Google products. Tech publications like Tech Crunch have been highly critical of the ad campaign,<ref>http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/10/scroogled-why-so-negative-microsoft/</ref> while Google employees have embraced it.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/11/21/googlers-love-microsofts-scroogled-gear-mug-and-shirts-sell-out/</ref>

===Cooperation with the United States Government===
Microsoft provides information about reported bugs in their software to intelligence agencies of the United States government, prior to the public release of the fix. A Microsoft spokesperson has stated that the corporation runs several programs that facilitate the sharing of such information with the U.S. government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-14/u-s-agencies-said-to-swap-data-with-thousands-of-firms.html|title=U.S. Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms}}</ref>

Following media reports about [[PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM]], NSA's massive electronic [[Mass surveillance|surveillance program]], in May 2013, several technology companies were identified as participants, including Microsoft.<ref>{{cite news| author = Ryan W. Neal | title=Snowden Reveals Microsoft PRISM Cooperation: Helped NSA Decrypt Emails, Chats, Skype Conversations|url = http://www.ibtimes.com/snowden-reveals-microsoft-prism-cooperation-helped-nsa-decrypt-emails-chats-skype-conversations|work=[[International Business Times]]|date=July 11, 2013}}</ref> However, in June 2013, an official statement from Microsoft read:

<blockquote>
We provide customer data only when we receive a legally binding order or subpoena to do so, and never on a voluntary basis. In addition we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers. If the government has a broader voluntary national security program to gather customer data, we don't participate in it.<ref>{{cite news| author = Johnson, Kevin; Martin, Scott; O'Donnell, Jayne; Winter, Michael | title=Reports: NSA Siphons Data from 9 Major Net Firms|url = http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/06/06/nsa-surveillance-internet-companies/2398345/|accessdate=June 6, 2013|work=[[USA Today]]|date=June 15, 2013}}</ref></blockquote>

===Logo===
Microsoft adopted the so-called "''[[Pac-Man]]'' Logo", designed by Scott Baker, in 1987. Baker stated "The new logo, in [[Helvetica]] italic typeface, has a slash between the ''o'' and ''s'' to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed."<ref>{{Cite journal|work=Computer Reseller News Magazine|date=March 1987}}</ref> Dave Norris ran an internal joke campaign to save the old logo, which was green, in all uppercase, and featured a fanciful letter ''O'', nicknamed the ''blibbet'', but it was discarded.<ref name="Osterman2005-07-14">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/07/14/438777.aspx|title=Remember the blibbet|work=Larry Osterman's WebLog|publisher=Microsoft|author=Osterman, Larry|date=July 14, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Microsoft's logo with the "''Your potential. Our passion.''" tagline below the main corporate name, is based on a slogan Microsoft used in 2008. In 2002, the company started using the logo in the United States and eventually started a TV campaign with the slogan, changed from the previous tagline of ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]".''<ref name="wherego1" /><ref name="potentialpassion1" /><ref name="Reimer">{{cite news |url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060123-6031.html|title=Microsoft set to launch new marketing campaign|work=Ars Technica|publisher=Condé Nast Digital|author=Reimer, Jeremy|date=January 23, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> During the private MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) conference in 2010, Microsoft unveiled the company's next tagline, ''"Be What's Next."''.<ref name="2010logo">{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-microsoft-brand-logos-company-tagline-revealed-at-mgx-event/|title=New Microsoft brand logos, company tagline revealed at MGX event? (update: no new logos, tagline is a go)|first=Joshua|last=Topolsky|authorlink=Joshua Topolsky|work=[[Engadget]]|publisher=[[AOL]]|date=July 22, 2010|accessdate=August 2, 2012}}</ref>

On August 23, 2012, Microsoft unveiled a new corporate logo at the opening of its 23rd Microsoft store in Boston indicating the company's shift of focus from the classic style to the tile-centric modern interface which it uses/will use on the Windows Phone platform, Xbox 360, Windows 8 and the upcoming Office Suites.<ref>{{cite web|last=Meisner |first=Jeffrey |url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx |title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look |publisher=The Official Microsoft Blog |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> The new logo also includes four squares with the colors of the then-current Windows logo.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eric |first=Steven H. |url=http://flapship.com/new-microsoft-logo-revealed/ |title=NEW MICROSOFT LOGO REVEALED |publisher=Flapship.com |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> However this logo is not completely new - it was featured in [[Windows 95]] commercials from the mid-1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsofts-new-logo-has-ties-past|title=Microsoft's new logo has ties to the past}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft039s-logo-is-not-new-it039s-from-1995|title=Microsoft's logo is not new, it's from 1995}}</ref>

{{center|
<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional">
File:Microsoft - Where do you want to go today.svg|1987
File:Microsoft logo & slogan.svg|2006–2011
File:Microsoft logo & slogan 2011-2012.svg|2011–2012
File:Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg|2012–present
</gallery>
}}

* '''1987''' - Microsoft "[[Pac-Man]]" logo, designed by Scott Baker and used from 1987 to 2012 with the 1994–2002 slogan ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]"''.<ref name="wherego1">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/redmond.html|title=The Rise and Rise of the Redmond Empire|work=Wired|date=December 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="potentialpassion1">{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/mccann-thinks-local-global-microsoft-83426|title=McCann Thinks Local for Global Microsoft|author=Schmelzer, Randi|work=Adweek|date=January 9, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>
* '''2006–2011''' - Microsoft logo as of 2006–2011, with the slogan ''"Your potential. Our passion."''<ref name="potentialpassion1"/>
* '''2011–2012''' - Logo by Microsoft with the slogan ''"Be what's next."''<ref name="2010logo"/>
* '''2012–present''' - Introduced on August 23, 2012, to symbolize the "world of digital motion" and Microsoft's "diverse portfolio of products".<ref name="newlogo">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx|title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look|work=Microsoft|date=August 2012|accessdate= August 23, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portalbar|Microsoft|Xbox|Information technology|Companies|Seattle}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
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* {{Official blog|http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/}}

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Microsoft

2014-02-06T11:49:36Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Corporate affairs */ Update

{{pp-semi|small=yes}}{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Coord|47|38|23|N|122|7|42|W|region:US_dim:540|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Microsoft Corporation
| logo = Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg
| logo_alt = Microsoft's logo, introduced in 2012 consists of a square divided into four sub-squares colored red, green, yellow and blue (clockwise)
| image = Microsoft building 17 front door.jpg
| image_caption = Front lobby entrance of building 17, one of the largest buildings on Microsoft's main campus, Redmond
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{unbulleted list|{{NASDAQ|MSFT}}|[[Dow Jones Industrial Average|Dow Jones Industrial Average Component]]|[[NASDAQ-100|NASDAQ-100 Component]]|[[S&P 500|S&P 500 Component]]}}
| industry = [[Software|Computer software]], [[Computer hardware]]
| foundation = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], [[United States|U.S.]] ({{Start date|1975|04|04}})
| founder = [[Bill Gates]], [[Paul Allen]]
| location_city = [[Microsoft Redmond Campus]], [[Redmond, Washington]]
| location_country = U.S.
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|[[John W. Thompson]] (Chairman)|[[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)|[[Bill Gates]] (founder, technology advisor)}}
| products = {{unbulleted list|[[Windows]]|[[Microsoft Office|Office]]|[[Microsoft Dynamics|Dynamics]]|[[Windows Azure|Azure]]|[[Xbox]]|[[Microsoft Surface|Surface]]|[[Bing]]|[[Skype]]|''[[List of Microsoft software applications|more...]]''}}
| revenue = {{Increase}} [[United States dollar|US$]] 77.85 billion (2013)<ref name=10K>{{cite web|date=July 18, 2013|url=http://www.microsoft.com/investor/EarningsAndFinancials/Earnings/PressReleaseAndWebcast/FY13/Q4/default.aspx|title=Earnings Release FY13 Q4|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 18, 2013}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{Increase}} US$ 26.76 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| net_income = {{Increase}} US$ 21.86 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| assets = {{Increase}} US$ 142.43 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| equity = {{Increase}} US$ 78.94 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| num_employees = 100,932 (December 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/inside_ms.aspx|title=Facts About Microsoft |publisher=Microsoft |date= |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
| subsid = [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|List of Microsoft subsidiaries]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.microsoft.com/|Microsoft.com}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/000119312511200680/d10k.htm|title=2011 Form 10-K, Microsoft Corporation|date=July 28, 2011|publisher=United States Securities and Exchange Commission|accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
}}

'''Microsoft Corporation''' is an American [[multinational corporation]] headquartered in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells [[computer software]], [[consumer electronics]] and [[personal computers]] and services. Its best known software products are the [[Microsoft Windows]] line of [[operating systems]], [[Microsoft Office]] [[office suite]], and [[Internet Explorer]] [[web browser]]. Its flagship hardware products are [[Xbox]] game console and the [[Microsoft Surface]] series of tablets. It is the [[List of the largest software companies|world's largest software maker]] measured by revenues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/global-software-top-100-edition-2011 |title=Global Software Top 100 - Edition 2011 |publisher=Softwaretop100.Org|date=23 August 2011}}</ref> It is also one of the [[List of corporations by market capitalization|world's most valuable companies]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ycharts.com/rankings/market_cap | title=Market Cap Rankings | publisher=Zacks Investment Research | work=Ycharts | date=April 8, 2012 | accessdate=April 9, 2012}}</ref>

Microsoft was founded by [[Bill Gates]] and [[Paul Allen]] on April 4, 1975 to develop and sell [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computer software)|interpreters]] for [[Altair 8800]]. It rose to dominate the [[personal computer]] [[operating system]] market with [[MS-DOS]] in the mid-1980s, followed by the [[Microsoft Windows]]. The company's 1986 [[initial public offering]], and subsequent rise in its share price, created an estimated three billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. It is considered the third most successful startup company of all time by market capitalization, revenue, growth and cultural impact.<ref name="Top 20 Startups">{{cite web|last=Hunckler|first=Matt|title=Top 20 Startups of All Time|url=http://vergestartups.com/top-20-startups-of-all-time/|publisher=Verge Startups|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> Since the 1990s, it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|made a number of corporate acquisitions]]. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired [[Skype Technologies]] for $8.5 billion in its largest acquisition to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.searchofficespace.com/blog/sos-news/microsoft-buys-skype-for-8-5-billion.html |title=Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion |publisher=The Search Office Space Blog |date=May 10, 2011 |accessdate=April 4, 2011}}</ref>

As of 2013, Microsoft is market dominant in both the [[IBM PC-compatible]] operating system and [[office software suite]] markets (the latter with [[Microsoft Office]]). The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in areas including [[Web search engine|internet search]] (with [[Bing]]), the [[video game industry]] (with the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Xbox 360]] and [[Xbox One]] consoles), the digital services market (through [[MSN]]), and mobile phones (via the [[Windows Phone]] OS). In June 2012, Microsoft entered the personal computer production market for the first time, with the launch of the [[Microsoft Surface]], a line of [[tablet computer]]s.

==History==
{{Main|History of Microsoft|History of Microsoft Windows}}

===1972–83: Founding and company beginnings===
[[File:1981BillPaul.jpg|thumb|left|[[Paul Allen]] (l.) and [[Bill Gates]] (r.) on October 19, 1981, in a sea of PCs after signing a pivotal contract. IBM called Microsoft in July 1980 inquiring about [[programming language]]s for its upcoming PC line;<ref name="Allan 2001">{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=FLabRYnGrOcC|title=A History of the Personal Computer|last=Allan|first=Roy A.|publisher=Allan Publishing|isbn=0-9689108-0-7|year=2001|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|228|date=November 2012}} after failed negotiations with another company, IBM gave Microsoft a contract to develop the OS for the new line of PCs.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft"/>]]
[[Paul Allen]] and [[Bill Gates]], childhood friends with a passion in [[computer programming]], were seeking to make a successful business utilizing their shared skills. In 1972 they founded their first company named [[Traf-O-Data]], which offered a rudimentary computer that tracked and analyzed automobile traffic data. Allen went on to pursue a degree in computer science at the University of Washington, later dropping out of school to work at Honeywell. Gates began studies at Harvard.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Company HIstory|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/microsoft-corporation-history/}}</ref> The January 1975 issue of ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' featured [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]]'s (MITS) [[Altair 8800]] [[microcomputer]]. Allen noticed that they could program a [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] for the device; after a call from Gates claiming to have a working interpreter, MITS requested a demonstration. Since they didn't actually have one, Allen worked on a [[simulation|simulator]] for the Altair while Gates developed the interpreter. Although they developed the interpreter on a simulator and not the actual device, the interpreter worked flawlessly when they demonstrated the interpreter to MITS in [[Albuquerque]], New Mexico in March 1975; MITS agreed to distribute it, marketing it as [[Altair BASIC]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|108, 112–114|date=November 2012}} They officially established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the [[Chief executive officer|CEO]].<ref name="BBCTL">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5085630.stm|title=Bill Gates: A Timeline|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=July 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Allen came up with the original name of "Micro-Soft," the combination of the words microcomputer and software, as recounted in a [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/10/02/206528/index.htm 1995 Fortune magazine article]. In August 1977 the company formed an agreement with ASCII Magazine in Japan, resulting in its first international office, "[[ASCII (company)|ASCII Microsoft]]".<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n8/192_Kay_Nishi_bridges_the_cul.php|title=Kay Nishi bridges the cultural gap|author=Staples, Betsy|journal=Creative Computing|volume=10|issue=8|page=192|date=August 1984|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref> The company moved to a new home in [[Bellevue, Washington]] in January 1979.<ref name="BBCTL" />

Microsoft entered the OS business in 1980 with its own version of [[Unix]], called [[Xenix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|title=Under The Hood: Part 8|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901182630/http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|archivedate=September 11, 2006|work=Computer Source|author=Dyar, Dafydd Neal|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> However, it was [[MS-DOS]] that solidified the company's dominance. After negotiations with [[Digital Research]] failed, [[International Business Machines|IBM]] awarded a contract to Microsoft in November 1980 to provide a version of the [[CP/M]] OS, which was set to be used in the upcoming [[IBM Personal Computer]] (IBM PC).<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k9xS6t4ibxoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Engines+that+move+markets:+technology+investing+from+railroads+to+the&hl=en&ei=BJThTfsoiK3yA4bgoJQH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=november%201980&f=false |title=Engines that move markets |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> For this deal, Microsoft purchased a CP/M clone called [[86-DOS]] from [[Seattle Computer Products]], branding it as MS-DOS, which IBM rebranded to [[PC DOS]]. Following the release of the IBM PC in August 1981, Microsoft retained ownership of MS-DOS. Since IBM [[copyright]]ed the IBM PC [[BIOS]], other companies had to [[Reverse engineering|reverse engineer]] it in order for non-IBM hardware to run as [[IBM PC compatible]]s, but no such restriction applied to the operating systems. Due to various factors, such as MS-DOS's available software selection, Microsoft eventually became the leading PC operating systems vendor.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft">{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company|volume=6|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0603/09r03/09r03.asp&guid=|title=Microsoft to Microsoft disk operating system (MS-DOS)|date=March 2002|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Blaxill Eckardt 2009">{{Cite journal|url=http://books.google.com/?id=JO6kA0hebJIC&pg=PA210&lpg=PA210&dq=%22columbia+data+products%22+clone+bios&q=%22columbia%20data%20products%22%20clone%20bios|title=The Invisible Edge: Taking Your Strategy to the Next Level Using Intellectual Property|last=Blaxill|first=Mark|last2=Eckardt|first2=Ralph|publisher=Portfolio Hardcover|isbn=1-59184-237-9|date=March 5, 2009|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|210|date=November 2012}} The company expanded into new markets with the release of the ''Microsoft Mouse'' in 1983, as well as a publishing division named [[Microsoft Press]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|232|date=November 2012}} Paul Allen resigned from Microsoft in February after developing [[Hodgkin's lymphoma|Hodgkin's disease]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|231|date=November 2012}}

===1984–94: Windows and Office===
While jointly developing a new OS with IBM in 1984, [[OS/2]], Microsoft released [[Microsoft Windows]], a graphical extension for MS-DOS, on November 20, 1985.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|242–243, 246|date=November 2012}} Microsoft moved its headquarters to Redmond on February 26, 1986, and on March 13 the company went [[public company|public]];<ref name="CBSCHRON">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/06/16/in_depth_business/timeline1720211.shtml|title=Microsoft Chronology|work=CBS News|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}</ref> the ensuing rise in the stock would make an estimated four billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees.<ref name="stockrich">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/business/yourmoney/29millionaire.html?ex=1275019200&en=de3d71cbbb7e06f8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss|title=The Microsoft Millionaires Come of Age|author=Bick, Julie|date=May 29, 2005|work=The New York Times|accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Due to the partnership with IBM, in 1990 the [[Federal Trade Commission]] set its eye on Microsoft for possible [[collusion]]; it marked the beginning of over a decade of legal clashes with the U.S. Government.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2002/11/35212|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: Timeline|work=Wired|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft announced the release of its version of OS/2 to [[original equipment manufacturer]]s (OEMs) on April 2, 1987;<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|243–244|date=November 2012}} meanwhile, the company was at work on a [[32-bit]] OS, [[Microsoft Windows NT]], using ideas from OS/2; it shipped on July 21, 1993, with a new [[modular programming|modular]] [[kernel (computing)|kernel]] and the [[Windows API|Win32]] [[application programming interface]] (API), making [[porting]] from [[16-bit]] (MS-DOS-based) Windows easier. Once Microsoft informed IBM of NT, the OS/2 partnership deteriorated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp|title=Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=winsupersite.com|publisher=Penton Media|date=January 24, 2003|accessdate=July 15, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604082534/http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp |archivedate=June 4, 2010}}</ref>

In 1990, Microsoft introduced its office suite, [[Microsoft Office]]. The software bundled separate office productivity applications, such as [[Microsoft Word]] and [[Microsoft Excel]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|301|date=November 2012}} On May 22 Microsoft launched [[Windows 3.0]] with a streamlined [[user interface]] graphics and improved [[protected mode]] capability for the [[Intel 80386|Intel 386]] processor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itproportal.com/2010/05/22/microsoft-windows-30-20-years-today/|title=Microsoft Windows 3.0 Is 20 Years Old Today!!!|work=ITProPortal|author=Athow, Desire|date=May 22, 2010|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Both Office and Windows became dominant in their respective areas.<ref name="1993-2001 market share">{{cite news|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1159610,00.asp|title=Windows 98 Put to the Test (OS Market Share 1993–2001)|work=PC Magazine|date=August 1, 1998|accessdate=July 3, 2010|first=Michael|last=Miller}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/18462/a_peek_at_office_upgrade.html |title=A Peek at Office Upgrade |work=PCWorld |date=September 13, 2000 |author=McCracken, Harry |accessdate=July 4, 2006}}</ref> [[Novell]], a Word competitor from 1984–1986, filed a lawsuit years later claiming that Microsoft left part of its APIs undocumented in order to gain a competitive advantage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3435371/Novell-Files-WordPerfect-Suit-Against-Microsoft.htm|work=internetnews.com|title=Novell Files WordPerfect Suit Against Microsoft|author=Waner, Jim|date=November 12, 2004|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref>

On July 27, 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division filed a Competitive Impact Statement that said, in part:
"Beginning in 1988, and continuing until July 15, 1994, Microsoft induced many OEMs to execute anti-competitive "per processor" licenses. Under a per processor license, an OEM pays Microsoft a royalty for each computer it sells containing a particular microprocessor, whether the OEM sells the computer with a Microsoft operating system or a non-Microsoft operating system. In effect, the royalty payment to Microsoft when no Microsoft product is being used acts as a penalty, or tax, on the OEM's use of a competing PC operating system. Since 1988, Microsoft's use of per processor licenses has increased."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f0000/0045.htm |title=Competitive Impact Statement : U.S. v. Microsoft Corporation |publisher=Justice.gov |date= |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

===1995–2005: Internet and the 32-bit era===
[[File:Bill Gates - United States v. Microsoft.jpg|thumb|Bill Gates giving his deposition in 1998 for the [[United States v. Microsoft]] trial. Once the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] 1993 took over from the Federal Trade Commission, a protracted legal wrangling between Microsoft and the department ensued, resulting in various settlements and possible blocked mergers. Microsoft would point to companies such as [[Time Warner|AOL-Time Warner]] in its defense.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ"/>]]

Following Bill Gates's internal "Internet Tidal Wave memo" on May 26, 1995, Microsoft began to redefine its offerings and expand its product line into [[computer network]]ing and the [[World Wide Web]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/2009-1032-995681.html|title=Victor: Software empire pays high price|author=Borland, John|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=April 15, 2003|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released [[Windows 95]] on August 24, 1995, featuring [[pre-emptive multitasking]], a completely new user interface with a novel [[Start menu|start button]], and 32-bit compatibility; similar to NT, it provided the Win32 API.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company |volume=4|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/95win/95win02/95win02.asp&guid=|title=New And Improved|author=Cope, Jim|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Pietrek 1996">{{Cite journal|url=http://cs.mipt.ru/docs/comp/eng/os/win32/win95_sys_progr_secr/main.pdf|title=Windows 95 Programming Secrets|last=Pietrek|first=Matt|publisher=IDG|isbn=1-56884-318-6|format=PDF|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|20|date=November 2012}} Windows 95 came bundled with the [[online service]] [[MSN]], and for OEMs [[Internet Explorer]], a [[web browser]]. Internet Explorer was not bundled with the retail Windows 95 boxes because the boxes were printed before the team finished the web browser, and instead was included in the Windows 95 Plus! pack.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/msn_inside_01.asp|title=MSN: The Inside Story|work=winsupersite.com|author=Thurrott, Paul|publisher=Penton Media|date=May 31, 2005|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Branching out into new markets in 1996, Microsoft and [[NBC Universal]] created a new [[24/7]] cable news station, [[MSNBC]].<ref name="APM-NewsArchives">{{cite web|url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|title=Marketplace: News Archives|work=Marketplace|publisher=American Public Media|date=July 15, 1996|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040823174040/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|archivedate=August 23, 2004}}</ref> Microsoft created [[Windows CE 1.0]], a new OS designed for devices with low memory and other constraints, such as [[personal digital assistant]]s.<ref name="cehistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/windowsce/|author=Tilly, Chris|title=The History of Microsoft Windows CE|work=HPC:Factor|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In October 1997, the Justice Department filed a motion in the Federal [[United States district court|District Court]], stating that Microsoft violated an agreement signed in 1994 and asked the court to stop the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|323–324|date=November 2012}}

Bill Gates handed over the CEO position on January 13, 2000, to [[Steve Ballmer]], an old college friend of Gates and employee of the company since 1980, creating a new position for himself as Chief [[Software architect|Software Architect]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|111, 228|date=November 2012}}<ref name="BBCTL" /> Various companies including Microsoft formed the [[Trusted Computing Group|Trusted Computing Platform Alliance]] in October 1999 to, among other things, increase security and protect [[intellectual property]] through identifying changes in hardware and software. Critics decry the alliance as a way to enforce indiscriminate restrictions over how consumers use software, and over how computers behave, a form of [[digital rights management]]; for example the scenario where a computer is not only secured for its owner, but also secured against its owner as well.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/20/technology/20CODE.html?pagewanted=1|title=Fears of Misuse of Encryption System Are Voiced|work=The New York Times|author=Markoff, John|date=June 20, 2002|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~fms27/papers/2003-stajano-shifting.pdf|author=Stajano, Frank|title=Security for whom? The shifting security assumptions of pervasive computing|series=Lecture notes in computer science|journal=Software Security—Theories and Systems|volume=2609|pages=16–27|publisher=Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg|year=2003|accessdate=July 6, 2010|doi=10.1007/3-540-36532-X_2|isbn=978-3-540-00708-1}}</ref> On April 3, 2000, a judgment was handed down in the case of ''[[United States v. Microsoft]]'',<ref name="usvms">{{cite web |title=United States v. Microsoft |url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/ms_index.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |accessdate=August 5, 2005 }}</ref> calling the company an "abusive monopoly";<ref name="findingsoffact">{{cite web|author=Jackson, Thomas Penfield|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm |title=U.S. vs. Microsoft findings of fact |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=November 5, 1999 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> it settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2004.<ref name="CBSCHRON"/> On October 25, 2001, Microsoft released [[Windows XP]], unifying the mainstream and NT lines under the NT codebase.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-xp2/wininfo-short-takes-windows-xp-launch-special-edition.aspx|title=WinInfo Short Takes: Windows XP Launch Special Edition|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=Windows IT Pro|publisher=Penton Media|date=October 26, 2001|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] later that year, entering the [[game console]] market dominated by [[Sony]] and [[Nintendo]].<ref name="BizWire-2001Ent">{{cite news|title=NPD Reports Annual 2001 U.S. Interactive Entertainment Sales Shatter Industry Record|work=Business Wire|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=February 7, 2002|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Feb_7/ai_82604922|accessdate=March 31, 2007}}</ref> In March 2004 the [[European Union]] brought [[European Union Microsoft antitrust case|antitrust legal action against the company]], citing it abused its dominance with the Windows OS, resulting in a judgment of €497{{nbsp}}million ($613{{nbsp}}million) and to produce new versions of Windows XP without [[Windows Media Player]], Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N.<ref name="CNN-MSfine">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060413082435/http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archivedate=April 13, 2006|title=Microsoft hit by record EU fine|work=CNN|date=March 25, 2004|accessdate=August 14, 2010}}</ref><ref name="euantitrust">{{cite web |title=Commission Decision of 24.03.2004 relating to a proceeding under Article 82 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/C-3/37.792 Microsoft)|publisher=Commission of the European Communities |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:62004A0201:EN:NOT |date=April 21, 2004 |accessdate=August 5, 2005 |format=PDF}}</ref>

===2006–10: Windows Vista, mobile, and Windows 7===
[[File:Steve Ballmer - MIX 2008.jpg|thumb|CEO [[Steve Ballmer]] at the [[MIX (Microsoft)|MIX]] event in 2008. In an interview about his management style in 2005, he mentioned that his first priority was to get the people he [[delegate]]s to in order. Ballmer also emphasized the need to continue pursuing new technologies even if initial attempts fail, citing the original attempts with Windows as an example.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steve Ballmer on management style|url=http://www.itworld.com/051109ballmerinterview|work=ITWorld|agency=CIO Asia|publisher=[[IDG]]|date=November 10, 2005|first=Gerald |last=Wee|accessdate=January 29, 2011}}</ref>]]

Released in January 2007, the next version of Windows, [[Windows Vista]], focused on features, security, and a redesigned user interface dubbed [[Windows Aero|Aero]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/windows-vista-ultimate/4505-3672_7-32013603.html|title=Windows Vista Ultimate review|date=January 23, 2007|accessdate=April 4, 2012|last=Vamosi |first=Robert|work=[[CNET]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref><ref name="gatesrsa">{{cite web| url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/180201580|title=Gates Says Security Is Job One For Vista| date = February 14, 2006| accessdate =April 4, 2012|author=Ricadela, Aaron| work= [[InformationWeek]]| publisher = UBM TechWeb}}</ref> [[Microsoft Office 2007]], released at the same time, featured a "[[Ribbon (computing)|Ribbon]]" user interface which was a significant departure from its predecessors. Relatively strong sales of both titles helped to produce a record profit in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/vista-gives-microsoft-view-of-record-profit-1-1316524|title=Vista gives Microsoft view of record profit|work=Edinburgh Evening News|date=April 27, 2007|publisher=[[Johnston Press]]|accessdate=February 1, 2009}}</ref> The European Union imposed another fine of €899{{nbsp}}million ($1.4{{nbsp}}billion) for Microsoft's lack of compliance with the March 2004 judgment on February 27, 2008, saying that the company charged rivals unreasonable prices for key information about its [[Microsoft SQL Server|workgroup]] and [[Microsoft BackOffice Server|backoffice]] servers. Microsoft stated that it was in compliance and that "these fines are about the past issues that have been resolved".<ref name="msft_eufine_2008">{{cite news|title=AFP:EU hits Microsoft with record 899 million euro antitrust fine|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iozBXlp2nzuVxnMx_SwmtKvi7C-w|agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]|work=[[Google News]]|publisher=[[Google]]|date=February 27, 2008|accessdate=June 1, 2008}}</ref>

2007 also saw the creation of a multi-core unit at Microsoft, as they followed in the steps of server companies such as Sun and IBM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.serverwatch.com/trends/article.php/3657451/Microsoft-Multicore-and-the-Data-Center.htm|title=Microsoft, Multi-core and the Data Center}}</ref>

Bill Gates retired from his role as Chief Software Architect on June 27, 2008, while retaining other positions related to the company in addition to being an advisor for the company on key projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1977363,00.asp|title=Bill Gates Announces Resignation|authorlink=Natali Morris|author=Conte, Natali Del|work=[[PC Magazine]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> [[Azure Services Platform]], the company's entry into the [[cloud computing]] market for Windows, launched on October 27, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/microsoft-launches-windows-azure/|title=Microsoft launches Windows Azure|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=October 27, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> On February 12, 2009, Microsoft announced its intent to open a chain of Microsoft-branded retail stores, and on October 22, 2009, the first retail [[Microsoft Store]] opened in [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], Arizona; the same day the first store opened, [[Windows 7]] was officially released to the public. Windows 7's focus was on refining Vista with ease of use features and performance enhancements, rather than a large reworking of Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10163206-56.html|title=Microsoft follows Apple into the retail business|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=February 12, 2009|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/10/22/us-microsoft-store-idUSTRE59L5E220091022|title=Long lines as Microsoft opens retail store|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|author=Gaynor, Tim|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33429899/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/|title=Windows 7 operating system makes its debut|work=[[NBCNews.com]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]|agency=Associated Press|author=Mintz, Jessica|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref>

As the smartphone industry boomed beginning in 2007, Microsoft struggled to keep up with its rivals [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and [[Google]] in providing a modern smartphone operating system. As a result, in 2010, Microsoft revamped their aging flagship mobile operating system, [[Windows Mobile]], replacing it with the new [[Windows Phone]] OS; along with a new strategy in the smartphone industry that has Microsoft working more closely with smartphone manufacturers, such as [[Nokia]], and to provide a consistent user experience across all smartphones using Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. It used a new user interface design language, codenamed "Metro", which prominently used simple shapes, typography and iconography, and the concept of minimalism.

Microsoft is a founding member of the [[Open Networking Foundation]] started on March 23, 2011. Other founding companies include [[Google]], [[HP Networking]], [[Yahoo]], [[Verizon]], [[Deutsche Telekom]] and 17 other companies. The nonprofit organization is focused on providing support for a new [[cloud computing]] initiative called Software-Defined Networking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.openflow.org/wp/2011/03/open-networking-foundation-formed-to-speed-network-innovation/ |title=Open Networking Foundation News Release|first=David |last=Erickson |work=Openflow.org |date=March 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> The initiative is meant to speed innovation through simple software changes in telecommunications networks, wireless networks, data centers and other networking areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/380663/google_other_titans_form_open_networking_foundation/?fp=4&fpid=78268965 |title="Google and other titans form Open Networking Foundation." Noyes, March 23, 2011 |work=[[Computerworld]] |publisher=[[IDG]]|date=March 23, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref>

===2011–present: Rebranding, Windows 8, and Surface===
[[File:Windows 8 Start UI.svg|thumb|General design principle behind [[Start screen]] in [[Windows 8]], [[Windows Phone]], [[Xbox One]]]]
[[File:Microsoft Surface (black).jpg|thumb|[[Microsoft Surface]] tablet]]

Following the release of [[Windows Phone]], Microsoft underwent a gradual [[rebranding]] of its product range throughout 2011 and 2012—the corporation's logos, products, services, and websites adopted the principles and concepts of the [[Metro (design language)|Metro design language]].<ref name="WindowsPhone7UI">{{cite web|url= http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/archive/2010/03/18/windows-phone-7-series-ui-design-amp-interaction-guide.aspx| title= Windows Phone 7 Series UI Design & Interaction Guide|accessdate= 2010-10-09|date= March 18, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft previewed [[Windows 8]], an operating system designed to power both personal computers and [[tablet computer]]s, in Taipei in June 2011.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/info-tech/article3479381.ece | title=Microsoft releases final test version of Windows 8 |work=[[Business Line]] |publisher=Kasturi & Sons | date=June 1, 2012|accessdate=August 4, 2012}}</ref> A developer preview was released on September 13, and was replaced by a consumer preview on February 29, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/05/businessinsider-microsoft-spills-beans-on--at-ces-2011-1.DTL |title=OK, So Windows 8 Is Coming To ARM Tablets...Someday (MSFT) |newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |first=Matt |last=Rosoff |date=January 5, 2011 |accessdate=January 5, 2011}}</ref> On May 31, 2012, the preview version was released.

On June 18, 2012, Microsoft announced the [[Microsoft Surface]], the first computer in the company's history to have its hardware made by Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sullivan |first=Mark |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/257840/microsoft_announces_new_surface_tablet_pc.html |title=Microsoft Announces New 'Surface' Tablet PC |publisher=PCWorld |date= |accessdate=June 19, 2012}}</ref><ref name="VF2012" /> On June 25, Microsoft announced that it was paying US$1.2 billion to buy the social network [[Yammer]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft buys Internet startup Yammer for $1.2 billion|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-06-25/microsoft-yammer-aquisition/55811172/1|work=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|first=Byron|last=Acohido|date=June 25, 2012|accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> On July 31, 2012, Microsoft launched the [[Outlook.com]] [[Webmail|webmail service]] to compete with [[Gmail]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-live/outlookcom-mail-microsoft-reimagines-webmail-143877 |title=Outlook.com Mail: Microsoft Reimagines Webmail |first= Paul |last= Thurrott |authorlink= Paul Thurrott |date=31 July 2012 |work= Supersite for Windows |publisher= [[Penton Media]] |accessdate=1 August 2012}}</ref> On September 4, 2012, Microsoft released [[Windows Server 2012]].<ref name="MSofficialRTM">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/new.aspx | title=Windows Server 2012 "Save the Date" Announcement | date=8 August 2012| author=Microsoft Corp.}}</ref> On October 1, Microsoft announced its intention to launch a news operation, part of a new-look [[MSN]], at the time of the Windows 8 launch that was later in the month.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/01/us-microsoft-msn-idUSBRE8900WN20121001|title=Microsoft launching news operation, new MSN|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref> On October 26, 2012, Microsoft launched Windows 8 and the [[Microsoft Surface]].<ref name="VF2012">Eichenwald, Kurt, [http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2012/08/microsoft-lost-mojo-steve-ballmer "Microsoft's Lost Decade: How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo"], ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', August 2012</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8s-delivery-date-october-26-7000001158/|title=Windows 8's delivery date: October 26|newspaper=ZDNet|date=July 18, 2012|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref> Three days later, [[Windows Phone 8]] was launched.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveside.net/2012/08/30/mary-jo-foley-windows-phone-8-launch-dates-revealed/ |title=Mary Jo Foley: Windows Phone 8 launch date revealed |publisher=LiveSide.net |date=2012-08-30 |accessdate=2012-11-27}}</ref> To cope with the potential for an increase in demand for products and services, Microsoft opened a number of "holiday stores" across the U.S. to complement the increasing number of "bricks-and-mortar" Microsoft Stores that opened in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-prepping-everything-complete-brand-and-product-relaunch|title=Microsoft prepping for complete brand and product line relaunch, New York store coming the 26th|publisher=wpcentral.com|accessdate=November 3, 2012}}</ref>

On March 29, 2013, Microsoft launched a Patent Tracker.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/03/28/microsoft-launches-patent-tracker-to-help-you-search-its-library-of-intellectual-property/ | title=Microsoft launches 'Patent Tracker' to help you search its library of intellectual property | work=The Next Web | date=March 28, 2013 | accessdate=March 29, 2013}}</ref> The [[Kinect]] sensor device was upgraded for the 2013 release of the eighth-generation [[Xbox One]] and its capabilities were revealed in May 2013. The new Kinect uses an ultra-wide 1080p camera, it can function in the dark due to an infrared sensor, it employs higher-end processing power and new software, it can distinguish between fine movements (such as a thumb movements), and the device can determine a user's heart rate by looking at his/her face.<ref>{{cite web|title=The all-seeing Kinect: tracking my face, arms, body, and heart on the Xbox One|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4353232/kinect-xbox-one-hands-on/in/4116279|work=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media, Inc|accessdate=28 May 2013|author=David Pierce|date=21 May 2013}}</ref> Microsoft filed a patent application in 2011 that suggests that the corporation may use the Kinect camera system to monitor the behavior of television viewers as part of a plan to make the viewing experience more active.On July 19, 2013, Microsoft stocks suffered its biggest one-day percentage sell-off since the year 2000 after its fourth-quarter report raised concerns among the investors on the poor showings of both Windows 8 and the Surface tablet; with more than 11 percentage points declining Microsoft suffered a loss of more than USD 32billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57594612-75/funky-friday-more-than-$32-billion-in-microsoft-stock-value-wiped-out/|title=Funky Friday: More than $32 billion in Microsoft stock value wiped out | Microsoft - CNET News|publisher=News.cnet.com|accessdate=2013-07-21}}</ref> For the 2010 [[fiscal year]], Microsoft had five product divisions: Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division, Microsoft Business Division, and Entertainment and Devices Division.

<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional" style=text-align:center; margin:auto;">
File:Xbox One console and controller at Gamescom 2013.jpg|[[Xbox One]] console
File:Xbox-360-Kinect-Standalone.png|[[Kinect]] controller
</gallery>

On September 3, 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy [[Nokia]]'s mobile unit for $7 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4688530/microsoft-buys-nokias-devices-and-services-unit-unites-windows-phone/in/4453001|title=Microsoft buying Nokia's phone business in a $7.2 billion bid for its mobile future}}</ref> Also in 2013, [[Amy Hood]] became the CFO of Microsoft.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/us-microsoft-cfo-idUSBRE94711Q20130508 Microsoft names insider Amy Hood as CFO]</ref>

The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) was launched in October 2013 and Microsoft is part of the coalition of public and private organizations that also includes [[Facebook]], [[Intel]] and [[Google]]. Led by [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the A4AI seeks to make Internet access more affordable so that access is broadened in the developing world, where only 31% of people are online. Google will help to decrease internet access prices so that they fall below the UN Broadband Commission's worldwide target of 5% of monthly income.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Google lead coalition for cheaper internet|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/google-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=51918&et_rid=7107573&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2ftechnology%2f2013%2foct%2f07%2fgoogle-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa|accessdate=8 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 October 2013|author=Samuel Gibbs}}</ref>

In line with the maturing PC business, in July 2013 Microsoft announced to reorganize the business into 4 new business divisions by function: Operating System, Apps, Cloud and Devices. All previous divisions will be diluted into new divisions without any workforce cut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/microsofts-sweeping-reorganization-shifts-focus-services-devices/2013-07-11 |title=Microsoft's sweeping reorganization shifts focus to services, devices |date=July 11, 2013}}</ref>

In August 2013, [[Steve Ballmer]] announced he would resign as [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Microsoft within twelve months.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within 12 months|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/aug13/08-23AnnouncementPR.aspx}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Satya Nadella]] on February 4, 2014, who previously led Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise division. On the same day, it was announced that [[John W. Thompson]] will take on the role of chairman, with Bill Gates stepping down from the position to become more active within the company as Technology Advisor.<ref>http://www.nbcnews.com/business/microsoft-names-satya-nadella-ceo-2D12054182</ref>

==Businesses==

===Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division===
The company's Client division produces the flagship Windows OS line such as Windows 8; it also produces the [[Windows Live]] family of products and services. Server and Tools produces the server versions of Windows, such as [[Windows Server 2008 R2]] as well as a set of development tools called [[Microsoft Visual Studio]], [[Microsoft Silverlight]], a web application framework, and [[System Center Configuration Manager]], a collection of tools providing remote-control abilities, patch management, software distribution and a hardware/software inventory. Other server products include: [[Microsoft SQL Server]], a [[relational database]] management system, [[Microsoft Exchange Server]], for certain business-oriented [[e-mail]] and scheduling features, [[Windows Small Business Server|Small Business Server]], for messaging and other small business-oriented features; and [[Microsoft BizTalk Server]], for [[business process management]].

Microsoft provides [[information technology consulting|IT consulting]] ("Microsoft Consulting Services") and produces a set of certification programs handled by the Server and Tools division designed to recognize individuals who have a minimal set of proficiencies in a specific role; this includes developers ([[Microsoft Certified Professional|"Microsoft Certified Solution Developer"]]), system/network analysts ([[MCSE|"Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"]]), trainers ("[[Microsoft Certified Professional|Microsoft Certified Trainers]]") and administrators ("[[Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator]]" and [[MCDBA|"Microsoft Certified Database Administrator"]]). [[Microsoft Press]], which publishes books, is also managed by the division. The Online Services Business division handles the online service [[MSN]] and the search engine [[Bing]]. As of December 2009, the company also possesses an 18% ownership of the [[cable news]] channel [[MSNBC]] without any editorial control; however, the division develops the channel's website, [[msnbc.com]], in a [[joint venture]] with the channel's co-owner, [[NBC Universal]].<ref name="MSNBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/business/media/24msnbc.html|title=Microsoft Quits MSNBC TV, but Web Partnership Remains|work=The New York Times|author=Carter, Bill|date=December 24, 2005|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref>

===Business Division===
[[File:The Microsoft Commons.jpg|thumb|The Commons, located on the campus of the company's headquarters in Redmond]]

The Microsoft Business Division produces [[Microsoft Office]] including [[Microsoft Office 2010]], the company's line of office software. The software product includes [[Microsoft Office Word|Word]] (a word processor), [[Microsoft Access|Access]] (a [[relational database]] program), [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]] (a [[spreadsheet]] program), [[Microsoft Office Outlook|Outlook]] ([[collaborative software|Groupware]], frequently used with [[Microsoft Exchange Server|Exchange Server]]), [[Microsoft PowerPoint|PowerPoint]] (presentation software), [[Microsoft Publisher|Publisher]] ([[desktop publishing software]]) and [[Microsoft Sharepoint|Sharepoint]]. A number of other products were added later with the release of Office 2003 including [[Microsoft Visio|Visio]], [[Microsoft Project|Project]], [[Microsoft MapPoint|MapPoint]], [[Microsoft InfoPath|InfoPath]] and [[Microsoft Office OneNote|OneNote]]. The division also develops [[enterprise resource planning]] (ERP) software for companies under the [[Microsoft Dynamics]] brand. These include: [[Microsoft Dynamics AX]], [[Microsoft Dynamics NAV]], [[Microsoft Dynamics GP]], and [[Microsoft Dynamics SL]]. They are targeted at varying company types and countries, and limited to organizations with under 7,500 employees.<ref name="MS Dynamics Lineup">{{cite news|url=http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/samples/49-samples/743-four-products-advance-on-dynamics-erp-roadmap.html|work=Directions on Microsoft|title=Four Products Advance on Dynamics ERP Roadmap|date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Also included under the Dynamics brand is the [[customer relationship management]] software [[Microsoft Dynamics CRM]], part of the [[Azure Services Platform]].

===Entertainment and Devices Division===
The Entertainment and Devices Division produces the [[Windows CE]] OS for [[embedded system]]s and [[Windows Phone]] for [[smartphone]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20015314-85.html|title=Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7 to manufacturers|author=Cha, Bonnie|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=September 1, 2010|accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft initially entered the mobile market through Windows CE for [[handheld device]]s, eventually developing into the [[Windows Mobile]] OS and now, Windows Phone. Windows CE is designed for devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user, in particular, appliances and cars. The division also produces [[computer games]] that run on Windows PCs and other systems including titles such as [[Age of Empires]], [[Halo (video game series)|Halo]] and the [[Microsoft Flight Simulator]] series, and houses the [[Macintosh Business Unit]] which produces [[Mac OS]] software including [[Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac]]. Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division designs, markets, and manufactures [[consumer electronics]] including the [[Xbox 360]] game console, the handheld [[Zune]] media player, and the television-based [[Internet appliance]] [[MSN TV]]. Microsoft also markets [[personal computer hardware]] including [[computer mouse|mice]], [[Computer keyboard|keyboards]], and various [[game controller]]s such as [[joystick]]s and [[gamepad]]s.

==Culture==

Technical reference for developers and articles for various Microsoft magazines such as ''Microsoft Systems Journal'' (MSJ) are available through the [[Microsoft Developer Network]] (MSDN). MSDN also offers subscriptions for companies and individuals, and the more expensive subscriptions usually offer access to pre-release beta versions of Microsoft software.<ref name="MSDN-SubscribeFAQ">{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ms123402.aspx?missingurl=%2fsubscriptions%2ffaq%2fdefault.aspx |publisher=Microsoft|title=MSDN Subscription FAQ |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref><ref name="MSJ-home">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/msj/|title=Microsoft Systems Journal Homepage |publisher=Microsoft|date=April 15, 2004|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In April 2004 Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, titled [[Channel9]], that provides a [[wiki]] and an [[Internet forum]].<ref name="Hobson">{{cite news|author=Hobson, Neville|url=http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2005/04/11/microsofts-channel-and-cultural-rules |title=Microsoft's Channel 9 And Cultural Rules |work=WebProNews |publisher=iEntry Inc |date=April 11, 2005 |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Another community site that provides daily [[videocast]]s and other services, On10.net, launched on March 3, 2006.<ref name="On10-home">{{cite web|url=http://www.On10.net|title=On10.net homepage|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=May 4, 2006}}</ref> Free technical support is traditionally provided through online [[Usenet]] newsgroups, and [[CompuServe]] in the past, monitored by Microsoft employees; there can be several newsgroups for a single product. Helpful people can be elected by peers or Microsoft employees for [[Microsoft Most Valuable Professional]] (MVP) status, which entitles them to a sort of special social status and possibilities for awards and other benefits.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/06/13/somehow_usenet_lumbers_on/|title=Somehow, Usenet lumbers on|author=Bray, Hiawatha|date=June 13, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2006|work=The Boston Globe}} * {{cite web|url=http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs|title=Microsoft MVP Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Noted for its internal [[lexicon]], the expression [[eat one's own dog food|"eating our own dog food"]] is used to describe the policy of using pre-release and beta versions of products inside Microsoft in an effort to test them in "real-world" situations.<ref name="dogfood">{{cite news|title=Microsoft tests its own dog food|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108214545/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archivedate=January 8, 2007|author=CNET News.com Staff|work=ZDNet|publisher=CNET Networks, Inc.|date=July 21, 2003| accessdate=October 9, 2005}}</ref> This is usually shortened to just "dog food" and is used as noun, verb, and adjective. Another bit of [[jargon]], [[FYIFV]] or FYIV ("Fuck You, I'm [Fully] Vested"), is used by an employee to indicate they are [[financial independence|financially independent]] and can avoid work anytime they wish.<ref>{{cite news|author=Heileman, John|title=The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html|work=Wired|date=November 2000|accessdate=September 30, 2007}}</ref> The company is also known for its hiring process, mimicked in other organizations and dubbed the "[[Microsoft interview]]", which is notorious for off-the-wall questions such as "Why is a [[manhole cover]] round?".<ref name="manhole">{{cite news| url=http://g4tv.com/screensavers/features/6282/square_manhole_covers_and_crazy_questions.html|title=Square Manhole Covers and Crazy Questions|work=G4TV.com|author=Poundstone, William|date=May 21, 2003|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Microsoft is an outspoken opponent of the cap on [[H1B visa]]s, which allow companies in the U.S. to employ certain foreign workers. Bill Gates claims the cap on H1B visas makes it difficult to hire employees for the company, stating "I'd certainly get rid of the H1B cap" in 2005.<ref name="MarkRoy">{{cite news |url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3500986 |title=Gates Rakes Congress on H1B Visa Cap|author=Mark, Roy|work=internetnews.com|date=April 27, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Critics of H1B visas argue that relaxing the limits would result in increased unemployment for U.S. citizens due to H1B workers working for lower salaries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88154016|title=
Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers|work=NPR|date=March 12, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> The [[Human Rights Campaign]] Corporate Equality Index, a report of how progressive the organization deems company policies towards [[LGBT]] (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) employees, rated Microsoft as 87% from 2002 to 2004 and as 100% from 2005 to 2010 after they allowed gender expression.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corporate Equality Index Archive|url=http://www.hrc.org/about_us/7115.htm|publisher=Human Rights Campaign Foundation|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>

==Criticism==
{{main|Criticism of Microsoft}}
[[File:VistaParty3-cropped.jpg|thumb|[[BadVista]] and [[Defective by Design]] groups protest against [[Windows Vista]]]]

Criticism of Microsoft has followed the company's existence because of various aspects of its products and business practices. [[Ease of use]], [[wikt:stability|stability]], and [[computer security|security]] of the company's software are common targets for critics. More recently, [[Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horses]] and other exploits have plagued numerous users due to faults in the security of Microsoft Windows and other programs. Microsoft is also accused of locking vendors into their products, and not following and complying with existing standards in its software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/04/25/writing_history_with_microsofts_office/|title=Writing history with Microsoft's Office lock-in}}</ref> [[Total cost of ownership]] comparisons of [[Linux]] as well as [[Mac OS X|OS X]] to Windows are a continuous point of debate.

The company has been in numerous [[lawsuits]] by several governments and other companies for unlawful monopolistic practices. In 2004, the [[European Union]] found Microsoft guilty in a highly publicized [[anti-trust]] case. Additionally, Microsoft's [[EULA]] for some of its programs is often criticized as being too restrictive as well as being against [[open source]] software.

Microsoft has been criticized (along with [[Yahoo]], [[AOL]], [[Google]] and others) for its involvement in [[censorship in the People's Republic of China]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/china0806/ | title=Corporate Complicity in Chinese Internet Censorship | accessdate=2006-11-23}}</ref> Microsoft has also come under criticism for [[Offshoring|outsourcing jobs]] to China and [[India]].<ref>"[http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/whos-buying-microsofts-outsourcing-excuses-390 Who's buying Microsoft's outsourcing excuses?]". ''[[InfoWorld]]''. April 22, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002468560_msftgoogle03.html Microsoft plans to outsource more, says ex-worker]". ''The Seattle Times''. September 3, 2005.</ref><ref>"[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2004/06/17/2003175447 High-end tech jobs outsourced by Microsoft]". ''[[Taipei Times]]''. June 17, 2004.</ref> There were reports of poor working conditions at a factory in southern [[China]] that makes some of Microsoft's products.<ref>"[http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16146955 Microsoft Investigates 'Mass Suicide Threat']". ''[[Sky News]]''. January 11, 2012</ref>

==Corporate affairs==
The company is run by a [[board of directors]] made up of mostly company outsiders, as is customary for publicly traded companies. Members of the board of directors as of Feburary are: [[John W. Thompson]], [[Steve Ballmer]], [[Dina Dublon]], [[Bill Gates]], [[Maria Klawe]], [[Stephen Luczo]], [[David Marquardt]], [[Satya Nadella]], [[Charles Noski]], and [[Helmut Panke]].<ref name="MSPR-Board">{{cite press release |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/bod/bod.aspx|title=Microsoft Board of Directors|work=PressPass|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Board members are elected every year at the annual shareholders' meeting using a majority vote system. There are five committees within the board which oversee more specific matters. These committees include the Audit Committee, which handles accounting issues with the company including auditing and reporting; the Compensation Committee, which approves compensation for the CEO and other employees of the company; the Finance Committee, which handles financial matters such as proposing mergers and acquisitions; the Governance and Nominating Committee, which handles various corporate matters including nomination of the board; and the Antitrust Compliance Committee, which attempts to prevent company practices from violating [[antitrust]] laws.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines|url=http://www.microsoft.com/about/companyinformation/corporategovernance/guidelines.mspx |publisher=Microsoft|date=July 1, 2009|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Microsoft 5-Year Stock History.svg|350px|thumb|right|Five year history graph of {{NASDAQ|MSFT}} stock on July 17, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=MSFT&page=quotesearch|title=Five year history graph of (NASDAQ:MSFT) stock|work=ZenoBank|publisher=AlphaTrade|date=September 29, 2009|accessdate=September 29, 2009}}</ref>]]

When Microsoft went public and launched its [[Initial Public Offering|initial public offering (IPO)]] in 1986, the opening [[stock]] price was $21; after the [[trading day]], the price closed at $27.75. As of July 2010, with the company's nine [[stock split]]s, any IPO [[share (finance)|shares]] would be multiplied by 288; if one was to buy the IPO today given the splits and other factors, it would cost about 9{{nbsp}}cents.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|235–236|date=November 2012}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/102018.asp|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=March 14, 1986|title=Microsoft stock is red hot on first trading day|author=Monkman, Carol Smith|page=B9|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref><ref name="MSSTOCK">{{cite web|url=http://performance.morningstar.com/stock/performance-return.action?p=dividend_split_page&t=MSFT&region=USA&culture=en-US&s=SPYZ|title=MSFT stock performance and split info|publisher=Morningstar, Inc.|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> The stock price peaked in 1999 at around $119 ($60.928 adjusting for splits).<ref name="stocksheet">{{cite web |title=Microsoft stock price spreadsheet from Microsoft investor relations |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/a/7/da7e8eca-4410-4475-a211-03327408b655/msftpricehist.xls|format=xls|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> The company began to offer a [[dividend]] on January 16, 2003, starting at eight cents per share for the fiscal year followed by a dividend of sixteen cents per share the subsequent year, switching from yearly to quarterly dividends in 2005 with eight cents a share per quarter and a [[special dividend|special one-time payout]] of three dollars per share for the second quarter of the fiscal year.<ref name="stocksheet" /><ref name="dividendfaq">{{cite web|title=Dividend Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/FAQ/dividend.mspx|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Though the company had subsequent increases in dividend payouts, the price of Microsoft's stock remained steady for years.<ref name="dividendfaq" /><ref name="Yahoo-MSFTchart">{{cite web |title=Yahoo MSFT stock chart |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=my |publisher=Yahoo Finance |accessdate=December 13, 2008 }} * {{cite web|title=MSN Money MSFT chart with dividend and split info|url=http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/chartdl.aspx?Symbol=MSFT&C8=2005&CE=0&C5=10&C6=2005&C7=10&D9=1&C9=2&D0=1&CF=1&D4=1&D5=0&D3=0&ShowChtBt=Refresh+Chart&CP=0&PT=9|work=MSN Money|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=December 13, 2008}} * {{cite news|author=Fried, Ina; Ard, Scott|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-148474.html?tag=st.prev|title=Gates stepping down from full-time Microsoft role, page 2|work=ZDNet|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

One of Microsoft's business tactics, described by an executive as "[[embrace, extend and extinguish]]," initially embraces a competing standard or product, then extends it to produce their own version which is then incompatible with the standard, which in time extinguishes competition that does not or cannot use Microsoft's new version.<ref name="eee">{{cite news|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-100925.html|title=Intel exec: MS wanted to 'extend, embrace and extinguish' competition|author=Rodger, Will|work=ZDNet|date=November 8, 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref> Various companies and governments sue Microsoft over this set of tactics, resulting in billions of dollars in rulings against the company.<ref name="Orlowski2004-03-05">{{cite press release |url=http://www.burst.com/new/newsevents/pressrelease007.htm |title=Microsoft Corp. Licenses Burst.com Patents & Settles Suit |publisher=Burst.com Inc. |date=March 11, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/05/eolas_web_patent_nullified/ |title=Eolas' web patent nullified|author=Orlowski, Andrew|work=The Register|publisher=Situation Publishing Ltd|date=March 5, 2004|accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|author=Dennis, Tony|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529141141/http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears|archivedate=May 29, 2008|title=Sendo & Microsoft – it all ends in tears |date=December 24, 2002 |work=TheInquirer.net |accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/12/07/HNmicrosoftfined_1.html|title=Update: Microsoft fined $32M by South Korea|author=Nystedt, Dan|publisher=IDG News Service|date=December 7, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="usvms"/><ref name="euantitrust"/> Microsoft claims that the original strategy is not anti-competitive, but rather an exercise of its discretion to implement features it believes customers want.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning%20Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: We're Defending Our Right to Innovate|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117094549/http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning+Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|archivedate=November 17, 2007|date=May 20, 1998|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=March 31, 2006}}</ref>

===Financial===
[[Standard and Poor's]] and [[Moody's]] have both given a AAA rating to Microsoft, whose assets were valued at $41 billion as compared to only $8.5 billion in unsecured debt. Consequently, in February 2011 Microsoft released a corporate bond amounting to $2.25 billion with relatively low borrowing rates compared to [[government bonds]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/04/us-microsoft-bonds-idUSTRE7128EZ20110204|title=Microsoft sells $2.25 billion of debt at low rates|publisher=Reuters | date=February 4, 2011}}</ref>

For the first time in 20 years [[Apple Inc.]] surpassed Microsoft in Q1 2011 quarterly profits and revenues due to a slowdown in PC sales and continuing huge losses in Microsoft's Online Services Division (which contains its search engine [[Bing]]). Microsoft profits were $5.2 billion, while Apple Inc. profits were $6 billion, on revenues of $14.5 billion and $24.7 billion respectively.<ref>{{cite news|author=Charles Arthur |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/apr/28/microsoft-falls-behind-apple |title=Microsoft falls behind Apple for first time in 20 years | Technology |publisher=The Guardian |date= April 28, 2011|accessdate=May 11, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>

Microsoft's Online Services Division has been continuously loss-making since 2006 and in Q1 2011 it lost $726 million. This follows a loss of $2.5 billion for the year 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=MG Siegler Apr 29, 2011 |url=http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/29/microsoft-internet-bloodbath/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29 |title=When Will Microsoft's Internet Bloodbath End? |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=April 29, 2011 |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

On July 20, 2012, Microsoft posted its first quarterly loss ever, despite earning record revenues for the quarter and fiscal year, with a net loss of $492 million due to a [[writedown]] related to the advertising company [[aQuantive]], which had been acquired for $6.2 billion back in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Martha|title=Microsoft reports first quarterly loss ever|url=http://marketday.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/19/12837611-microsoft-reports-first-quarterly-loss-ever?lite|accessdate=20 July 2012}}</ref>

As of January 2014, Microsoft's market capitalization stands at $314B,<ref name="Marketwatch MSFT">{{cite web|title=Microsoft Overview|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/msft/|publisher=Marketwatch|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> making it the 8th largest company in the world by market capitalization.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Top 100 Companies|url=http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/audit-services/capital-market/publications/top100-market-capitalisation.jhtml|publisher=PWC|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

===Environment===
In 2011, [[Greenpeace]] released a report rating the top ten big brands in cloud computing on their sources of electricity for their data centers. At the time, data centers consumed up to 2% of all global electricity and this amount was projected to increase. [[Phil Radford]] of Greenpeace said "we are concerned that this new explosion in electricity use could lock us into old, polluting energy sources instead of the clean energy available today,"<ref name="Dirty Data Report Card">{{cite web |publisher=[[Greenpeace]] |url= http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf|title=Dirty Data Report Card|accessdate=August 22, 2013}}</ref> and called on "Amazon, Microsoft and other leaders of the information-technology industry must embrace clean energy to power their cloud-based data centers."<ref>[http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2018176038_guest10radford.html, "Amazon, Microsoft: Let's keep 'the cloud' clean"], Phil Radford</ref> In 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy power generated by a Texas wind project to power one of its data centers.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/04/microsoft-wind-powered-data-centre, "Microsoft looks to boost eco credentials with wind-powered data centre"], Suzanne Goldenberg</ref>

Microsoft is ranked on the 17th place in [[Greenpeace]]'s Guide to Greener Electronics (16th Edition) that ranks 18 electronics manufacturers according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change.<ref name="Greenpeace International">{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/cool-it/Guide-to-Greener-Electronics/Previous-Edition-October-2010/ |title=Guide to Greener Electronics – Greenpeace International (16th Edition)| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=April 3, 2012}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>
Microsoft's timeline for phasing out [[brominated flame retardant|BFRs]] and phthalates in all products is 2012 but its commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear. As yet (January 2011) it has no products that are completely free from PVC and BFRs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/toxics/2010/version16/Ranking%20tables%20Oct%202010-Microsoft.pdf |title=Ranking tables October 2010 – Greenpeace International| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

Microsoft's main U.S. campus received a silver certification from the [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] (LEED) program in 2008, and it installed over 2,000 solar panels on top of its buildings in its Silicon Valley campus, generating approximately 15 percent of the total energy needed by the facilities in April 2005.<ref name="news1">{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-vs.-Google-Whos-greener/2100-1022_3-6080297.html?tag=mncol;txt|title=Microsoft vs. Google: Who's greener?|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|author=Mills, Elinor|date=June 6, 2008|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft makes use of alternative forms of transit. It created one of the worlds largest private bus systems, the "Connector", to transport people from outside the company; for on-campus transportation, the "Shuttle Connect" uses a large fleet of hybrid cars to save fuel. The company also subsidises regional [[public transport]] as an incentive.<ref name="news1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|title=Fostering Alternative Ways to Commute at Microsoft|publisher=Microsoft|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501154211/http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|archivedate=May 1, 2008}}</ref> In February 2010 however, Microsoft took a stance against adding additional public transport and [[high-occupancy vehicle lane|high-occupancy vehicle]] (HOV) lanes to a bridge connecting Redmond to Seattle; the company did not want to delay the construction any further.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.king5.com/news/Microsofts-big-520-advertisement-85031317.html|work=King5 Television News|title=Seattle hires consultant to look at 520 bridge plan|date=February 23, 2010|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft was ranked number 1 in the list of the World's Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2016631709_microsoft_named_best_multinational_workplace_by_gr.html |title=Microsoft Pri0 | Microsoft named best multinational workplace |publisher=Seattle Times Newspaper |date= October 28, 2011|accessdate=November 3, 2011 |first=Janet I. |last=Tu}}</ref>

===Marketing===
In 2004, Microsoft commissioned research firms to do independent studies comparing the [[total cost of ownership]] (TCO) of [[Windows Server 2003]] to [[Linux]]; the firms concluded that companies found Windows easier to administrate than Linux, thus those using Windows would administrate faster resulting in lower costs for their company (i.e. lower TCO).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/business/158237_msftresearch27.html|title=Studies on Linux help their patron: Microsoft|author=Bishop, Todd|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=January 27, 2004|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> This spurred a wave of related studies; a study by the [[Yankee Group]] concluded that upgrading from one version of Windows Server to another costs a fraction of the [[switching barriers|switching costs]] from Windows Server to Linux, although companies surveyed noted the increased security and reliability of Linux servers and concern about being locked into using Microsoft products.<ref name="Foley">{{cite news |url=http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/yankee_independently_pits_windows_tco_vs_linux_tco.html|title=Yankee Independently Pits Windows TCO vs. Linux TCO |author=Foley, Mary Jo|work=eWeek |date=March 24, 2004 |accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> Another study, released by the [[Open Source Development Labs]], claimed that the Microsoft studies were "simply outdated and one-sided" and their survey concluded that the TCO of Linux was lower due to Linux administrators managing more servers on average and other reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150210/linux-fans-hit-back-microsoft |title=Linux fans hit back at Microsoft TCO claims|author=Jaques, Robert|work=vnunet.com|date=February 13, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

As part of the "Get the Facts" campaign, Microsoft highlighted the [[.NET framework|.NET]] trading platform that it had developed in partnership with [[Accenture]] for the [[London Stock Exchange]], claiming that it provided "[[High availability|five nines]]" reliability. After suffering extended downtime and unreliability<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/4676369/Seven-hour-LSE-blackout-caused-by-double-glitch.html|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|title=Seven-hour LSE blackout caused by double glitch|author=Rowena Mason|date=September 10, 2008|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8380607.stm|title=London Stock Exchange trading hit by technical glitch|date=November 26, 2009}}</ref> the LSE announced in 2009 that it was planning to drop its Microsoft solution and switch to a Linux based one in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ITWire|url=http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/the-linux-distillery/28359-london-stock-exchange-gets-the-facts-and-dumps-windows-for-linux|title=London Stock Exchange gets the facts and dumps Windows for Linux|author=David M. Williams|date=October 8, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Slashdot]]|url=http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/10/06/1742203/London-Stock-Exchange-Rejects-NET-For-Open-Source|title=London Stock Exchange Rejects .NET For Open Source|date=October 6, 2009}}</ref>

In 2012, Microsoft hired a political pollster named Mark Penn, whom the New York Times called "famous for bulldozing" his political opponents <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/technology/microsoft-battles-google-by-hiring-political-brawler-mark-penn.html?_r=0</ref> as Executive Vice-President, Advertising and Strategy. Penn created a series of negative ads targeting one of Microsoft's chief competitors, [[Google]]. The ads, called "[[Scroogled]]", attempt to make the case the Google is "screwing" consumers with search results rigged to favor Google's paid advertisers, that [[GMail]] violates the privacy of its users to place ad results related to the content of their emails and shopping results which favor Google products. Tech publications like Tech Crunch have been highly critical of the ad campaign,<ref>http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/10/scroogled-why-so-negative-microsoft/</ref> while Google employees have embraced it.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/11/21/googlers-love-microsofts-scroogled-gear-mug-and-shirts-sell-out/</ref>

===Cooperation with the United States Government===
Microsoft provides information about reported bugs in their software to intelligence agencies of the United States government, prior to the public release of the fix. A Microsoft spokesperson has stated that the corporation runs several programs that facilitate the sharing of such information with the U.S. government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-14/u-s-agencies-said-to-swap-data-with-thousands-of-firms.html|title=U.S. Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms}}</ref>

Following media reports about [[PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM]], NSA's massive electronic [[Mass surveillance|surveillance program]], in May 2013, several technology companies were identified as participants, including Microsoft.<ref>{{cite news| author = Ryan W. Neal | title=Snowden Reveals Microsoft PRISM Cooperation: Helped NSA Decrypt Emails, Chats, Skype Conversations|url = http://www.ibtimes.com/snowden-reveals-microsoft-prism-cooperation-helped-nsa-decrypt-emails-chats-skype-conversations|work=[[International Business Times]]|date=July 11, 2013}}</ref> However, in June 2013, an official statement from Microsoft read:

<blockquote>
We provide customer data only when we receive a legally binding order or subpoena to do so, and never on a voluntary basis. In addition we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers. If the government has a broader voluntary national security program to gather customer data, we don't participate in it.<ref>{{cite news| author = Johnson, Kevin; Martin, Scott; O'Donnell, Jayne; Winter, Michael | title=Reports: NSA Siphons Data from 9 Major Net Firms|url = http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/06/06/nsa-surveillance-internet-companies/2398345/|accessdate=June 6, 2013|work=[[USA Today]]|date=June 15, 2013}}</ref></blockquote>

===Logo===
Microsoft adopted the so-called "''[[Pac-Man]]'' Logo", designed by Scott Baker, in 1987. Baker stated "The new logo, in [[Helvetica]] italic typeface, has a slash between the ''o'' and ''s'' to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed."<ref>{{Cite journal|work=Computer Reseller News Magazine|date=March 1987}}</ref> Dave Norris ran an internal joke campaign to save the old logo, which was green, in all uppercase, and featured a fanciful letter ''O'', nicknamed the ''blibbet'', but it was discarded.<ref name="Osterman2005-07-14">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/07/14/438777.aspx|title=Remember the blibbet|work=Larry Osterman's WebLog|publisher=Microsoft|author=Osterman, Larry|date=July 14, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Microsoft's logo with the "''Your potential. Our passion.''" tagline below the main corporate name, is based on a slogan Microsoft used in 2008. In 2002, the company started using the logo in the United States and eventually started a TV campaign with the slogan, changed from the previous tagline of ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]".''<ref name="wherego1" /><ref name="potentialpassion1" /><ref name="Reimer">{{cite news |url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060123-6031.html|title=Microsoft set to launch new marketing campaign|work=Ars Technica|publisher=Condé Nast Digital|author=Reimer, Jeremy|date=January 23, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> During the private MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) conference in 2010, Microsoft unveiled the company's next tagline, ''"Be What's Next."''.<ref name="2010logo">{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-microsoft-brand-logos-company-tagline-revealed-at-mgx-event/|title=New Microsoft brand logos, company tagline revealed at MGX event? (update: no new logos, tagline is a go)|first=Joshua|last=Topolsky|authorlink=Joshua Topolsky|work=[[Engadget]]|publisher=[[AOL]]|date=July 22, 2010|accessdate=August 2, 2012}}</ref>

On August 23, 2012, Microsoft unveiled a new corporate logo at the opening of its 23rd Microsoft store in Boston indicating the company's shift of focus from the classic style to the tile-centric modern interface which it uses/will use on the Windows Phone platform, Xbox 360, Windows 8 and the upcoming Office Suites.<ref>{{cite web|last=Meisner |first=Jeffrey |url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx |title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look |publisher=The Official Microsoft Blog |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> The new logo also includes four squares with the colors of the then-current Windows logo.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eric |first=Steven H. |url=http://flapship.com/new-microsoft-logo-revealed/ |title=NEW MICROSOFT LOGO REVEALED |publisher=Flapship.com |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> However this logo is not completely new - it was featured in [[Windows 95]] commercials from the mid-1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsofts-new-logo-has-ties-past|title=Microsoft's new logo has ties to the past}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft039s-logo-is-not-new-it039s-from-1995|title=Microsoft's logo is not new, it's from 1995}}</ref>

{{center|
<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional">
File:Microsoft - Where do you want to go today.svg|1987
File:Microsoft logo & slogan.svg|2006–2011
File:Microsoft logo & slogan 2011-2012.svg|2011–2012
File:Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg|2012–present
</gallery>
}}

* '''1987''' - Microsoft "[[Pac-Man]]" logo, designed by Scott Baker and used from 1987 to 2012 with the 1994–2002 slogan ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]"''.<ref name="wherego1">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/redmond.html|title=The Rise and Rise of the Redmond Empire|work=Wired|date=December 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="potentialpassion1">{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/mccann-thinks-local-global-microsoft-83426|title=McCann Thinks Local for Global Microsoft|author=Schmelzer, Randi|work=Adweek|date=January 9, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>
* '''2006–2011''' - Microsoft logo as of 2006–2011, with the slogan ''"Your potential. Our passion."''<ref name="potentialpassion1"/>
* '''2011–2012''' - Logo by Microsoft with the slogan ''"Be what's next."''<ref name="2010logo"/>
* '''2012–present''' - Introduced on August 23, 2012, to symbolize the "world of digital motion" and Microsoft's "diverse portfolio of products".<ref name="newlogo">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx|title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look|work=Microsoft|date=August 2012|accessdate= August 23, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portalbar|Microsoft|Xbox|Information technology|Companies|Seattle}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
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{{Navbox
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|bodyclass = hlist
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*[[History of Microsoft|History]]
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|group1 = [[Board of directors]]
|list1 =
* [[Steve Ballmer]]
* [[Dina Dublon]]
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* [[David Marquardt]]
* [[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)
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* [[Helmut Panke]]
* [[John W. Thompson]] (Chairman)

|group2 = Chief officers
|list2 =
*[[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)
*[[Amy Hood]] (CFO)
*[[Craig Mundie]] (CRSO)
*[[B. Kevin Turner|Kevin Turner]] (COO)

|group3 = Senior Leaders
|list3 =
*[[Tony Bates]]
*[[Lisa Brummel]]
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*[[Mark Penn]]
*[[Tami Reller]]
*[[Harry Shum]]

|group4 = Presidents and VPs
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*[[S. Somasegar]] (SVP)

| group5 = Product families
| list5 =
* [[List of Microsoft operating systems|Operating systems]]
** [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
** [[Windows Phone]]
* [[List of Microsoft software applications|Software]]
** [[Microsoft Office|Office]]
** [[Microsoft Servers|Servers]]
** [[Skype]]
** [[Microsoft Visual Studio|Visual Studio]]
* [[Microsoft Hardware|Hardware]]
** [[Xbox]]
** [[Microsoft Surface|Surface]]

| group6 = Web properties
| list6 =
*[[MSN]]
*[[Bing]]
*[[Outlook.com]]
*[[SkyDrive]]
* [[Microsoft Developer Network|MSDN]]
* [[Microsoft TechNet|TechNet]]

| group7 = Conferences
| list7 =
* [[Build (conference)|Build]]
* [[MIX (Microsoft)|MIX]]
* [[Professional Developers Conference|PDC]]
* [[TechEd]]
* [[Windows Hardware Engineering Conference|WinHEC]]

| group8 = [[Criticism of Microsoft|Criticism]]
| list8 =
* [[Bundling of Microsoft Windows]]
* [[iLoo#Reaction|iLoo]]
* [[Internet Explorer#Security vulnerabilities|Internet Explorer]]
* [[_NSAKEY]]
* [[Criticism of Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
** [[Windows 9x#Disadvantages|9x]]
** [[Windows 2000#Security criticisms|2000]]
** [[Windows ME#Criticism|ME]]
** [[Criticism of Windows XP|XP]]
** [[Criticism of Windows Vista|Vista]]
* [[Xbox 360 technical problems|Xbox 360]]

| group9 = [[Microsoft litigation|Litigation]]
| list9 =
* ''[[Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft Corp.|Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft]]''
* [[Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp.|''Apple v. Microsoft'']]
* [[European Union Microsoft competition case]]
* ''[[Microsoft Corp. v. Lindows.com, Inc.|Microsoft v. Lindows]]''
* ''[[Microsoft vs. MikeRoweSoft]]''
* ''[[Microsoft Corp. v. Shah|Microsoft v. Shah]]''
* [[United States v. Microsoft Corp.|''United States v. Microsoft'']]

| group10 = [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|Acquisitions]]
| list10 =
*[[Altamira Software]]
*[[aQuantive]]
*[[Microsoft Amalga|Azyxxi]]
*[[Blue Ribbon Soundworks]]
*[[Bungie]]
*[[Calista Technologies]]
*[[Colloquis]]
*[[Connectix]]
*[[Consumers Software]]
*[[Danger (company)|Danger]]
*[[Bing Travel|Farecast]]
*[[FASA Studio]]
*[[Fast Search & Transfer]]
*[[Firefly (website)|Firefly]]
*[[Forethought, Inc.|Forethought]]
*[[GIANT Company Software]]
*[[Groove Networks]]
*[[Outlook.com|Hotmail]]
*[[Jellyfish.com]]
*[[LinkExchange]]
*[[Lionhead Studios]]
*[[Massive Incorporated]]
*[[Windows Live Toolbar#Onfolio|Onfolio]]
*[[PlaceWare]]
*[[Powerset (company)|Powerset]]
*[[ProClarity]]
*[[Rare Ltd.|Rare]]
*[[ScreenTonic]]
*[[Skype Technologies|Skype Communications]]
*[[Teleo]]
*[[Tellme Networks]]
*[[Twisted Pixel Games]]
*[[Vermeer Technologies]]
*[[Visio Corporation]]
*[[NetShow|VXtreme]]
*[[MSN TV|WebTV Networks]]
*[[Winternals]]
*[[Yammer]]
*[[Yupi]]

| below =
*{{icon|category}} [[:Category:Microsoft|Category]]
*{{icon|commons}} [[:commons:Category:Microsoft|Commons]]
*{{Portal-inline|Microsoft|size=tiny}}

}}<noinclude>
{{documentation}}
[[Category:Microsoft-related templates]]
[[Category:Computer company templates]]
</noinclude>

Microsoft

2014-02-04T17:31:18Z

Dorsal Axe: a few tweaks

{{pp-semi|small=yes}}{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Coord|47|38|23|N|122|7|42|W|region:US_dim:540|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Microsoft Corporation
| logo = Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg
| logo_alt = Microsoft's logo, introduced in 2012 consists of a square divided into four sub-squares colored red, green, yellow and blue (clockwise)
| image = Microsoft building 17 front door.jpg
| image_caption = Front lobby entrance of building 17, one of the largest buildings on Microsoft's main campus, Redmond
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{unbulleted list|{{NASDAQ|MSFT}}|[[Dow Jones Industrial Average|Dow Jones Industrial Average Component]]|[[NASDAQ-100|NASDAQ-100 Component]]|[[S&P 500|S&P 500 Component]]}}
| industry = [[Software|Computer software]], [[Computer hardware]]
| foundation = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], [[United States|U.S.]] ({{Start date|1975|04|04}})
| founder = [[Bill Gates]], [[Paul Allen]]
| location_city = [[Microsoft Redmond Campus]], [[Redmond, Washington]]
| location_country = U.S.
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|[[John W. Thompson]] (Chairman)|[[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)|[[Bill Gates]] (founder, technology advisor)}}
| products = {{unbulleted list|[[Windows]]|[[Microsoft Office|Office]]|[[Microsoft Dynamics|Dynamics]]|[[Windows Azure|Azure]]|[[Xbox]]|[[Microsoft Surface|Surface]]|[[Bing]]|[[Skype]]|''[[List of Microsoft software applications|more...]]''}}
| revenue = {{Increase}} [[United States dollar|US$]] 77.85 billion (2013)<ref name=10K>{{cite web|date=July 18, 2013|url=http://www.microsoft.com/investor/EarningsAndFinancials/Earnings/PressReleaseAndWebcast/FY13/Q4/default.aspx|title=Earnings Release FY13 Q4|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 18, 2013}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{Increase}} US$ 26.76 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| net_income = {{Increase}} US$ 21.86 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| assets = {{Increase}} US$ 142.43 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| equity = {{Increase}} US$ 78.94 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| num_employees = 100,932 (December 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/inside_ms.aspx|title=Facts About Microsoft |publisher=Microsoft |date= |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
| subsid = [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|List of Microsoft subsidiaries]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.microsoft.com/|Microsoft.com}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/000119312511200680/d10k.htm|title=2011 Form 10-K, Microsoft Corporation|date=July 28, 2011|publisher=United States Securities and Exchange Commission|accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
}}

'''Microsoft Corporation''' is an American [[multinational corporation]] headquartered in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells [[computer software]], [[consumer electronics]] and [[personal computers]] and services. Its best known software products are the [[Microsoft Windows]] line of [[operating systems]], [[Microsoft Office]] [[office suite]], and [[Internet Explorer]] [[web browser]]. Its flagship hardware products are [[Xbox]] game console and the [[Microsoft Surface]] series of tablets. It is the [[List of the largest software companies|world's largest software maker]] measured by revenues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/global-software-top-100-edition-2011 |title=Global Software Top 100 - Edition 2011 |publisher=Softwaretop100.Org|date=23 August 2011}}</ref> It is also one of the [[List of corporations by market capitalization|world's most valuable companies]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ycharts.com/rankings/market_cap | title=Market Cap Rankings | publisher=Zacks Investment Research | work=Ycharts | date=April 8, 2012 | accessdate=April 9, 2012}}</ref>

Microsoft was founded by [[Bill Gates]] and [[Paul Allen]] on April 4, 1975 to develop and sell [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computer software)|interpreters]] for [[Altair 8800]]. It rose to dominate the [[personal computer]] [[operating system]] market with [[MS-DOS]] in the mid-1980s, followed by the [[Microsoft Windows]]. The company's 1986 [[initial public offering]], and subsequent rise in its share price, created an estimated three billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. It is considered the third most successful startup company of all time by market capitalization, revenue, growth and cultural impact.<ref name="Top 20 Startups">{{cite web|last=Hunckler|first=Matt|title=Top 20 Startups of All Time|url=http://vergestartups.com/top-20-startups-of-all-time/|publisher=Verge Startups|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> Since the 1990s, it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|made a number of corporate acquisitions]]. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired [[Skype Technologies]] for $8.5 billion in its largest acquisition to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.searchofficespace.com/blog/sos-news/microsoft-buys-skype-for-8-5-billion.html |title=Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion |publisher=The Search Office Space Blog |date=May 10, 2011 |accessdate=April 4, 2011}}</ref>

As of 2013, Microsoft is market dominant in both the [[IBM PC-compatible]] operating system and [[office software suite]] markets (the latter with [[Microsoft Office]]). The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in areas including [[Web search engine|internet search]] (with [[Bing]]), the [[video game industry]] (with the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Xbox 360]] and [[Xbox One]] consoles), the digital services market (through [[MSN]]), and mobile phones (via the [[Windows Phone]] OS). In June 2012, Microsoft entered the personal computer production market for the first time, with the launch of the [[Microsoft Surface]], a line of [[tablet computer]]s.

==History==
{{Main|History of Microsoft|History of Microsoft Windows}}

===1972–83: Founding and company beginnings===
[[File:1981BillPaul.jpg|thumb|left|[[Paul Allen]] (l.) and [[Bill Gates]] (r.) on October 19, 1981, in a sea of PCs after signing a pivotal contract. IBM called Microsoft in July 1980 inquiring about [[programming language]]s for its upcoming PC line;<ref name="Allan 2001">{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=FLabRYnGrOcC|title=A History of the Personal Computer|last=Allan|first=Roy A.|publisher=Allan Publishing|isbn=0-9689108-0-7|year=2001|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|228|date=November 2012}} after failed negotiations with another company, IBM gave Microsoft a contract to develop the OS for the new line of PCs.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft"/>]]
[[Paul Allen]] and [[Bill Gates]], childhood friends with a passion in [[computer programming]], were seeking to make a successful business utilizing their shared skills. In 1972 they founded their first company named [[Traf-O-Data]], which offered a rudimentary computer that tracked and analyzed automobile traffic data. Allen went on to pursue a degree in computer science at the University of Washington, later dropping out of school to work at Honeywell. Gates began studies at Harvard.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Company HIstory|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/microsoft-corporation-history/}}</ref> The January 1975 issue of ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' featured [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]]'s (MITS) [[Altair 8800]] [[microcomputer]]. Allen noticed that they could program a [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] for the device; after a call from Gates claiming to have a working interpreter, MITS requested a demonstration. Since they didn't actually have one, Allen worked on a [[simulation|simulator]] for the Altair while Gates developed the interpreter. Although they developed the interpreter on a simulator and not the actual device, the interpreter worked flawlessly when they demonstrated the interpreter to MITS in [[Albuquerque]], New Mexico in March 1975; MITS agreed to distribute it, marketing it as [[Altair BASIC]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|108, 112–114|date=November 2012}} They officially established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the [[Chief executive officer|CEO]].<ref name="BBCTL">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5085630.stm|title=Bill Gates: A Timeline|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=July 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Allen came up with the original name of "Micro-Soft," the combination of the words microcomputer and software, as recounted in a [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/10/02/206528/index.htm 1995 Fortune magazine article]. In August 1977 the company formed an agreement with ASCII Magazine in Japan, resulting in its first international office, "[[ASCII (company)|ASCII Microsoft]]".<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n8/192_Kay_Nishi_bridges_the_cul.php|title=Kay Nishi bridges the cultural gap|author=Staples, Betsy|journal=Creative Computing|volume=10|issue=8|page=192|date=August 1984|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref> The company moved to a new home in [[Bellevue, Washington]] in January 1979.<ref name="BBCTL" />

Microsoft entered the OS business in 1980 with its own version of [[Unix]], called [[Xenix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|title=Under The Hood: Part 8|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901182630/http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|archivedate=September 11, 2006|work=Computer Source|author=Dyar, Dafydd Neal|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> However, it was [[MS-DOS]] that solidified the company's dominance. After negotiations with [[Digital Research]] failed, [[International Business Machines|IBM]] awarded a contract to Microsoft in November 1980 to provide a version of the [[CP/M]] OS, which was set to be used in the upcoming [[IBM Personal Computer]] (IBM PC).<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k9xS6t4ibxoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Engines+that+move+markets:+technology+investing+from+railroads+to+the&hl=en&ei=BJThTfsoiK3yA4bgoJQH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=november%201980&f=false |title=Engines that move markets |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> For this deal, Microsoft purchased a CP/M clone called [[86-DOS]] from [[Seattle Computer Products]], branding it as MS-DOS, which IBM rebranded to [[PC DOS]]. Following the release of the IBM PC in August 1981, Microsoft retained ownership of MS-DOS. Since IBM [[copyright]]ed the IBM PC [[BIOS]], other companies had to [[Reverse engineering|reverse engineer]] it in order for non-IBM hardware to run as [[IBM PC compatible]]s, but no such restriction applied to the operating systems. Due to various factors, such as MS-DOS's available software selection, Microsoft eventually became the leading PC operating systems vendor.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft">{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company|volume=6|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0603/09r03/09r03.asp&guid=|title=Microsoft to Microsoft disk operating system (MS-DOS)|date=March 2002|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Blaxill Eckardt 2009">{{Cite journal|url=http://books.google.com/?id=JO6kA0hebJIC&pg=PA210&lpg=PA210&dq=%22columbia+data+products%22+clone+bios&q=%22columbia%20data%20products%22%20clone%20bios|title=The Invisible Edge: Taking Your Strategy to the Next Level Using Intellectual Property|last=Blaxill|first=Mark|last2=Eckardt|first2=Ralph|publisher=Portfolio Hardcover|isbn=1-59184-237-9|date=March 5, 2009|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|210|date=November 2012}} The company expanded into new markets with the release of the ''Microsoft Mouse'' in 1983, as well as a publishing division named [[Microsoft Press]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|232|date=November 2012}} Paul Allen resigned from Microsoft in February after developing [[Hodgkin's lymphoma|Hodgkin's disease]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|231|date=November 2012}}

===1984–94: Windows and Office===
While jointly developing a new OS with IBM in 1984, [[OS/2]], Microsoft released [[Microsoft Windows]], a graphical extension for MS-DOS, on November 20, 1985.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|242–243, 246|date=November 2012}} Microsoft moved its headquarters to Redmond on February 26, 1986, and on March 13 the company went [[public company|public]];<ref name="CBSCHRON">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/06/16/in_depth_business/timeline1720211.shtml|title=Microsoft Chronology|work=CBS News|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}</ref> the ensuing rise in the stock would make an estimated four billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees.<ref name="stockrich">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/business/yourmoney/29millionaire.html?ex=1275019200&en=de3d71cbbb7e06f8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss|title=The Microsoft Millionaires Come of Age|author=Bick, Julie|date=May 29, 2005|work=The New York Times|accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Due to the partnership with IBM, in 1990 the [[Federal Trade Commission]] set its eye on Microsoft for possible [[collusion]]; it marked the beginning of over a decade of legal clashes with the U.S. Government.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2002/11/35212|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: Timeline|work=Wired|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft announced the release of its version of OS/2 to [[original equipment manufacturer]]s (OEMs) on April 2, 1987;<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|243–244|date=November 2012}} meanwhile, the company was at work on a [[32-bit]] OS, [[Microsoft Windows NT]], using ideas from OS/2; it shipped on July 21, 1993, with a new [[modular programming|modular]] [[kernel (computing)|kernel]] and the [[Windows API|Win32]] [[application programming interface]] (API), making [[porting]] from [[16-bit]] (MS-DOS-based) Windows easier. Once Microsoft informed IBM of NT, the OS/2 partnership deteriorated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp|title=Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=winsupersite.com|publisher=Penton Media|date=January 24, 2003|accessdate=July 15, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604082534/http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp |archivedate=June 4, 2010}}</ref>

In 1990, Microsoft introduced its office suite, [[Microsoft Office]]. The software bundled separate office productivity applications, such as [[Microsoft Word]] and [[Microsoft Excel]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|301|date=November 2012}} On May 22 Microsoft launched [[Windows 3.0]] with a streamlined [[user interface]] graphics and improved [[protected mode]] capability for the [[Intel 80386|Intel 386]] processor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itproportal.com/2010/05/22/microsoft-windows-30-20-years-today/|title=Microsoft Windows 3.0 Is 20 Years Old Today!!!|work=ITProPortal|author=Athow, Desire|date=May 22, 2010|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Both Office and Windows became dominant in their respective areas.<ref name="1993-2001 market share">{{cite news|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1159610,00.asp|title=Windows 98 Put to the Test (OS Market Share 1993–2001)|work=PC Magazine|date=August 1, 1998|accessdate=July 3, 2010|first=Michael|last=Miller}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/18462/a_peek_at_office_upgrade.html |title=A Peek at Office Upgrade |work=PCWorld |date=September 13, 2000 |author=McCracken, Harry |accessdate=July 4, 2006}}</ref> [[Novell]], a Word competitor from 1984–1986, filed a lawsuit years later claiming that Microsoft left part of its APIs undocumented in order to gain a competitive advantage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3435371/Novell-Files-WordPerfect-Suit-Against-Microsoft.htm|work=internetnews.com|title=Novell Files WordPerfect Suit Against Microsoft|author=Waner, Jim|date=November 12, 2004|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref>

On July 27, 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division filed a Competitive Impact Statement that said, in part:
"Beginning in 1988, and continuing until July 15, 1994, Microsoft induced many OEMs to execute anti-competitive "per processor" licenses. Under a per processor license, an OEM pays Microsoft a royalty for each computer it sells containing a particular microprocessor, whether the OEM sells the computer with a Microsoft operating system or a non-Microsoft operating system. In effect, the royalty payment to Microsoft when no Microsoft product is being used acts as a penalty, or tax, on the OEM's use of a competing PC operating system. Since 1988, Microsoft's use of per processor licenses has increased."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f0000/0045.htm |title=Competitive Impact Statement : U.S. v. Microsoft Corporation |publisher=Justice.gov |date= |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

===1995–2005: Internet and the 32-bit era===
[[File:Bill Gates - United States v. Microsoft.jpg|thumb|Bill Gates giving his deposition in 1998 for the [[United States v. Microsoft]] trial. Once the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] 1993 took over from the Federal Trade Commission, a protracted legal wrangling between Microsoft and the department ensued, resulting in various settlements and possible blocked mergers. Microsoft would point to companies such as [[Time Warner|AOL-Time Warner]] in its defense.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ"/>]]

Following Bill Gates's internal "Internet Tidal Wave memo" on May 26, 1995, Microsoft began to redefine its offerings and expand its product line into [[computer network]]ing and the [[World Wide Web]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/2009-1032-995681.html|title=Victor: Software empire pays high price|author=Borland, John|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=April 15, 2003|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released [[Windows 95]] on August 24, 1995, featuring [[pre-emptive multitasking]], a completely new user interface with a novel [[Start menu|start button]], and 32-bit compatibility; similar to NT, it provided the Win32 API.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company |volume=4|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/95win/95win02/95win02.asp&guid=|title=New And Improved|author=Cope, Jim|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Pietrek 1996">{{Cite journal|url=http://cs.mipt.ru/docs/comp/eng/os/win32/win95_sys_progr_secr/main.pdf|title=Windows 95 Programming Secrets|last=Pietrek|first=Matt|publisher=IDG|isbn=1-56884-318-6|format=PDF|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|20|date=November 2012}} Windows 95 came bundled with the [[online service]] [[MSN]], and for OEMs [[Internet Explorer]], a [[web browser]]. Internet Explorer was not bundled with the retail Windows 95 boxes because the boxes were printed before the team finished the web browser, and instead was included in the Windows 95 Plus! pack.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/msn_inside_01.asp|title=MSN: The Inside Story|work=winsupersite.com|author=Thurrott, Paul|publisher=Penton Media|date=May 31, 2005|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Branching out into new markets in 1996, Microsoft and [[NBC Universal]] created a new [[24/7]] cable news station, [[MSNBC]].<ref name="APM-NewsArchives">{{cite web|url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|title=Marketplace: News Archives|work=Marketplace|publisher=American Public Media|date=July 15, 1996|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040823174040/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|archivedate=August 23, 2004}}</ref> Microsoft created [[Windows CE 1.0]], a new OS designed for devices with low memory and other constraints, such as [[personal digital assistant]]s.<ref name="cehistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/windowsce/|author=Tilly, Chris|title=The History of Microsoft Windows CE|work=HPC:Factor|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In October 1997, the Justice Department filed a motion in the Federal [[United States district court|District Court]], stating that Microsoft violated an agreement signed in 1994 and asked the court to stop the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|323–324|date=November 2012}}

Bill Gates handed over the CEO position on January 13, 2000, to [[Steve Ballmer]], an old college friend of Gates and employee of the company since 1980, creating a new position for himself as Chief [[Software architect|Software Architect]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|111, 228|date=November 2012}}<ref name="BBCTL" /> Various companies including Microsoft formed the [[Trusted Computing Group|Trusted Computing Platform Alliance]] in October 1999 to, among other things, increase security and protect [[intellectual property]] through identifying changes in hardware and software. Critics decry the alliance as a way to enforce indiscriminate restrictions over how consumers use software, and over how computers behave, a form of [[digital rights management]]; for example the scenario where a computer is not only secured for its owner, but also secured against its owner as well.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/20/technology/20CODE.html?pagewanted=1|title=Fears of Misuse of Encryption System Are Voiced|work=The New York Times|author=Markoff, John|date=June 20, 2002|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~fms27/papers/2003-stajano-shifting.pdf|author=Stajano, Frank|title=Security for whom? The shifting security assumptions of pervasive computing|series=Lecture notes in computer science|journal=Software Security—Theories and Systems|volume=2609|pages=16–27|publisher=Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg|year=2003|accessdate=July 6, 2010|doi=10.1007/3-540-36532-X_2|isbn=978-3-540-00708-1}}</ref> On April 3, 2000, a judgment was handed down in the case of ''[[United States v. Microsoft]]'',<ref name="usvms">{{cite web |title=United States v. Microsoft |url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/ms_index.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |accessdate=August 5, 2005 }}</ref> calling the company an "abusive monopoly";<ref name="findingsoffact">{{cite web|author=Jackson, Thomas Penfield|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm |title=U.S. vs. Microsoft findings of fact |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=November 5, 1999 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> it settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2004.<ref name="CBSCHRON"/> On October 25, 2001, Microsoft released [[Windows XP]], unifying the mainstream and NT lines under the NT codebase.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-xp2/wininfo-short-takes-windows-xp-launch-special-edition.aspx|title=WinInfo Short Takes: Windows XP Launch Special Edition|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=Windows IT Pro|publisher=Penton Media|date=October 26, 2001|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] later that year, entering the [[game console]] market dominated by [[Sony]] and [[Nintendo]].<ref name="BizWire-2001Ent">{{cite news|title=NPD Reports Annual 2001 U.S. Interactive Entertainment Sales Shatter Industry Record|work=Business Wire|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=February 7, 2002|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Feb_7/ai_82604922|accessdate=March 31, 2007}}</ref> In March 2004 the [[European Union]] brought [[European Union Microsoft antitrust case|antitrust legal action against the company]], citing it abused its dominance with the Windows OS, resulting in a judgment of €497{{nbsp}}million ($613{{nbsp}}million) and to produce new versions of Windows XP without [[Windows Media Player]], Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N.<ref name="CNN-MSfine">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060413082435/http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archivedate=April 13, 2006|title=Microsoft hit by record EU fine|work=CNN|date=March 25, 2004|accessdate=August 14, 2010}}</ref><ref name="euantitrust">{{cite web |title=Commission Decision of 24.03.2004 relating to a proceeding under Article 82 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/C-3/37.792 Microsoft)|publisher=Commission of the European Communities |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:62004A0201:EN:NOT |date=April 21, 2004 |accessdate=August 5, 2005 |format=PDF}}</ref>

===2006–10: Windows Vista, mobile, and Windows 7===
[[File:Steve Ballmer - MIX 2008.jpg|thumb|CEO [[Steve Ballmer]] at the [[MIX (Microsoft)|MIX]] event in 2008. In an interview about his management style in 2005, he mentioned that his first priority was to get the people he [[delegate]]s to in order. Ballmer also emphasized the need to continue pursuing new technologies even if initial attempts fail, citing the original attempts with Windows as an example.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steve Ballmer on management style|url=http://www.itworld.com/051109ballmerinterview|work=ITWorld|agency=CIO Asia|publisher=[[IDG]]|date=November 10, 2005|first=Gerald |last=Wee|accessdate=January 29, 2011}}</ref>]]

Released in January 2007, the next version of Windows, [[Windows Vista]], focused on features, security, and a redesigned user interface dubbed [[Windows Aero|Aero]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/windows-vista-ultimate/4505-3672_7-32013603.html|title=Windows Vista Ultimate review|date=January 23, 2007|accessdate=April 4, 2012|last=Vamosi |first=Robert|work=[[CNET]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref><ref name="gatesrsa">{{cite web| url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/180201580|title=Gates Says Security Is Job One For Vista| date = February 14, 2006| accessdate =April 4, 2012|author=Ricadela, Aaron| work= [[InformationWeek]]| publisher = UBM TechWeb}}</ref> [[Microsoft Office 2007]], released at the same time, featured a "[[Ribbon (computing)|Ribbon]]" user interface which was a significant departure from its predecessors. Relatively strong sales of both titles helped to produce a record profit in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/vista-gives-microsoft-view-of-record-profit-1-1316524|title=Vista gives Microsoft view of record profit|work=Edinburgh Evening News|date=April 27, 2007|publisher=[[Johnston Press]]|accessdate=February 1, 2009}}</ref> The European Union imposed another fine of €899{{nbsp}}million ($1.4{{nbsp}}billion) for Microsoft's lack of compliance with the March 2004 judgment on February 27, 2008, saying that the company charged rivals unreasonable prices for key information about its [[Microsoft SQL Server|workgroup]] and [[Microsoft BackOffice Server|backoffice]] servers. Microsoft stated that it was in compliance and that "these fines are about the past issues that have been resolved".<ref name="msft_eufine_2008">{{cite news|title=AFP:EU hits Microsoft with record 899 million euro antitrust fine|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iozBXlp2nzuVxnMx_SwmtKvi7C-w|agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]|work=[[Google News]]|publisher=[[Google]]|date=February 27, 2008|accessdate=June 1, 2008}}</ref>

2007 also saw the creation of a multi-core unit at Microsoft, as they followed in the steps of server companies such as Sun and IBM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.serverwatch.com/trends/article.php/3657451/Microsoft-Multicore-and-the-Data-Center.htm|title=Microsoft, Multi-core and the Data Center}}</ref>

Bill Gates retired from his role as Chief Software Architect on June 27, 2008, while retaining other positions related to the company in addition to being an advisor for the company on key projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1977363,00.asp|title=Bill Gates Announces Resignation|authorlink=Natali Morris|author=Conte, Natali Del|work=[[PC Magazine]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> [[Azure Services Platform]], the company's entry into the [[cloud computing]] market for Windows, launched on October 27, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/microsoft-launches-windows-azure/|title=Microsoft launches Windows Azure|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=October 27, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> On February 12, 2009, Microsoft announced its intent to open a chain of Microsoft-branded retail stores, and on October 22, 2009, the first retail [[Microsoft Store]] opened in [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], Arizona; the same day the first store opened, [[Windows 7]] was officially released to the public. Windows 7's focus was on refining Vista with ease of use features and performance enhancements, rather than a large reworking of Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10163206-56.html|title=Microsoft follows Apple into the retail business|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=February 12, 2009|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/10/22/us-microsoft-store-idUSTRE59L5E220091022|title=Long lines as Microsoft opens retail store|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|author=Gaynor, Tim|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33429899/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/|title=Windows 7 operating system makes its debut|work=[[NBCNews.com]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]|agency=Associated Press|author=Mintz, Jessica|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref>

As the smartphone industry boomed beginning in 2007, Microsoft struggled to keep up with its rivals [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and [[Google]] in providing a modern smartphone operating system. As a result, in 2010, Microsoft revamped their aging flagship mobile operating system, [[Windows Mobile]], replacing it with the new [[Windows Phone]] OS; along with a new strategy in the smartphone industry that has Microsoft working more closely with smartphone manufacturers, such as [[Nokia]], and to provide a consistent user experience across all smartphones using Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. It used a new user interface design language, codenamed "Metro", which prominently used simple shapes, typography and iconography, and the concept of minimalism.

Microsoft is a founding member of the [[Open Networking Foundation]] started on March 23, 2011. Other founding companies include [[Google]], [[HP Networking]], [[Yahoo]], [[Verizon]], [[Deutsche Telekom]] and 17 other companies. The nonprofit organization is focused on providing support for a new [[cloud computing]] initiative called Software-Defined Networking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.openflow.org/wp/2011/03/open-networking-foundation-formed-to-speed-network-innovation/ |title=Open Networking Foundation News Release|first=David |last=Erickson |work=Openflow.org |date=March 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> The initiative is meant to speed innovation through simple software changes in telecommunications networks, wireless networks, data centers and other networking areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/380663/google_other_titans_form_open_networking_foundation/?fp=4&fpid=78268965 |title="Google and other titans form Open Networking Foundation." Noyes, March 23, 2011 |work=[[Computerworld]] |publisher=[[IDG]]|date=March 23, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref>

===2011–present: Rebranding, Windows 8, and Surface===
[[File:Windows 8 Start UI.svg|thumb|General design principle behind [[Start screen]] in [[Windows 8]], [[Windows Phone]], [[Xbox One]]]]
[[File:Microsoft Surface (black).jpg|thumb|[[Microsoft Surface]] tablet]]

Following the release of [[Windows Phone]], Microsoft underwent a gradual [[rebranding]] of its product range throughout 2011 and 2012—the corporation's logos, products, services, and websites adopted the principles and concepts of the [[Metro (design language)|Metro design language]].<ref name="WindowsPhone7UI">{{cite web|url= http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/archive/2010/03/18/windows-phone-7-series-ui-design-amp-interaction-guide.aspx| title= Windows Phone 7 Series UI Design & Interaction Guide|accessdate= 2010-10-09|date= March 18, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft previewed [[Windows 8]], an operating system designed to power both personal computers and [[tablet computer]]s, in Taipei in June 2011.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/info-tech/article3479381.ece | title=Microsoft releases final test version of Windows 8 |work=[[Business Line]] |publisher=Kasturi & Sons | date=June 1, 2012|accessdate=August 4, 2012}}</ref> A developer preview was released on September 13, and was replaced by a consumer preview on February 29, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/05/businessinsider-microsoft-spills-beans-on--at-ces-2011-1.DTL |title=OK, So Windows 8 Is Coming To ARM Tablets...Someday (MSFT) |newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |first=Matt |last=Rosoff |date=January 5, 2011 |accessdate=January 5, 2011}}</ref> On May 31, 2012, the preview version was released.

On June 18, 2012, Microsoft announced the [[Microsoft Surface]], the first computer in the company's history to have its hardware made by Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sullivan |first=Mark |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/257840/microsoft_announces_new_surface_tablet_pc.html |title=Microsoft Announces New 'Surface' Tablet PC |publisher=PCWorld |date= |accessdate=June 19, 2012}}</ref><ref name="VF2012" /> On June 25, Microsoft announced that it was paying US$1.2 billion to buy the social network [[Yammer]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft buys Internet startup Yammer for $1.2 billion|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-06-25/microsoft-yammer-aquisition/55811172/1|work=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|first=Byron|last=Acohido|date=June 25, 2012|accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> On July 31, 2012, Microsoft launched the [[Outlook.com]] [[Webmail|webmail service]] to compete with [[Gmail]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-live/outlookcom-mail-microsoft-reimagines-webmail-143877 |title=Outlook.com Mail: Microsoft Reimagines Webmail |first= Paul |last= Thurrott |authorlink= Paul Thurrott |date=31 July 2012 |work= Supersite for Windows |publisher= [[Penton Media]] |accessdate=1 August 2012}}</ref> On September 4, 2012, Microsoft released [[Windows Server 2012]].<ref name="MSofficialRTM">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/new.aspx | title=Windows Server 2012 "Save the Date" Announcement | date=8 August 2012| author=Microsoft Corp.}}</ref> On October 1, Microsoft announced its intention to launch a news operation, part of a new-look [[MSN]], at the time of the Windows 8 launch that was later in the month.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/01/us-microsoft-msn-idUSBRE8900WN20121001|title=Microsoft launching news operation, new MSN|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref> On October 26, 2012, Microsoft launched Windows 8 and the [[Microsoft Surface]].<ref name="VF2012">Eichenwald, Kurt, [http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2012/08/microsoft-lost-mojo-steve-ballmer "Microsoft's Lost Decade: How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo"], ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', August 2012</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8s-delivery-date-october-26-7000001158/|title=Windows 8's delivery date: October 26|newspaper=ZDNet|date=July 18, 2012|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref> Three days later, [[Windows Phone 8]] was launched.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveside.net/2012/08/30/mary-jo-foley-windows-phone-8-launch-dates-revealed/ |title=Mary Jo Foley: Windows Phone 8 launch date revealed |publisher=LiveSide.net |date=2012-08-30 |accessdate=2012-11-27}}</ref> To cope with the potential for an increase in demand for products and services, Microsoft opened a number of "holiday stores" across the U.S. to complement the increasing number of "bricks-and-mortar" Microsoft Stores that opened in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-prepping-everything-complete-brand-and-product-relaunch|title=Microsoft prepping for complete brand and product line relaunch, New York store coming the 26th|publisher=wpcentral.com|accessdate=November 3, 2012}}</ref>

On March 29, 2013, Microsoft launched a Patent Tracker.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/03/28/microsoft-launches-patent-tracker-to-help-you-search-its-library-of-intellectual-property/ | title=Microsoft launches 'Patent Tracker' to help you search its library of intellectual property | work=The Next Web | date=March 28, 2013 | accessdate=March 29, 2013}}</ref> The [[Kinect]] sensor device was upgraded for the 2013 release of the eighth-generation [[Xbox One]] and its capabilities were revealed in May 2013. The new Kinect uses an ultra-wide 1080p camera, it can function in the dark due to an infrared sensor, it employs higher-end processing power and new software, it can distinguish between fine movements (such as a thumb movements), and the device can determine a user's heart rate by looking at his/her face.<ref>{{cite web|title=The all-seeing Kinect: tracking my face, arms, body, and heart on the Xbox One|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4353232/kinect-xbox-one-hands-on/in/4116279|work=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media, Inc|accessdate=28 May 2013|author=David Pierce|date=21 May 2013}}</ref> Microsoft filed a patent application in 2011 that suggests that the corporation may use the Kinect camera system to monitor the behavior of television viewers as part of a plan to make the viewing experience more active.On July 19, 2013, Microsoft stocks suffered its biggest one-day percentage sell-off since the year 2000 after its fourth-quarter report raised concerns among the investors on the poor showings of both Windows 8 and the Surface tablet; with more than 11 percentage points declining Microsoft suffered a loss of more than USD 32billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57594612-75/funky-friday-more-than-$32-billion-in-microsoft-stock-value-wiped-out/|title=Funky Friday: More than $32 billion in Microsoft stock value wiped out | Microsoft - CNET News|publisher=News.cnet.com|accessdate=2013-07-21}}</ref> For the 2010 [[fiscal year]], Microsoft had five product divisions: Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division, Microsoft Business Division, and Entertainment and Devices Division.

<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional" style=text-align:center; margin:auto;">
File:Xbox One console and controller at Gamescom 2013.jpg|[[Xbox One]] console
File:Xbox-360-Kinect-Standalone.png|[[Kinect]] controller
</gallery>

On September 3, 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy [[Nokia]]'s mobile unit for $7 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4688530/microsoft-buys-nokias-devices-and-services-unit-unites-windows-phone/in/4453001|title=Microsoft buying Nokia's phone business in a $7.2 billion bid for its mobile future}}</ref> Also in 2013, [[Amy Hood]] became the CFO of Microsoft.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/us-microsoft-cfo-idUSBRE94711Q20130508 Microsoft names insider Amy Hood as CFO]</ref>

The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) was launched in October 2013 and Microsoft is part of the coalition of public and private organizations that also includes [[Facebook]], [[Intel]] and [[Google]]. Led by [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the A4AI seeks to make Internet access more affordable so that access is broadened in the developing world, where only 31% of people are online. Google will help to decrease internet access prices so that they fall below the UN Broadband Commission's worldwide target of 5% of monthly income.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Google lead coalition for cheaper internet|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/google-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=51918&et_rid=7107573&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2ftechnology%2f2013%2foct%2f07%2fgoogle-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa|accessdate=8 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 October 2013|author=Samuel Gibbs}}</ref>

In line with the maturing PC business, in July 2013 Microsoft announced to reorganize the business into 4 new business divisions by function: Operating System, Apps, Cloud and Devices. All previous divisions will be diluted into new divisions without any workforce cut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/microsofts-sweeping-reorganization-shifts-focus-services-devices/2013-07-11 |title=Microsoft's sweeping reorganization shifts focus to services, devices |date=July 11, 2013}}</ref>

In August 2013, [[Steve Ballmer]] announced he would resign as [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Microsoft within twelve months.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within 12 months|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/aug13/08-23AnnouncementPR.aspx}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Satya Nadella]] on February 4, 2014, who previously led Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise division. On the same day, it was announced that [[John W. Thompson]] will take on the role of chairman, with Bill Gates stepping down from the position to become more active within the company as Technology Advisor.<ref>http://www.nbcnews.com/business/microsoft-names-satya-nadella-ceo-2D12054182</ref>

==Businesses==

===Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division===
The company's Client division produces the flagship Windows OS line such as Windows 8; it also produces the [[Windows Live]] family of products and services. Server and Tools produces the server versions of Windows, such as [[Windows Server 2008 R2]] as well as a set of development tools called [[Microsoft Visual Studio]], [[Microsoft Silverlight]], a web application framework, and [[System Center Configuration Manager]], a collection of tools providing remote-control abilities, patch management, software distribution and a hardware/software inventory. Other server products include: [[Microsoft SQL Server]], a [[relational database]] management system, [[Microsoft Exchange Server]], for certain business-oriented [[e-mail]] and scheduling features, [[Windows Small Business Server|Small Business Server]], for messaging and other small business-oriented features; and [[Microsoft BizTalk Server]], for [[business process management]].

Microsoft provides [[information technology consulting|IT consulting]] ("Microsoft Consulting Services") and produces a set of certification programs handled by the Server and Tools division designed to recognize individuals who have a minimal set of proficiencies in a specific role; this includes developers ([[Microsoft Certified Professional|"Microsoft Certified Solution Developer"]]), system/network analysts ([[MCSE|"Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"]]), trainers ("[[Microsoft Certified Professional|Microsoft Certified Trainers]]") and administrators ("[[Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator]]" and [[MCDBA|"Microsoft Certified Database Administrator"]]). [[Microsoft Press]], which publishes books, is also managed by the division. The Online Services Business division handles the online service [[MSN]] and the search engine [[Bing]]. As of December 2009, the company also possesses an 18% ownership of the [[cable news]] channel [[MSNBC]] without any editorial control; however, the division develops the channel's website, [[msnbc.com]], in a [[joint venture]] with the channel's co-owner, [[NBC Universal]].<ref name="MSNBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/business/media/24msnbc.html|title=Microsoft Quits MSNBC TV, but Web Partnership Remains|work=The New York Times|author=Carter, Bill|date=December 24, 2005|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref>

===Business Division===
[[File:The Microsoft Commons.jpg|thumb|The Commons, located on the campus of the company's headquarters in Redmond]]

The Microsoft Business Division produces [[Microsoft Office]] including [[Microsoft Office 2010]], the company's line of office software. The software product includes [[Microsoft Office Word|Word]] (a word processor), [[Microsoft Access|Access]] (a [[relational database]] program), [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]] (a [[spreadsheet]] program), [[Microsoft Office Outlook|Outlook]] ([[collaborative software|Groupware]], frequently used with [[Microsoft Exchange Server|Exchange Server]]), [[Microsoft PowerPoint|PowerPoint]] (presentation software), [[Microsoft Publisher|Publisher]] ([[desktop publishing software]]) and [[Microsoft Sharepoint|Sharepoint]]. A number of other products were added later with the release of Office 2003 including [[Microsoft Visio|Visio]], [[Microsoft Project|Project]], [[Microsoft MapPoint|MapPoint]], [[Microsoft InfoPath|InfoPath]] and [[Microsoft Office OneNote|OneNote]]. The division also develops [[enterprise resource planning]] (ERP) software for companies under the [[Microsoft Dynamics]] brand. These include: [[Microsoft Dynamics AX]], [[Microsoft Dynamics NAV]], [[Microsoft Dynamics GP]], and [[Microsoft Dynamics SL]]. They are targeted at varying company types and countries, and limited to organizations with under 7,500 employees.<ref name="MS Dynamics Lineup">{{cite news|url=http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/samples/49-samples/743-four-products-advance-on-dynamics-erp-roadmap.html|work=Directions on Microsoft|title=Four Products Advance on Dynamics ERP Roadmap|date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Also included under the Dynamics brand is the [[customer relationship management]] software [[Microsoft Dynamics CRM]], part of the [[Azure Services Platform]].

===Entertainment and Devices Division===
The Entertainment and Devices Division produces the [[Windows CE]] OS for [[embedded system]]s and [[Windows Phone]] for [[smartphone]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20015314-85.html|title=Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7 to manufacturers|author=Cha, Bonnie|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=September 1, 2010|accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft initially entered the mobile market through Windows CE for [[handheld device]]s, eventually developing into the [[Windows Mobile]] OS and now, Windows Phone. Windows CE is designed for devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user, in particular, appliances and cars. The division also produces [[computer games]] that run on Windows PCs and other systems including titles such as [[Age of Empires]], [[Halo (video game series)|Halo]] and the [[Microsoft Flight Simulator]] series, and houses the [[Macintosh Business Unit]] which produces [[Mac OS]] software including [[Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac]]. Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division designs, markets, and manufactures [[consumer electronics]] including the [[Xbox 360]] game console, the handheld [[Zune]] media player, and the television-based [[Internet appliance]] [[MSN TV]]. Microsoft also markets [[personal computer hardware]] including [[computer mouse|mice]], [[Computer keyboard|keyboards]], and various [[game controller]]s such as [[joystick]]s and [[gamepad]]s.

==Culture==

Technical reference for developers and articles for various Microsoft magazines such as ''Microsoft Systems Journal'' (MSJ) are available through the [[Microsoft Developer Network]] (MSDN). MSDN also offers subscriptions for companies and individuals, and the more expensive subscriptions usually offer access to pre-release beta versions of Microsoft software.<ref name="MSDN-SubscribeFAQ">{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ms123402.aspx?missingurl=%2fsubscriptions%2ffaq%2fdefault.aspx |publisher=Microsoft|title=MSDN Subscription FAQ |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref><ref name="MSJ-home">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/msj/|title=Microsoft Systems Journal Homepage |publisher=Microsoft|date=April 15, 2004|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In April 2004 Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, titled [[Channel9]], that provides a [[wiki]] and an [[Internet forum]].<ref name="Hobson">{{cite news|author=Hobson, Neville|url=http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2005/04/11/microsofts-channel-and-cultural-rules |title=Microsoft's Channel 9 And Cultural Rules |work=WebProNews |publisher=iEntry Inc |date=April 11, 2005 |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Another community site that provides daily [[videocast]]s and other services, On10.net, launched on March 3, 2006.<ref name="On10-home">{{cite web|url=http://www.On10.net|title=On10.net homepage|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=May 4, 2006}}</ref> Free technical support is traditionally provided through online [[Usenet]] newsgroups, and [[CompuServe]] in the past, monitored by Microsoft employees; there can be several newsgroups for a single product. Helpful people can be elected by peers or Microsoft employees for [[Microsoft Most Valuable Professional]] (MVP) status, which entitles them to a sort of special social status and possibilities for awards and other benefits.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/06/13/somehow_usenet_lumbers_on/|title=Somehow, Usenet lumbers on|author=Bray, Hiawatha|date=June 13, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2006|work=The Boston Globe}} * {{cite web|url=http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs|title=Microsoft MVP Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Noted for its internal [[lexicon]], the expression [[eat one's own dog food|"eating our own dog food"]] is used to describe the policy of using pre-release and beta versions of products inside Microsoft in an effort to test them in "real-world" situations.<ref name="dogfood">{{cite news|title=Microsoft tests its own dog food|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108214545/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archivedate=January 8, 2007|author=CNET News.com Staff|work=ZDNet|publisher=CNET Networks, Inc.|date=July 21, 2003| accessdate=October 9, 2005}}</ref> This is usually shortened to just "dog food" and is used as noun, verb, and adjective. Another bit of [[jargon]], [[FYIFV]] or FYIV ("Fuck You, I'm [Fully] Vested"), is used by an employee to indicate they are [[financial independence|financially independent]] and can avoid work anytime they wish.<ref>{{cite news|author=Heileman, John|title=The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html|work=Wired|date=November 2000|accessdate=September 30, 2007}}</ref> The company is also known for its hiring process, mimicked in other organizations and dubbed the "[[Microsoft interview]]", which is notorious for off-the-wall questions such as "Why is a [[manhole cover]] round?".<ref name="manhole">{{cite news| url=http://g4tv.com/screensavers/features/6282/square_manhole_covers_and_crazy_questions.html|title=Square Manhole Covers and Crazy Questions|work=G4TV.com|author=Poundstone, William|date=May 21, 2003|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Microsoft is an outspoken opponent of the cap on [[H1B visa]]s, which allow companies in the U.S. to employ certain foreign workers. Bill Gates claims the cap on H1B visas makes it difficult to hire employees for the company, stating "I'd certainly get rid of the H1B cap" in 2005.<ref name="MarkRoy">{{cite news |url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3500986 |title=Gates Rakes Congress on H1B Visa Cap|author=Mark, Roy|work=internetnews.com|date=April 27, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Critics of H1B visas argue that relaxing the limits would result in increased unemployment for U.S. citizens due to H1B workers working for lower salaries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88154016|title=
Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers|work=NPR|date=March 12, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> The [[Human Rights Campaign]] Corporate Equality Index, a report of how progressive the organization deems company policies towards [[LGBT]] (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) employees, rated Microsoft as 87% from 2002 to 2004 and as 100% from 2005 to 2010 after they allowed gender expression.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corporate Equality Index Archive|url=http://www.hrc.org/about_us/7115.htm|publisher=Human Rights Campaign Foundation|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>

==Criticism==
{{main|Criticism of Microsoft}}
[[File:VistaParty3-cropped.jpg|thumb|[[BadVista]] and [[Defective by Design]] groups protest against [[Windows Vista]]]]

Criticism of Microsoft has followed the company's existence because of various aspects of its products and business practices. [[Ease of use]], [[wikt:stability|stability]], and [[computer security|security]] of the company's software are common targets for critics. More recently, [[Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horses]] and other exploits have plagued numerous users due to faults in the security of Microsoft Windows and other programs. Microsoft is also accused of locking vendors into their products, and not following and complying with existing standards in its software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/04/25/writing_history_with_microsofts_office/|title=Writing history with Microsoft's Office lock-in}}</ref> [[Total cost of ownership]] comparisons of [[Linux]] as well as [[Mac OS X|OS X]] to Windows are a continuous point of debate.

The company has been in numerous [[lawsuits]] by several governments and other companies for unlawful monopolistic practices. In 2004, the [[European Union]] found Microsoft guilty in a highly publicized [[anti-trust]] case. Additionally, Microsoft's [[EULA]] for some of its programs is often criticized as being too restrictive as well as being against [[open source]] software.

Microsoft has been criticized (along with [[Yahoo]], [[AOL]], [[Google]] and others) for its involvement in [[censorship in the People's Republic of China]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/china0806/ | title=Corporate Complicity in Chinese Internet Censorship | accessdate=2006-11-23}}</ref> Microsoft has also come under criticism for [[Offshoring|outsourcing jobs]] to China and [[India]].<ref>"[http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/whos-buying-microsofts-outsourcing-excuses-390 Who's buying Microsoft's outsourcing excuses?]". ''[[InfoWorld]]''. April 22, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002468560_msftgoogle03.html Microsoft plans to outsource more, says ex-worker]". ''The Seattle Times''. September 3, 2005.</ref><ref>"[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2004/06/17/2003175447 High-end tech jobs outsourced by Microsoft]". ''[[Taipei Times]]''. June 17, 2004.</ref> There were reports of poor working conditions at a factory in southern [[China]] that makes some of Microsoft's products.<ref>"[http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16146955 Microsoft Investigates 'Mass Suicide Threat']". ''[[Sky News]]''. January 11, 2012</ref>

==Corporate affairs==
The company is run by a [[board of directors]] made up of mostly company outsiders, as is customary for publicly traded companies. Members of the board of directors as of June 2010 are: Steve Ballmer, [[Dina Dublon]], [[Bill Gates]], [[Raymond Gilmartin]], [[Reed Hastings]], [[Maria Klawe]], [[David Marquardt]], [[Charles Noski]], and [[Helmut Panke]].<ref name="MSPR-Board">{{cite press release |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/bod/bod.aspx|title=Microsoft Board of Directors|work=PressPass|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Board members are elected every year at the annual shareholders' meeting using a majority vote system. There are five committees within the board which oversee more specific matters. These committees include the Audit Committee, which handles accounting issues with the company including auditing and reporting; the Compensation Committee, which approves compensation for the CEO and other employees of the company; the Finance Committee, which handles financial matters such as proposing mergers and acquisitions; the Governance and Nominating Committee, which handles various corporate matters including nomination of the board; and the Antitrust Compliance Committee, which attempts to prevent company practices from violating [[antitrust]] laws.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines|url=http://www.microsoft.com/about/companyinformation/corporategovernance/guidelines.mspx |publisher=Microsoft|date=July 1, 2009|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Microsoft 5-Year Stock History.svg|350px|thumb|right|Five year history graph of {{NASDAQ|MSFT}} stock on July 17, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=MSFT&page=quotesearch|title=Five year history graph of (NASDAQ:MSFT) stock|work=ZenoBank|publisher=AlphaTrade|date=September 29, 2009|accessdate=September 29, 2009}}</ref>]]

When Microsoft went public and launched its [[Initial Public Offering|initial public offering (IPO)]] in 1986, the opening [[stock]] price was $21; after the [[trading day]], the price closed at $27.75. As of July 2010, with the company's nine [[stock split]]s, any IPO [[share (finance)|shares]] would be multiplied by 288; if one was to buy the IPO today given the splits and other factors, it would cost about 9{{nbsp}}cents.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|235–236|date=November 2012}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/102018.asp|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=March 14, 1986|title=Microsoft stock is red hot on first trading day|author=Monkman, Carol Smith|page=B9|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref><ref name="MSSTOCK">{{cite web|url=http://performance.morningstar.com/stock/performance-return.action?p=dividend_split_page&t=MSFT&region=USA&culture=en-US&s=SPYZ|title=MSFT stock performance and split info|publisher=Morningstar, Inc.|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> The stock price peaked in 1999 at around $119 ($60.928 adjusting for splits).<ref name="stocksheet">{{cite web |title=Microsoft stock price spreadsheet from Microsoft investor relations |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/a/7/da7e8eca-4410-4475-a211-03327408b655/msftpricehist.xls|format=xls|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> The company began to offer a [[dividend]] on January 16, 2003, starting at eight cents per share for the fiscal year followed by a dividend of sixteen cents per share the subsequent year, switching from yearly to quarterly dividends in 2005 with eight cents a share per quarter and a [[special dividend|special one-time payout]] of three dollars per share for the second quarter of the fiscal year.<ref name="stocksheet" /><ref name="dividendfaq">{{cite web|title=Dividend Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/FAQ/dividend.mspx|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Though the company had subsequent increases in dividend payouts, the price of Microsoft's stock remained steady for years.<ref name="dividendfaq" /><ref name="Yahoo-MSFTchart">{{cite web |title=Yahoo MSFT stock chart |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=my |publisher=Yahoo Finance |accessdate=December 13, 2008 }} * {{cite web|title=MSN Money MSFT chart with dividend and split info|url=http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/chartdl.aspx?Symbol=MSFT&C8=2005&CE=0&C5=10&C6=2005&C7=10&D9=1&C9=2&D0=1&CF=1&D4=1&D5=0&D3=0&ShowChtBt=Refresh+Chart&CP=0&PT=9|work=MSN Money|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=December 13, 2008}} * {{cite news|author=Fried, Ina; Ard, Scott|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-148474.html?tag=st.prev|title=Gates stepping down from full-time Microsoft role, page 2|work=ZDNet|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

One of Microsoft's business tactics, described by an executive as "[[embrace, extend and extinguish]]," initially embraces a competing standard or product, then extends it to produce their own version which is then incompatible with the standard, which in time extinguishes competition that does not or cannot use Microsoft's new version.<ref name="eee">{{cite news|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-100925.html|title=Intel exec: MS wanted to 'extend, embrace and extinguish' competition|author=Rodger, Will|work=ZDNet|date=November 8, 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref> Various companies and governments sue Microsoft over this set of tactics, resulting in billions of dollars in rulings against the company.<ref name="Orlowski2004-03-05">{{cite press release |url=http://www.burst.com/new/newsevents/pressrelease007.htm |title=Microsoft Corp. Licenses Burst.com Patents & Settles Suit |publisher=Burst.com Inc. |date=March 11, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/05/eolas_web_patent_nullified/ |title=Eolas' web patent nullified|author=Orlowski, Andrew|work=The Register|publisher=Situation Publishing Ltd|date=March 5, 2004|accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|author=Dennis, Tony|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529141141/http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears|archivedate=May 29, 2008|title=Sendo & Microsoft – it all ends in tears |date=December 24, 2002 |work=TheInquirer.net |accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/12/07/HNmicrosoftfined_1.html|title=Update: Microsoft fined $32M by South Korea|author=Nystedt, Dan|publisher=IDG News Service|date=December 7, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="usvms"/><ref name="euantitrust"/> Microsoft claims that the original strategy is not anti-competitive, but rather an exercise of its discretion to implement features it believes customers want.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning%20Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: We're Defending Our Right to Innovate|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117094549/http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning+Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|archivedate=November 17, 2007|date=May 20, 1998|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=March 31, 2006}}</ref>

===Financial===
[[Standard and Poor's]] and [[Moody's]] have both given a AAA rating to Microsoft, whose assets were valued at $41 billion as compared to only $8.5 billion in unsecured debt. Consequently, in February 2011 Microsoft released a corporate bond amounting to $2.25 billion with relatively low borrowing rates compared to [[government bonds]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/04/us-microsoft-bonds-idUSTRE7128EZ20110204|title=Microsoft sells $2.25 billion of debt at low rates|publisher=Reuters | date=February 4, 2011}}</ref>

For the first time in 20 years [[Apple Inc.]] surpassed Microsoft in Q1 2011 quarterly profits and revenues due to a slowdown in PC sales and continuing huge losses in Microsoft's Online Services Division (which contains its search engine [[Bing]]). Microsoft profits were $5.2 billion, while Apple Inc. profits were $6 billion, on revenues of $14.5 billion and $24.7 billion respectively.<ref>{{cite news|author=Charles Arthur |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/apr/28/microsoft-falls-behind-apple |title=Microsoft falls behind Apple for first time in 20 years | Technology |publisher=The Guardian |date= April 28, 2011|accessdate=May 11, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>

Microsoft's Online Services Division has been continuously loss-making since 2006 and in Q1 2011 it lost $726 million. This follows a loss of $2.5 billion for the year 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=MG Siegler Apr 29, 2011 |url=http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/29/microsoft-internet-bloodbath/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29 |title=When Will Microsoft's Internet Bloodbath End? |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=April 29, 2011 |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

On July 20, 2012, Microsoft posted its first quarterly loss ever, despite earning record revenues for the quarter and fiscal year, with a net loss of $492 million due to a [[writedown]] related to the advertising company [[aQuantive]], which had been acquired for $6.2 billion back in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Martha|title=Microsoft reports first quarterly loss ever|url=http://marketday.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/19/12837611-microsoft-reports-first-quarterly-loss-ever?lite|accessdate=20 July 2012}}</ref>

As of January 2014, Microsoft's market capitalization stands at $314B,<ref name="Marketwatch MSFT">{{cite web|title=Microsoft Overview|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/msft/|publisher=Marketwatch|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> making it the 8th largest company in the world by market capitalization.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Top 100 Companies|url=http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/audit-services/capital-market/publications/top100-market-capitalisation.jhtml|publisher=PWC|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

===Environment===
In 2011, [[Greenpeace]] released a report rating the top ten big brands in cloud computing on their sources of electricity for their data centers. At the time, data centers consumed up to 2% of all global electricity and this amount was projected to increase. [[Phil Radford]] of Greenpeace said "we are concerned that this new explosion in electricity use could lock us into old, polluting energy sources instead of the clean energy available today,"<ref name="Dirty Data Report Card">{{cite web |publisher=[[Greenpeace]] |url= http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf|title=Dirty Data Report Card|accessdate=August 22, 2013}}</ref> and called on "Amazon, Microsoft and other leaders of the information-technology industry must embrace clean energy to power their cloud-based data centers."<ref>[http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2018176038_guest10radford.html, "Amazon, Microsoft: Let's keep 'the cloud' clean"], Phil Radford</ref> In 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy power generated by a Texas wind project to power one of its data centers.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/04/microsoft-wind-powered-data-centre, "Microsoft looks to boost eco credentials with wind-powered data centre"], Suzanne Goldenberg</ref>

Microsoft is ranked on the 17th place in [[Greenpeace]]'s Guide to Greener Electronics (16th Edition) that ranks 18 electronics manufacturers according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change.<ref name="Greenpeace International">{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/cool-it/Guide-to-Greener-Electronics/Previous-Edition-October-2010/ |title=Guide to Greener Electronics – Greenpeace International (16th Edition)| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=April 3, 2012}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>
Microsoft's timeline for phasing out [[brominated flame retardant|BFRs]] and phthalates in all products is 2012 but its commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear. As yet (January 2011) it has no products that are completely free from PVC and BFRs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/toxics/2010/version16/Ranking%20tables%20Oct%202010-Microsoft.pdf |title=Ranking tables October 2010 – Greenpeace International| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

Microsoft's main U.S. campus received a silver certification from the [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] (LEED) program in 2008, and it installed over 2,000 solar panels on top of its buildings in its Silicon Valley campus, generating approximately 15 percent of the total energy needed by the facilities in April 2005.<ref name="news1">{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-vs.-Google-Whos-greener/2100-1022_3-6080297.html?tag=mncol;txt|title=Microsoft vs. Google: Who's greener?|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|author=Mills, Elinor|date=June 6, 2008|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft makes use of alternative forms of transit. It created one of the worlds largest private bus systems, the "Connector", to transport people from outside the company; for on-campus transportation, the "Shuttle Connect" uses a large fleet of hybrid cars to save fuel. The company also subsidises regional [[public transport]] as an incentive.<ref name="news1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|title=Fostering Alternative Ways to Commute at Microsoft|publisher=Microsoft|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501154211/http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|archivedate=May 1, 2008}}</ref> In February 2010 however, Microsoft took a stance against adding additional public transport and [[high-occupancy vehicle lane|high-occupancy vehicle]] (HOV) lanes to a bridge connecting Redmond to Seattle; the company did not want to delay the construction any further.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.king5.com/news/Microsofts-big-520-advertisement-85031317.html|work=King5 Television News|title=Seattle hires consultant to look at 520 bridge plan|date=February 23, 2010|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft was ranked number 1 in the list of the World's Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2016631709_microsoft_named_best_multinational_workplace_by_gr.html |title=Microsoft Pri0 | Microsoft named best multinational workplace |publisher=Seattle Times Newspaper |date= October 28, 2011|accessdate=November 3, 2011 |first=Janet I. |last=Tu}}</ref>

===Marketing===
In 2004, Microsoft commissioned research firms to do independent studies comparing the [[total cost of ownership]] (TCO) of [[Windows Server 2003]] to [[Linux]]; the firms concluded that companies found Windows easier to administrate than Linux, thus those using Windows would administrate faster resulting in lower costs for their company (i.e. lower TCO).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/business/158237_msftresearch27.html|title=Studies on Linux help their patron: Microsoft|author=Bishop, Todd|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=January 27, 2004|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> This spurred a wave of related studies; a study by the [[Yankee Group]] concluded that upgrading from one version of Windows Server to another costs a fraction of the [[switching barriers|switching costs]] from Windows Server to Linux, although companies surveyed noted the increased security and reliability of Linux servers and concern about being locked into using Microsoft products.<ref name="Foley">{{cite news |url=http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/yankee_independently_pits_windows_tco_vs_linux_tco.html|title=Yankee Independently Pits Windows TCO vs. Linux TCO |author=Foley, Mary Jo|work=eWeek |date=March 24, 2004 |accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> Another study, released by the [[Open Source Development Labs]], claimed that the Microsoft studies were "simply outdated and one-sided" and their survey concluded that the TCO of Linux was lower due to Linux administrators managing more servers on average and other reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150210/linux-fans-hit-back-microsoft |title=Linux fans hit back at Microsoft TCO claims|author=Jaques, Robert|work=vnunet.com|date=February 13, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

As part of the "Get the Facts" campaign, Microsoft highlighted the [[.NET framework|.NET]] trading platform that it had developed in partnership with [[Accenture]] for the [[London Stock Exchange]], claiming that it provided "[[High availability|five nines]]" reliability. After suffering extended downtime and unreliability<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/4676369/Seven-hour-LSE-blackout-caused-by-double-glitch.html|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|title=Seven-hour LSE blackout caused by double glitch|author=Rowena Mason|date=September 10, 2008|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8380607.stm|title=London Stock Exchange trading hit by technical glitch|date=November 26, 2009}}</ref> the LSE announced in 2009 that it was planning to drop its Microsoft solution and switch to a Linux based one in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ITWire|url=http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/the-linux-distillery/28359-london-stock-exchange-gets-the-facts-and-dumps-windows-for-linux|title=London Stock Exchange gets the facts and dumps Windows for Linux|author=David M. Williams|date=October 8, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Slashdot]]|url=http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/10/06/1742203/London-Stock-Exchange-Rejects-NET-For-Open-Source|title=London Stock Exchange Rejects .NET For Open Source|date=October 6, 2009}}</ref>

In 2012, Microsoft hired a political pollster named Mark Penn, whom the New York Times called "famous for bulldozing" his political opponents <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/technology/microsoft-battles-google-by-hiring-political-brawler-mark-penn.html?_r=0</ref> as Executive Vice-President, Advertising and Strategy. Penn created a series of negative ads targeting one of Microsoft's chief competitors, [[Google]]. The ads, called "[[Scroogled]]", attempt to make the case the Google is "screwing" consumers with search results rigged to favor Google's paid advertisers, that [[GMail]] violates the privacy of its users to place ad results related to the content of their emails and shopping results which favor Google products. Tech publications like Tech Crunch have been highly critical of the ad campaign,<ref>http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/10/scroogled-why-so-negative-microsoft/</ref> while Google employees have embraced it.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/11/21/googlers-love-microsofts-scroogled-gear-mug-and-shirts-sell-out/</ref>

===Cooperation with the United States Government===
Microsoft provides information about reported bugs in their software to intelligence agencies of the United States government, prior to the public release of the fix. A Microsoft spokesperson has stated that the corporation runs several programs that facilitate the sharing of such information with the U.S. government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-14/u-s-agencies-said-to-swap-data-with-thousands-of-firms.html|title=U.S. Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms}}</ref>

Following media reports about [[PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM]], NSA's massive electronic [[Mass surveillance|surveillance program]], in May 2013, several technology companies were identified as participants, including Microsoft.<ref>{{cite news| author = Ryan W. Neal | title=Snowden Reveals Microsoft PRISM Cooperation: Helped NSA Decrypt Emails, Chats, Skype Conversations|url = http://www.ibtimes.com/snowden-reveals-microsoft-prism-cooperation-helped-nsa-decrypt-emails-chats-skype-conversations|work=[[International Business Times]]|date=July 11, 2013}}</ref> However, in June 2013, an official statement from Microsoft read:

<blockquote>
We provide customer data only when we receive a legally binding order or subpoena to do so, and never on a voluntary basis. In addition we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers. If the government has a broader voluntary national security program to gather customer data, we don't participate in it.<ref>{{cite news| author = Johnson, Kevin; Martin, Scott; O'Donnell, Jayne; Winter, Michael | title=Reports: NSA Siphons Data from 9 Major Net Firms|url = http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/06/06/nsa-surveillance-internet-companies/2398345/|accessdate=June 6, 2013|work=[[USA Today]]|date=June 15, 2013}}</ref></blockquote>

===Logo===
Microsoft adopted the so-called "''[[Pac-Man]]'' Logo", designed by Scott Baker, in 1987. Baker stated "The new logo, in [[Helvetica]] italic typeface, has a slash between the ''o'' and ''s'' to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed."<ref>{{Cite journal|work=Computer Reseller News Magazine|date=March 1987}}</ref> Dave Norris ran an internal joke campaign to save the old logo, which was green, in all uppercase, and featured a fanciful letter ''O'', nicknamed the ''blibbet'', but it was discarded.<ref name="Osterman2005-07-14">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/07/14/438777.aspx|title=Remember the blibbet|work=Larry Osterman's WebLog|publisher=Microsoft|author=Osterman, Larry|date=July 14, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Microsoft's logo with the "''Your potential. Our passion.''" tagline below the main corporate name, is based on a slogan Microsoft used in 2008. In 2002, the company started using the logo in the United States and eventually started a TV campaign with the slogan, changed from the previous tagline of ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]".''<ref name="wherego1" /><ref name="potentialpassion1" /><ref name="Reimer">{{cite news |url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060123-6031.html|title=Microsoft set to launch new marketing campaign|work=Ars Technica|publisher=Condé Nast Digital|author=Reimer, Jeremy|date=January 23, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> During the private MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) conference in 2010, Microsoft unveiled the company's next tagline, ''"Be What's Next."''.<ref name="2010logo">{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-microsoft-brand-logos-company-tagline-revealed-at-mgx-event/|title=New Microsoft brand logos, company tagline revealed at MGX event? (update: no new logos, tagline is a go)|first=Joshua|last=Topolsky|authorlink=Joshua Topolsky|work=[[Engadget]]|publisher=[[AOL]]|date=July 22, 2010|accessdate=August 2, 2012}}</ref>

On August 23, 2012, Microsoft unveiled a new corporate logo at the opening of its 23rd Microsoft store in Boston indicating the company's shift of focus from the classic style to the tile-centric modern interface which it uses/will use on the Windows Phone platform, Xbox 360, Windows 8 and the upcoming Office Suites.<ref>{{cite web|last=Meisner |first=Jeffrey |url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx |title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look |publisher=The Official Microsoft Blog |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> The new logo also includes four squares with the colors of the then-current Windows logo.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eric |first=Steven H. |url=http://flapship.com/new-microsoft-logo-revealed/ |title=NEW MICROSOFT LOGO REVEALED |publisher=Flapship.com |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> However this logo is not completely new - it was featured in [[Windows 95]] commercials from the mid-1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsofts-new-logo-has-ties-past|title=Microsoft's new logo has ties to the past}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft039s-logo-is-not-new-it039s-from-1995|title=Microsoft's logo is not new, it's from 1995}}</ref>

{{center|
<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional">
File:Microsoft - Where do you want to go today.svg|1987
File:Microsoft logo & slogan.svg|2006–2011
File:Microsoft logo & slogan 2011-2012.svg|2011–2012
File:Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg|2012–present
</gallery>
}}

* '''1987''' - Microsoft "[[Pac-Man]]" logo, designed by Scott Baker and used from 1987 to 2012 with the 1994–2002 slogan ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]"''.<ref name="wherego1">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/redmond.html|title=The Rise and Rise of the Redmond Empire|work=Wired|date=December 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="potentialpassion1">{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/mccann-thinks-local-global-microsoft-83426|title=McCann Thinks Local for Global Microsoft|author=Schmelzer, Randi|work=Adweek|date=January 9, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>
* '''2006–2011''' - Microsoft logo as of 2006–2011, with the slogan ''"Your potential. Our passion."''<ref name="potentialpassion1"/>
* '''2011–2012''' - Logo by Microsoft with the slogan ''"Be what's next."''<ref name="2010logo"/>
* '''2012–present''' - Introduced on August 23, 2012, to symbolize the "world of digital motion" and Microsoft's "diverse portfolio of products".<ref name="newlogo">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx|title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look|work=Microsoft|date=August 2012|accessdate= August 23, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portalbar|Microsoft|Xbox|Information technology|Companies|Seattle}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
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* {{Official blog|http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/}}

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Microsoft

2014-02-04T17:11:43Z

Dorsal Axe: MoS and fix for template

{{pp-semi|small=yes}}{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Coord|47|38|23|N|122|7|42|W|region:US_dim:540|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Microsoft Corporation
| logo = Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg
| logo_alt = Microsoft's logo, introduced in 2012 consists of a square divided into four sub-squares colored red, green, yellow and blue (clockwise)
| image = Microsoft building 17 front door.jpg
| image_caption = Front lobby entrance of building 17, one of the largest buildings on Microsoft's main campus, Redmond
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{unbulleted list|{{NASDAQ|MSFT}}|[[Dow Jones Industrial Average|Dow Jones Industrial Average Component]]|[[NASDAQ-100|NASDAQ-100 Component]]|[[S&P 500|S&P 500 Component]]}}
| industry = [[Software|Computer software]], [[Computer hardware]]
| foundation = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], [[United States|U.S.]] ({{Start date|1975|04|04}})
| founder = [[Bill Gates]], [[Paul Allen]]
| location_city = [[Microsoft Redmond Campus]], [[Redmond, Washington]]
| location_country = U.S.
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|[[John W. Thompson]] (Chairman)|[[Satya Nadella]] (CEO)|Bill Gates (Founder & Technology Advisor)}}
| products = {{unbulleted list|[[Windows]]|[[Microsoft Office|Office]]|[[Microsoft Dynamics|Dynamics]]|[[Windows Azure|Azure]]|[[Xbox]]|[[Microsoft Surface|Surface]]|[[Bing]]|[[Skype]]|''[[List of Microsoft software applications|more...]]''}}
| revenue = {{Increase}} [[United States dollar|US$]] 77.85 billion (2013)<ref name=10K>{{cite web|date=July 18, 2013|url=http://www.microsoft.com/investor/EarningsAndFinancials/Earnings/PressReleaseAndWebcast/FY13/Q4/default.aspx|title=Earnings Release FY13 Q4|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 18, 2013}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{Increase}} US$ 26.76 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| net_income = {{Increase}} US$ 21.86 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| assets = {{Increase}} US$ 142.43 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| equity = {{Increase}} US$ 78.94 billion (2013)<ref name=10K/>
| num_employees = 100,932 (December 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/inside_ms.aspx|title=Facts About Microsoft |publisher=Microsoft |date= |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
| subsid = [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|List of Microsoft subsidiaries]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.microsoft.com/|Microsoft.com}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/000119312511200680/d10k.htm|title=2011 Form 10-K, Microsoft Corporation|date=July 28, 2011|publisher=United States Securities and Exchange Commission|accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
}}

'''Microsoft Corporation''' is an American [[multinational corporation]] headquartered in [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells [[computer software]], [[consumer electronics]] and [[personal computers]] and services. Its best known software products are the [[Microsoft Windows]] line of [[operating systems]], [[Microsoft Office]] [[office suite]], and [[Internet Explorer]] [[web browser]]. Its flagship hardware products are [[Xbox]] game console and the [[Microsoft Surface]] series of tablets. It is the [[List of the largest software companies|world's largest software maker]] measured by revenues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.softwaretop100.org/global-software-top-100-edition-2011 |title=Global Software Top 100 - Edition 2011 |publisher=Softwaretop100.Org|date=23 August 2011}}</ref> It is also one of the [[List of corporations by market capitalization|world's most valuable companies]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ycharts.com/rankings/market_cap | title=Market Cap Rankings | publisher=Zacks Investment Research | work=Ycharts | date=April 8, 2012 | accessdate=April 9, 2012}}</ref>

Microsoft was founded by [[Bill Gates]] and [[Paul Allen]] on April 4, 1975 to develop and sell [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computer software)|interpreters]] for [[Altair 8800]]. It rose to dominate the [[personal computer]] [[operating system]] market with [[MS-DOS]] in the mid-1980s, followed by the [[Microsoft Windows]]. The company's 1986 [[initial public offering]], and subsequent rise in its share price, created an estimated three billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. It is considered the third most successful startup company of all time by market capitalization, revenue, growth and cultural impact.<ref name="Top 20 Startups">{{cite web|last=Hunckler|first=Matt|title=Top 20 Startups of All Time|url=http://vergestartups.com/top-20-startups-of-all-time/|publisher=Verge Startups|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> Since the 1990s, it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft|made a number of corporate acquisitions]]. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired [[Skype Technologies]] for $8.5 billion in its largest acquisition to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.searchofficespace.com/blog/sos-news/microsoft-buys-skype-for-8-5-billion.html |title=Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion |publisher=The Search Office Space Blog |date=May 10, 2011 |accessdate=April 4, 2011}}</ref>

As of 2013, Microsoft is market dominant in both the [[IBM PC-compatible]] operating system and [[office software suite]] markets (the latter with [[Microsoft Office]]). The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in areas including [[Web search engine|internet search]] (with [[Bing]]), the [[video game industry]] (with the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Xbox 360]] and [[Xbox One]] consoles), the digital services market (through [[MSN]]), and mobile phones (via the [[Windows Phone]] OS). In June 2012, Microsoft entered the personal computer production market for the first time, with the launch of the [[Microsoft Surface]], a line of [[tablet computer]]s.

==History==
{{Main|History of Microsoft|History of Microsoft Windows}}

===1972–83: Founding and company beginnings===
[[File:1981BillPaul.jpg|thumb|left|[[Paul Allen]] (l.) and [[Bill Gates]] (r.) on October 19, 1981, in a sea of PCs after signing a pivotal contract. IBM called Microsoft in July 1980 inquiring about [[programming language]]s for its upcoming PC line;<ref name="Allan 2001">{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=FLabRYnGrOcC|title=A History of the Personal Computer|last=Allan|first=Roy A.|publisher=Allan Publishing|isbn=0-9689108-0-7|year=2001|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|228|date=November 2012}} after failed negotiations with another company, IBM gave Microsoft a contract to develop the OS for the new line of PCs.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft"/>]]
[[Paul Allen]] and [[Bill Gates]], childhood friends with a passion in [[computer programming]], were seeking to make a successful business utilizing their shared skills. In 1972 they founded their first company named [[Traf-O-Data]], which offered a rudimentary computer that tracked and analyzed automobile traffic data. Allen went on to pursue a degree in computer science at the University of Washington, later dropping out of school to work at Honeywell. Gates began studies at Harvard.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Company HIstory|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/microsoft-corporation-history/}}</ref> The January 1975 issue of ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' featured [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]]'s (MITS) [[Altair 8800]] [[microcomputer]]. Allen noticed that they could program a [[BASIC]] [[interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] for the device; after a call from Gates claiming to have a working interpreter, MITS requested a demonstration. Since they didn't actually have one, Allen worked on a [[simulation|simulator]] for the Altair while Gates developed the interpreter. Although they developed the interpreter on a simulator and not the actual device, the interpreter worked flawlessly when they demonstrated the interpreter to MITS in [[Albuquerque]], New Mexico in March 1975; MITS agreed to distribute it, marketing it as [[Altair BASIC]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|108, 112–114|date=November 2012}} They officially established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the [[Chief executive officer|CEO]].<ref name="BBCTL">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5085630.stm|title=Bill Gates: A Timeline|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=July 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Allen came up with the original name of "Micro-Soft," the combination of the words microcomputer and software, as recounted in a [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/10/02/206528/index.htm 1995 Fortune magazine article]. In August 1977 the company formed an agreement with ASCII Magazine in Japan, resulting in its first international office, "[[ASCII (company)|ASCII Microsoft]]".<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n8/192_Kay_Nishi_bridges_the_cul.php|title=Kay Nishi bridges the cultural gap|author=Staples, Betsy|journal=Creative Computing|volume=10|issue=8|page=192|date=August 1984|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref> The company moved to a new home in [[Bellevue, Washington]] in January 1979.<ref name="BBCTL" />

Microsoft entered the OS business in 1980 with its own version of [[Unix]], called [[Xenix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|title=Under The Hood: Part 8|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901182630/http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695|archivedate=September 11, 2006|work=Computer Source|author=Dyar, Dafydd Neal|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> However, it was [[MS-DOS]] that solidified the company's dominance. After negotiations with [[Digital Research]] failed, [[International Business Machines|IBM]] awarded a contract to Microsoft in November 1980 to provide a version of the [[CP/M]] OS, which was set to be used in the upcoming [[IBM Personal Computer]] (IBM PC).<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k9xS6t4ibxoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Engines+that+move+markets:+technology+investing+from+railroads+to+the&hl=en&ei=BJThTfsoiK3yA4bgoJQH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=november%201980&f=false |title=Engines that move markets |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> For this deal, Microsoft purchased a CP/M clone called [[86-DOS]] from [[Seattle Computer Products]], branding it as MS-DOS, which IBM rebranded to [[PC DOS]]. Following the release of the IBM PC in August 1981, Microsoft retained ownership of MS-DOS. Since IBM [[copyright]]ed the IBM PC [[BIOS]], other companies had to [[Reverse engineering|reverse engineer]] it in order for non-IBM hardware to run as [[IBM PC compatible]]s, but no such restriction applied to the operating systems. Due to various factors, such as MS-DOS's available software selection, Microsoft eventually became the leading PC operating systems vendor.<ref name="Smart-Microsoft">{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company|volume=6|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0603/09r03/09r03.asp&guid=|title=Microsoft to Microsoft disk operating system (MS-DOS)|date=March 2002|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Blaxill Eckardt 2009">{{Cite journal|url=http://books.google.com/?id=JO6kA0hebJIC&pg=PA210&lpg=PA210&dq=%22columbia+data+products%22+clone+bios&q=%22columbia%20data%20products%22%20clone%20bios|title=The Invisible Edge: Taking Your Strategy to the Next Level Using Intellectual Property|last=Blaxill|first=Mark|last2=Eckardt|first2=Ralph|publisher=Portfolio Hardcover|isbn=1-59184-237-9|date=March 5, 2009|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|210|date=November 2012}} The company expanded into new markets with the release of the ''Microsoft Mouse'' in 1983, as well as a publishing division named [[Microsoft Press]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|232|date=November 2012}} Paul Allen resigned from Microsoft in February after developing [[Hodgkin's lymphoma|Hodgkin's disease]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|231|date=November 2012}}

===1984–94: Windows and Office===
While jointly developing a new OS with IBM in 1984, [[OS/2]], Microsoft released [[Microsoft Windows]], a graphical extension for MS-DOS, on November 20, 1985.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|242–243, 246|date=November 2012}} Microsoft moved its headquarters to Redmond on February 26, 1986, and on March 13 the company went [[public company|public]];<ref name="CBSCHRON">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/06/16/in_depth_business/timeline1720211.shtml|title=Microsoft Chronology|work=CBS News|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}</ref> the ensuing rise in the stock would make an estimated four billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees.<ref name="stockrich">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/business/yourmoney/29millionaire.html?ex=1275019200&en=de3d71cbbb7e06f8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss|title=The Microsoft Millionaires Come of Age|author=Bick, Julie|date=May 29, 2005|work=The New York Times|accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Due to the partnership with IBM, in 1990 the [[Federal Trade Commission]] set its eye on Microsoft for possible [[collusion]]; it marked the beginning of over a decade of legal clashes with the U.S. Government.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2002/11/35212|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: Timeline|work=Wired|date=November 4, 2002|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft announced the release of its version of OS/2 to [[original equipment manufacturer]]s (OEMs) on April 2, 1987;<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|243–244|date=November 2012}} meanwhile, the company was at work on a [[32-bit]] OS, [[Microsoft Windows NT]], using ideas from OS/2; it shipped on July 21, 1993, with a new [[modular programming|modular]] [[kernel (computing)|kernel]] and the [[Windows API|Win32]] [[application programming interface]] (API), making [[porting]] from [[16-bit]] (MS-DOS-based) Windows easier. Once Microsoft informed IBM of NT, the OS/2 partnership deteriorated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp|title=Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=winsupersite.com|publisher=Penton Media|date=January 24, 2003|accessdate=July 15, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604082534/http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp |archivedate=June 4, 2010}}</ref>

In 1990, Microsoft introduced its office suite, [[Microsoft Office]]. The software bundled separate office productivity applications, such as [[Microsoft Word]] and [[Microsoft Excel]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|301|date=November 2012}} On May 22 Microsoft launched [[Windows 3.0]] with a streamlined [[user interface]] graphics and improved [[protected mode]] capability for the [[Intel 80386|Intel 386]] processor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itproportal.com/2010/05/22/microsoft-windows-30-20-years-today/|title=Microsoft Windows 3.0 Is 20 Years Old Today!!!|work=ITProPortal|author=Athow, Desire|date=May 22, 2010|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Both Office and Windows became dominant in their respective areas.<ref name="1993-2001 market share">{{cite news|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1159610,00.asp|title=Windows 98 Put to the Test (OS Market Share 1993–2001)|work=PC Magazine|date=August 1, 1998|accessdate=July 3, 2010|first=Michael|last=Miller}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/18462/a_peek_at_office_upgrade.html |title=A Peek at Office Upgrade |work=PCWorld |date=September 13, 2000 |author=McCracken, Harry |accessdate=July 4, 2006}}</ref> [[Novell]], a Word competitor from 1984–1986, filed a lawsuit years later claiming that Microsoft left part of its APIs undocumented in order to gain a competitive advantage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3435371/Novell-Files-WordPerfect-Suit-Against-Microsoft.htm|work=internetnews.com|title=Novell Files WordPerfect Suit Against Microsoft|author=Waner, Jim|date=November 12, 2004|accessdate=July 15, 2010}}</ref>

On July 27, 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division filed a Competitive Impact Statement that said, in part:
"Beginning in 1988, and continuing until July 15, 1994, Microsoft induced many OEMs to execute anti-competitive "per processor" licenses. Under a per processor license, an OEM pays Microsoft a royalty for each computer it sells containing a particular microprocessor, whether the OEM sells the computer with a Microsoft operating system or a non-Microsoft operating system. In effect, the royalty payment to Microsoft when no Microsoft product is being used acts as a penalty, or tax, on the OEM's use of a competing PC operating system. Since 1988, Microsoft's use of per processor licenses has increased."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f0000/0045.htm |title=Competitive Impact Statement : U.S. v. Microsoft Corporation |publisher=Justice.gov |date= |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

===1995–2005: Internet and the 32-bit era===
[[File:Bill Gates - United States v. Microsoft.jpg|thumb|Bill Gates giving his deposition in 1998 for the [[United States v. Microsoft]] trial. Once the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] 1993 took over from the Federal Trade Commission, a protracted legal wrangling between Microsoft and the department ensued, resulting in various settlements and possible blocked mergers. Microsoft would point to companies such as [[Time Warner|AOL-Time Warner]] in its defense.<ref name="WiredUSDOJ"/>]]

Following Bill Gates's internal "Internet Tidal Wave memo" on May 26, 1995, Microsoft began to redefine its offerings and expand its product line into [[computer network]]ing and the [[World Wide Web]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/2009-1032-995681.html|title=Victor: Software empire pays high price|author=Borland, John|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=April 15, 2003|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released [[Windows 95]] on August 24, 1995, featuring [[pre-emptive multitasking]], a completely new user interface with a novel [[Start menu|start button]], and 32-bit compatibility; similar to NT, it provided the Win32 API.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Smart Computing|publisher=Sandhills Publishing Company |volume=4|issue=3|url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/95win/95win02/95win02.asp&guid=|title=New And Improved|author=Cope, Jim|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Pietrek 1996">{{Cite journal|url=http://cs.mipt.ru/docs/comp/eng/os/win32/win95_sys_progr_secr/main.pdf|title=Windows 95 Programming Secrets|last=Pietrek|first=Matt|publisher=IDG|isbn=1-56884-318-6|format=PDF|date=March 1996|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>{{rp|20|date=November 2012}} Windows 95 came bundled with the [[online service]] [[MSN]], and for OEMs [[Internet Explorer]], a [[web browser]]. Internet Explorer was not bundled with the retail Windows 95 boxes because the boxes were printed before the team finished the web browser, and instead was included in the Windows 95 Plus! pack.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/msn_inside_01.asp|title=MSN: The Inside Story|work=winsupersite.com|author=Thurrott, Paul|publisher=Penton Media|date=May 31, 2005|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Branching out into new markets in 1996, Microsoft and [[NBC Universal]] created a new [[24/7]] cable news station, [[MSNBC]].<ref name="APM-NewsArchives">{{cite web|url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|title=Marketplace: News Archives|work=Marketplace|publisher=American Public Media|date=July 15, 1996|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040823174040/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html|archivedate=August 23, 2004}}</ref> Microsoft created [[Windows CE 1.0]], a new OS designed for devices with low memory and other constraints, such as [[personal digital assistant]]s.<ref name="cehistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/windowsce/|author=Tilly, Chris|title=The History of Microsoft Windows CE|work=HPC:Factor|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In October 1997, the Justice Department filed a motion in the Federal [[United States district court|District Court]], stating that Microsoft violated an agreement signed in 1994 and asked the court to stop the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|323–324|date=November 2012}}

Bill Gates handed over the CEO position on January 13, 2000, to [[Steve Ballmer]], an old college friend of Gates and employee of the company since 1980, creating a new position for himself as Chief [[Software architect|Software Architect]].<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|111, 228|date=November 2012}}<ref name="BBCTL" /> Various companies including Microsoft formed the [[Trusted Computing Group|Trusted Computing Platform Alliance]] in October 1999 to, among other things, increase security and protect [[intellectual property]] through identifying changes in hardware and software. Critics decry the alliance as a way to enforce indiscriminate restrictions over how consumers use software, and over how computers behave, a form of [[digital rights management]]; for example the scenario where a computer is not only secured for its owner, but also secured against its owner as well.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/20/technology/20CODE.html?pagewanted=1|title=Fears of Misuse of Encryption System Are Voiced|work=The New York Times|author=Markoff, John|date=June 20, 2002|accessdate=July 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~fms27/papers/2003-stajano-shifting.pdf|author=Stajano, Frank|title=Security for whom? The shifting security assumptions of pervasive computing|series=Lecture notes in computer science|journal=Software Security—Theories and Systems|volume=2609|pages=16–27|publisher=Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg|year=2003|accessdate=July 6, 2010|doi=10.1007/3-540-36532-X_2|isbn=978-3-540-00708-1}}</ref> On April 3, 2000, a judgment was handed down in the case of ''[[United States v. Microsoft]]'',<ref name="usvms">{{cite web |title=United States v. Microsoft |url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/ms_index.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |accessdate=August 5, 2005 }}</ref> calling the company an "abusive monopoly";<ref name="findingsoffact">{{cite web|author=Jackson, Thomas Penfield|url=http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm |title=U.S. vs. Microsoft findings of fact |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=November 5, 1999 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> it settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2004.<ref name="CBSCHRON"/> On October 25, 2001, Microsoft released [[Windows XP]], unifying the mainstream and NT lines under the NT codebase.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-xp2/wininfo-short-takes-windows-xp-launch-special-edition.aspx|title=WinInfo Short Takes: Windows XP Launch Special Edition|author=Thurrott, Paul|work=Windows IT Pro|publisher=Penton Media|date=October 26, 2001|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> The company released the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] later that year, entering the [[game console]] market dominated by [[Sony]] and [[Nintendo]].<ref name="BizWire-2001Ent">{{cite news|title=NPD Reports Annual 2001 U.S. Interactive Entertainment Sales Shatter Industry Record|work=Business Wire|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=February 7, 2002|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Feb_7/ai_82604922|accessdate=March 31, 2007}}</ref> In March 2004 the [[European Union]] brought [[European Union Microsoft antitrust case|antitrust legal action against the company]], citing it abused its dominance with the Windows OS, resulting in a judgment of €497{{nbsp}}million ($613{{nbsp}}million) and to produce new versions of Windows XP without [[Windows Media Player]], Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N.<ref name="CNN-MSfine">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060413082435/http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu|archivedate=April 13, 2006|title=Microsoft hit by record EU fine|work=CNN|date=March 25, 2004|accessdate=August 14, 2010}}</ref><ref name="euantitrust">{{cite web |title=Commission Decision of 24.03.2004 relating to a proceeding under Article 82 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/C-3/37.792 Microsoft)|publisher=Commission of the European Communities |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:62004A0201:EN:NOT |date=April 21, 2004 |accessdate=August 5, 2005 |format=PDF}}</ref>

===2006–10: Windows Vista, mobile, and Windows 7===
[[File:Steve Ballmer - MIX 2008.jpg|thumb|CEO [[Steve Ballmer]] at the [[MIX (Microsoft)|MIX]] event in 2008. In an interview about his management style in 2005, he mentioned that his first priority was to get the people he [[delegate]]s to in order. Ballmer also emphasized the need to continue pursuing new technologies even if initial attempts fail, citing the original attempts with Windows as an example.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steve Ballmer on management style|url=http://www.itworld.com/051109ballmerinterview|work=ITWorld|agency=CIO Asia|publisher=[[IDG]]|date=November 10, 2005|first=Gerald |last=Wee|accessdate=January 29, 2011}}</ref>]]

Released in January 2007, the next version of Windows, [[Windows Vista]], focused on features, security, and a redesigned user interface dubbed [[Windows Aero|Aero]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/windows-vista-ultimate/4505-3672_7-32013603.html|title=Windows Vista Ultimate review|date=January 23, 2007|accessdate=April 4, 2012|last=Vamosi |first=Robert|work=[[CNET]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref><ref name="gatesrsa">{{cite web| url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/180201580|title=Gates Says Security Is Job One For Vista| date = February 14, 2006| accessdate =April 4, 2012|author=Ricadela, Aaron| work= [[InformationWeek]]| publisher = UBM TechWeb}}</ref> [[Microsoft Office 2007]], released at the same time, featured a "[[Ribbon (computing)|Ribbon]]" user interface which was a significant departure from its predecessors. Relatively strong sales of both titles helped to produce a record profit in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/vista-gives-microsoft-view-of-record-profit-1-1316524|title=Vista gives Microsoft view of record profit|work=Edinburgh Evening News|date=April 27, 2007|publisher=[[Johnston Press]]|accessdate=February 1, 2009}}</ref> The European Union imposed another fine of €899{{nbsp}}million ($1.4{{nbsp}}billion) for Microsoft's lack of compliance with the March 2004 judgment on February 27, 2008, saying that the company charged rivals unreasonable prices for key information about its [[Microsoft SQL Server|workgroup]] and [[Microsoft BackOffice Server|backoffice]] servers. Microsoft stated that it was in compliance and that "these fines are about the past issues that have been resolved".<ref name="msft_eufine_2008">{{cite news|title=AFP:EU hits Microsoft with record 899 million euro antitrust fine|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iozBXlp2nzuVxnMx_SwmtKvi7C-w|agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]|work=[[Google News]]|publisher=[[Google]]|date=February 27, 2008|accessdate=June 1, 2008}}</ref>

2007 also saw the creation of a multi-core unit at Microsoft, as they followed in the steps of server companies such as Sun and IBM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.serverwatch.com/trends/article.php/3657451/Microsoft-Multicore-and-the-Data-Center.htm|title=Microsoft, Multi-core and the Data Center}}</ref>

Bill Gates retired from his role as Chief Software Architect on June 27, 2008, while retaining other positions related to the company in addition to being an advisor for the company on key projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1977363,00.asp|title=Bill Gates Announces Resignation|authorlink=Natali Morris|author=Conte, Natali Del|work=[[PC Magazine]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> [[Azure Services Platform]], the company's entry into the [[cloud computing]] market for Windows, launched on October 27, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/microsoft-launches-windows-azure/|title=Microsoft launches Windows Azure|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=October 27, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> On February 12, 2009, Microsoft announced its intent to open a chain of Microsoft-branded retail stores, and on October 22, 2009, the first retail [[Microsoft Store]] opened in [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], Arizona; the same day the first store opened, [[Windows 7]] was officially released to the public. Windows 7's focus was on refining Vista with ease of use features and performance enhancements, rather than a large reworking of Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10163206-56.html|title=Microsoft follows Apple into the retail business|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|date=February 12, 2009|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/10/22/us-microsoft-store-idUSTRE59L5E220091022|title=Long lines as Microsoft opens retail store|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|author=Gaynor, Tim|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33429899/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/|title=Windows 7 operating system makes its debut|work=[[NBCNews.com]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]|agency=Associated Press|author=Mintz, Jessica|date=October 22, 2009|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref>

As the smartphone industry boomed beginning in 2007, Microsoft struggled to keep up with its rivals [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and [[Google]] in providing a modern smartphone operating system. As a result, in 2010, Microsoft revamped their aging flagship mobile operating system, [[Windows Mobile]], replacing it with the new [[Windows Phone]] OS; along with a new strategy in the smartphone industry that has Microsoft working more closely with smartphone manufacturers, such as [[Nokia]], and to provide a consistent user experience across all smartphones using Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. It used a new user interface design language, codenamed "Metro", which prominently used simple shapes, typography and iconography, and the concept of minimalism.

Microsoft is a founding member of the [[Open Networking Foundation]] started on March 23, 2011. Other founding companies include [[Google]], [[HP Networking]], [[Yahoo]], [[Verizon]], [[Deutsche Telekom]] and 17 other companies. The nonprofit organization is focused on providing support for a new [[cloud computing]] initiative called Software-Defined Networking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.openflow.org/wp/2011/03/open-networking-foundation-formed-to-speed-network-innovation/ |title=Open Networking Foundation News Release|first=David |last=Erickson |work=Openflow.org |date=March 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref> The initiative is meant to speed innovation through simple software changes in telecommunications networks, wireless networks, data centers and other networking areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/380663/google_other_titans_form_open_networking_foundation/?fp=4&fpid=78268965 |title="Google and other titans form Open Networking Foundation." Noyes, March 23, 2011 |work=[[Computerworld]] |publisher=[[IDG]]|date=March 23, 2011 |accessdate=May 29, 2011}}</ref>

===2011–present: Rebranding, Windows 8, and Surface===
[[File:Windows 8 Start UI.svg|thumb|General design principle behind [[Start screen]] in [[Windows 8]], [[Windows Phone]], [[Xbox One]]]]
[[File:Microsoft Surface (black).jpg|thumb|[[Microsoft Surface]] tablet]]

Following the release of [[Windows Phone]], Microsoft underwent a gradual [[rebranding]] of its product range throughout 2011 and 2012—the corporation's logos, products, services, and websites adopted the principles and concepts of the [[Metro (design language)|Metro design language]].<ref name="WindowsPhone7UI">{{cite web|url= http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/archive/2010/03/18/windows-phone-7-series-ui-design-amp-interaction-guide.aspx| title= Windows Phone 7 Series UI Design & Interaction Guide|accessdate= 2010-10-09|date= March 18, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft previewed [[Windows 8]], an operating system designed to power both personal computers and [[tablet computer]]s, in Taipei in June 2011.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/info-tech/article3479381.ece | title=Microsoft releases final test version of Windows 8 |work=[[Business Line]] |publisher=Kasturi & Sons | date=June 1, 2012|accessdate=August 4, 2012}}</ref> A developer preview was released on September 13, and was replaced by a consumer preview on February 29, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/05/businessinsider-microsoft-spills-beans-on--at-ces-2011-1.DTL |title=OK, So Windows 8 Is Coming To ARM Tablets...Someday (MSFT) |newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |first=Matt |last=Rosoff |date=January 5, 2011 |accessdate=January 5, 2011}}</ref> On May 31, 2012, the preview version was released.

On June 18, 2012, Microsoft announced the [[Microsoft Surface]], the first computer in the company's history to have its hardware made by Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sullivan |first=Mark |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/257840/microsoft_announces_new_surface_tablet_pc.html |title=Microsoft Announces New 'Surface' Tablet PC |publisher=PCWorld |date= |accessdate=June 19, 2012}}</ref><ref name="VF2012" /> On June 25, Microsoft announced that it was paying US$1.2 billion to buy the social network [[Yammer]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft buys Internet startup Yammer for $1.2 billion|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-06-25/microsoft-yammer-aquisition/55811172/1|work=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|first=Byron|last=Acohido|date=June 25, 2012|accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> On July 31, 2012, Microsoft launched the [[Outlook.com]] [[Webmail|webmail service]] to compete with [[Gmail]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-live/outlookcom-mail-microsoft-reimagines-webmail-143877 |title=Outlook.com Mail: Microsoft Reimagines Webmail |first= Paul |last= Thurrott |authorlink= Paul Thurrott |date=31 July 2012 |work= Supersite for Windows |publisher= [[Penton Media]] |accessdate=1 August 2012}}</ref> On September 4, 2012, Microsoft released [[Windows Server 2012]].<ref name="MSofficialRTM">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/new.aspx | title=Windows Server 2012 "Save the Date" Announcement | date=8 August 2012| author=Microsoft Corp.}}</ref> On October 1, Microsoft announced its intention to launch a news operation, part of a new-look [[MSN]], at the time of the Windows 8 launch that was later in the month.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/01/us-microsoft-msn-idUSBRE8900WN20121001|title=Microsoft launching news operation, new MSN|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref> On October 26, 2012, Microsoft launched Windows 8 and the [[Microsoft Surface]].<ref name="VF2012">Eichenwald, Kurt, [http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2012/08/microsoft-lost-mojo-steve-ballmer "Microsoft's Lost Decade: How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo"], ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', August 2012</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8s-delivery-date-october-26-7000001158/|title=Windows 8's delivery date: October 26|newspaper=ZDNet|date=July 18, 2012|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref> Three days later, [[Windows Phone 8]] was launched.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveside.net/2012/08/30/mary-jo-foley-windows-phone-8-launch-dates-revealed/ |title=Mary Jo Foley: Windows Phone 8 launch date revealed |publisher=LiveSide.net |date=2012-08-30 |accessdate=2012-11-27}}</ref> To cope with the potential for an increase in demand for products and services, Microsoft opened a number of "holiday stores" across the U.S. to complement the increasing number of "bricks-and-mortar" Microsoft Stores that opened in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-prepping-everything-complete-brand-and-product-relaunch|title=Microsoft prepping for complete brand and product line relaunch, New York store coming the 26th|publisher=wpcentral.com|accessdate=November 3, 2012}}</ref>

On March 29, 2013, Microsoft launched a Patent Tracker.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/03/28/microsoft-launches-patent-tracker-to-help-you-search-its-library-of-intellectual-property/ | title=Microsoft launches 'Patent Tracker' to help you search its library of intellectual property | work=The Next Web | date=March 28, 2013 | accessdate=March 29, 2013}}</ref> The [[Kinect]] sensor device was upgraded for the 2013 release of the eighth-generation [[Xbox One]] and its capabilities were revealed in May 2013. The new Kinect uses an ultra-wide 1080p camera, it can function in the dark due to an infrared sensor, it employs higher-end processing power and new software, it can distinguish between fine movements (such as a thumb movements), and the device can determine a user's heart rate by looking at his/her face.<ref>{{cite web|title=The all-seeing Kinect: tracking my face, arms, body, and heart on the Xbox One|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4353232/kinect-xbox-one-hands-on/in/4116279|work=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media, Inc|accessdate=28 May 2013|author=David Pierce|date=21 May 2013}}</ref> Microsoft filed a patent application in 2011 that suggests that the corporation may use the Kinect camera system to monitor the behavior of television viewers as part of a plan to make the viewing experience more active.On July 19, 2013, Microsoft stocks suffered its biggest one-day percentage sell-off since the year 2000 after its fourth-quarter report raised concerns among the investors on the poor showings of both Windows 8 and the Surface tablet; with more than 11 percentage points declining Microsoft suffered a loss of more than USD 32billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57594612-75/funky-friday-more-than-$32-billion-in-microsoft-stock-value-wiped-out/|title=Funky Friday: More than $32 billion in Microsoft stock value wiped out | Microsoft - CNET News|publisher=News.cnet.com|accessdate=2013-07-21}}</ref> For the 2010 [[fiscal year]], Microsoft had five product divisions: Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division, Microsoft Business Division, and Entertainment and Devices Division.

<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional" style=text-align:center; margin:auto;">
File:Xbox One console and controller at Gamescom 2013.jpg|[[Xbox One]] console
File:Xbox-360-Kinect-Standalone.png|[[Kinect]] controller
</gallery>

On September 3, 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy [[Nokia]]'s mobile unit for $7 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4688530/microsoft-buys-nokias-devices-and-services-unit-unites-windows-phone/in/4453001|title=Microsoft buying Nokia's phone business in a $7.2 billion bid for its mobile future}}</ref> Also in 2013, [[Amy Hood]] became the CFO of Microsoft.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/us-microsoft-cfo-idUSBRE94711Q20130508 Microsoft names insider Amy Hood as CFO]</ref>

Microsoft's previous [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] was [[Steve Ballmer]], who is set to retire within twelve months after August 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within 12 months|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/aug13/08-23AnnouncementPR.aspx}}</ref>

The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) was launched in October 2013 and Microsoft is part of the coalition of public and private organizations that also includes [[Facebook]], [[Intel]] and [[Google]]. Led by [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the A4AI seeks to make Internet access more affordable so that access is broadened in the developing world, where only 31% of people are online. Google will help to decrease internet access prices so that they fall below the UN Broadband Commission's worldwide target of 5% of monthly income.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Google lead coalition for cheaper internet|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/google-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=51918&et_rid=7107573&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2ftechnology%2f2013%2foct%2f07%2fgoogle-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa|accessdate=8 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 October 2013|author=Samuel Gibbs}}</ref>

In line with the maturing PC business, in July 2013 Microsoft announced to reorganize the business into 4 new business divisions by function: Operating System, Apps, Cloud and Devices. All previous divisions will be diluted into new divisions without any workforce cut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/microsofts-sweeping-reorganization-shifts-focus-services-devices/2013-07-11 |title=Microsoft's sweeping reorganization shifts focus to services, devices |date=July 11, 2013}}</ref>

On February 4, 2014, [[Satya Nadella]] of the server and tools division took over the role of CEO with Bill Gates stepping aside in his chairman role being replaced by [[John W. Thompson]] effective immediately.<ref>http://www.nbcnews.com/business/microsoft-names-satya-nadella-ceo-2D12054182</ref>

==Businesses==

===Windows Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division===
The company's Client division produces the flagship Windows OS line such as Windows 8; it also produces the [[Windows Live]] family of products and services. Server and Tools produces the server versions of Windows, such as [[Windows Server 2008 R2]] as well as a set of development tools called [[Microsoft Visual Studio]], [[Microsoft Silverlight]], a web application framework, and [[System Center Configuration Manager]], a collection of tools providing remote-control abilities, patch management, software distribution and a hardware/software inventory. Other server products include: [[Microsoft SQL Server]], a [[relational database]] management system, [[Microsoft Exchange Server]], for certain business-oriented [[e-mail]] and scheduling features, [[Windows Small Business Server|Small Business Server]], for messaging and other small business-oriented features; and [[Microsoft BizTalk Server]], for [[business process management]].

Microsoft provides [[information technology consulting|IT consulting]] ("Microsoft Consulting Services") and produces a set of certification programs handled by the Server and Tools division designed to recognize individuals who have a minimal set of proficiencies in a specific role; this includes developers ([[Microsoft Certified Professional|"Microsoft Certified Solution Developer"]]), system/network analysts ([[MCSE|"Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"]]), trainers ("[[Microsoft Certified Professional|Microsoft Certified Trainers]]") and administrators ("[[Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator]]" and [[MCDBA|"Microsoft Certified Database Administrator"]]). [[Microsoft Press]], which publishes books, is also managed by the division. The Online Services Business division handles the online service [[MSN]] and the search engine [[Bing]]. As of December 2009, the company also possesses an 18% ownership of the [[cable news]] channel [[MSNBC]] without any editorial control; however, the division develops the channel's website, [[msnbc.com]], in a [[joint venture]] with the channel's co-owner, [[NBC Universal]].<ref name="MSNBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/business/media/24msnbc.html|title=Microsoft Quits MSNBC TV, but Web Partnership Remains|work=The New York Times|author=Carter, Bill|date=December 24, 2005|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref>

===Business Division===
[[File:The Microsoft Commons.jpg|thumb|The Commons, located on the campus of the company's headquarters in Redmond]]

The Microsoft Business Division produces [[Microsoft Office]] including [[Microsoft Office 2010]], the company's line of office software. The software product includes [[Microsoft Office Word|Word]] (a word processor), [[Microsoft Access|Access]] (a [[relational database]] program), [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]] (a [[spreadsheet]] program), [[Microsoft Office Outlook|Outlook]] ([[collaborative software|Groupware]], frequently used with [[Microsoft Exchange Server|Exchange Server]]), [[Microsoft PowerPoint|PowerPoint]] (presentation software), [[Microsoft Publisher|Publisher]] ([[desktop publishing software]]) and [[Microsoft Sharepoint|Sharepoint]]. A number of other products were added later with the release of Office 2003 including [[Microsoft Visio|Visio]], [[Microsoft Project|Project]], [[Microsoft MapPoint|MapPoint]], [[Microsoft InfoPath|InfoPath]] and [[Microsoft Office OneNote|OneNote]]. The division also develops [[enterprise resource planning]] (ERP) software for companies under the [[Microsoft Dynamics]] brand. These include: [[Microsoft Dynamics AX]], [[Microsoft Dynamics NAV]], [[Microsoft Dynamics GP]], and [[Microsoft Dynamics SL]]. They are targeted at varying company types and countries, and limited to organizations with under 7,500 employees.<ref name="MS Dynamics Lineup">{{cite news|url=http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/samples/49-samples/743-four-products-advance-on-dynamics-erp-roadmap.html|work=Directions on Microsoft|title=Four Products Advance on Dynamics ERP Roadmap|date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Also included under the Dynamics brand is the [[customer relationship management]] software [[Microsoft Dynamics CRM]], part of the [[Azure Services Platform]].

===Entertainment and Devices Division===
The Entertainment and Devices Division produces the [[Windows CE]] OS for [[embedded system]]s and [[Windows Phone]] for [[smartphone]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20015314-85.html|title=Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7 to manufacturers|author=Cha, Bonnie|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=September 1, 2010|accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref> Microsoft initially entered the mobile market through Windows CE for [[handheld device]]s, eventually developing into the [[Windows Mobile]] OS and now, Windows Phone. Windows CE is designed for devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user, in particular, appliances and cars. The division also produces [[computer games]] that run on Windows PCs and other systems including titles such as [[Age of Empires]], [[Halo (video game series)|Halo]] and the [[Microsoft Flight Simulator]] series, and houses the [[Macintosh Business Unit]] which produces [[Mac OS]] software including [[Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac]]. Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division designs, markets, and manufactures [[consumer electronics]] including the [[Xbox 360]] game console, the handheld [[Zune]] media player, and the television-based [[Internet appliance]] [[MSN TV]]. Microsoft also markets [[personal computer hardware]] including [[computer mouse|mice]], [[Computer keyboard|keyboards]], and various [[game controller]]s such as [[joystick]]s and [[gamepad]]s.

==Culture==

Technical reference for developers and articles for various Microsoft magazines such as ''Microsoft Systems Journal'' (MSJ) are available through the [[Microsoft Developer Network]] (MSDN). MSDN also offers subscriptions for companies and individuals, and the more expensive subscriptions usually offer access to pre-release beta versions of Microsoft software.<ref name="MSDN-SubscribeFAQ">{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ms123402.aspx?missingurl=%2fsubscriptions%2ffaq%2fdefault.aspx |publisher=Microsoft|title=MSDN Subscription FAQ |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref><ref name="MSJ-home">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/msj/|title=Microsoft Systems Journal Homepage |publisher=Microsoft|date=April 15, 2004|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> In April 2004 Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, titled [[Channel9]], that provides a [[wiki]] and an [[Internet forum]].<ref name="Hobson">{{cite news|author=Hobson, Neville|url=http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2005/04/11/microsofts-channel-and-cultural-rules |title=Microsoft's Channel 9 And Cultural Rules |work=WebProNews |publisher=iEntry Inc |date=April 11, 2005 |accessdate=July 3, 2006}}</ref> Another community site that provides daily [[videocast]]s and other services, On10.net, launched on March 3, 2006.<ref name="On10-home">{{cite web|url=http://www.On10.net|title=On10.net homepage|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=May 4, 2006}}</ref> Free technical support is traditionally provided through online [[Usenet]] newsgroups, and [[CompuServe]] in the past, monitored by Microsoft employees; there can be several newsgroups for a single product. Helpful people can be elected by peers or Microsoft employees for [[Microsoft Most Valuable Professional]] (MVP) status, which entitles them to a sort of special social status and possibilities for awards and other benefits.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/06/13/somehow_usenet_lumbers_on/|title=Somehow, Usenet lumbers on|author=Bray, Hiawatha|date=June 13, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2006|work=The Boston Globe}} * {{cite web|url=http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs|title=Microsoft MVP Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Noted for its internal [[lexicon]], the expression [[eat one's own dog food|"eating our own dog food"]] is used to describe the policy of using pre-release and beta versions of products inside Microsoft in an effort to test them in "real-world" situations.<ref name="dogfood">{{cite news|title=Microsoft tests its own dog food|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108214545/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html| archivedate=January 8, 2007|author=CNET News.com Staff|work=ZDNet|publisher=CNET Networks, Inc.|date=July 21, 2003| accessdate=October 9, 2005}}</ref> This is usually shortened to just "dog food" and is used as noun, verb, and adjective. Another bit of [[jargon]], [[FYIFV]] or FYIV ("Fuck You, I'm [Fully] Vested"), is used by an employee to indicate they are [[financial independence|financially independent]] and can avoid work anytime they wish.<ref>{{cite news|author=Heileman, John|title=The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html|work=Wired|date=November 2000|accessdate=September 30, 2007}}</ref> The company is also known for its hiring process, mimicked in other organizations and dubbed the "[[Microsoft interview]]", which is notorious for off-the-wall questions such as "Why is a [[manhole cover]] round?".<ref name="manhole">{{cite news| url=http://g4tv.com/screensavers/features/6282/square_manhole_covers_and_crazy_questions.html|title=Square Manhole Covers and Crazy Questions|work=G4TV.com|author=Poundstone, William|date=May 21, 2003|accessdate=July 1, 2006}}</ref>

Microsoft is an outspoken opponent of the cap on [[H1B visa]]s, which allow companies in the U.S. to employ certain foreign workers. Bill Gates claims the cap on H1B visas makes it difficult to hire employees for the company, stating "I'd certainly get rid of the H1B cap" in 2005.<ref name="MarkRoy">{{cite news |url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3500986 |title=Gates Rakes Congress on H1B Visa Cap|author=Mark, Roy|work=internetnews.com|date=April 27, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Critics of H1B visas argue that relaxing the limits would result in increased unemployment for U.S. citizens due to H1B workers working for lower salaries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88154016|title=
Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers|work=NPR|date=March 12, 2008|accessdate=July 6, 2010}}</ref> The [[Human Rights Campaign]] Corporate Equality Index, a report of how progressive the organization deems company policies towards [[LGBT]] (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) employees, rated Microsoft as 87% from 2002 to 2004 and as 100% from 2005 to 2010 after they allowed gender expression.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corporate Equality Index Archive|url=http://www.hrc.org/about_us/7115.htm|publisher=Human Rights Campaign Foundation|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref>

==Criticism==
{{main|Criticism of Microsoft}}
[[File:VistaParty3-cropped.jpg|thumb|[[BadVista]] and [[Defective by Design]] groups protest against [[Windows Vista]]]]

Criticism of Microsoft has followed the company's existence because of various aspects of its products and business practices. [[Ease of use]], [[wikt:stability|stability]], and [[computer security|security]] of the company's software are common targets for critics. More recently, [[Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horses]] and other exploits have plagued numerous users due to faults in the security of Microsoft Windows and other programs. Microsoft is also accused of locking vendors into their products, and not following and complying with existing standards in its software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/04/25/writing_history_with_microsofts_office/|title=Writing history with Microsoft's Office lock-in}}</ref> [[Total cost of ownership]] comparisons of [[Linux]] as well as [[Mac OS X|OS X]] to Windows are a continuous point of debate.

The company has been in numerous [[lawsuits]] by several governments and other companies for unlawful monopolistic practices. In 2004, the [[European Union]] found Microsoft guilty in a highly publicized [[anti-trust]] case. Additionally, Microsoft's [[EULA]] for some of its programs is often criticized as being too restrictive as well as being against [[open source]] software.

Microsoft has been criticized (along with [[Yahoo]], [[AOL]], [[Google]] and others) for its involvement in [[censorship in the People's Republic of China]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/china0806/ | title=Corporate Complicity in Chinese Internet Censorship | accessdate=2006-11-23}}</ref> Microsoft has also come under criticism for [[Offshoring|outsourcing jobs]] to China and [[India]].<ref>"[http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/whos-buying-microsofts-outsourcing-excuses-390 Who's buying Microsoft's outsourcing excuses?]". ''[[InfoWorld]]''. April 22, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002468560_msftgoogle03.html Microsoft plans to outsource more, says ex-worker]". ''The Seattle Times''. September 3, 2005.</ref><ref>"[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2004/06/17/2003175447 High-end tech jobs outsourced by Microsoft]". ''[[Taipei Times]]''. June 17, 2004.</ref> There were reports of poor working conditions at a factory in southern [[China]] that makes some of Microsoft's products.<ref>"[http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16146955 Microsoft Investigates 'Mass Suicide Threat']". ''[[Sky News]]''. January 11, 2012</ref>

==Corporate affairs==
The company is run by a [[board of directors]] made up of mostly company outsiders, as is customary for publicly traded companies. Members of the board of directors as of June 2010 are: Steve Ballmer, [[Dina Dublon]], [[Bill Gates]], [[Raymond Gilmartin]], [[Reed Hastings]], [[Maria Klawe]], [[David Marquardt]], [[Charles Noski]], and [[Helmut Panke]].<ref name="MSPR-Board">{{cite press release |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/bod/bod.aspx|title=Microsoft Board of Directors|work=PressPass|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref> Board members are elected every year at the annual shareholders' meeting using a majority vote system. There are five committees within the board which oversee more specific matters. These committees include the Audit Committee, which handles accounting issues with the company including auditing and reporting; the Compensation Committee, which approves compensation for the CEO and other employees of the company; the Finance Committee, which handles financial matters such as proposing mergers and acquisitions; the Governance and Nominating Committee, which handles various corporate matters including nomination of the board; and the Antitrust Compliance Committee, which attempts to prevent company practices from violating [[antitrust]] laws.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines|url=http://www.microsoft.com/about/companyinformation/corporategovernance/guidelines.mspx |publisher=Microsoft|date=July 1, 2009|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Microsoft 5-Year Stock History.svg|350px|thumb|right|Five year history graph of {{NASDAQ|MSFT}} stock on July 17, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=MSFT&page=quotesearch|title=Five year history graph of (NASDAQ:MSFT) stock|work=ZenoBank|publisher=AlphaTrade|date=September 29, 2009|accessdate=September 29, 2009}}</ref>]]

When Microsoft went public and launched its [[Initial Public Offering|initial public offering (IPO)]] in 1986, the opening [[stock]] price was $21; after the [[trading day]], the price closed at $27.75. As of July 2010, with the company's nine [[stock split]]s, any IPO [[share (finance)|shares]] would be multiplied by 288; if one was to buy the IPO today given the splits and other factors, it would cost about 9{{nbsp}}cents.<ref name="Allan 2001" />{{rp|235–236|date=November 2012}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/102018.asp|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=March 14, 1986|title=Microsoft stock is red hot on first trading day|author=Monkman, Carol Smith|page=B9|accessdate=July 18, 2010}}</ref><ref name="MSSTOCK">{{cite web|url=http://performance.morningstar.com/stock/performance-return.action?p=dividend_split_page&t=MSFT&region=USA&culture=en-US&s=SPYZ|title=MSFT stock performance and split info|publisher=Morningstar, Inc.|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> The stock price peaked in 1999 at around $119 ($60.928 adjusting for splits).<ref name="stocksheet">{{cite web |title=Microsoft stock price spreadsheet from Microsoft investor relations |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/a/7/da7e8eca-4410-4475-a211-03327408b655/msftpricehist.xls|format=xls|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> The company began to offer a [[dividend]] on January 16, 2003, starting at eight cents per share for the fiscal year followed by a dividend of sixteen cents per share the subsequent year, switching from yearly to quarterly dividends in 2005 with eight cents a share per quarter and a [[special dividend|special one-time payout]] of three dollars per share for the second quarter of the fiscal year.<ref name="stocksheet" /><ref name="dividendfaq">{{cite web|title=Dividend Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/FAQ/dividend.mspx|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Though the company had subsequent increases in dividend payouts, the price of Microsoft's stock remained steady for years.<ref name="dividendfaq" /><ref name="Yahoo-MSFTchart">{{cite web |title=Yahoo MSFT stock chart |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=my |publisher=Yahoo Finance |accessdate=December 13, 2008 }} * {{cite web|title=MSN Money MSFT chart with dividend and split info|url=http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/chartdl.aspx?Symbol=MSFT&C8=2005&CE=0&C5=10&C6=2005&C7=10&D9=1&C9=2&D0=1&CF=1&D4=1&D5=0&D3=0&ShowChtBt=Refresh+Chart&CP=0&PT=9|work=MSN Money|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=December 13, 2008}} * {{cite news|author=Fried, Ina; Ard, Scott|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-148474.html?tag=st.prev|title=Gates stepping down from full-time Microsoft role, page 2|work=ZDNet|date=June 15, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

One of Microsoft's business tactics, described by an executive as "[[embrace, extend and extinguish]]," initially embraces a competing standard or product, then extends it to produce their own version which is then incompatible with the standard, which in time extinguishes competition that does not or cannot use Microsoft's new version.<ref name="eee">{{cite news|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-100925.html|title=Intel exec: MS wanted to 'extend, embrace and extinguish' competition|author=Rodger, Will|work=ZDNet|date=November 8, 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref> Various companies and governments sue Microsoft over this set of tactics, resulting in billions of dollars in rulings against the company.<ref name="Orlowski2004-03-05">{{cite press release |url=http://www.burst.com/new/newsevents/pressrelease007.htm |title=Microsoft Corp. Licenses Burst.com Patents & Settles Suit |publisher=Burst.com Inc. |date=March 11, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/05/eolas_web_patent_nullified/ |title=Eolas' web patent nullified|author=Orlowski, Andrew|work=The Register|publisher=Situation Publishing Ltd|date=March 5, 2004|accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|author=Dennis, Tony|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529141141/http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2002/12/24/sendo--microsoft--it-all-ends-in-tears|archivedate=May 29, 2008|title=Sendo & Microsoft – it all ends in tears |date=December 24, 2002 |work=TheInquirer.net |accessdate=May 18, 2006}} * {{cite news|url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/12/07/HNmicrosoftfined_1.html|title=Update: Microsoft fined $32M by South Korea|author=Nystedt, Dan|publisher=IDG News Service|date=December 7, 2005|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="usvms"/><ref name="euantitrust"/> Microsoft claims that the original strategy is not anti-competitive, but rather an exercise of its discretion to implement features it believes customers want.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning%20Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|title=U.S. v. Microsoft: We're Defending Our Right to Innovate|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117094549/http://openacademy.mindef.gov.sg/openacademy/Learning+Resources/Microsoft/words/words_4.htm|archivedate=November 17, 2007|date=May 20, 1998|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=March 31, 2006}}</ref>

===Financial===
[[Standard and Poor's]] and [[Moody's]] have both given a AAA rating to Microsoft, whose assets were valued at $41 billion as compared to only $8.5 billion in unsecured debt. Consequently, in February 2011 Microsoft released a corporate bond amounting to $2.25 billion with relatively low borrowing rates compared to [[government bonds]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/04/us-microsoft-bonds-idUSTRE7128EZ20110204|title=Microsoft sells $2.25 billion of debt at low rates|publisher=Reuters | date=February 4, 2011}}</ref>

For the first time in 20 years [[Apple Inc.]] surpassed Microsoft in Q1 2011 quarterly profits and revenues due to a slowdown in PC sales and continuing huge losses in Microsoft's Online Services Division (which contains its search engine [[Bing]]). Microsoft profits were $5.2 billion, while Apple Inc. profits were $6 billion, on revenues of $14.5 billion and $24.7 billion respectively.<ref>{{cite news|author=Charles Arthur |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/apr/28/microsoft-falls-behind-apple |title=Microsoft falls behind Apple for first time in 20 years | Technology |publisher=The Guardian |date= April 28, 2011|accessdate=May 11, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>

Microsoft's Online Services Division has been continuously loss-making since 2006 and in Q1 2011 it lost $726 million. This follows a loss of $2.5 billion for the year 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=MG Siegler Apr 29, 2011 |url=http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/29/microsoft-internet-bloodbath/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29 |title=When Will Microsoft's Internet Bloodbath End? |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=April 29, 2011 |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref>

On July 20, 2012, Microsoft posted its first quarterly loss ever, despite earning record revenues for the quarter and fiscal year, with a net loss of $492 million due to a [[writedown]] related to the advertising company [[aQuantive]], which had been acquired for $6.2 billion back in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Martha|title=Microsoft reports first quarterly loss ever|url=http://marketday.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/19/12837611-microsoft-reports-first-quarterly-loss-ever?lite|accessdate=20 July 2012}}</ref>

As of January 2014, Microsoft's market capitalization stands at $314B,<ref name="Marketwatch MSFT">{{cite web|title=Microsoft Overview|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/msft/|publisher=Marketwatch|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> making it the 8th largest company in the world by market capitalization.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Top 100 Companies|url=http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/audit-services/capital-market/publications/top100-market-capitalisation.jhtml|publisher=PWC|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

===Environment===
In 2011, [[Greenpeace]] released a report rating the top ten big brands in cloud computing on their sources of electricity for their data centers. At the time, data centers consumed up to 2% of all global electricity and this amount was projected to increase. [[Phil Radford]] of Greenpeace said "we are concerned that this new explosion in electricity use could lock us into old, polluting energy sources instead of the clean energy available today,"<ref name="Dirty Data Report Card">{{cite web |publisher=[[Greenpeace]] |url= http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf|title=Dirty Data Report Card|accessdate=August 22, 2013}}</ref> and called on "Amazon, Microsoft and other leaders of the information-technology industry must embrace clean energy to power their cloud-based data centers."<ref>[http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2018176038_guest10radford.html, "Amazon, Microsoft: Let's keep 'the cloud' clean"], Phil Radford</ref> In 2013, Microsoft agreed to buy power generated by a Texas wind project to power one of its data centers.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/04/microsoft-wind-powered-data-centre, "Microsoft looks to boost eco credentials with wind-powered data centre"], Suzanne Goldenberg</ref>

Microsoft is ranked on the 17th place in [[Greenpeace]]'s Guide to Greener Electronics (16th Edition) that ranks 18 electronics manufacturers according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change.<ref name="Greenpeace International">{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/cool-it/Guide-to-Greener-Electronics/Previous-Edition-October-2010/ |title=Guide to Greener Electronics – Greenpeace International (16th Edition)| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=April 3, 2012}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>
Microsoft's timeline for phasing out [[brominated flame retardant|BFRs]] and phthalates in all products is 2012 but its commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear. As yet (January 2011) it has no products that are completely free from PVC and BFRs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/toxics/2010/version16/Ranking%20tables%20Oct%202010-Microsoft.pdf |title=Ranking tables October 2010 – Greenpeace International| publisher=Greenpeace International |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

Microsoft's main U.S. campus received a silver certification from the [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] (LEED) program in 2008, and it installed over 2,000 solar panels on top of its buildings in its Silicon Valley campus, generating approximately 15 percent of the total energy needed by the facilities in April 2005.<ref name="news1">{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-vs.-Google-Whos-greener/2100-1022_3-6080297.html?tag=mncol;txt|title=Microsoft vs. Google: Who's greener?|work=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|author=Mills, Elinor|date=June 6, 2008|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft makes use of alternative forms of transit. It created one of the worlds largest private bus systems, the "Connector", to transport people from outside the company; for on-campus transportation, the "Shuttle Connect" uses a large fleet of hybrid cars to save fuel. The company also subsidises regional [[public transport]] as an incentive.<ref name="news1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|title=Fostering Alternative Ways to Commute at Microsoft|publisher=Microsoft|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501154211/http://www.microsoft.com/environment/our_commitment/articles/alternative_commuting.aspx|archivedate=May 1, 2008}}</ref> In February 2010 however, Microsoft took a stance against adding additional public transport and [[high-occupancy vehicle lane|high-occupancy vehicle]] (HOV) lanes to a bridge connecting Redmond to Seattle; the company did not want to delay the construction any further.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.king5.com/news/Microsofts-big-520-advertisement-85031317.html|work=King5 Television News|title=Seattle hires consultant to look at 520 bridge plan|date=February 23, 2010|accessdate=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

Microsoft was ranked number 1 in the list of the World's Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2016631709_microsoft_named_best_multinational_workplace_by_gr.html |title=Microsoft Pri0 | Microsoft named best multinational workplace |publisher=Seattle Times Newspaper |date= October 28, 2011|accessdate=November 3, 2011 |first=Janet I. |last=Tu}}</ref>

===Marketing===
In 2004, Microsoft commissioned research firms to do independent studies comparing the [[total cost of ownership]] (TCO) of [[Windows Server 2003]] to [[Linux]]; the firms concluded that companies found Windows easier to administrate than Linux, thus those using Windows would administrate faster resulting in lower costs for their company (i.e. lower TCO).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/business/158237_msftresearch27.html|title=Studies on Linux help their patron: Microsoft|author=Bishop, Todd|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Seattle Media, LLC|date=January 27, 2004|accessdate=July 16, 2010}}</ref> This spurred a wave of related studies; a study by the [[Yankee Group]] concluded that upgrading from one version of Windows Server to another costs a fraction of the [[switching barriers|switching costs]] from Windows Server to Linux, although companies surveyed noted the increased security and reliability of Linux servers and concern about being locked into using Microsoft products.<ref name="Foley">{{cite news |url=http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/yankee_independently_pits_windows_tco_vs_linux_tco.html|title=Yankee Independently Pits Windows TCO vs. Linux TCO |author=Foley, Mary Jo|work=eWeek |date=March 24, 2004 |accessdate=July 14, 2010}}</ref> Another study, released by the [[Open Source Development Labs]], claimed that the Microsoft studies were "simply outdated and one-sided" and their survey concluded that the TCO of Linux was lower due to Linux administrators managing more servers on average and other reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150210/linux-fans-hit-back-microsoft |title=Linux fans hit back at Microsoft TCO claims|author=Jaques, Robert|work=vnunet.com|date=February 13, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>

As part of the "Get the Facts" campaign, Microsoft highlighted the [[.NET framework|.NET]] trading platform that it had developed in partnership with [[Accenture]] for the [[London Stock Exchange]], claiming that it provided "[[High availability|five nines]]" reliability. After suffering extended downtime and unreliability<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/4676369/Seven-hour-LSE-blackout-caused-by-double-glitch.html|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|title=Seven-hour LSE blackout caused by double glitch|author=Rowena Mason|date=September 10, 2008|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8380607.stm|title=London Stock Exchange trading hit by technical glitch|date=November 26, 2009}}</ref> the LSE announced in 2009 that it was planning to drop its Microsoft solution and switch to a Linux based one in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ITWire|url=http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/the-linux-distillery/28359-london-stock-exchange-gets-the-facts-and-dumps-windows-for-linux|title=London Stock Exchange gets the facts and dumps Windows for Linux|author=David M. Williams|date=October 8, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Slashdot]]|url=http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/10/06/1742203/London-Stock-Exchange-Rejects-NET-For-Open-Source|title=London Stock Exchange Rejects .NET For Open Source|date=October 6, 2009}}</ref>

In 2012, Microsoft hired a political pollster named Mark Penn, whom the New York Times called "famous for bulldozing" his political opponents <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/technology/microsoft-battles-google-by-hiring-political-brawler-mark-penn.html?_r=0</ref> as Executive Vice-President, Advertising and Strategy. Penn created a series of negative ads targeting one of Microsoft's chief competitors, [[Google]]. The ads, called "[[Scroogled]]", attempt to make the case the Google is "screwing" consumers with search results rigged to favor Google's paid advertisers, that [[GMail]] violates the privacy of its users to place ad results related to the content of their emails and shopping results which favor Google products. Tech publications like Tech Crunch have been highly critical of the ad campaign,<ref>http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/10/scroogled-why-so-negative-microsoft/</ref> while Google employees have embraced it.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/11/21/googlers-love-microsofts-scroogled-gear-mug-and-shirts-sell-out/</ref>

===Cooperation with the United States Government===
Microsoft provides information about reported bugs in their software to intelligence agencies of the United States government, prior to the public release of the fix. A Microsoft spokesperson has stated that the corporation runs several programs that facilitate the sharing of such information with the U.S. government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-14/u-s-agencies-said-to-swap-data-with-thousands-of-firms.html|title=U.S. Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms}}</ref>

Following media reports about [[PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM]], NSA's massive electronic [[Mass surveillance|surveillance program]], in May 2013, several technology companies were identified as participants, including Microsoft.<ref>{{cite news| author = Ryan W. Neal | title=Snowden Reveals Microsoft PRISM Cooperation: Helped NSA Decrypt Emails, Chats, Skype Conversations|url = http://www.ibtimes.com/snowden-reveals-microsoft-prism-cooperation-helped-nsa-decrypt-emails-chats-skype-conversations|work=[[International Business Times]]|date=July 11, 2013}}</ref> However, in June 2013, an official statement from Microsoft read:

<blockquote>
We provide customer data only when we receive a legally binding order or subpoena to do so, and never on a voluntary basis. In addition we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers. If the government has a broader voluntary national security program to gather customer data, we don't participate in it.<ref>{{cite news| author = Johnson, Kevin; Martin, Scott; O'Donnell, Jayne; Winter, Michael | title=Reports: NSA Siphons Data from 9 Major Net Firms|url = http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/06/06/nsa-surveillance-internet-companies/2398345/|accessdate=June 6, 2013|work=[[USA Today]]|date=June 15, 2013}}</ref></blockquote>

===Logo===
Microsoft adopted the so-called "''[[Pac-Man]]'' Logo", designed by Scott Baker, in 1987. Baker stated "The new logo, in [[Helvetica]] italic typeface, has a slash between the ''o'' and ''s'' to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed."<ref>{{Cite journal|work=Computer Reseller News Magazine|date=March 1987}}</ref> Dave Norris ran an internal joke campaign to save the old logo, which was green, in all uppercase, and featured a fanciful letter ''O'', nicknamed the ''blibbet'', but it was discarded.<ref name="Osterman2005-07-14">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/07/14/438777.aspx|title=Remember the blibbet|work=Larry Osterman's WebLog|publisher=Microsoft|author=Osterman, Larry|date=July 14, 2005 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> Microsoft's logo with the "''Your potential. Our passion.''" tagline below the main corporate name, is based on a slogan Microsoft used in 2008. In 2002, the company started using the logo in the United States and eventually started a TV campaign with the slogan, changed from the previous tagline of ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]".''<ref name="wherego1" /><ref name="potentialpassion1" /><ref name="Reimer">{{cite news |url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060123-6031.html|title=Microsoft set to launch new marketing campaign|work=Ars Technica|publisher=Condé Nast Digital|author=Reimer, Jeremy|date=January 23, 2006|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref> During the private MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) conference in 2010, Microsoft unveiled the company's next tagline, ''"Be What's Next."''.<ref name="2010logo">{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-microsoft-brand-logos-company-tagline-revealed-at-mgx-event/|title=New Microsoft brand logos, company tagline revealed at MGX event? (update: no new logos, tagline is a go)|first=Joshua|last=Topolsky|authorlink=Joshua Topolsky|work=[[Engadget]]|publisher=[[AOL]]|date=July 22, 2010|accessdate=August 2, 2012}}</ref>

On August 23, 2012, Microsoft unveiled a new corporate logo at the opening of its 23rd Microsoft store in Boston indicating the company's shift of focus from the classic style to the tile-centric modern interface which it uses/will use on the Windows Phone platform, Xbox 360, Windows 8 and the upcoming Office Suites.<ref>{{cite web|last=Meisner |first=Jeffrey |url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx |title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look |publisher=The Official Microsoft Blog |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> The new logo also includes four squares with the colors of the then-current Windows logo.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eric |first=Steven H. |url=http://flapship.com/new-microsoft-logo-revealed/ |title=NEW MICROSOFT LOGO REVEALED |publisher=Flapship.com |date=August 23, 2012 |accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> However this logo is not completely new - it was featured in [[Windows 95]] commercials from the mid-1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wpcentral.com/microsofts-new-logo-has-ties-past|title=Microsoft's new logo has ties to the past}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft039s-logo-is-not-new-it039s-from-1995|title=Microsoft's logo is not new, it's from 1995}}</ref>

{{center|
<gallery widths=200 mode="traditional">
File:Microsoft - Where do you want to go today.svg|1987
File:Microsoft logo & slogan.svg|2006–2011
File:Microsoft logo & slogan 2011-2012.svg|2011–2012
File:Microsoft logo and wordmark.svg|2012–present
</gallery>
}}

* '''1987''' - Microsoft "[[Pac-Man]]" logo, designed by Scott Baker and used from 1987 to 2012 with the 1994–2002 slogan ''"[[Where do you want to go today?]]"''.<ref name="wherego1">{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/redmond.html|title=The Rise and Rise of the Redmond Empire|work=Wired|date=December 1998|accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="potentialpassion1">{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/mccann-thinks-local-global-microsoft-83426|title=McCann Thinks Local for Global Microsoft|author=Schmelzer, Randi|work=Adweek|date=January 9, 2006 |accessdate=August 18, 2008}}</ref>
* '''2006–2011''' - Microsoft logo as of 2006–2011, with the slogan ''"Your potential. Our passion."''<ref name="potentialpassion1"/>
* '''2011–2012''' - Logo by Microsoft with the slogan ''"Be what's next."''<ref name="2010logo"/>
* '''2012–present''' - Introduced on August 23, 2012, to symbolize the "world of digital motion" and Microsoft's "diverse portfolio of products".<ref name="newlogo">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/23/microsoft-unveils-a-new-look.aspx|title=Microsoft Unveils a New Look|work=Microsoft|date=August 2012|accessdate= August 23, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portalbar|Microsoft|Xbox|Information technology|Companies|Seattle}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
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* {{Official blog|http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/}}

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{{Link FA|he}}

Bill Gates

2014-02-04T15:15:46Z

Dorsal Axe: whoops

{{Other people}}

{{Pp-semi-blp |small =yes}}
{{Pp-move-indef}}

{{Infobox person
|name = Bill Gates
|image = File:Dts news bill gates wikipedia.JPG
|image_size =
|alt = Head and shoulders photo of Bill Gates
|caption = Gates in 2013
|birth_name = William Henry Gates III
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|10|28|mf=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|WA]], US
|residence = [[Medina, Washington|Medina]], WA, US
|alma_mater = [[Harvard University]]
|occupation = Technology Advisor of [[Microsoft]] Co-Chair of the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]] CEO of [[Cascade Investment]] Chairman of [[Corbis]]
|years_active = 1975–present
|net_worth = US$ 76.8 [[1000000000 (number)|billion]] (Nov 2013)<ref name="Bloom" />
|boards = [[Berkshire Hathaway]]
|religion = None ([[Agnostic]])
|spouse = {{married|[[Melinda Gates]]|1994}}
|children = Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe
|parents = [[William H. Gates, Sr.]] [[Mary Maxwell Gates]]
|signature = BillGates Signature.svg
|signature_alt= William H. Gates III
|website = {{URL|http://www.thegatesnotes.com|TheGatesNotes.com}}
}}

'''William Henry "Bill" Gates III''' (born October 28, 1955){{Sfn |Manes|1994| p =11}} is an American [[business magnate]], [[investor]], [[programmer]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Gates (American computer programmer, businessman, and philanthropist)|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/226865/Bill-Gates|accessdate=March 20, 2013}}</ref> [[inventor]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Honoring the Inventor: Bill Gates' Patents|url=http://honoringtheinventor.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/bill-gates-patents.html|accessdate=March 20, 2013}}</ref> and [[philanthropist]]. Gates is the former chief executive and chairman of [[Microsoft]], the world’s largest personal-computer [[software]] company, which he co-founded with [[Paul Allen]].

He is consistently ranked in the [[Forbes list of billionaires|Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people]]<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN1748882920080917 |title= Bill Gates tops US wealth list 15 years in a row |first= Phil | last= Wahba | date = September 17, 2008 |accessdate= November 6, 2008 |agency= Reuters |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN1748882920080917 |archivedate = September 16, 2012}}</ref> and was the wealthiest overall from 1995 to 2009—excluding 2008, when he was ranked third;<ref name = "Forbes profile">{{Citation | type = profile | url = http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/ | title = William ‘Bill’ Gates | journal = Forbes | accessdate = March 2013}}</ref> in 2011 he was the wealthiest American and the world's second wealthiest person.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/forbes-list-of-the-richest-americans-of-2011/2011/09/22/gIQAL3emnK_gallery.html#photo=1 | title = The Washington Post | archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/forbes-list-of-the-richest-americans-of-2011/2011/09/22/gIQAL3emnK_gallery.html%23photo=1 |archivedate= September 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.forbes.com/wealth/billionaires |title=Forbes Billionaires list |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120525/http://www.forbes.com/wealth/billionaires | archivedate= May 25, 2012}}</ref> According to the [[Bloomberg Businessweek|Bloomberg]] Billionaires List, Gates is the world's richest person in 2013, a position that he last held on the list in 2007.<ref name="Bloom">{{cite web|title=Bill Gates Retakes World's Richest Title From Carlos Slim |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-16/bill-gates-retakes-world-s-richest-title-from-carlos-slim.html |publisher=Bloomberg L.P |accessdate=May 30, 2013 |last1=Cuadros |first1=Alex |last2=Harrison |first2=Crayton |date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of CEO and [[software architect|chief software architect]], and remains the largest individual shareholder, with 6.4 percent of the [[common stock]].{{Refn | group = "lower-alpha" | Gates regularly documents his share ownership through public U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission [[form 4]] filings.<ref>{{Citation | title = MSFT | url = http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?symbol=MSFT&selected=MSFT&FormType=form4 | publisher = NASDAQ | type = Holdings}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = MSFT | publisher = NASDAQ | type = Symbol | url = http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/msft}}</ref>}} He has also authored and co-authored several books.

Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the [[personal computer revolution]]. Gates has been [[Criticism of Microsoft|criticized for his business tactics]], which have been considered anti-competitive, an opinion which has in some cases been upheld by the courts.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p=459}}{{Sfn |Lesinski|2006|p = 96}} In the later stages of his career, Gates has pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]], established in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/ | title = Gates foundation | archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/ | archivedate = May 23, 2012}}</ref>

Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in January 2000. He remained as chairman and created the position of chief software architect for himself. In June 2006, Gates announced that he would be transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to part-time work, and full-time work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He gradually transferred his duties to [[Ray Ozzie]], chief software architect, and [[Craig Mundie]], chief research and strategy officer. Gates's last full-time day at Microsoft was June 27, 2008. He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014, taking on a new post as technology advisor to support newly-appointed CEO [[Satya Nadella]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25973762|title=Microsoft names Satya Nadella to replace Steve Ballmer|date=4 February 2014|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=4 February 2014}}</ref>

==Early life==
Gates was born in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], to [[William H. Gates, Sr.]] and [[Mary Maxwell Gates]]. His ancestry includes English, [[Germans|German]], and [[Scotch-Irish American|Scots-Irish]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wargs.com/other/gates.html |title=Ancestry of Bill Gates |publisher=Wargs |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.wargs.com/other/gates.html | archivedate= September 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Scottish Americans | publisher= Alba West | url = http://www.albawest.com/scottish-americans.html | accessdate =April 29, 2009 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120718/http://www.albawest.com/scottish-americans.html | archivedate = July 18, 2012}}</ref> His father was a prominent lawyer, and his mother served on the board of directors for [[First Interstate BancSystem]] and the [[United Way of America|United Way]]. Gates's maternal grandfather was JW Maxwell, a [[National bank#United States|national bank]] president. Gates has one elder sister, Kristi (Kristianne), and one younger sister, Libby. He was the fourth of his name in his family, but was known as William Gates III or "Trey" because his father had the "II" suffix.{{Sfn |Manes | 1994 |p= 15}} Early on in his life, Gates's parents had a law career in mind for him.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p = 47}} When Gates was young, his family regularly attended a [[Congregational Christian Churches|Congregational]] church.<ref name="Congregational 1">{{cite book|title=Bill Gates: Entrepreneur and Philanthropist | url = http://books.google.com/?id=ubYgIB0TgUYC&pg=PA12&dq=Bill+Gates+Congregationalist#v=onepage&q&f=false |quote = The Gates family regularly went to services at the University Congregational Church.| first =Jeanne M | last = Lesinski |publisher=Twenty First Century Books | accessdate =March 10, 2011|isbn= 978-1-58013-570-2|date = September 1, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Congregational 2">{{cite book|title=Bill Gates Speaks: Insight from the World's Greatest Entrepreneur|url = http://books.google.com/?id=LUwu-DTwa5cC&pg=PA3&dq=Congregationalist++bill+gates#v=onepage&q&f=false |quote = The Gates family attended the University Congregational Church, where the Reverend Dale Turner was pastor. | first = Janet | last = Lowe| publisher = Wiley | accessdate=March 10, 2011|isbn= 978-0-471-40169-8|date = January 5, 2001}}</ref><ref name = "Congregational 3">{{cite book| title = Something Happened: A Political and Cultural Overview of the Seventies | url =http://books.google.com/?id=tsl3EVBtdxcC&pg=PA228&dq=Congregationalist++bill+gates#v=onepage&q&f=false|quote=Bill Gates was a member of the baby boom, born in 1955 into an upper-middle-class family near Seattle." He attended the Congregational Church, participated in the Boy Scouts, and went to a fancy private school. | author-link = Edward D. Berkowitz | first = Edward D | last = Berkowitz |publisher= [[Columbia University Press]]| accessdate = March 10, 2011| isbn = 978-0-231-12494-2 | year = 2006}}</ref> The family encouraged competition; one visitor reported that "it didn't matter whether it was [[hearts]] or [[pickleball]] or swimming to the dock ... there was always a reward for winning and there was always a penalty for losing".<ref name="nerds2">{{cite episode | title=Part II | series=Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires | credits=Cringely, Robert X. | url=http://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html | network=PBS | airdate=June 1996 | season=1}}</ref>

At 13 he enrolled in the [[Lakeside School]], an exclusive preparatory school.{{Sfn | Manes| 1994| p = 24}} When he was in the eighth grade, the Mothers Club at the school used proceeds from Lakeside School's [[rummage sale]] to buy a [[Teletype Model 33]] ASR terminal and a block of computer time on a [[General Electric]] (GE) computer for the school's students.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p= 27}} Gates took an interest in programming the GE system in [[BASIC programming language|BASIC]], and was excused from math classes to pursue his interest. He wrote his first computer program on this machine: an implementation of [[tic-tac-toe]] that allowed users to play games against the computer. Gates was fascinated by the machine and how it would always execute software code perfectly. When he reflected back on that moment, he said, "There was just something neat about the machine."{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 12}} After the Mothers Club donation was exhausted, he and other students sought time on systems including [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] [[Programmed Data Processor|PDP]] minicomputers. One of these systems was a [[PDP-10]] belonging to Computer Center Corporation (CCC), which banned four Lakeside students—Gates, [[Paul Allen]], [[Ric Weiland]], and Kent Evans—for the summer after it caught them exploiting bugs in the [[operating system]] to obtain free computer time.{{Sfn | Manes | 1994|p = 34}}<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2044825/paul-allen-spills-beans-gates-criminal-past | title = V3 | title = Paul Allen spills the beans on Gates’ criminal past | place = [[United Kingdom|UK]]}}</ref>

At the end of the ban, the four students offered to find bugs in CCC's software in exchange for computer time. Rather than use the system via Teletype, Gates went to CCC's offices and studied [[source code]] for various programs that ran on the system, including programs in [[Fortran]], [[Lisp]], and [[machine language]]. The arrangement with CCC continued until 1970, when the company went out of business. The following year, Information Sciences, Inc. hired the four Lakeside students to write a payroll program in [[Cobol]], providing them computer time and royalties. After his administrators became aware of his programming abilities, Gates wrote the school's computer program to schedule students in classes. He modified the code so that he was placed in classes with "a disproportionate number of interesting girls."<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.gatesfoundation.org/media-center/speeches/2005/09/bill-gates-lakeside-school | title = Remarks by Bill Gates, co-chair | accessdate = July 13, 2013 | work = Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Press Room, Speeches}}</ref> He later stated that "it was hard to tear myself away from a machine at which I could so unambiguously demonstrate success."{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 12}} At age 17, Gates formed a venture with Allen, called [[Traf-O-Data]], to make [[traffic counter]]s based on the [[Intel 8008]] processor.{{Sfn |Gates|1996| p= 14}} In early 1973, Bill Gates served as a congressional page in the US House of Representatives.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ushpaa.org/history.php | title = Congressional Page History | publisher = The United States House Page Association of America | quote = The Page Program has produced many politicians, Members of Congress, as well as other famous men and women. Some of these include: the Honorable John Dingell, the longest serving Member of Congress, Bill Gates, founder and CEO of the Microsoft Corporation, and Donnald K. Anderson, former Clerk of the House.}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>

Gates graduated from Lakeside School in 1973. He scored 1590 out of 1600 on the [[SAT]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://theweekmagazine.com/article.aspx?id=803 | title=The new—and improved?—SAT | accessdate =May 23, 2006 | work =The Week Magazine|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060510205250/http://theweekmagazine.com/article.aspx?id=803 | archivedate = May 10, 2006| deadurl=yes}}</ref> and enrolled at [[Harvard College]] in the autumn of 1973.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 15}} While at Harvard, he met [[Steve Ballmer]], who later succeeded Gates as CEO of Microsoft.

[[File:Poker Room.jpg|thumb|The Poker Room in [[Currier House (Harvard College)|Currier House]] at [[Harvard University]], where Gates and Allen formed Microsoft]]
In his sophomore year, Gates devised an algorithm for [[pancake sorting]] as a solution to one of a series of unsolved problems<ref name="Kestenbaum2008">{{cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92236781 | title = Before Microsoft, Gates Solved A Pancake Problem| last = Kestenbaum | first = David | date= July 4, 2008| publisher= [[National Public Radio]] |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92236781 |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref> presented in a [[combinatorics]] class by [[Harry R. Lewis|Harry Lewis]], one of his professors. Gates's solution held the record as the fastest version for over thirty years;<ref name="Kestenbaum2008"/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2008/09/17-002.php | publisher = [[University of Texas at Dallas]]| date = September 17, 2008| title= UT Dallas Team Bests Young Bill Gates With Improved Answer to So-Called Pancake Problem in Mathematics | archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120805/http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2008/09/17-002.php | archivedate = August 5, 2012}}</ref> its successor is faster by only one percent.<ref name = "Kestenbaum2008" /> His solution was later formalized in a published paper in collaboration with Harvard computer scientist [[Christos Papadimitriou]].<ref name="gatespapadimitriou">{{cite journal | last1= Gates | first1 = William | last2 = Papadimitriou | first2=Christos| year=1979 | title=Bounds for sorting by prefix reversal | journal = [[Discrete mathematics]] | volume = 27 | pages = 47–57 | doi = 10.1016/0012-365X(79)90068-2}}</ref>

Gates did not have a definite study plan while a student at Harvard{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 19}} and spent a lot of time using the school's computers. Gates remained in contact with Paul Allen, and he joined him at [[Honeywell]] during the summer of 1974.{{Sfn |Wallace| 1993| p = 59}} The following year saw the release of the [[MITS Altair 8800]] based on the [[Intel 8080|Intel 8080 CPU]], and Gates and Allen saw this as the opportunity to start their own computer software company.{{Sfn |Gates|1996| p= 18}} Gates dropped out of Harvard at this time.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nndb.com/people/435/000022369/ |title= Bill Gates | publisher = NNDb |accessdate= August 24, 2012 | archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120524/http://www.nndb.com/people/435/000022369/ |archivedate=May 24, 2012}}</ref> He had talked this decision over with his parents, who were supportive of him after seeing how much Gates wanted to start a company.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 19}}

==Microsoft==
{{Main |History of Microsoft|Microsoft}}

===BASIC===
[[File:Altair 8800 Computer.jpg|thumb|left|MITS Altair 8800 Computer with {{Convert |8|in|mm|adj=on}} floppy disk system]]
After reading the January 1975 issue of ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' that demonstrated the [[Altair 8800]], Gates contacted [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]] (MITS), the creators of the new microcomputer, to inform them that he and others were working on a [[BASIC]] interpreter for the platform.<ref name="keyevents">{{cite journal | title=Microsoft Visitor Center Student Information: Key Events in Microsoft History | url = http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/3/0/130dd86a-a196-4700-b577-521c4cf5cec1/key_events_in_microsoft_history.doc |publisher=Microsoft | format=.DOC |accessdate=February 18, 2008 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080226224212/http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/3/0/130dd86a-a196-4700-b577-521c4cf5cec1/key_events_in_microsoft_history.doc | archivedate= February 26, 2008 | deadurl = no}}</ref> In reality, Gates and Allen did not have an Altair and had not written code for it; they merely wanted to gauge MITS's interest. MITS president [[Ed Roberts (computers)|Ed Roberts]] agreed to meet them for a demo, and over the course of a few weeks they developed an Altair [[emulator]] that ran on a minicomputer, and then the BASIC interpreter. The demonstration, held at MITS's offices in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]] was a success and resulted in a deal with MITS to distribute the interpreter as [[Altair BASIC]]. Paul Allen was hired into MITS,<ref name="thocp1">{{cite web | title= Microsoft history|publisher= The History of Computing Project | url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm | accessdate= March 31, 2008 | archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |archivedate=May 23, 2012}}</ref> and Gates took a leave of absence from Harvard to work with Allen at MITS in Albuquerque in November 1975. They named their partnership "Micro-Soft" and had their first office located in Albuquerque.<ref name=thocp1/> Within a year, the hyphen was dropped, and on November 26, 1976, the trade name "Microsoft" was registered with the Office of the Secretary of the [[New Mexico|State of New Mexico]].<ref name=thocp1/> Gates never returned to Harvard to complete his studies.

Microsoft's BASIC was popular with computer hobbyists, but Gates discovered that a pre-market copy had leaked into the community and was being widely copied and distributed. In February 1976, Gates wrote an [[Open Letter to Hobbyists]] in the MITS newsletter saying that MITS could not continue to produce, distribute, and maintain high-quality software without payment.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p=81}} This letter was unpopular with many computer hobbyists, but Gates persisted in his belief that software developers should be able to demand payment. Microsoft became independent of MITS in late 1976, and it continued to develop programming language software for various systems.<ref name="thocp1" /> The company moved from Albuquerque to its new home in [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]], Washington on January 1, 1979.<ref name="keyevents" />

During Microsoft's early years, all employees had broad responsibility for the company's business. Gates oversaw the business details, but continued to write code as well. In the first five years, Gates personally reviewed every line of code the company shipped, and often rewrote parts of it as he saw fit.<ref name="waterloo">{{cite speech|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/2005/10-13Waterloo.aspx | last = Gates|first= William ‘Bill’ |title= Remarks | date= October 13, 2005| location= Waterloo, [[Ontario|ON]] | accessdate = March 31, 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080406130809/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/2005/10-13Waterloo.aspx | archivedate= April 6, 2008 | deadurl = no}}</ref>

===IBM partnership===
[[IBM]] approached Microsoft in July 1980 regarding its upcoming personal computer, the [[IBM PC]].{{r |bunnell1982febmar}} The computer company first proposed that Microsoft write the BASIC interpreter. When IBM's representatives mentioned that they needed an operating system, Gates referred them to [[Digital Research]] (DRI), makers of the widely used [[CP/M]] operating system.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/1223/258_print.html |title=Pioneers Die Broke|work=Forbes| last =Maiello | first = John Steele Gordon Michael |date=December 23, 2002|accessdate =March 31, 2008 |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/1223/258_print.html |archivedate = September 16, 2012}}</ref> IBM's discussions with Digital Research went poorly, and they did not reach a licensing agreement. IBM representative Jack Sams mentioned the licensing difficulties during a subsequent meeting with Gates and told him to get an acceptable operating system. A few weeks later Gates proposed using [[86-DOS]] (QDOS), an operating system similar to CP/M that [[Tim Paterson]] of [[Seattle Computer Products]] (SCP) had made for hardware similar to the PC. Microsoft made a deal with SCP to become the exclusive licensing agent, and later the full owner, of 86-DOS. After adapting the operating system for the PC, Microsoft delivered it to IBM as [[PC DOS]] in exchange for a one-time fee of $50,000.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 54}}

Gates did not offer to transfer the [[copyright]] on the operating system, because he believed that other hardware vendors would clone IBM's system.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 54}} They did, and the sales of [[MS-DOS]] made Microsoft a major player in the industry.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p=193}} Despite IBM's name on the operating system the press quickly identified Microsoft as being very influential on the new computer, with ''PC Magazine'' asking if Gates were "The Man Behind The Machine?"<ref name="bunnell1982febmar">{{cite news | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&lpg=RA2-PA18&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q&f=false | title=The Man Behind The Machine? | type = interview | work=PC Magazine |date=Feb–Mar 1982 | accessdate = February 17, 2012 | last = Bunnell | first = David | page= 16}}</ref> He oversaw Microsoft's company restructuring on June 25, 1981, which re-incorporated the company in Washington state and made Gates President of Microsoft and the Chairman of the Board.<ref name="keyevents" />

===Windows===
Microsoft launched its first retail version of [[Microsoft Windows]] on November 20, 1985, and in August, the company struck a deal with [[IBM]] to develop a separate operating system called [[OS/2]]. Although the two companies successfully developed the first version of the new system, mounting creative differences caused the partnership to deteriorate. It ended in 1991, when Gates led Microsoft to develop a version of OS/2 independently from IBM.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://groklaw.net/pdf/iowa/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/0000/PX00738.pdf |title=Challenges and Strategy |format=PDF |work=Groklaw |accessdate=November 17, 2011}}</ref>

===Management style===
[[File:Bill Gates - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|Bill Gates in January 2008]]

From Microsoft's founding in 1975 until 2006, Gates had primary responsibility for the company's product strategy. He aggressively broadened the company's range of products, and wherever Microsoft achieved a dominant position he vigorously defended it. He gained a reputation for being distant to others; as early as 1981 an industry executive complained in public that "Gates is notorious for not being reachable by phone and for not returning phone calls."<ref name="freiberger19810831">{{cite news | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rD0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA44&dq=%22radio%20shack%22%20%22model%20i%22&pg=PA49#v=onepage&q=%22radio%20shack%22%20%22model%20i%22&f=false | title=Bugs in Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III: How Bad Are They? | accessdate = February 28, 2011 | last =Freiberger | first = Paul | date=August 31, 1981 | publisher=InfoWorld | page = 49}}</ref> Another executive recalled that after he showed Gates a game and defeated him 35 of 37 times, when they met again a month later Gates "won or tied every game. He had studied the game until he solved it. That is a competitor."<ref name="Atari Thorlin Interview 2000">{{cite interview |title=Fred Thorlin: The Big Boss at Atari Program Exchange |url= http://www.atariarchives.org/APX/thorlininterview.php |publisher= Atari archives |year=2000 |month= April |last= Thorlin |first= Fred | interviewer= Kevin Savetz |accessdate = December 6, 2012}}</ref>

As an executive, Gates met regularly with Microsoft's senior managers and program managers. Firsthand accounts of these meetings describe him as verbally combative, berating managers for perceived holes in their business strategies or proposals that placed the company's long-term interests at risk.<ref name = "rensin">{{cite journal | first=David|last= Rensin|title= The Bill Gates Interview|year= 1994|journal= Playboy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/steve/churchillclub.mspx | title=Steve Ballmer Speech Transcript — Church Hill Club | first=Steve|last=Ballmer | date=October 9, 1997 |publisher = Microsoft | accessdate= March 31, 2008 | archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/steve/churchillclub.mspx |archivedate= September 16, 2012}}</ref>

He often interrupted presentations with such comments as, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"<ref name="time GOS">{{cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/gates/gates5.html | first=Walter | last= Isaacson | title = The Gates Operating System |work=Time | date= January 13, 1997 | accessdate= March 31, 2008|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20000619090559/http://www.time.com/time/gates/gates5.html|archivedate = 2000-06-19}}</ref> and, "Why don't you just give up your [[Option (finance)|options]] and join the [[Peace Corps]]?"<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.breakingwindows.net/1link3.htm | title = Breaking Windows |work=The Wall Street Journal | last =Bank | first = David|date = February 1, 1999 | accessdate =March 31, 2008 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120729/http://www.breakingwindows.net/1link3.htm |archivedate=July 29, 2012}}</ref> The target of his outburst then had to defend the proposal in detail until, hopefully, Gates was fully convinced.<ref name="time GOS" /> When subordinates appeared to be procrastinating, he was known to remark sarcastically, "I'll do it over the weekend."<ref name="chapman">{{cite news| url = http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8aV1bK5vmwLaw9wYr9nY5bFc4YA | first= Glenn|last= Chapman|title= Bill Gates Signs Off| date= June 27, 2008 | agency =Agence France-Presse |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8aV1bK5vmwLaw9wYr9nY5bFc4YA |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name="pdc97">{{cite speech | url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/1997/pdc.aspx | first=Bill | last= Gates | title = Remarks by Bill Gates | location=San Diego | date=September 26, 1997 | accessdate=March 31, 2008| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080420152409/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/1997/pdc.aspx| archivedate= April 20, 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref name="herbold">{{cite book|first=Robert|year=2004|last=Herbold|title=The Fiefdom Syndrome: The Turf Battles That Undermine Careers and Companies – And How to Overcome Them|isbn=0-385-51067-5}}</ref>

Gates's role at Microsoft for most of its history was primarily a management and executive role. However, he was an active software developer in the early years, particularly on the company's [[programming language]] products. He has not officially been on a development team since working on the [[TRS-80 Model 100]],<ref name="allison1993">{{cite interview |last=Gates |first=Bill |subjectlink=Bill Gates |interviewer=David Allison | url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/comphist/gates.htm | title=Bill Gates Interview | program=Transcript of a Video History Interview | work=Computer History Collection | publisher=National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution | accessdate=April 10, 2013 }}</ref> but wrote code as late as 1989 that shipped in the company's products.<ref name="pdc97"/> On June 15, 2006, Gates announced that he would transition out of his day-to-day role over the next two years to dedicate more time to philanthropy. He divided his responsibilities between two successors, placing [[Ray Ozzie]] in charge of day-to-day management and [[Craig Mundie]] in charge of long-term product strategy.<ref name="mscorpnews">{{cite news | url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jun06/06-15CorpNewsPR.mspx | title=Microsoft Announces Plans for July 2008 Transition for Bill Gates |publisher=Microsoft|date=June 15, 2006 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jun06/06-15CorpNewsPR.mspx |archivedate= May 23, 2012}}</ref>

===Antitrust litigation===
{{Further |United States Microsoft antitrust case|European Union Microsoft competition case}}
[[File:Bill Gates - United States v. Microsoft.jpg|thumb|Gates giving his deposition at Microsoft on August 27, 1998]]

Many decisions that led to [[United States antitrust law|antitrust]] litigation over Microsoft's business practices have had Gates's approval. In the 1998 ''[[United States v. Microsoft]]'' case, Gates gave deposition testimony that several journalists characterized as evasive. He argued with examiner [[David Boies]] over the contextual meaning of words such as, "compete", "concerned", and "we". The judge and other observers in the court room were seen laughing at various points during the deposition.<ref name="GatesDepositionJudgeLaugh">{{cite news|accessdate=April 10, 2013 |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9811/17/judgelaugh.ms.idg/index.html|title=Gates deposition makes judge laugh in court| first=Elizabeth | last=Wasserman | publisher=CNN|date=November 17, 1998 }}</ref> ''BusinessWeek'' reported:
{{quotation |Early rounds of his deposition show him offering obfuscatory answers and saying 'I don't recall,' so many times that even the presiding judge had to chuckle. Worse, many of the technology chief's denials and pleas of ignorance were directly refuted by prosecutors with snippets of e-mail that Gates both sent and received.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= March 30, 2008|url= http://www.businessweek.com/1998/48/b3606125.htm | title = Microsoft's Teflon Bill|work=BusinessWeek |date=November 30, 1998 |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120524/http://www.businessweek.com/1998/48/b3606125.htm |archivedate= May 24, 2012}}</ref>}}

Gates later said he had simply resisted attempts by Boies to mischaracterize his words and actions. As to his demeanor during the deposition, he said, "Did I fence with Boies? ... I plead guilty. Whatever that penalty is should be levied against me: rudeness to Boies in the first degree."<ref name="truth">{{cite journal|last1=Heilemann |first1=John |last2=Chen |first2=Hy |last3=Wu |first3=J S |last4=Hyland |first4=B |last5=Lu |first5=X D |last6=Chen |first6=J J |title=The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth|date=November 1, 2000 |journal=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html | accessdate=March 31, 2008 |month=May |volume=46|issue=8|pmid = 18509686 | doi =10.1007/s11517-008-0355-6|pages=833–9 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120529/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html |archivedate= May 29, 2012}}</ref> Despite Gates' denials, the judge ruled that Microsoft had committed [[monopolization]] and [[tying (commerce)|tying]], and blocking competition, both in violation of the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]].<ref name="truth" />

===Appearance in ads===
[[File:Bill Gates mugshot.png|thumb|upright|Gates mugshot of his 1977 arrest in [[New Mexico]]]]
Gates appeared in a series of ads to promote Microsoft in 2008. The first commercial, co-starring [[Jerry Seinfeld]], is a 90-second talk between strangers as Seinfeld walks up on a discount shoe store (Shoe Circus) in a mall and notices Gates buying shoes inside. The salesman is trying to sell Mr. Gates shoes that are a size too big. As Gates is buying the shoes, he holds up his discount card, which uses a slightly altered version of his own mugshot of his arrest in [[New Mexico]] in 1977 for a traffic violation.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/gatesmug1.html |title = Mugshots | publisher = The Smoking Gun | accessdate = June 9, 2010 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/gatesmug1.html | archivedate = September 16, 2012}}</ref> As they are walking out of the mall, Seinfeld asks Gates if he has melded his mind to other developers, after getting a yes, he then asks if they are working on a way to make computers edible, again getting a yes. Some say that this is an homage to Seinfeld's own show about "nothing" (''[[Seinfeld]]'').<ref>{{cite web| url = http://adblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/08/1362333.aspx | title = Adblog | publisher = MSNBC |accessdate= June 9, 2010 | date = September 8, 2008}}{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> In a second commercial in the series, Gates and Seinfeld are at the home of an average family trying to fit in with normal people.

==Post-Microsoft==
Since leaving day-to-day operations at Microsoft (where he remains the chairman<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/billg/default.aspx |title=Official Bill Gates page at Microsoft.com |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/billg/default.aspx |archivedate=May 23, 2012}}</ref>), Gates continues his philanthropy and, among other projects, purchased the video rights to the [[Messenger Lectures]] series called ''[[The Character of Physical Law]]'', given at [[Cornell University]] by [[Richard Feynman]] in 1964 and recorded by the [[BBC]]. The videos are available online to the public at Microsoft's [[Project Tuva]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Fried |first=Ina |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10286732-56.html |title=CNET Project Tuva |publisher=News.cnet.com |date=July 14, 2009 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120713/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10286732-56.html |archivedate=July 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Access-Project-Tuva-for-Free-Courtesy-of-Bill-Gates-116778.shtml |title=Access Project Tuva for Free, Courtesy of Bill Gates |publisher=News.softpedia.com |date=July 20, 2009 |accessdate=March 29, 2013 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://news.softpedia.com/news/Access-Project-Tuva-for-Free-Courtesy-of-Bill-Gates-116778.shtml |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref>

In April 2010, Gates was invited to visit and speak at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] where he asked the students to take on the hard problems of the world in their futures.<ref>Guo, Jeff; McQueen, Rob,
{{cite web |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates.html |title=Gates asks students to tackle world’s problems : Disease and education among biggest challenges |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates.html |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}, ''[[The Tech (newspaper)|The Tech]]'', Volume 130, Issue 21, Friday, April 23, 2010</ref><ref>Guo, Jeff, {{cite web |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates/interview.html |title=In interview, Gates describes philanthropic journey |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120714/http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates/interview.html |archivedate=July 14, 2012}}, ''The Tech'', Volume 130, Issue 21, April 23, 2010. (video & transcript). "After he spoke at Kresge Auditorium, Bill Gates sat down with The Tech to talk more about his college tour, his philanthropy, and the philosophy behind it."</ref>

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gates was the world's highest-earning billionaire in 2013, as his fortune increased by US$15.8 billion to US$78.5 billion. As of January 2014, most of Gates’s assets are held in Cascade Investment LLC, an entity through which he owns stakes in numerous businesses, including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Corbis Corp.<ref>{{cite news|title=Billionaires Worth $3.7 Trillion Surge as Gates Wins 2013|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-02/billionaires-worth-3-7-trillion-surge-as-gates-wins-2013.html|accessdate=3 January 2014|newspaper=Bloomberg Businessweek|date=2 January 2014|author=Matthew G. Miller|author2=Peter Newcomb}}</ref>

On 4 February 2014, Bill Gates steps down as Chairman of Microsoft to become Technology Advisor alongside [[Satya Nadella]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bill Gates steps down as chairman, will assist new CEO as 'technology advisor'|url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor|accessdate=4 February 2014|newspaper=The Verge}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Bill og Melinda Gates 2009-06-03 (bilde 01).JPG|thumb|left|Bill and [[Melinda Gates]], June 2009]]

After being named one of ''[[Good Housekeeping]]''{{'}}s "50 Most Eligible Bachelors" in 1985,<ref name="langdell19850514">{{cite news | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DDlmJxSURq8C&lpg=PP1&pg=PA51#v=onepage&q&f=true | title=Top-Bachelor Gates: Is He Compatible? | work=PC Magazine | date=May 14, 1985 | accessdate=October 28, 2013 | author=Langdell, James | pages=51}}</ref> Gates married [[Melinda Gates|Melinda French]] on January 1, 1994. They have three children: daughters Jennifer Katharine (b. 1996) and Phoebe Adele (b. 2002), and son Rory John (b. 1999). The family resides in [[Bill Gates' house|the Gates's home]], an [[earth sheltering|earth-sheltered house]] in the side of a hill overlooking [[Lake Washington]] in Medina. According to [[King County, Washington|King County]] public records, as of 2006 the total assessed value of the property (land and house) is $125 million, and the annual property tax is $991,000.

Gates's {{convert|66000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} estate has a {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=on}} swimming pool with an underwater music system, as well as a {{convert|2500|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} gym and a {{convert|1000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} dining room.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/billionaire-homes-expensive-billionaires-2009-lifestyle-real-estate-homes_3.html?thisSpeed=30000 |title=coverage of the Gates' Medina, Washington estate |work=Forbes |date=May 22, 2002 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120906/http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/billionaire-homes-expensive-billionaires-2009-lifestyle-real-estate-homes_3.html?thisSpeed=30000 |archivedate=September 6, 2012}}</ref>

Also among Gates's private acquisitions is the [[Codex Leicester]], a collection of writings by [[Leonardo da Vinci]], which Gates bought for $30.8 million at an auction in 1994.<ref>{{harv|Lesinski|2006|p=74}}</ref> Gates is also known as an avid reader, and the ceiling of his large home library is engraved with a quotation from ''[[The Great Gatsby]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last = Paterson|first = Thane|title = "He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close he could hardly fail to grasp it"-FSF (Advice for Bill Gates: A Little Culture Wouldn't Hurt)|work=Business Week|date = June 13, 2000|url = http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/june2000/nf00613b.htm
|accessdate =April 28, 2008 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080501175753/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/june2000/nf00613b.htm| archivedate= May 1, 2008 | deadurl= yes}}</ref> He also enjoys playing bridge, tennis, and golf.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/default.aspx?tab=biography|title=Bill Gates: Chairman|publisher=Microsoft Corporation|year=2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/default.aspx?tab=biography |archivedate=May 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Profile: Bill Gates|publisher=BBC news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3428721.stm | date=January 26, 2004 | accessdate=January 1, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120721/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3428721.stm |archivedate=July 21, 2012}}</ref>

Gates was number one on the [[Forbes 400]] list from 1993 through to 2007 and number one on ''Forbes'' list of [[Lists of billionaires|The World's Richest People]] from 1995 to 2007 and 2009. In 1999, his wealth briefly surpassed $101 billion, causing the media to call Gates a "centibillionaire".<ref>{{harv|Fridson|2001|p=113}}</ref> Despite his wealth and extensive business travel Gates usually flew [[coach class|coach]] until 1997, when he bought a private jet.<ref name="zuckerman19971027">{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/27/business/new-jet-eases-travel-hassles-for-bill-gates.html | title=New Jet Eases Travel Hassles For Bill Gates | work=The New York Times | date=October 27, 1997 | accessdate=September 2, 2012 | author=Zuckerman, Laurence |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/27/business/new-jet-eases-travel-hassles-for-bill-gates.html |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref> Since 2000, the nominal value of his Microsoft holdings has declined due to a fall in Microsoft's stock price after the [[dot-com bubble]] burst and the multi-billion dollar donations he has made to his charitable foundations. In a May 2006 interview, Gates commented that he wished that he were not the richest man in the world because he disliked the attention it brought.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bolger|first=Joe|date=May 5, 2006|title=I wish I was not the richest man in the world, says Bill Gates|work=The Times |location=UK |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/united_states/article713434.ece|accessdate =March 31, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/united_states/article713434.ece |archivedate=July 10, 2012}}</ref> In March 2010, Gates was the second wealthiest person behind [[Carlos Slim]], but regained the top position in 2013 according to the Bloomberg Billionaires List.<ref name="Bloom" />

Gates has several investments outside Microsoft, which in 2006 paid him a salary of $616,667 and $350,000 bonus totalling $966,667.<ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft 2006 Proxy Statement | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/proxy2006.mspx |publisher=Microsoft | date=October 6, 2007 | accessdate=February 14, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120530/http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/proxy2006.mspx |archivedate=May 30, 2012}}</ref> He founded [[Corbis]], a digital imaging company, in 1989. In 2004 he became a director of [[Berkshire Hathaway]], the investment company headed by long-time friend [[Warren Buffett]].<ref>{{cite news | last=Fried | first=Ina | date=December 14, 2004 | title=Gates joins board of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway | url=http://www.news.com/Gates-joins-board-of-Buffetts-Berkshire-Hathaway/2100-1014_3-5491312.html |publisher=[[CNET]] | accessdate=March 31, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120908/http://www.news.com/Gates-joins-board-of-Buffetts-Berkshire-Hathaway/2100-1014_3-5491312.html |archivedate=September 8, 2012}}</ref>

===Philanthropy===
[[File:Millennium Development Goals - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008.jpg|thumb|Gates with [[Bono]], [[Queen Rania of Jordan]], former British Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]], President [[Umaru Musa Yar'Adua|Umaru Yar'Adua]] of Nigeria and others during the Annual Meeting 2008 of the [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos, Switzerland|Switzerland]]]]
{{Main| Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation}}

Gates began to appreciate the expectations others had of him when public opinion mounted suggesting that he could give more of his wealth to charity. Gates studied the work of [[Andrew Carnegie]] and [[John D. Rockefeller]], and in 1994 sold some of his Microsoft stock to create the William H. Gates Foundation. In 2000, Gates and his wife combined three family foundations into one to create the charitable [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]], which is the largest transparently operated charitable foundation in the world.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=April 1, 2008|url=http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6919139|title=Flat-pack accounting |work=The Economist|date=May 11, 2006 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120524/http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6919139 |archivedate=May 24, 2012}}</ref> The foundation allows benefactors access to information regarding how its money is being spent, unlike other major charitable organizations such as the [[Wellcome Trust]].<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=April 1, 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3913581.stm|title=Bill Gates: billionaire philanthropist |publisher=BBC News |date=January 25, 2005|author=Cronin, Jon |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120731/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3913581.stm |archivedate=July 31, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|accessdate=April 1, 2008|url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/OurWork/OurApproach/|title=Our Approach to Giving |publisher=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080404212231/http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/OurWork/OurApproach/ |archivedate = April 4, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> The generosity and extensive philanthropy of [[David Rockefeller]] has been credited as a major influence. Gates and his father met with Rockefeller several times, and modeled their giving in part on the [[Rockefeller family]]'s philanthropic focus, namely those global problems that are ignored by governments and other organizations.<ref name="bill foundation">{{cite journal | title=2005 Annual Report | format= PDF |publisher=[[Rockefeller Brothers Fund]] | url=http://www.rbf.org/usr_doc/2005_Annual_Review.pdf | date=January 1, 2006 | accessdate=February 14, 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080216010301/http://www.rbf.org/usr_doc/2005_Annual_Review.pdf| archivedate= February 16, 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref> As of 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the second-most generous philanthropists in America, having given over $28 billion to charity;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive%5Freports/philanthropy%5Findividual |title=The 50 most generous Americans |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222062206/http://www.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/philanthropy_individual.html |archivedate=February 22, 2012}}</ref> the couple plan to eventually donate 95% of their wealth to charity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11565953 |title=Bill and Melinda Gates give 95% of wealth to charity |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120719/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11565953 |archivedate=July 19, 2012}}</ref>

Gates's wife urged people to learn a lesson from the philanthropic efforts of the Salwen family, which had sold its home and given away half of its value, as detailed in ''[[The Power of Half]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/they-half-it-in-them-1.686505 |title=They half it in them |newspaper=Gulf News |author=Bina Abraham |date=October 1, 2010 |accessdate=March 17, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120708/http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/they-half-it-in-them-1.686505 |archivedate=July 8, 2012}}</ref> Gates and his wife invited Joan Salwen to Seattle to speak about what the family had done, and on December 9, 2010, Gates, investor [[Warren Buffett]], and [[Mark Zuckerberg]] (Facebook's CEO) signed a promise they called the "Gates-Buffet [[Giving Pledge]]", in which they promised to donate to charity at least half of their wealth over the course of time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Moss |first=Rosabeth |url=http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/dec2010/ca20101214_945792.htm |title=Four Strategic Generosity Lessons|work=Business Week |date=December 14, 2010 |accessdate=March 9, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120724/http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/dec2010/ca20101214_945792.htm |archivedate=July 24, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38556042/ns/us_news-giving/ | title= 40 billionaires pledge to give away half of wealth| accessdate=August 8, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120907/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38556042/ns/us_news-giving/ |archivedate=September 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/a-rich-gift-homemade-jelly-for-bill-melinda-gates.aspx |title=A Rich Gift: Homemade Jelly for Bill and Melinda Gates |work=Mother Earth News |date=February 22, 2011 |author=Robyn Griggs Lawrence|accessdate=March 10, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/a-rich-gift-homemade-jelly-for-bill-melinda-gates.aspx |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref>

====Criticism====
The foundation has been criticized by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' for investing its assets in companies that have been accused of worsening poverty, polluting heavily, and pharmaceutical companies that do not sell into the developing world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gatesx07jan07,0,6827615.story |title=Dark cloud over good works of Gates Foundation |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gatesx07jan07,0,6827615.story |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}, ''Los Angeles Times'', January 7, 2006.</ref>
In response to press criticism, the foundation announced in 2007 a review of its investments, to assess social responsibility.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003517601_gatesinvest10.html |title=Gates Foundation to review investments |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120716/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003517601_gatesinvest10.html |archivedate=July 16, 2012}}, The Seattle Times, January 10, 2007.</ref> It subsequently canceled the review and stood by its policy of investing for maximum return, while using voting rights to influence company practices.<ref>[http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/01/14/14gates.html Gates Foundation to maintain its investment plan], ''The Austin Statesman'', January 14, 2007. {{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref> The Gates Millennium Scholars program has been criticized by [[Ernest W. Lefever]] for its exclusion of [[Non-Hispanic Whites|Caucasian]] students.<ref>"{{cite web |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/01/local/me-28639 |title=Bill Gates' 'Diversity' Subverts Merit |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/01/local/me-28639 |archivedate=July 10, 2012}}", ''Los Angeles Times'', November 1, 1999</ref> The scholarship program is administered by the [[United Negro College Fund]].<ref>"{{cite web |url=http://www.gmsp.org/publicweb/AboutUs.aspx |title=The Gates Millennium Scholars program |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120803/http://www.gmsp.org/publicweb/AboutUs.aspx |archivedate=August 3, 2012}}"</ref>

===Recognition===
[[File:Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (522695099).jpg|thumb|left|Gates and [[Steve Jobs]] at the 5th {{nowrap|''D: All Things Digital''}} conference (''D5'') in 2007]]

In 1987 Gates was listed as a billionaire in ''Forbes'' magazine's 400 Richest People in America issue, just days before his 32nd birthday. As the world's youngest self-made billionaire, he was worth $1.25 billion, over $900 million more than he'd been worth the year before, when he'd debuted on the list.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/19/young-tech-billionaire-gates-google-yahoo-wealth.html |title=The Next Bill Gates |work=Forbes |date=January 19, 2010 |accessdate=December 20, 2010 |first=Marie |last=Thibault |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120731/http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/19/young-tech-billionaire-gates-google-yahoo-wealth.html |archivedate=July 31, 2012}}</ref>

''Time'' magazine named Gates [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century#The only people to shape both the 20th century and the early 21st|one of the 100 people who most influenced the 20th century]], as well as [[Time 100|one of the 100 most influential people of 2004, 2005, and 2006]]. ''Time'' also collectively named Gates, his wife Melinda and U2's lead singer [[Bono]] as the 2005 [[Time Magazine Person of the Year|Persons of the Year]] for their humanitarian efforts.<ref>{{harv|Lesinski|2006|p=102}}</ref> In 2006, he was voted eighth in the list of "Heroes of our time".<ref>{{cite news | author=Cowley, Jason | title=Heroes of our time — the top 50 | url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200605220016 |work=New Statesman |location=UK | date=June 22, 2006 | accessdate=February 17, 2008}}{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> Gates was listed in the ''[[The Sunday Times (UK)|Sunday Times]]'' power list in 1999, named CEO of the year by ''Chief Executive Officers magazine'' in 1994, ranked number one in the "Top 50 Cyber Elite" by ''Time'' in 1998, ranked number two in the ''[[Upside (magazine)|Upside]]'' Elite 100 in 1999 and was included in ''[[The Guardian]]'' as one of the "Top 100 influential people in media" in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=March 30, 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/457951.stm|title=Gates 'second only to Blair' |publisher=BBC News |date=September 26, 1999 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120711/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/457951.stm |archivedate=July 11, 2012}}</ref>

According to ''Forbes'', Gates was ranked as the fourth most powerful person in the world in 2012,<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The World's Most Powerful People |magazine=Forbes |date=December 5, 2012 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |url=http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230133410/http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archivedate=December 30, 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref> up from fifth in 2011.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The World's Most Powerful People |magazine=Forbes |date=November 2, 2011 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |url=http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204013058/http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archivedate=December 4, 2011 |deadurl=yes}}</ref>

In 1994, he was honored as the twentieth [[DFBCS|Distinguished Fellow]] of the [[British Computer Society]]. Gates has received honorary doctorates from [[Nyenrode Business Universiteit]], [[Breukelen]], The Netherlands, in 2000;<ref>{{cite press release | language=Dutch| title=''Eredoctoraat Universiteit Nyenrode voor Wim Kok'' | url=http://www.nyenrode.nl/news/news_full.cfm?publication_id=599 |publisher=Nyenrode Business Universiteit | date=August 13, 2003 | accessdate=February 18, 2008|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080218131826/http://www.nyenrode.nl/news/news_full.cfm?publication_id=599 |archivedate = February 18, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> the [[Royal Institute of Technology]], Stockholm, Sweden, in 2002;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-01-26/international-business/27286399_1_iit-kanpur-iit-delhi-iitians |title=IIT's diaspora has a party – Times Of India |newspaper=The Times of India |date=January 26, 2003 |accessdate=October 24, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120707/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-01-26/international-business/27286399_1_iit-kanpur-iit-delhi-iitians |archivedate=July 7, 2012}}</ref> [[Waseda University]], Tokyo, Japan, in 2005; [[Tsinghua University]], Beijing, China, in April 2007;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng__news.php?id=1370 |title=Bill Gates Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Tsinghua |publisher=Tsinghua University |date=April 19, 2007 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120712/http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng__news.php?id=1370 |archivedate=July 12, 2012}}</ref> Harvard University in June 2007;<ref>{{cite news | author=Hughes, Gina | title=Bill Gates Gets Degree After 30 Years | url=http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/hughes/13653 |publisher=Yahoo! | date=June 8, 2007 | accessdate=February 18, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120717/http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/hughes/13653 |archivedate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> the [[Karolinska Institutet]], Stockholm, in January 2008,<ref>{{cite web | author=Svärd, Madeleine | title=Bill Gates honored with a doctor's cap | url=http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=130&a=47838&l=en&newsdep=130 |publisher=Karolinska Institutet | date=January 24, 2008 | accessdate=February 18, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=130&a=47838&l=en&newsdep=130 |archivedate=July 10, 2012}}</ref> and Cambridge University in June 2009.<ref>{{cite news | author=University of Cambridge | title=The Chancellor in Cambridge to confer Honorary Degrees | url=http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2009061204 |publisher=University of Cambridge | date=June 12, 2009 | accessdate=August 20, 2009 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120717/http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2009061204 |archivedate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> He was also made an honorary trustee of [[Peking University]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2098235.ece |work=The Times |location=London | title=Gates how piracy worked for me in China | date=July 18, 2007 | accessdate=April 26, 2010 | first=Rhys | last=Blakely |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120707/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2098235.ece |archivedate=July 7, 2012}}</ref>

Gates was made an [[British honours system#Honorary awards|honorary]] [[Order of the British Empire|Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (KBE) by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite news | title=Knighthood for Microsoft's Gates | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3428673.stm |publisher=BBC News | date=March 2, 2005 | accessdate=February 18, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120711/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3428673.stm | archivedate= July 11, 2012}}</ref> He and his wife were awarded the [[Order of the Aztec Eagle]] in November 2006 for their philanthropic work around the world in the areas of health and education, particularly in Mexico, and specifically in the program "''{{lang|es|Un país de lectores}}''".<ref>{{cite web|url = http://diariooficial.segob.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=4936346 | accessdate=March 30, 2008|publisher=[[Diario Oficial de la Federación]] | title =Proclamation of the Award |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120707/http://diariooficial.segob.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=4936346 |archivedate=July 7, 2012}}</ref> Gates received the 2010 [[Bower Award for Business Leadership]] from [[The Franklin Institute]] for his achievements at Microsoft and his philanthropic work.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bower Award for Business Leadership |publisher=The Franklin Institute |year=2010 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |url=http://www.fi.edu/franklinawards/10/bowerbus.html}}</ref> Also in 2010 he was honored with the [[Silver Buffalo Award]] by the [[Boy Scouts of America]], its highest award for adults, for his service to youth.<ref name="SB2010">{{cite journal |title=2010 Silver Buffalo Recipients |journal=Scouting |date=September–October 2010 |page=39}}</ref>

[[Entomology|Entomologists]] named [[Bill Gates' flower fly]], ''{{lang|la|Eristalis gatesi}}'', in his honor in 1997.<ref>{{cite web | last = Thompson | first = F. Christian | title=Bill Gates' Flower Fly ''Eristalis gatesi'' Thompson | url= http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Diptera/syrphid/gates.htm |publisher=The Diptera Site | date=August 19, 1999 | accessdate =February 18, 2008 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120805/http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Diptera/syrphid/gates.htm |archivedate= August 5, 2012}}</ref>

In 2002, Bill and Melinda Gates received the [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Jefferson Award]] for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged.<ref>[http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national National Winners | public service awards]. Jefferson Awards.org. Retrieved on September 4, 2013.</ref>

===Investments===
* [[Cascade Investment|Cascade Investments LLC]], a private investment and holding company, incorporated in United States, is controlled by Bill Gates, and is headquartered in the city of [[Kirkland, Washington]].
* [[bgC3]], a new think-tank company founded by Bill Gates.
* [[Corbis]], a digital image licensing and rights services company.
* [[TerraPower]], a nuclear reactor design company.
* Research Gate, a social networking site for scientists. Gates has invested $35 million in the site.

==Books, films, and social media==

===Books===
To date, Bill Gates has authored two books:
*''[[The Road Ahead (Bill Gates book)|The Road Ahead]]'', written with Microsoft executive [[Nathan Myhrvold]] and journalist [[Peter Rinearson]], was published in November 1995. It summarized the implications of the personal computing revolution and described a future profoundly changed by the arrival of a global [[information superhighway]].
*''[[Business @ the Speed of Thought]]'' was published in 1999, and discusses how business and technology are integrated, and shows how digital infrastructures and information networks can help getting an edge on the competition.

===Documentaries===
* ''[[Triumph of the Nerds]]'' (1996)
*''[[Waiting for "Superman"]]'' (2010) <ref>{{cite web | url= http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9644610 |title= Bill Gates Goes to Sundance, Offers an Education |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120701/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9644610 |archivedate=July 1, 2012 | publisher = ABC News | date = January 23, 2010}}</ref>
*''[[The Virtual Revolution]]'' (2010)

===Feature films===
* ''[[Pirates of Silicon Valley]]'', a 1999 film which chronicles the rise of [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and Microsoft from the early 1970s to 1997. Gates is portrayed by [[Anthony Michael Hall]].
*''[[The Social Network]],'' a 2010 film which chronicles the development of [[Facebook]]. Gates is portrayed by Steve Sires.<ref>[http://www.kval.com/news/entertainment/104288359.html 'Bogus Bill' has a blast playing billionaire in 'The Social Network']</ref>

===Social media===
In 2013, Gates became a LinkedIn Influencer.<ref>Wills, Amanda. "[http://mashable.com/2013/06/13/bill-gates-joins-linkedin/ Bill Gates Joins LinkedIn]", ''Mashable'', New York, June 13, 2013. Retrieved on July 30, 2013.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Microsoft}}
* [[Big History]] – academic discipline advocated by Bill Gates
* [[List of billionaires]]
* [[List of college dropout billionaires]]
* [[List of wealthiest non-inflated historical figures]]
* [[Paul Allen]] – Microsoft's co-founder, friend, and fellow billionaire

==Notes==
{{Reflist | group = "lower-alpha"}}

==References==
{{Reflist |colwidth =30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Citation |title=How to Be a Billionaire: Proven Strategies from the Titans of Wealth|first=Martin|last = Fridson |year=2001|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]]|isbn= 0-471-41617-7}}
* {{Citation |title=The Road Ahead|last=Gates|first=Bill |year=1996 |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |isbn = 0-14-026040-4}}
* {{Citation |title=Bill Gates | type = biography |first=Jeanne M.|last=Lesinski|year=2006|publisher= [[A&E Television Networks]]|isbn= 0-8225-7027-0}}
* {{Citation |title =Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself The Richest Man in America | isbn = 0-671-88074-8| year = 1994| publisher = [[Touchstone Pictures]] | last = Manes | first = Stephen}}
* {{Citation |first=James|last=Wallace|year=1993|title=Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers|location=New York|isbn= 0-471-56886-4}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book|last=Bank|first=David|title=Breaking Windows: how Bill Gates fumbled the future of Microsoft | year = 2001|publisher=Free Press|location=New York|isbn= 0-7432-0315-1}}
* {{Cite book|last=Rivlin|first=Gary|title=The plot to get Bill Gates: an irreverent investigation of the world's richest man... and the people who hate him|year= 1999|publisher= Times Business|location= New York | isbn = 0-8129-3006-1}}
* {{Cite journal| month =December | year = 1998|title= 83 Reasons Why Bill Gates's Reign Is Over|journal = [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|volume=6|issue=12|url= http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/microsoft.html}}
* {{cite web|author-link = Gary Kildall | first = Gary | last = Kildall | url= http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_43/b3905109_mz063.htm | title=The Man Who Could Have Been Bill Gates |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek |date=October 25, 2004 |accessdate = June 9, 2010}}
* [http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11622119 "The Meaning of Bill Gates: As his reign at Microsoft comes to an end, so does the era he dominated"], ''[[The Economist]]'', June 28, 2008.

==External links==
{{Sister project links|Bill Gates|wikt=no|v=no|s=Index:Bill Gates Letter to Hobbyists|b=no|}}
* {{Official website|http://www.thegatesnotes.com}}
* [http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]
* [http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/billg/ Profile] at [[Microsoft]]
* [http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates Profile] at [[Forbes]]
* {{C-SPAN|billgates}}
* {{Charlie Rose view|33}}
* {{TED|speakers/bill_gates.html}}
* {{IMDb name|0309540}}
* {{Guardiantopic|technology/billgates}}
* {{NYTtopic|people/g/bill_gates}}
* {{WSJtopic|person/G/bill-gates/685}}
* {{Bloombergtopic|bill-gates}}
* {{worldcat id|lccn-n91-8414}}
* {{OL author|id=OL34537A}}
* {{Nndb|435/000022369}}
* [http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/30/news/newsmakers/gates_howiwork_fortune/ How I Work: Bill Gates], ''Fortune'', March 30, 2006.
* {{Citation | url = http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/09/16/richest-american-billionaires-lists-400list08-cx_mm_dg_0917richintro.html | title = The Forbes 400 | date = September 16, 2008}}.

{{S-start}}
{{S-hon}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Warren Buffett]] Warren Buffett
| title = [[List of billionaires|World's richest person]]
| years = 1996–2007 2009–2010
| after = Warren Buffett [[Carlos Slim]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Bill Gates}}
{{Microsoft Executives}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 2001-2025}}
{{Berkshire Hathaway}}
{{World's richest people}}

{{Good article}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2013}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=102370574|GND=119081199}}

{{Persondata
| NAME = Gates, Bill
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Gates, William Henry, III
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American business magnate
| DATE OF BIRTH = October 28, 1955
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|WA]], [[United States]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gates, Bill}}
[[Category:Bill Gates| ]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:American agnostics]]
[[Category:American billionaires]]
[[Category:American computer businesspeople]]
[[Category:American computer programmers]]
[[Category:American financiers]]
[[Category:American humanitarians]]
[[Category:American inventors]]
[[Category:American investors]]
[[Category:American nonprofit businesspeople]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:American technology chief executives]]
[[Category:American technology company founders]]
[[Category:American technology writers]]
[[Category:Big History]]
[[Category:Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation people]]
[[Category:Business people from Seattle]]
[[Category:Businesspeople in software]]
[[Category:Directors of Berkshire Hathaway]]
[[Category:Directors of Microsoft]]
[[Category:Fellows of the British Computer Society]]
[[Category:Gates family]]
[[Category:Giving Pledgers]]
[[Category:Harvard University people]]
[[Category:History of computing]]
[[Category:History of Microsoft]]
[[Category:Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Lakeside School alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering]]
[[Category:Microsoft employees]]
[[Category:National Medal of Technology recipients]]
[[Category:Personal computing]]
[[Category:People from King County, Washington]]
[[Category:Placards of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico)]]
[[Category:Windows people]]
[[Category:Writers from Seattle, Washington]]

Bill Gates

2014-02-04T15:04:13Z

Dorsal Axe: update

{{Other people}}

{{Pp-semi-blp |small =yes}}
{{Pp-move-indef}}

{{Infobox person
|name = Bill Gates
|image = File:Dts news bill gates wikipedia.JPG
|image_size =
|alt = Head and shoulders photo of Bill Gates
|caption = Gates in 2013
|birth_name = William Henry Gates III
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|10|28|mf=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|WA]], US
|residence = [[Medina, Washington|Medina]], WA, US
|alma_mater = [[Harvard University]]
|occupation = Technology Advisor of [[Microsoft]] Co-Chair of the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]] CEO of [[Cascade Investment]] Chairman of [[Corbis]]
|years_active = 1975–present
|net_worth = US$ 76.8 [[1000000000 (number)|billion]] (Nov 2013)<ref name="Bloom" />
|boards = [[Berkshire Hathaway]]
|religion = None ([[Agnostic]])
|spouse = {{married|[[Melinda Gates]]|1994}}
|children = Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe
|parents = [[William H. Gates, Sr.]] [[Mary Maxwell Gates]]
|signature = BillGates Signature.svg
|signature_alt= William H. Gates III
|website = {{URL|http://www.thegatesnotes.com|TheGatesNotes.com}}
}}

'''William Henry "Bill" Gates III''' (born October 28, 1955){{Sfn |Manes|1994| p =11}} is an American [[business magnate]], [[investor]], [[programmer]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Gates (American computer programmer, businessman, and philanthropist)|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/226865/Bill-Gates|accessdate=March 20, 2013}}</ref> [[inventor]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Honoring the Inventor: Bill Gates' Patents|url=http://honoringtheinventor.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/bill-gates-patents.html|accessdate=March 20, 2013}}</ref> and [[philanthropist]]. Gates is the former chief executive and chairman of [[Microsoft]], the world’s largest personal-computer [[software]] company, which he co-founded with [[Paul Allen]].

He is consistently ranked in the [[Forbes list of billionaires|Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people]]<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN1748882920080917 |title= Bill Gates tops US wealth list 15 years in a row |first= Phil | last= Wahba | date = September 17, 2008 |accessdate= November 6, 2008 |agency= Reuters |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN1748882920080917 |archivedate = September 16, 2012}}</ref> and was the wealthiest overall from 1995 to 2009—excluding 2008, when he was ranked third;<ref name = "Forbes profile">{{Citation | type = profile | url = http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/ | title = William ‘Bill’ Gates | journal = Forbes | accessdate = March 2013}}</ref> in 2011 he was the wealthiest American and the world's second wealthiest person.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/forbes-list-of-the-richest-americans-of-2011/2011/09/22/gIQAL3emnK_gallery.html#photo=1 | title = The Washington Post | archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/forbes-list-of-the-richest-americans-of-2011/2011/09/22/gIQAL3emnK_gallery.html%23photo=1 |archivedate= September 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.forbes.com/wealth/billionaires |title=Forbes Billionaires list |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120525/http://www.forbes.com/wealth/billionaires | archivedate= May 25, 2012}}</ref> According to the [[Bloomberg Businessweek|Bloomberg]] Billionaires List, Gates is the world's richest person in 2013, a position that he last held on the list in 2007.<ref name="Bloom">{{cite web|title=Bill Gates Retakes World's Richest Title From Carlos Slim |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-16/bill-gates-retakes-world-s-richest-title-from-carlos-slim.html |publisher=Bloomberg L.P |accessdate=May 30, 2013 |last1=Cuadros |first1=Alex |last2=Harrison |first2=Crayton |date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of CEO and [[software architect|chief software architect]], and remains the largest individual shareholder, with 6.4 percent of the [[common stock]].{{Refn | group = "lower-alpha" | Gates regularly documents his share ownership through public U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission [[form 4]] filings.<ref>{{Citation | title = MSFT | url = http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/holdings.asp?symbol=MSFT&selected=MSFT&FormType=form4 | publisher = NASDAQ | type = Holdings}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = MSFT | publisher = NASDAQ | type = Symbol | url = http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/msft}}</ref>}} He has also authored and co-authored several books.

Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the [[personal computer revolution]]. Gates has been [[Criticism of Microsoft|criticized for his business tactics]], which have been considered anti-competitive, an opinion which has in some cases been upheld by the courts.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p=459}}{{Sfn |Lesinski|2006|p = 96}} In the later stages of his career, Gates has pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]], established in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/ | title = Gates foundation | archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/ | archivedate = May 23, 2012}}</ref>

Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in January 2000. He remained as chairman and created the position of chief software architect for himself. In June 2006, Gates announced that he would be transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to part-time work, and full-time work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He gradually transferred his duties to [[Ray Ozzie]], chief software architect, and [[Craig Mundie]], chief research and strategy officer. Gates's last full-time day at Microsoft was June 27, 2008. He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014, taking on a new post as technology advisor to support newly-appointed CEO [[Satya Nadella]].

==Early life==
Gates was born in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], to [[William H. Gates, Sr.]] and [[Mary Maxwell Gates]]. His ancestry includes English, [[Germans|German]], and [[Scotch-Irish American|Scots-Irish]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wargs.com/other/gates.html |title=Ancestry of Bill Gates |publisher=Wargs |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.wargs.com/other/gates.html | archivedate= September 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Scottish Americans | publisher= Alba West | url = http://www.albawest.com/scottish-americans.html | accessdate =April 29, 2009 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120718/http://www.albawest.com/scottish-americans.html | archivedate = July 18, 2012}}</ref> His father was a prominent lawyer, and his mother served on the board of directors for [[First Interstate BancSystem]] and the [[United Way of America|United Way]]. Gates's maternal grandfather was JW Maxwell, a [[National bank#United States|national bank]] president. Gates has one elder sister, Kristi (Kristianne), and one younger sister, Libby. He was the fourth of his name in his family, but was known as William Gates III or "Trey" because his father had the "II" suffix.{{Sfn |Manes | 1994 |p= 15}} Early on in his life, Gates's parents had a law career in mind for him.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p = 47}} When Gates was young, his family regularly attended a [[Congregational Christian Churches|Congregational]] church.<ref name="Congregational 1">{{cite book|title=Bill Gates: Entrepreneur and Philanthropist | url = http://books.google.com/?id=ubYgIB0TgUYC&pg=PA12&dq=Bill+Gates+Congregationalist#v=onepage&q&f=false |quote = The Gates family regularly went to services at the University Congregational Church.| first =Jeanne M | last = Lesinski |publisher=Twenty First Century Books | accessdate =March 10, 2011|isbn= 978-1-58013-570-2|date = September 1, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Congregational 2">{{cite book|title=Bill Gates Speaks: Insight from the World's Greatest Entrepreneur|url = http://books.google.com/?id=LUwu-DTwa5cC&pg=PA3&dq=Congregationalist++bill+gates#v=onepage&q&f=false |quote = The Gates family attended the University Congregational Church, where the Reverend Dale Turner was pastor. | first = Janet | last = Lowe| publisher = Wiley | accessdate=March 10, 2011|isbn= 978-0-471-40169-8|date = January 5, 2001}}</ref><ref name = "Congregational 3">{{cite book| title = Something Happened: A Political and Cultural Overview of the Seventies | url =http://books.google.com/?id=tsl3EVBtdxcC&pg=PA228&dq=Congregationalist++bill+gates#v=onepage&q&f=false|quote=Bill Gates was a member of the baby boom, born in 1955 into an upper-middle-class family near Seattle." He attended the Congregational Church, participated in the Boy Scouts, and went to a fancy private school. | author-link = Edward D. Berkowitz | first = Edward D | last = Berkowitz |publisher= [[Columbia University Press]]| accessdate = March 10, 2011| isbn = 978-0-231-12494-2 | year = 2006}}</ref> The family encouraged competition; one visitor reported that "it didn't matter whether it was [[hearts]] or [[pickleball]] or swimming to the dock ... there was always a reward for winning and there was always a penalty for losing".<ref name="nerds2">{{cite episode | title=Part II | series=Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires | credits=Cringely, Robert X. | url=http://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html | network=PBS | airdate=June 1996 | season=1}}</ref>

At 13 he enrolled in the [[Lakeside School]], an exclusive preparatory school.{{Sfn | Manes| 1994| p = 24}} When he was in the eighth grade, the Mothers Club at the school used proceeds from Lakeside School's [[rummage sale]] to buy a [[Teletype Model 33]] ASR terminal and a block of computer time on a [[General Electric]] (GE) computer for the school's students.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p= 27}} Gates took an interest in programming the GE system in [[BASIC programming language|BASIC]], and was excused from math classes to pursue his interest. He wrote his first computer program on this machine: an implementation of [[tic-tac-toe]] that allowed users to play games against the computer. Gates was fascinated by the machine and how it would always execute software code perfectly. When he reflected back on that moment, he said, "There was just something neat about the machine."{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 12}} After the Mothers Club donation was exhausted, he and other students sought time on systems including [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] [[Programmed Data Processor|PDP]] minicomputers. One of these systems was a [[PDP-10]] belonging to Computer Center Corporation (CCC), which banned four Lakeside students—Gates, [[Paul Allen]], [[Ric Weiland]], and Kent Evans—for the summer after it caught them exploiting bugs in the [[operating system]] to obtain free computer time.{{Sfn | Manes | 1994|p = 34}}<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2044825/paul-allen-spills-beans-gates-criminal-past | title = V3 | title = Paul Allen spills the beans on Gates’ criminal past | place = [[United Kingdom|UK]]}}</ref>

At the end of the ban, the four students offered to find bugs in CCC's software in exchange for computer time. Rather than use the system via Teletype, Gates went to CCC's offices and studied [[source code]] for various programs that ran on the system, including programs in [[Fortran]], [[Lisp]], and [[machine language]]. The arrangement with CCC continued until 1970, when the company went out of business. The following year, Information Sciences, Inc. hired the four Lakeside students to write a payroll program in [[Cobol]], providing them computer time and royalties. After his administrators became aware of his programming abilities, Gates wrote the school's computer program to schedule students in classes. He modified the code so that he was placed in classes with "a disproportionate number of interesting girls."<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.gatesfoundation.org/media-center/speeches/2005/09/bill-gates-lakeside-school | title = Remarks by Bill Gates, co-chair | accessdate = July 13, 2013 | work = Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Press Room, Speeches}}</ref> He later stated that "it was hard to tear myself away from a machine at which I could so unambiguously demonstrate success."{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 12}} At age 17, Gates formed a venture with Allen, called [[Traf-O-Data]], to make [[traffic counter]]s based on the [[Intel 8008]] processor.{{Sfn |Gates|1996| p= 14}} In early 1973, Bill Gates served as a congressional page in the US House of Representatives.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ushpaa.org/history.php | title = Congressional Page History | publisher = The United States House Page Association of America | quote = The Page Program has produced many politicians, Members of Congress, as well as other famous men and women. Some of these include: the Honorable John Dingell, the longest serving Member of Congress, Bill Gates, founder and CEO of the Microsoft Corporation, and Donnald K. Anderson, former Clerk of the House.}}{{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>

Gates graduated from Lakeside School in 1973. He scored 1590 out of 1600 on the [[SAT]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://theweekmagazine.com/article.aspx?id=803 | title=The new—and improved?—SAT | accessdate =May 23, 2006 | work =The Week Magazine|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060510205250/http://theweekmagazine.com/article.aspx?id=803 | archivedate = May 10, 2006| deadurl=yes}}</ref> and enrolled at [[Harvard College]] in the autumn of 1973.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 15}} While at Harvard, he met [[Steve Ballmer]], who later succeeded Gates as CEO of Microsoft.

[[File:Poker Room.jpg|thumb|The Poker Room in [[Currier House (Harvard College)|Currier House]] at [[Harvard University]], where Gates and Allen formed Microsoft]]
In his sophomore year, Gates devised an algorithm for [[pancake sorting]] as a solution to one of a series of unsolved problems<ref name="Kestenbaum2008">{{cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92236781 | title = Before Microsoft, Gates Solved A Pancake Problem| last = Kestenbaum | first = David | date= July 4, 2008| publisher= [[National Public Radio]] |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92236781 |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref> presented in a [[combinatorics]] class by [[Harry R. Lewis|Harry Lewis]], one of his professors. Gates's solution held the record as the fastest version for over thirty years;<ref name="Kestenbaum2008"/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2008/09/17-002.php | publisher = [[University of Texas at Dallas]]| date = September 17, 2008| title= UT Dallas Team Bests Young Bill Gates With Improved Answer to So-Called Pancake Problem in Mathematics | archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120805/http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2008/09/17-002.php | archivedate = August 5, 2012}}</ref> its successor is faster by only one percent.<ref name = "Kestenbaum2008" /> His solution was later formalized in a published paper in collaboration with Harvard computer scientist [[Christos Papadimitriou]].<ref name="gatespapadimitriou">{{cite journal | last1= Gates | first1 = William | last2 = Papadimitriou | first2=Christos| year=1979 | title=Bounds for sorting by prefix reversal | journal = [[Discrete mathematics]] | volume = 27 | pages = 47–57 | doi = 10.1016/0012-365X(79)90068-2}}</ref>

Gates did not have a definite study plan while a student at Harvard{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 19}} and spent a lot of time using the school's computers. Gates remained in contact with Paul Allen, and he joined him at [[Honeywell]] during the summer of 1974.{{Sfn |Wallace| 1993| p = 59}} The following year saw the release of the [[MITS Altair 8800]] based on the [[Intel 8080|Intel 8080 CPU]], and Gates and Allen saw this as the opportunity to start their own computer software company.{{Sfn |Gates|1996| p= 18}} Gates dropped out of Harvard at this time.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nndb.com/people/435/000022369/ |title= Bill Gates | publisher = NNDb |accessdate= August 24, 2012 | archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120524/http://www.nndb.com/people/435/000022369/ |archivedate=May 24, 2012}}</ref> He had talked this decision over with his parents, who were supportive of him after seeing how much Gates wanted to start a company.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 19}}

==Microsoft==
{{Main |History of Microsoft|Microsoft}}

===BASIC===
[[File:Altair 8800 Computer.jpg|thumb|left|MITS Altair 8800 Computer with {{Convert |8|in|mm|adj=on}} floppy disk system]]
After reading the January 1975 issue of ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' that demonstrated the [[Altair 8800]], Gates contacted [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]] (MITS), the creators of the new microcomputer, to inform them that he and others were working on a [[BASIC]] interpreter for the platform.<ref name="keyevents">{{cite journal | title=Microsoft Visitor Center Student Information: Key Events in Microsoft History | url = http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/3/0/130dd86a-a196-4700-b577-521c4cf5cec1/key_events_in_microsoft_history.doc |publisher=Microsoft | format=.DOC |accessdate=February 18, 2008 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080226224212/http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/3/0/130dd86a-a196-4700-b577-521c4cf5cec1/key_events_in_microsoft_history.doc | archivedate= February 26, 2008 | deadurl = no}}</ref> In reality, Gates and Allen did not have an Altair and had not written code for it; they merely wanted to gauge MITS's interest. MITS president [[Ed Roberts (computers)|Ed Roberts]] agreed to meet them for a demo, and over the course of a few weeks they developed an Altair [[emulator]] that ran on a minicomputer, and then the BASIC interpreter. The demonstration, held at MITS's offices in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]] was a success and resulted in a deal with MITS to distribute the interpreter as [[Altair BASIC]]. Paul Allen was hired into MITS,<ref name="thocp1">{{cite web | title= Microsoft history|publisher= The History of Computing Project | url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm | accessdate= March 31, 2008 | archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |archivedate=May 23, 2012}}</ref> and Gates took a leave of absence from Harvard to work with Allen at MITS in Albuquerque in November 1975. They named their partnership "Micro-Soft" and had their first office located in Albuquerque.<ref name=thocp1/> Within a year, the hyphen was dropped, and on November 26, 1976, the trade name "Microsoft" was registered with the Office of the Secretary of the [[New Mexico|State of New Mexico]].<ref name=thocp1/> Gates never returned to Harvard to complete his studies.

Microsoft's BASIC was popular with computer hobbyists, but Gates discovered that a pre-market copy had leaked into the community and was being widely copied and distributed. In February 1976, Gates wrote an [[Open Letter to Hobbyists]] in the MITS newsletter saying that MITS could not continue to produce, distribute, and maintain high-quality software without payment.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p=81}} This letter was unpopular with many computer hobbyists, but Gates persisted in his belief that software developers should be able to demand payment. Microsoft became independent of MITS in late 1976, and it continued to develop programming language software for various systems.<ref name="thocp1" /> The company moved from Albuquerque to its new home in [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]], Washington on January 1, 1979.<ref name="keyevents" />

During Microsoft's early years, all employees had broad responsibility for the company's business. Gates oversaw the business details, but continued to write code as well. In the first five years, Gates personally reviewed every line of code the company shipped, and often rewrote parts of it as he saw fit.<ref name="waterloo">{{cite speech|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/2005/10-13Waterloo.aspx | last = Gates|first= William ‘Bill’ |title= Remarks | date= October 13, 2005| location= Waterloo, [[Ontario|ON]] | accessdate = March 31, 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080406130809/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/2005/10-13Waterloo.aspx | archivedate= April 6, 2008 | deadurl = no}}</ref>

===IBM partnership===
[[IBM]] approached Microsoft in July 1980 regarding its upcoming personal computer, the [[IBM PC]].{{r |bunnell1982febmar}} The computer company first proposed that Microsoft write the BASIC interpreter. When IBM's representatives mentioned that they needed an operating system, Gates referred them to [[Digital Research]] (DRI), makers of the widely used [[CP/M]] operating system.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/1223/258_print.html |title=Pioneers Die Broke|work=Forbes| last =Maiello | first = John Steele Gordon Michael |date=December 23, 2002|accessdate =March 31, 2008 |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/1223/258_print.html |archivedate = September 16, 2012}}</ref> IBM's discussions with Digital Research went poorly, and they did not reach a licensing agreement. IBM representative Jack Sams mentioned the licensing difficulties during a subsequent meeting with Gates and told him to get an acceptable operating system. A few weeks later Gates proposed using [[86-DOS]] (QDOS), an operating system similar to CP/M that [[Tim Paterson]] of [[Seattle Computer Products]] (SCP) had made for hardware similar to the PC. Microsoft made a deal with SCP to become the exclusive licensing agent, and later the full owner, of 86-DOS. After adapting the operating system for the PC, Microsoft delivered it to IBM as [[PC DOS]] in exchange for a one-time fee of $50,000.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 54}}

Gates did not offer to transfer the [[copyright]] on the operating system, because he believed that other hardware vendors would clone IBM's system.{{Sfn | Gates | 1996 | p = 54}} They did, and the sales of [[MS-DOS]] made Microsoft a major player in the industry.{{Sfn |Manes|1994|p=193}} Despite IBM's name on the operating system the press quickly identified Microsoft as being very influential on the new computer, with ''PC Magazine'' asking if Gates were "The Man Behind The Machine?"<ref name="bunnell1982febmar">{{cite news | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=w_OhaFDePS4C&lpg=RA2-PA18&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q&f=false | title=The Man Behind The Machine? | type = interview | work=PC Magazine |date=Feb–Mar 1982 | accessdate = February 17, 2012 | last = Bunnell | first = David | page= 16}}</ref> He oversaw Microsoft's company restructuring on June 25, 1981, which re-incorporated the company in Washington state and made Gates President of Microsoft and the Chairman of the Board.<ref name="keyevents" />

===Windows===
Microsoft launched its first retail version of [[Microsoft Windows]] on November 20, 1985, and in August, the company struck a deal with [[IBM]] to develop a separate operating system called [[OS/2]]. Although the two companies successfully developed the first version of the new system, mounting creative differences caused the partnership to deteriorate. It ended in 1991, when Gates led Microsoft to develop a version of OS/2 independently from IBM.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://groklaw.net/pdf/iowa/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/0000/PX00738.pdf |title=Challenges and Strategy |format=PDF |work=Groklaw |accessdate=November 17, 2011}}</ref>

===Management style===
[[File:Bill Gates - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|Bill Gates in January 2008]]

From Microsoft's founding in 1975 until 2006, Gates had primary responsibility for the company's product strategy. He aggressively broadened the company's range of products, and wherever Microsoft achieved a dominant position he vigorously defended it. He gained a reputation for being distant to others; as early as 1981 an industry executive complained in public that "Gates is notorious for not being reachable by phone and for not returning phone calls."<ref name="freiberger19810831">{{cite news | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rD0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA44&dq=%22radio%20shack%22%20%22model%20i%22&pg=PA49#v=onepage&q=%22radio%20shack%22%20%22model%20i%22&f=false | title=Bugs in Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III: How Bad Are They? | accessdate = February 28, 2011 | last =Freiberger | first = Paul | date=August 31, 1981 | publisher=InfoWorld | page = 49}}</ref> Another executive recalled that after he showed Gates a game and defeated him 35 of 37 times, when they met again a month later Gates "won or tied every game. He had studied the game until he solved it. That is a competitor."<ref name="Atari Thorlin Interview 2000">{{cite interview |title=Fred Thorlin: The Big Boss at Atari Program Exchange |url= http://www.atariarchives.org/APX/thorlininterview.php |publisher= Atari archives |year=2000 |month= April |last= Thorlin |first= Fred | interviewer= Kevin Savetz |accessdate = December 6, 2012}}</ref>

As an executive, Gates met regularly with Microsoft's senior managers and program managers. Firsthand accounts of these meetings describe him as verbally combative, berating managers for perceived holes in their business strategies or proposals that placed the company's long-term interests at risk.<ref name = "rensin">{{cite journal | first=David|last= Rensin|title= The Bill Gates Interview|year= 1994|journal= Playboy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/steve/churchillclub.mspx | title=Steve Ballmer Speech Transcript — Church Hill Club | first=Steve|last=Ballmer | date=October 9, 1997 |publisher = Microsoft | accessdate= March 31, 2008 | archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/steve/churchillclub.mspx |archivedate= September 16, 2012}}</ref>

He often interrupted presentations with such comments as, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"<ref name="time GOS">{{cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/gates/gates5.html | first=Walter | last= Isaacson | title = The Gates Operating System |work=Time | date= January 13, 1997 | accessdate= March 31, 2008|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20000619090559/http://www.time.com/time/gates/gates5.html|archivedate = 2000-06-19}}</ref> and, "Why don't you just give up your [[Option (finance)|options]] and join the [[Peace Corps]]?"<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.breakingwindows.net/1link3.htm | title = Breaking Windows |work=The Wall Street Journal | last =Bank | first = David|date = February 1, 1999 | accessdate =March 31, 2008 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120729/http://www.breakingwindows.net/1link3.htm |archivedate=July 29, 2012}}</ref> The target of his outburst then had to defend the proposal in detail until, hopefully, Gates was fully convinced.<ref name="time GOS" /> When subordinates appeared to be procrastinating, he was known to remark sarcastically, "I'll do it over the weekend."<ref name="chapman">{{cite news| url = http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8aV1bK5vmwLaw9wYr9nY5bFc4YA | first= Glenn|last= Chapman|title= Bill Gates Signs Off| date= June 27, 2008 | agency =Agence France-Presse |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8aV1bK5vmwLaw9wYr9nY5bFc4YA |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name="pdc97">{{cite speech | url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/1997/pdc.aspx | first=Bill | last= Gates | title = Remarks by Bill Gates | location=San Diego | date=September 26, 1997 | accessdate=March 31, 2008| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080420152409/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/1997/pdc.aspx| archivedate= April 20, 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref name="herbold">{{cite book|first=Robert|year=2004|last=Herbold|title=The Fiefdom Syndrome: The Turf Battles That Undermine Careers and Companies – And How to Overcome Them|isbn=0-385-51067-5}}</ref>

Gates's role at Microsoft for most of its history was primarily a management and executive role. However, he was an active software developer in the early years, particularly on the company's [[programming language]] products. He has not officially been on a development team since working on the [[TRS-80 Model 100]],<ref name="allison1993">{{cite interview |last=Gates |first=Bill |subjectlink=Bill Gates |interviewer=David Allison | url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/comphist/gates.htm | title=Bill Gates Interview | program=Transcript of a Video History Interview | work=Computer History Collection | publisher=National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution | accessdate=April 10, 2013 }}</ref> but wrote code as late as 1989 that shipped in the company's products.<ref name="pdc97"/> On June 15, 2006, Gates announced that he would transition out of his day-to-day role over the next two years to dedicate more time to philanthropy. He divided his responsibilities between two successors, placing [[Ray Ozzie]] in charge of day-to-day management and [[Craig Mundie]] in charge of long-term product strategy.<ref name="mscorpnews">{{cite news | url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jun06/06-15CorpNewsPR.mspx | title=Microsoft Announces Plans for July 2008 Transition for Bill Gates |publisher=Microsoft|date=June 15, 2006 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jun06/06-15CorpNewsPR.mspx |archivedate= May 23, 2012}}</ref>

===Antitrust litigation===
{{Further |United States Microsoft antitrust case|European Union Microsoft competition case}}
[[File:Bill Gates - United States v. Microsoft.jpg|thumb|Gates giving his deposition at Microsoft on August 27, 1998]]

Many decisions that led to [[United States antitrust law|antitrust]] litigation over Microsoft's business practices have had Gates's approval. In the 1998 ''[[United States v. Microsoft]]'' case, Gates gave deposition testimony that several journalists characterized as evasive. He argued with examiner [[David Boies]] over the contextual meaning of words such as, "compete", "concerned", and "we". The judge and other observers in the court room were seen laughing at various points during the deposition.<ref name="GatesDepositionJudgeLaugh">{{cite news|accessdate=April 10, 2013 |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9811/17/judgelaugh.ms.idg/index.html|title=Gates deposition makes judge laugh in court| first=Elizabeth | last=Wasserman | publisher=CNN|date=November 17, 1998 }}</ref> ''BusinessWeek'' reported:
{{quotation |Early rounds of his deposition show him offering obfuscatory answers and saying 'I don't recall,' so many times that even the presiding judge had to chuckle. Worse, many of the technology chief's denials and pleas of ignorance were directly refuted by prosecutors with snippets of e-mail that Gates both sent and received.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= March 30, 2008|url= http://www.businessweek.com/1998/48/b3606125.htm | title = Microsoft's Teflon Bill|work=BusinessWeek |date=November 30, 1998 |archiveurl = http://archive.is/20120524/http://www.businessweek.com/1998/48/b3606125.htm |archivedate= May 24, 2012}}</ref>}}

Gates later said he had simply resisted attempts by Boies to mischaracterize his words and actions. As to his demeanor during the deposition, he said, "Did I fence with Boies? ... I plead guilty. Whatever that penalty is should be levied against me: rudeness to Boies in the first degree."<ref name="truth">{{cite journal|last1=Heilemann |first1=John |last2=Chen |first2=Hy |last3=Wu |first3=J S |last4=Hyland |first4=B |last5=Lu |first5=X D |last6=Chen |first6=J J |title=The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth|date=November 1, 2000 |journal=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html | accessdate=March 31, 2008 |month=May |volume=46|issue=8|pmid = 18509686 | doi =10.1007/s11517-008-0355-6|pages=833–9 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120529/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.11/microsoft_pr.html |archivedate= May 29, 2012}}</ref> Despite Gates' denials, the judge ruled that Microsoft had committed [[monopolization]] and [[tying (commerce)|tying]], and blocking competition, both in violation of the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]].<ref name="truth" />

===Appearance in ads===
[[File:Bill Gates mugshot.png|thumb|upright|Gates mugshot of his 1977 arrest in [[New Mexico]]]]
Gates appeared in a series of ads to promote Microsoft in 2008. The first commercial, co-starring [[Jerry Seinfeld]], is a 90-second talk between strangers as Seinfeld walks up on a discount shoe store (Shoe Circus) in a mall and notices Gates buying shoes inside. The salesman is trying to sell Mr. Gates shoes that are a size too big. As Gates is buying the shoes, he holds up his discount card, which uses a slightly altered version of his own mugshot of his arrest in [[New Mexico]] in 1977 for a traffic violation.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/gatesmug1.html |title = Mugshots | publisher = The Smoking Gun | accessdate = June 9, 2010 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/gatesmug1.html | archivedate = September 16, 2012}}</ref> As they are walking out of the mall, Seinfeld asks Gates if he has melded his mind to other developers, after getting a yes, he then asks if they are working on a way to make computers edible, again getting a yes. Some say that this is an homage to Seinfeld's own show about "nothing" (''[[Seinfeld]]'').<ref>{{cite web| url = http://adblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/08/1362333.aspx | title = Adblog | publisher = MSNBC |accessdate= June 9, 2010 | date = September 8, 2008}}{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> In a second commercial in the series, Gates and Seinfeld are at the home of an average family trying to fit in with normal people.

==Post-Microsoft==
Since leaving day-to-day operations at Microsoft (where he remains the chairman<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/billg/default.aspx |title=Official Bill Gates page at Microsoft.com |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/billg/default.aspx |archivedate=May 23, 2012}}</ref>), Gates continues his philanthropy and, among other projects, purchased the video rights to the [[Messenger Lectures]] series called ''[[The Character of Physical Law]]'', given at [[Cornell University]] by [[Richard Feynman]] in 1964 and recorded by the [[BBC]]. The videos are available online to the public at Microsoft's [[Project Tuva]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Fried |first=Ina |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10286732-56.html |title=CNET Project Tuva |publisher=News.cnet.com |date=July 14, 2009 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120713/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10286732-56.html |archivedate=July 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Access-Project-Tuva-for-Free-Courtesy-of-Bill-Gates-116778.shtml |title=Access Project Tuva for Free, Courtesy of Bill Gates |publisher=News.softpedia.com |date=July 20, 2009 |accessdate=March 29, 2013 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://news.softpedia.com/news/Access-Project-Tuva-for-Free-Courtesy-of-Bill-Gates-116778.shtml |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref>

In April 2010, Gates was invited to visit and speak at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] where he asked the students to take on the hard problems of the world in their futures.<ref>Guo, Jeff; McQueen, Rob,
{{cite web |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates.html |title=Gates asks students to tackle world’s problems : Disease and education among biggest challenges |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates.html |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}, ''[[The Tech (newspaper)|The Tech]]'', Volume 130, Issue 21, Friday, April 23, 2010</ref><ref>Guo, Jeff, {{cite web |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates/interview.html |title=In interview, Gates describes philanthropic journey |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120714/http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N21/gates/interview.html |archivedate=July 14, 2012}}, ''The Tech'', Volume 130, Issue 21, April 23, 2010. (video & transcript). "After he spoke at Kresge Auditorium, Bill Gates sat down with The Tech to talk more about his college tour, his philanthropy, and the philosophy behind it."</ref>

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gates was the world's highest-earning billionaire in 2013, as his fortune increased by US$15.8 billion to US$78.5 billion. As of January 2014, most of Gates’s assets are held in Cascade Investment LLC, an entity through which he owns stakes in numerous businesses, including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Corbis Corp.<ref>{{cite news|title=Billionaires Worth $3.7 Trillion Surge as Gates Wins 2013|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-02/billionaires-worth-3-7-trillion-surge-as-gates-wins-2013.html|accessdate=3 January 2014|newspaper=Bloomberg Businessweek|date=2 January 2014|author=Matthew G. Miller|author2=Peter Newcomb}}</ref>

On 4 February 2014, Bill Gates steps down as Chairman of Microsoft to become Technology Advisor alongside [[Satya Nadella]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bill Gates steps down as chairman, will assist new CEO as 'technology advisor'|url=http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor|accessdate=4 February 2014|newspaper=The Verge}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Bill og Melinda Gates 2009-06-03 (bilde 01).JPG|thumb|left|Bill and [[Melinda Gates]], June 2009]]

After being named one of ''[[Good Housekeeping]]''{{'}}s "50 Most Eligible Bachelors" in 1985,<ref name="langdell19850514">{{cite news | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DDlmJxSURq8C&lpg=PP1&pg=PA51#v=onepage&q&f=true | title=Top-Bachelor Gates: Is He Compatible? | work=PC Magazine | date=May 14, 1985 | accessdate=October 28, 2013 | author=Langdell, James | pages=51}}</ref> Gates married [[Melinda Gates|Melinda French]] on January 1, 1994. They have three children: daughters Jennifer Katharine (b. 1996) and Phoebe Adele (b. 2002), and son Rory John (b. 1999). The family resides in [[Bill Gates' house|the Gates's home]], an [[earth sheltering|earth-sheltered house]] in the side of a hill overlooking [[Lake Washington]] in Medina. According to [[King County, Washington|King County]] public records, as of 2006 the total assessed value of the property (land and house) is $125 million, and the annual property tax is $991,000.

Gates's {{convert|66000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} estate has a {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=on}} swimming pool with an underwater music system, as well as a {{convert|2500|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} gym and a {{convert|1000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} dining room.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/billionaire-homes-expensive-billionaires-2009-lifestyle-real-estate-homes_3.html?thisSpeed=30000 |title=coverage of the Gates' Medina, Washington estate |work=Forbes |date=May 22, 2002 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120906/http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/billionaire-homes-expensive-billionaires-2009-lifestyle-real-estate-homes_3.html?thisSpeed=30000 |archivedate=September 6, 2012}}</ref>

Also among Gates's private acquisitions is the [[Codex Leicester]], a collection of writings by [[Leonardo da Vinci]], which Gates bought for $30.8 million at an auction in 1994.<ref>{{harv|Lesinski|2006|p=74}}</ref> Gates is also known as an avid reader, and the ceiling of his large home library is engraved with a quotation from ''[[The Great Gatsby]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last = Paterson|first = Thane|title = "He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close he could hardly fail to grasp it"-FSF (Advice for Bill Gates: A Little Culture Wouldn't Hurt)|work=Business Week|date = June 13, 2000|url = http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/june2000/nf00613b.htm
|accessdate =April 28, 2008 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080501175753/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/june2000/nf00613b.htm| archivedate= May 1, 2008 | deadurl= yes}}</ref> He also enjoys playing bridge, tennis, and golf.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/default.aspx?tab=biography|title=Bill Gates: Chairman|publisher=Microsoft Corporation|year=2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120523/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/default.aspx?tab=biography |archivedate=May 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Profile: Bill Gates|publisher=BBC news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3428721.stm | date=January 26, 2004 | accessdate=January 1, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120721/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3428721.stm |archivedate=July 21, 2012}}</ref>

Gates was number one on the [[Forbes 400]] list from 1993 through to 2007 and number one on ''Forbes'' list of [[Lists of billionaires|The World's Richest People]] from 1995 to 2007 and 2009. In 1999, his wealth briefly surpassed $101 billion, causing the media to call Gates a "centibillionaire".<ref>{{harv|Fridson|2001|p=113}}</ref> Despite his wealth and extensive business travel Gates usually flew [[coach class|coach]] until 1997, when he bought a private jet.<ref name="zuckerman19971027">{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/27/business/new-jet-eases-travel-hassles-for-bill-gates.html | title=New Jet Eases Travel Hassles For Bill Gates | work=The New York Times | date=October 27, 1997 | accessdate=September 2, 2012 | author=Zuckerman, Laurence |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/27/business/new-jet-eases-travel-hassles-for-bill-gates.html |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref> Since 2000, the nominal value of his Microsoft holdings has declined due to a fall in Microsoft's stock price after the [[dot-com bubble]] burst and the multi-billion dollar donations he has made to his charitable foundations. In a May 2006 interview, Gates commented that he wished that he were not the richest man in the world because he disliked the attention it brought.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bolger|first=Joe|date=May 5, 2006|title=I wish I was not the richest man in the world, says Bill Gates|work=The Times |location=UK |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/united_states/article713434.ece|accessdate =March 31, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/united_states/article713434.ece |archivedate=July 10, 2012}}</ref> In March 2010, Gates was the second wealthiest person behind [[Carlos Slim]], but regained the top position in 2013 according to the Bloomberg Billionaires List.<ref name="Bloom" />

Gates has several investments outside Microsoft, which in 2006 paid him a salary of $616,667 and $350,000 bonus totalling $966,667.<ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft 2006 Proxy Statement | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/proxy2006.mspx |publisher=Microsoft | date=October 6, 2007 | accessdate=February 14, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120530/http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/proxy2006.mspx |archivedate=May 30, 2012}}</ref> He founded [[Corbis]], a digital imaging company, in 1989. In 2004 he became a director of [[Berkshire Hathaway]], the investment company headed by long-time friend [[Warren Buffett]].<ref>{{cite news | last=Fried | first=Ina | date=December 14, 2004 | title=Gates joins board of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway | url=http://www.news.com/Gates-joins-board-of-Buffetts-Berkshire-Hathaway/2100-1014_3-5491312.html |publisher=[[CNET]] | accessdate=March 31, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120908/http://www.news.com/Gates-joins-board-of-Buffetts-Berkshire-Hathaway/2100-1014_3-5491312.html |archivedate=September 8, 2012}}</ref>

===Philanthropy===
[[File:Millennium Development Goals - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008.jpg|thumb|Gates with [[Bono]], [[Queen Rania of Jordan]], former British Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]], President [[Umaru Musa Yar'Adua|Umaru Yar'Adua]] of Nigeria and others during the Annual Meeting 2008 of the [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos, Switzerland|Switzerland]]]]
{{Main| Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation}}

Gates began to appreciate the expectations others had of him when public opinion mounted suggesting that he could give more of his wealth to charity. Gates studied the work of [[Andrew Carnegie]] and [[John D. Rockefeller]], and in 1994 sold some of his Microsoft stock to create the William H. Gates Foundation. In 2000, Gates and his wife combined three family foundations into one to create the charitable [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]], which is the largest transparently operated charitable foundation in the world.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=April 1, 2008|url=http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6919139|title=Flat-pack accounting |work=The Economist|date=May 11, 2006 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120524/http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6919139 |archivedate=May 24, 2012}}</ref> The foundation allows benefactors access to information regarding how its money is being spent, unlike other major charitable organizations such as the [[Wellcome Trust]].<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=April 1, 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3913581.stm|title=Bill Gates: billionaire philanthropist |publisher=BBC News |date=January 25, 2005|author=Cronin, Jon |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120731/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3913581.stm |archivedate=July 31, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|accessdate=April 1, 2008|url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/OurWork/OurApproach/|title=Our Approach to Giving |publisher=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080404212231/http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/OurWork/OurApproach/ |archivedate = April 4, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> The generosity and extensive philanthropy of [[David Rockefeller]] has been credited as a major influence. Gates and his father met with Rockefeller several times, and modeled their giving in part on the [[Rockefeller family]]'s philanthropic focus, namely those global problems that are ignored by governments and other organizations.<ref name="bill foundation">{{cite journal | title=2005 Annual Report | format= PDF |publisher=[[Rockefeller Brothers Fund]] | url=http://www.rbf.org/usr_doc/2005_Annual_Review.pdf | date=January 1, 2006 | accessdate=February 14, 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080216010301/http://www.rbf.org/usr_doc/2005_Annual_Review.pdf| archivedate= February 16, 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref> As of 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the second-most generous philanthropists in America, having given over $28 billion to charity;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive%5Freports/philanthropy%5Findividual |title=The 50 most generous Americans |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222062206/http://www.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/philanthropy_individual.html |archivedate=February 22, 2012}}</ref> the couple plan to eventually donate 95% of their wealth to charity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11565953 |title=Bill and Melinda Gates give 95% of wealth to charity |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120719/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11565953 |archivedate=July 19, 2012}}</ref>

Gates's wife urged people to learn a lesson from the philanthropic efforts of the Salwen family, which had sold its home and given away half of its value, as detailed in ''[[The Power of Half]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/they-half-it-in-them-1.686505 |title=They half it in them |newspaper=Gulf News |author=Bina Abraham |date=October 1, 2010 |accessdate=March 17, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120708/http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/they-half-it-in-them-1.686505 |archivedate=July 8, 2012}}</ref> Gates and his wife invited Joan Salwen to Seattle to speak about what the family had done, and on December 9, 2010, Gates, investor [[Warren Buffett]], and [[Mark Zuckerberg]] (Facebook's CEO) signed a promise they called the "Gates-Buffet [[Giving Pledge]]", in which they promised to donate to charity at least half of their wealth over the course of time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Moss |first=Rosabeth |url=http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/dec2010/ca20101214_945792.htm |title=Four Strategic Generosity Lessons|work=Business Week |date=December 14, 2010 |accessdate=March 9, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120724/http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/dec2010/ca20101214_945792.htm |archivedate=July 24, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38556042/ns/us_news-giving/ | title= 40 billionaires pledge to give away half of wealth| accessdate=August 8, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120907/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38556042/ns/us_news-giving/ |archivedate=September 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/a-rich-gift-homemade-jelly-for-bill-melinda-gates.aspx |title=A Rich Gift: Homemade Jelly for Bill and Melinda Gates |work=Mother Earth News |date=February 22, 2011 |author=Robyn Griggs Lawrence|accessdate=March 10, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/a-rich-gift-homemade-jelly-for-bill-melinda-gates.aspx |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}</ref>

====Criticism====
The foundation has been criticized by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' for investing its assets in companies that have been accused of worsening poverty, polluting heavily, and pharmaceutical companies that do not sell into the developing world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gatesx07jan07,0,6827615.story |title=Dark cloud over good works of Gates Foundation |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120916/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gatesx07jan07,0,6827615.story |archivedate=September 16, 2012}}, ''Los Angeles Times'', January 7, 2006.</ref>
In response to press criticism, the foundation announced in 2007 a review of its investments, to assess social responsibility.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003517601_gatesinvest10.html |title=Gates Foundation to review investments |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120716/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003517601_gatesinvest10.html |archivedate=July 16, 2012}}, The Seattle Times, January 10, 2007.</ref> It subsequently canceled the review and stood by its policy of investing for maximum return, while using voting rights to influence company practices.<ref>[http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/01/14/14gates.html Gates Foundation to maintain its investment plan], ''The Austin Statesman'', January 14, 2007. {{dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref> The Gates Millennium Scholars program has been criticized by [[Ernest W. Lefever]] for its exclusion of [[Non-Hispanic Whites|Caucasian]] students.<ref>"{{cite web |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/01/local/me-28639 |title=Bill Gates' 'Diversity' Subverts Merit |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/01/local/me-28639 |archivedate=July 10, 2012}}", ''Los Angeles Times'', November 1, 1999</ref> The scholarship program is administered by the [[United Negro College Fund]].<ref>"{{cite web |url=http://www.gmsp.org/publicweb/AboutUs.aspx |title=The Gates Millennium Scholars program |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120803/http://www.gmsp.org/publicweb/AboutUs.aspx |archivedate=August 3, 2012}}"</ref>

===Recognition===
[[File:Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (522695099).jpg|thumb|left|Gates and [[Steve Jobs]] at the 5th {{nowrap|''D: All Things Digital''}} conference (''D5'') in 2007]]

In 1987 Gates was listed as a billionaire in ''Forbes'' magazine's 400 Richest People in America issue, just days before his 32nd birthday. As the world's youngest self-made billionaire, he was worth $1.25 billion, over $900 million more than he'd been worth the year before, when he'd debuted on the list.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/19/young-tech-billionaire-gates-google-yahoo-wealth.html |title=The Next Bill Gates |work=Forbes |date=January 19, 2010 |accessdate=December 20, 2010 |first=Marie |last=Thibault |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120731/http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/19/young-tech-billionaire-gates-google-yahoo-wealth.html |archivedate=July 31, 2012}}</ref>

''Time'' magazine named Gates [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century#The only people to shape both the 20th century and the early 21st|one of the 100 people who most influenced the 20th century]], as well as [[Time 100|one of the 100 most influential people of 2004, 2005, and 2006]]. ''Time'' also collectively named Gates, his wife Melinda and U2's lead singer [[Bono]] as the 2005 [[Time Magazine Person of the Year|Persons of the Year]] for their humanitarian efforts.<ref>{{harv|Lesinski|2006|p=102}}</ref> In 2006, he was voted eighth in the list of "Heroes of our time".<ref>{{cite news | author=Cowley, Jason | title=Heroes of our time — the top 50 | url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200605220016 |work=New Statesman |location=UK | date=June 22, 2006 | accessdate=February 17, 2008}}{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> Gates was listed in the ''[[The Sunday Times (UK)|Sunday Times]]'' power list in 1999, named CEO of the year by ''Chief Executive Officers magazine'' in 1994, ranked number one in the "Top 50 Cyber Elite" by ''Time'' in 1998, ranked number two in the ''[[Upside (magazine)|Upside]]'' Elite 100 in 1999 and was included in ''[[The Guardian]]'' as one of the "Top 100 influential people in media" in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=March 30, 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/457951.stm|title=Gates 'second only to Blair' |publisher=BBC News |date=September 26, 1999 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120711/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/457951.stm |archivedate=July 11, 2012}}</ref>

According to ''Forbes'', Gates was ranked as the fourth most powerful person in the world in 2012,<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The World's Most Powerful People |magazine=Forbes |date=December 5, 2012 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |url=http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230133410/http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archivedate=December 30, 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref> up from fifth in 2011.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The World's Most Powerful People |magazine=Forbes |date=November 2, 2011 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |url=http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204013058/http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/ |archivedate=December 4, 2011 |deadurl=yes}}</ref>

In 1994, he was honored as the twentieth [[DFBCS|Distinguished Fellow]] of the [[British Computer Society]]. Gates has received honorary doctorates from [[Nyenrode Business Universiteit]], [[Breukelen]], The Netherlands, in 2000;<ref>{{cite press release | language=Dutch| title=''Eredoctoraat Universiteit Nyenrode voor Wim Kok'' | url=http://www.nyenrode.nl/news/news_full.cfm?publication_id=599 |publisher=Nyenrode Business Universiteit | date=August 13, 2003 | accessdate=February 18, 2008|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080218131826/http://www.nyenrode.nl/news/news_full.cfm?publication_id=599 |archivedate = February 18, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> the [[Royal Institute of Technology]], Stockholm, Sweden, in 2002;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-01-26/international-business/27286399_1_iit-kanpur-iit-delhi-iitians |title=IIT's diaspora has a party – Times Of India |newspaper=The Times of India |date=January 26, 2003 |accessdate=October 24, 2011 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120707/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-01-26/international-business/27286399_1_iit-kanpur-iit-delhi-iitians |archivedate=July 7, 2012}}</ref> [[Waseda University]], Tokyo, Japan, in 2005; [[Tsinghua University]], Beijing, China, in April 2007;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng__news.php?id=1370 |title=Bill Gates Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Tsinghua |publisher=Tsinghua University |date=April 19, 2007 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120712/http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng__news.php?id=1370 |archivedate=July 12, 2012}}</ref> Harvard University in June 2007;<ref>{{cite news | author=Hughes, Gina | title=Bill Gates Gets Degree After 30 Years | url=http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/hughes/13653 |publisher=Yahoo! | date=June 8, 2007 | accessdate=February 18, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120717/http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/hughes/13653 |archivedate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> the [[Karolinska Institutet]], Stockholm, in January 2008,<ref>{{cite web | author=Svärd, Madeleine | title=Bill Gates honored with a doctor's cap | url=http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=130&a=47838&l=en&newsdep=130 |publisher=Karolinska Institutet | date=January 24, 2008 | accessdate=February 18, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=130&a=47838&l=en&newsdep=130 |archivedate=July 10, 2012}}</ref> and Cambridge University in June 2009.<ref>{{cite news | author=University of Cambridge | title=The Chancellor in Cambridge to confer Honorary Degrees | url=http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2009061204 |publisher=University of Cambridge | date=June 12, 2009 | accessdate=August 20, 2009 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120717/http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2009061204 |archivedate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> He was also made an honorary trustee of [[Peking University]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2098235.ece |work=The Times |location=London | title=Gates how piracy worked for me in China | date=July 18, 2007 | accessdate=April 26, 2010 | first=Rhys | last=Blakely |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120707/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2098235.ece |archivedate=July 7, 2012}}</ref>

Gates was made an [[British honours system#Honorary awards|honorary]] [[Order of the British Empire|Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (KBE) by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite news | title=Knighthood for Microsoft's Gates | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3428673.stm |publisher=BBC News | date=March 2, 2005 | accessdate=February 18, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120711/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3428673.stm | archivedate= July 11, 2012}}</ref> He and his wife were awarded the [[Order of the Aztec Eagle]] in November 2006 for their philanthropic work around the world in the areas of health and education, particularly in Mexico, and specifically in the program "''{{lang|es|Un país de lectores}}''".<ref>{{cite web|url = http://diariooficial.segob.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=4936346 | accessdate=March 30, 2008|publisher=[[Diario Oficial de la Federación]] | title =Proclamation of the Award |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120707/http://diariooficial.segob.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=4936346 |archivedate=July 7, 2012}}</ref> Gates received the 2010 [[Bower Award for Business Leadership]] from [[The Franklin Institute]] for his achievements at Microsoft and his philanthropic work.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bower Award for Business Leadership |publisher=The Franklin Institute |year=2010 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |url=http://www.fi.edu/franklinawards/10/bowerbus.html}}</ref> Also in 2010 he was honored with the [[Silver Buffalo Award]] by the [[Boy Scouts of America]], its highest award for adults, for his service to youth.<ref name="SB2010">{{cite journal |title=2010 Silver Buffalo Recipients |journal=Scouting |date=September–October 2010 |page=39}}</ref>

[[Entomology|Entomologists]] named [[Bill Gates' flower fly]], ''{{lang|la|Eristalis gatesi}}'', in his honor in 1997.<ref>{{cite web | last = Thompson | first = F. Christian | title=Bill Gates' Flower Fly ''Eristalis gatesi'' Thompson | url= http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Diptera/syrphid/gates.htm |publisher=The Diptera Site | date=August 19, 1999 | accessdate =February 18, 2008 |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120805/http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Diptera/syrphid/gates.htm |archivedate= August 5, 2012}}</ref>

In 2002, Bill and Melinda Gates received the [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Jefferson Award]] for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged.<ref>[http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national National Winners | public service awards]. Jefferson Awards.org. Retrieved on September 4, 2013.</ref>

===Investments===
* [[Cascade Investment|Cascade Investments LLC]], a private investment and holding company, incorporated in United States, is controlled by Bill Gates, and is headquartered in the city of [[Kirkland, Washington]].
* [[bgC3]], a new think-tank company founded by Bill Gates.
* [[Corbis]], a digital image licensing and rights services company.
* [[TerraPower]], a nuclear reactor design company.
* Research Gate, a social networking site for scientists. Gates has invested $35 million in the site.

==Books, films, and social media==

===Books===
To date, Bill Gates has authored two books:
*''[[The Road Ahead (Bill Gates book)|The Road Ahead]]'', written with Microsoft executive [[Nathan Myhrvold]] and journalist [[Peter Rinearson]], was published in November 1995. It summarized the implications of the personal computing revolution and described a future profoundly changed by the arrival of a global [[information superhighway]].
*''[[Business @ the Speed of Thought]]'' was published in 1999, and discusses how business and technology are integrated, and shows how digital infrastructures and information networks can help getting an edge on the competition.

===Documentaries===
* ''[[Triumph of the Nerds]]'' (1996)
*''[[Waiting for "Superman"]]'' (2010) <ref>{{cite web | url= http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9644610 |title= Bill Gates Goes to Sundance, Offers an Education |archiveurl= http://archive.is/20120701/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9644610 |archivedate=July 1, 2012 | publisher = ABC News | date = January 23, 2010}}</ref>
*''[[The Virtual Revolution]]'' (2010)

===Feature films===
* ''[[Pirates of Silicon Valley]]'', a 1999 film which chronicles the rise of [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and Microsoft from the early 1970s to 1997. Gates is portrayed by [[Anthony Michael Hall]].
*''[[The Social Network]],'' a 2010 film which chronicles the development of [[Facebook]]. Gates is portrayed by Steve Sires.<ref>[http://www.kval.com/news/entertainment/104288359.html 'Bogus Bill' has a blast playing billionaire in 'The Social Network']</ref>

===Social media===
In 2013, Gates became a LinkedIn Influencer.<ref>Wills, Amanda. "[http://mashable.com/2013/06/13/bill-gates-joins-linkedin/ Bill Gates Joins LinkedIn]", ''Mashable'', New York, June 13, 2013. Retrieved on July 30, 2013.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Microsoft}}
* [[Big History]] – academic discipline advocated by Bill Gates
* [[List of billionaires]]
* [[List of college dropout billionaires]]
* [[List of wealthiest non-inflated historical figures]]
* [[Paul Allen]] – Microsoft's co-founder, friend, and fellow billionaire

==Notes==
{{Reflist | group = "lower-alpha"}}

==References==
{{Reflist |colwidth =30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Citation |title=How to Be a Billionaire: Proven Strategies from the Titans of Wealth|first=Martin|last = Fridson |year=2001|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]]|isbn= 0-471-41617-7}}
* {{Citation |title=The Road Ahead|last=Gates|first=Bill |year=1996 |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |isbn = 0-14-026040-4}}
* {{Citation |title=Bill Gates | type = biography |first=Jeanne M.|last=Lesinski|year=2006|publisher= [[A&E Television Networks]]|isbn= 0-8225-7027-0}}
* {{Citation |title =Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself The Richest Man in America | isbn = 0-671-88074-8| year = 1994| publisher = [[Touchstone Pictures]] | last = Manes | first = Stephen}}
* {{Citation |first=James|last=Wallace|year=1993|title=Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers|location=New York|isbn= 0-471-56886-4}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book|last=Bank|first=David|title=Breaking Windows: how Bill Gates fumbled the future of Microsoft | year = 2001|publisher=Free Press|location=New York|isbn= 0-7432-0315-1}}
* {{Cite book|last=Rivlin|first=Gary|title=The plot to get Bill Gates: an irreverent investigation of the world's richest man... and the people who hate him|year= 1999|publisher= Times Business|location= New York | isbn = 0-8129-3006-1}}
* {{Cite journal| month =December | year = 1998|title= 83 Reasons Why Bill Gates's Reign Is Over|journal = [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|volume=6|issue=12|url= http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/microsoft.html}}
* {{cite web|author-link = Gary Kildall | first = Gary | last = Kildall | url= http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_43/b3905109_mz063.htm | title=The Man Who Could Have Been Bill Gates |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek |date=October 25, 2004 |accessdate = June 9, 2010}}
* [http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11622119 "The Meaning of Bill Gates: As his reign at Microsoft comes to an end, so does the era he dominated"], ''[[The Economist]]'', June 28, 2008.

==External links==
{{Sister project links|Bill Gates|wikt=no|v=no|s=Index:Bill Gates Letter to Hobbyists|b=no|}}
* {{Official website|http://www.thegatesnotes.com}}
* [http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]
* [http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/billg/ Profile] at [[Microsoft]]
* [http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates Profile] at [[Forbes]]
* {{C-SPAN|billgates}}
* {{Charlie Rose view|33}}
* {{TED|speakers/bill_gates.html}}
* {{IMDb name|0309540}}
* {{Guardiantopic|technology/billgates}}
* {{NYTtopic|people/g/bill_gates}}
* {{WSJtopic|person/G/bill-gates/685}}
* {{Bloombergtopic|bill-gates}}
* {{worldcat id|lccn-n91-8414}}
* {{OL author|id=OL34537A}}
* {{Nndb|435/000022369}}
* [http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/30/news/newsmakers/gates_howiwork_fortune/ How I Work: Bill Gates], ''Fortune'', March 30, 2006.
* {{Citation | url = http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/09/16/richest-american-billionaires-lists-400list08-cx_mm_dg_0917richintro.html | title = The Forbes 400 | date = September 16, 2008}}.

{{S-start}}
{{S-hon}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Warren Buffett]] Warren Buffett
| title = [[List of billionaires|World's richest person]]
| years = 1996–2007 2009–2010
| after = Warren Buffett [[Carlos Slim]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Bill Gates}}
{{Microsoft Executives}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 2001-2025}}
{{Berkshire Hathaway}}
{{World's richest people}}

{{Good article}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2013}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=102370574|GND=119081199}}

{{Persondata
| NAME = Gates, Bill
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Gates, William Henry, III
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American business magnate
| DATE OF BIRTH = October 28, 1955
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|WA]], [[United States]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gates, Bill}}
[[Category:Bill Gates| ]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:American agnostics]]
[[Category:American billionaires]]
[[Category:American computer businesspeople]]
[[Category:American computer programmers]]
[[Category:American financiers]]
[[Category:American humanitarians]]
[[Category:American inventors]]
[[Category:American investors]]
[[Category:American nonprofit businesspeople]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:American technology chief executives]]
[[Category:American technology company founders]]
[[Category:American technology writers]]
[[Category:Big History]]
[[Category:Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation people]]
[[Category:Business people from Seattle]]
[[Category:Businesspeople in software]]
[[Category:Directors of Berkshire Hathaway]]
[[Category:Directors of Microsoft]]
[[Category:Fellows of the British Computer Society]]
[[Category:Gates family]]
[[Category:Giving Pledgers]]
[[Category:Harvard University people]]
[[Category:History of computing]]
[[Category:History of Microsoft]]
[[Category:Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Lakeside School alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering]]
[[Category:Microsoft employees]]
[[Category:National Medal of Technology recipients]]
[[Category:Personal computing]]
[[Category:People from King County, Washington]]
[[Category:Placards of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico)]]
[[Category:Windows people]]
[[Category:Writers from Seattle, Washington]]

Threshold

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{{Wiktionary}}

'''Threshold''' may refer to:

{{TOCright}}

==Architecture==
* The [[Threshold (door)|sill]] of a door.

==Film and television==
* [[Threshold (1981 film)|''Threshold'' (1981 film)]]
* [[Threshold (2003 film)|''Threshold'' (2003 film)]], an adaptation of the 1958 science fiction film ''It! The Terror from Beyond Space''
* [[Threshold (TV series)|''Threshold'' (TV series)]], an American science fiction drama series
* [[Threshold (Stargate SG-1)|"Threshold" (''Stargate SG-1'')]], an episode of the TV series
* [[Threshold (Star Trek: Voyager)|"Threshold" (''Star Trek: Voyager'')]], an episode of the TV series
* [[Threshold Entertainment]], a Hollywood Intellectual Property Management and Production Company

==Literature==
* [[Threshold (Palmer novel)|''Threshold'' (Palmer novel)]], a science fiction novel by David R. Palmer
* [[Threshold (Sara Douglass novel)|''Threshold'' (Sara Douglass novel)]], a fantasy novel
* [[Threshold (1990 novel)]], a science fiction novel by Chris and Janet Morris
* [[Threshold (comics)]], a comic book character
* [[Threshold (DC Comics)]], a comic book published by DC Comics
* [[Threshold (Doctor Who)|Threshold (''Doctor Who'')]], an organization in ''Doctor Who'' comic strips
* ''Threshold'', a science-fiction novel by [[Caitlín R. Kiernan]]
* ''Threshold'', a Christian novel by [[Bill Myers]]
* ''Threshold'', a science-fiction novel by [[Ben Mezrich]]

==Music==
* [[Threshold (band)]], a UK progressive metal band.
* Threshold, a french progressive thrash metal band from 1980s.
* [[Threshold (album)|''Threshold'' (HammerFall album)]].
* ''[[Thresholds]]'', an album by Nocturnus.
* Threshold, a festival in Liverpool's NOVAS Contemporary Urban Centre.
* [[Threshold House]], a record label created by Coil.
* [[Threshold Records]], a record label created by The Moody Blues.
* "Threshold", a song by Slayer on the album ''[[God Hates Us All]]''.
* "Threshold", a song written by performer [[Beck]].

==Science==
===Medicine===
*Related to [[sense]]s and [[perception]]:
** [[Absolute threshold]]
** [[Sensory threshold]], a concept in psychology
** [[Threshold of pain]], a concept in pain science
** [[Absolute threshold of hearing]]
** [[Masking threshold]]
** [[Odor detection threshold]]
**Related to [[visual system]]:
*** [[Flicker fusion threshold]]
*** [[Dark adaptation threshold]]

* [[Action potential]], a concept in neurophysiology
* [[Low-threshold spikes]]
* [[Renal threshold]], the level at which a given substance in the blood is taken up by the kidneys and enters the urine
* [[Threshold expression]]
* [[Threshold potential]]
* [[Threshold Limit Value]]
* [[Aerobic threshold]]
* [[Anaerobic threshold]]
* [[Linear no-threshold model]]
* [[Seizure threshold]]
* [[Threshold model]] in toxicology
* [[Threshold (reference value)]]

===Other science-related===
* [[Threshold effect]]
* [[Transparency threshold]]
* [[Multi-threshold CMOS]]
* [[Threshold knowledge]]
* [[Quasi-threshold graph]]
* [[Threshold displacement energy]]
* [[Error threshold (evolution)]]
* [[Extinction threshold]]
* [[Thresholding (image processing)]], a method of image segmentation
* [[Lasing threshold]], a concept in laser science
* [[Zero crossing threshold detector]]
* [[Threshold voltage]]
* [[Threshold effect (disambiguation)]]
* [[Threshold energy]]
* [[Threshold detector with hysteresis]]
* [[Threshold cryptosystem]]
* [[Percolation threshold]]
* [[Threshold graph]]
* [[Ecological threshold]]
* [[Polygyny threshold model]]

==Other meanings==
* [[Threshold (online game)|''Threshold'' (online game)]], a roleplaying enforced MUD
* [[Displaced threshold]], an aviation term
* [[Election threshold]], a concept in voting systems
* [[Poverty thresholds (United States Census Bureau)]]
* Threshold a game for the [[Atari 2600]] video game system
* "[[Microsoft Windows#Future releases|Threshold]]", a [[List of Microsoft codenames|codename]] for a future release of the [[Microsoft Windows]] operating system.

{{disambig}}
[[nl:Drempel]]

Windows 9

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#REDIRECT [[Microsoft Windows#Future releases]]

Microsoft Windows

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{{Redirect|Windows|the part of a building|window|other uses|Windows (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2012}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{pp-move-indef}}

{{Infobox OS
| name = Microsoft Windows
| logo = Windows logo and watermark - 2012.svg
| logo caption = The Current Windows Logo (Introduced in 2012)
| logo_size = 296px
| screenshot = Windows 8.1 Start screen.jpg
| caption = Screenshot of [[Windows 8.1]], showing its [[Start screen]]
| website = {{URL|windows.microsoft.com}}
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| source_model = [[Closed source software|Closed]] / [[Shared source]]
| released = {{Start date and years ago|1985|11|20}}, as [[Windows 1.0]]
| family = [[Windows 9x]], [[Windows CE]] and [[Windows NT]]
| frequently_updated = yes 
| marketing_target = Personal computing
| kernel_type = {{plainlist|
* [[Windows NT]] family: [[Hybrid kernel|Hybrid]]
* [[Windows 9x]] and earlier: [[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]] ([[MS-DOS]])
}}
| ui = [[Windows Shell]]
| programmed_in = [[Assembly language|Assembly]], [[C (programming language)|C]], [[C++]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/winntas/training/ntarchitectoview/ntarc_2.mspx |title=NT Server Training: Architectural Overview. Lesson 2 – Windows NT System Overview. |work=Microsoft TechNet |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=December 9, 2010}}</ref>
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[commercial software]]
| language = Multilingual (137 languages)<ref>[http://msdn.microsoft.com/goglobal/ee461121#AvailableLanguagePacks listing of available Windows 7 language packs]</ref>
| working_state = Publicly released
| supported_platforms = [[ARM architecture|ARM]], [[IA-32]], [[Itanium]], [[x86-64]]
| updatemodel = [[Windows Update]], [[Windows Anytime Upgrade]]
|working state = }}

'''Microsoft Windows''' is a series of [[graphical user interface|graphical interface]] [[operating system]]s developed, marketed, and sold by [[Microsoft]].

Microsoft introduced an [[operating environment]] named ''Windows'' on November 20, 1985 as a graphical [[operating system shell]] for [[MS-DOS]] in response to the growing interest in [[graphical user interface]]s (GUI).<ref name=aboutcomnov>{{cite web |url=http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/Windows.htm?rd=1 |title=The Unusual History of Microsoft Windows |accessdate=April 22, 2007}}</ref> Microsoft Windows came to [[Dominance (economics)|dominate]] the world's [[personal computer]] market with [[Usage share of operating systems|over 90% market share]], overtaking [[Mac OS]], which had been introduced in 1984.

{{As of|October 2013}}, the most recent versions of Windows for [[personal computer]]s, [[mobile device]]s, [[Server (computing)|server computer]]s and [[embedded system|embedded device]]s are respectively [[Windows 8.1]], [[Windows Phone 8]], [[Windows Server 2012 R2]] and [[Windows Embedded 8]].

==Version history==
{{Main|History of Microsoft Windows}}
{{See also|List of Microsoft Windows versions}}

The term ''Windows'' collectively describes any or all of several generations of [[Microsoft]] [[operating system]] products. These products are generally categorized as follows:

===Early versions===
{{Main|Windows 1.0|Windows 2.0|Windows 2.1x}}
[[File:Windows1.0.png|thumb|300px|[[Windows 1.0]], the first version, released in 1985]]

The history of Windows dates back to September 1981, when Chase Bishop, a computer scientist, designed the first model of an electronic device and project "Interface Manager" was started. It was announced in November 1983 (after the [[Apple Lisa]], but before the [[Macintosh]]) under the name "Windows", but [[Windows 1.0]] was not released until November 1985.<ref>[http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows/history A history of Windows] (at microsoft.com)</ref> Windows 1.0 achieved little popularity and was to compete with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s own operating system. Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends [[MS-DOS]]. The [[shell (computing)|shell]] of Windows 1.0 is a program known as the [[MS-DOS Executive]]. Components included [[Microsoft Calculator|Calculator]], [[Microsoft Calendar|Calendar]], [[Cardfile]], [[ClipBook Viewer|Clipboard viewer]], Clock, [[Control Panel (Windows)|Control Panel]], [[Notepad (Windows)|Notepad]], [[Microsoft Paint|Paint]], [[Reversi]], [[Terminal emulator|Terminal]] and [[Windows Write|Write]]. Windows 1.0 does not allow overlapping windows. Instead all windows are [[tiling window manager|tiled]]. Only modal dialog boxes may appear over other windows.

[[Windows 2.0]] was released in December 1987 and was more popular than its predecessor. It features several improvements to the user interface and memory management.{{Citation needed|date=May 2013}} Windows 2.03 changed the OS from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The result of this change led to Apple Computer filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple's copyrights.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lowendmac.com/orchard/06/apple-vs-microsoft.html |title=The Apple vs. Microsoft GUI Lawsuit |year=2006 |accessdate=March 12, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/~mjohnsen/Technology/Lawsuits/appvsms.html |title=Apple Computer, Inc. v. MicroSoft Corp., 35 F.3d 1435 (9th Cir. 1994) |accessdate=March 12, 2008}}</ref> Windows 2.0 also introduced more sophisticated [[keyboard shortcut]]s and could make use of [[expanded memory]].

Windows 2.1 was released in two different versions: [[Windows/286]] and [[Windows/386]]. Windows/386 uses the [[virtual 8086 mode]] of [[Intel 80386]] to multitask several DOS programs and the [[paging|paged memory model]] to emulate expanded memory using available [[extended memory]]. Windows/286, in spite of its name, runs on both [[Intel 8086]] and [[Intel 80286]]. It runs in [[real mode]] but can make use of the [[high memory area]].

In addition to full Windows-packages, there were runtime-only versions that shipped with early Windows software from third parties and made it possible to run their Windows software on MS-DOS and without the full Windows feature set.

The early versions of Windows are often thought of as graphical shells, mostly because they ran on top of MS-DOS and use it for [[file system]] services.<ref name="Evolution">{{cite web |url=http://news.soft32.com/windows-evolution_1629.html |title=Windows Evolution |publisher=Soft32.com News}}</ref> However, even the earliest Windows versions already assumed many typical operating system functions; notably, having their own [[executable file format]] and providing their own [[device driver]]s (timer, graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound). Unlike MS-DOS, Windows allowed users to execute multiple graphical applications at the same time, through [[Nonpreemptive multitasking|cooperative multitasking]]. Windows implemented an elaborate, segment-based, software virtual memory scheme, which allows it to run applications larger than available memory: code segments and [[resource (Windows)|resource]]s are swapped in and thrown away when memory became scarce; data segments moved in memory when a given application had relinquished processor control.

===Windows 3.0 and 3.1===
{{Main|Windows 3.0|Windows 3.1x}}
[[File:Windows 3.0 workspace.png|thumb|250px|left|[[Windows 3.0]], released in 1990]]

[[Windows 3.0]], released in 1990, improved the design, mostly because of [[virtual memory]] and loadable virtual device drivers ([[VxD]]s) that allow Windows to share arbitrary devices between multi-tasked DOS applications.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}} Windows 3.0 applications can run in [[protected mode]], which gives them access to several megabytes of memory without the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They run inside the same address space, where the segmented memory provides a degree of protection. Windows 3.0 also featured improvements to the user interface. Microsoft rewrote critical operations from [[C (programming language)|C]] into [[Assembly language|assembly]]. Windows 3.0 is the first Microsoft Windows version to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/compsoft/soft1991.htm |title=Chronology of Personal Computer Software}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |title=Microsoft Company}}</ref>

Windows 3.1, made [[general availability release|generally available]] on March 1, 1992, featured a facelift. In August 1993, Windows for Workgroups, a special version with integrated [[peer-to-peer networking]] features and a version number of 3.11, was released. It was sold along Windows 3.1. Support for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-us&p1=3078&x=10&y=11 |title=Windows 3.1 Standard Edition Support Lifecycle |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

===Windows 9x===
{{Main|Windows 95|Windows 98|Windows ME}}
[[File:Windows 95 Desktop screenshot.png|thumb|Windows 95, released in August 1995, introduced the [[taskbar]] and [[Start menu]] to the operating system.]]

The next major consumer-oriented release of Windows, [[Windows 95]], was released on August 24, 1995. While still remaining MS-DOS-based, Windows 95 introduced support for native [[32-bit application]]s, [[plug and play]] hardware, [[preemptive multitasking]], [[long file name]]s of up to 255 characters, and provided increased stability over its predecessors. Windows 95 also introduced a redesigned, [[Object-oriented design|object oriented]] user interface, replacing the previous [[Program Manager]] with the [[Start menu]], [[taskbar]], and [[Windows Explorer]] [[Shell (computing)|shell]]. Windows 95 was a major commercial success for Microsoft; Ina Fried of [[CNET]] remarked that "by the time Windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001, it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world."<ref>{{cite news|title=Windows 95 turns 15: Has Microsoft's OS peaked?|url= http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/08/25/cnet.microsoft.windows/index.html|archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100826141242/http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/08/25/cnet.microsoft.windows/index.html|archivedate= 2010-08-26|publisher=CNET/CNN Tech|date=August 25, 2010|accessdate=August 22, 2012}}</ref> Microsoft published four OEM Service Releases (OSR) of Windows 95, each of which was roughly equivalent to a [[service pack]]. The first OSR of Windows 95 was also the first version of Windows to be bundled with Microsoft's [[web browser]], [[Internet Explorer]].<ref name="apr96ms">{{cite press release|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=14 February 2011|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/apr96/iemompr.mspx|title=Microsoft Internet Explorer Web Browser Available on All Major Platforms, Offers Broadest International Support|date=30 April 1996}}</ref> Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2000 and extended support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2001.<ref name="Windows 95 Support Lifecycle">{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=7864 |title=Windows 95 Support Lifecycle |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

Windows 95 was followed up with the release of [[Windows 98]] on June 25, 1998, which introduced the [[Windows Driver Model]], support for [[Universal Serial Bus#Overview|USB composite devices]], support for [[Advanced Configuration and Power Interface|ACPI]], [[hibernation (computing)|hibernation]], and support for [[multi-monitor]] configurations. Windows 98 also included integration with [[Internet Explorer 4]] through [[Active Desktop]] and other aspects of the [[Windows Desktop Update]] (a series of enhancements to the Explorer shell which were also made available for Windows 95). In May 1999, Microsoft released [[Windows 98 Second Edition]], an updated version of Windows 98. Windows 98 SE added [[Internet Explorer 5.0]] and [[Windows Media Player]] 6.2 amongst other upgrades. Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002 and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006.<ref name="Windows 98 Standard Edition Support Lifecycle">{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=6513 |title=Windows 98 Standard Edition Support Lifecycle |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released [[Windows ME]] (Millennium Edition), the last DOS-based version of Windows. Windows ME incorporated visual interface enhancements from its Windows NT-based counterpart [[Windows 2000]], had faster boot times than previous versions (which however, required the removal of the ability to access a [[real mode]] DOS environment, removing compatibility with some older programs),<ref name="FastBoot1">{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/fast-boot.mspx |title=Improving "Cold Boot" Time for System Manufacturers |publisher=Microsoft |date=2001-12-04 |accessdate=2010-08-26}}{{Dead link|date=May 2013}}</ref> expanded [[multimedia]] functionality (including Windows Media Player 7, [[Windows Movie Maker]], and the [[Windows Image Acquisition]] framework for retrieving images from scanners and digital cameras), additional system utilities such as [[System File Protection]] and [[System Restore]], and updated [[home network]]ing tools.<ref name=pcw-me>{{cite web|title=Windows Millennium Edition: All About Me|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/17791/article.html|publisher=PC World|accessdate=21 May 2013}}</ref> However, Windows ME was faced with criticism for its speed and instability, along with hardware compatibility issues and its removal of real mode DOS support. [[PC World]] considered Windows ME to be one of the worst operating systems Microsoft had ever released, and the 4th worst tech product of all time.<ref name="WinMEbad">{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/125772-2/the_25_worst_tech_products_of_all_time.html | title=The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time | publisher=PC World | accessdate=February 10, 2012}}</ref>

===Windows NT family===
{{Main|Windows NT}}

{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width = 140
| image1 = Microsoft Windows logo (Pre-XP).svg
| caption1 = Windows logo (1992–2001), introduced in [[Windows 3.1]]
| image2 = Windows logo - 2002.svg
| caption2 = Windows logo (2001–2006), introduced in [[Windows XP]]
| image3 =
| caption3 = Windows logo (2006–2012), introduced in [[Windows Vista]]
| image4 = Windows logo - 2012.svg
| caption4 = Windows logo used since 2012, introduced in [[Windows Server 2012]] and [[Windows 8]]
}}

In November 1988, a new development team within Microsoft (which included former [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] developers [[Dave Cutler]] and [[Mark Lucovsky]]) began work on a revamped version of [[IBM]] and Microsoft's [[OS/2]] operating system known as "NT OS/2". NT OS/2 was intended to be a secure, [[multi-user]] operating system with [[POSIX]] compatibility and a modular, [[Software portability|portable]] [[Kernel (computing)|kernel]] with [[preemptive multitasking]] and support for multiple processor architectures. However, following the successful release of [[Windows 3.0]], the NT development team decided to rework the project to use an extended [[32-bit]] port of the [[Windows API]] known as Win32 instead of those of OS/2. Win32 maintained a similar structure to the Windows [[API]]s (allowing existing Windows applications to easily be [[Porting|ported]] to the platform), but also supported the capabilities of the existing NT kernel. Following its approval by Microsoft's staff, development continued on what was now Windows NT, the first 32-bit version of Windows. However, IBM objected to the changes, and ultimately continued OS/2 development on its own.<ref name="insident">{{cite book | ref= harv | last= Custer | first= Helen | title= Inside Windows NT | publisher= Microsoft Press | location= Redmond | year= 1993 | ISBN=1-55615-481-X}}</ref><ref name="thurrott-nt"/>

The first release of the resulting operating system, [[Windows NT 3.1]] (named to associate it with [[Windows 3.1]]) was released in July 1993 with versions for desktop [[workstation]]s and [[server (computing)|server]]s. [[Windows NT 3.5]] was released in September 1994, focusing on performance improvements and support for [[Novell]]'s [[NetWare]], and was followed up by [[Windows NT 3.51]] in May 1995, which included additional improvements and support for the [[PowerPC]] architecture. [[Windows NT 4.0]] was released in June 1996, introducing the redesigned interface of [[Windows 95]] to the NT series. On February 17, 2000, Microsoft released [[Windows 2000]], a successor to NT 4.0. The Windows NT name was dropped at this point in order to put a greater focus on the Windows brand.<ref name="thurrott-nt">{{cite web | last=Thurrott | first=Paul | title=Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold - Part One: The Early Years | url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp | date= 2003-01-24 | archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20050101005634/http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp | archivedate = 2005-01-01| accessdate=2012-05-28}}</ref>

====Windows XP====
The next major version of Windows, [[Windows XP]], was released on October 25, 2001. The introduction of Windows XP aimed to unify the consumer-oriented [[Windows 9x]] series with the architecture introduced by Windows NT, a change which Microsoft promised would provide better performance over its DOS-based predecessors. Windows XP would also introduce a redesigned user interface (including an updated Start menu and a "task-oriented" [[File Explorer|Windows Explorer]]), streamlined multimedia and networking features, [[Internet Explorer 6]], integration with Microsoft's [[Microsoft account|.NET Passport]] services, modes to help provide compatibility with software designed for previous versions of Windows, and [[Windows Remote Assistance|Remote Assistance]] functionality.<ref name=cnet-xpreview>{{cite web|title=Windows XP review|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/microsoft-windows-xp-home/4505-3672_7-6534881.html|publisher=CNET|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref>

At retail, Windows XP was now marketed in two main [[Stock keeping unit|editions]]: the "Home" edition was targeted towards consumers, while the "Professional" edition was targeted towards business environments and [[power user]]s, and included additional security and networking features. Home and Professional were later accompanied by the "Media Center" edition (designed for [[home theater PC]]s, with an emphasis on support for [[DVD]] playback, [[TV tuner card]]s, [[Digital video recorder|DVR]] functionality, and remote controls), and the "Tablet PC" edition (designed for mobile devices meeting its [[Microsoft Tablet PC|specifications]] for a [[tablet computer]], with support for [[stylus]] pen input and additional pen-enabled applications).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://review.zdnet.com/4520-6033_16-4206552.html|title=The 10 top things you MUST know about Win XP|author=David Coursey|publisher=[[ZDNet]]|date=October 25, 2001|accessdate=July 22, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://review.zdnet.com/4520-6033_16-4206367.html |title=Your top Windows XP questions answered! (Part One) |author=David Coursey |date=August 31, 2001 |work=[[ZDNet]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive|CNET Networks]] |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071219121319/http://review.zdnet.com/4520-6033_16-4206367.html |archivedate=December 19, 2007 |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winsupersite.com/article/showcase/a-look-at-freestyle-and-mira.aspx |title=A Look at Freestyle and Mira |date=September 3, 2002 |work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows |publisher=Penton |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref> Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, 2009. Extended support will continue until April 8, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3223 |title=Windows XP Professional Lifecycle Support |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its release schedules for server operating systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, [[Windows Server 2003]], was released in April 2003.<ref name="thurrott-nt"/> It was followed in December 2005 by Windows Server 2003 R2.

====Windows Vista, 7 and 8====
After a lengthy [[development of Windows Vista|development process]], [[Windows Vista]] was released on November 30, 2006 for volume licensing and January 30, 2007 for consumers. It contained a number of [[Features new to Windows Vista|new features]], from a redesigned shell and user interface to significant [[Technical features new to Windows Vista|technical changes]], with a particular focus on [[Security and safety features new to Windows Vista|security features]]. It was available in a number of [[Windows Vista editions and pricing|different editions]], and has been subject to [[Criticism of Windows Vista|some criticism]]. Vista's server counterpart, [[Windows Server 2008]] was released in early 2008.

On July 22, 2009, [[Windows 7]] and [[Windows Server 2008 R2]] were released as RTM (release to manufacturing) while the former was released to the public 3 months later on October 22, 2009. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista, which introduced a large number of new features,{{which|date=May 2013}} Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista was already compatible.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2008/10/28/windows-7-unveiled-today-at-pdc-2008.aspx |title=Windows 7 Unveiled Today at PDC 2008 |author=Mike Nash |date=October 28, 2008 |work=Windows Team Blog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=November 11, 2008}}</ref> Windows 7 has [[multi-touch]] support, a redesigned [[Windows shell]] with an updated [[taskbar]], a home networking system called HomeGroup,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windowsexperience/archive/2008/10/28/how-libraries-amp-homegroup-work-together-in-windows-7.aspx |title=How Libraries & HomeGroup Work Together in Windows 7 |author=Brandon LeBlanc |date=October 28, 2008 |work=Windows Team Blog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=November 11, 2008}}</ref> and performance improvements.


[[Windows 8]], the successor to Windows 7, was released generally on October 28, 2012. A number of significant changes were made on Windows 8, including the introduction of a user interface based around Microsoft's [[Metro (design language)|Metro design language]] with optimizations for [[multi-touch|touch-based]] devices such as [[tablet computer|tablets]] and all-in-one PCs. These changes include the [[Start screen]], which uses large tiles that are more convenient for touch interactions and allow for the display of continually updated information, and a new class of [[application software|app]]s which are designed primarily for use on touch-based devices. Other changes include increased integration with [[cloud computing|cloud services]] and other online platforms (such as [[social networking service|social network]]s and Microsoft's own [[SkyDrive]] and [[Xbox Live]] services), the [[Windows Store]] service for software distribution, and a new variant known as [[Windows RT]] for use on devices that utilize the [[ARM architecture]].<ref name=pcw-testdrivertm>{{cite web|last=Case|first=Loyd|title=Test Driving Windows 8 RTM|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/260884/test_driving_windows_8_rtm.html|work=PC World|publisher=IDG|accessdate= September 9, 2012}}</ref><ref name=bi-windows8>{{cite web|last=Rosoff|first=Matt|title=Here's Everything You Wanted To Know About Microsoft's Upcoming iPad Killers|url=http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-09/tech/31040510_1_steven-sinofsky-pcs-microsoft-first|publisher=[[Business Insider]]|accessdate= February 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name="bw-win8editions">{{cite web|url=http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/04/16/announcing-the-windows-8-editions.aspx |title=Announcing the Windows 8 Editions |publisher=Microsoft|date=April 16, 2012 |accessdate=April 17, 2012}}</ref><ref name=bw8-buildingarm>{{cite web|title=Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/02/09/building-windows-for-the-arm-processor-architecture.aspx|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=November 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name=verge-talkswin8>{{cite web|title=Microsoft talks Windows Store features, Metro app sandboxing for Windows 8 developers|url=http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/17/3026590/microsoft-windows-8-developers-windows-store-sandboxing|work=[[The Verge]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|accessdate= September 8, 2012}}</ref><ref name="pcw-building">{{cite news|title=Build: More Details On Building Windows 8 Metro Apps|url=http://forwardthinking.pcmag.com/show-reports/287736-build-more-details-on-building-windows-8-metro-apps|work=PC Magazine|accessdate=February 10, 2012|first=Michael|last=Miller}}</ref> An update to Windows 8, called [[Windows 8.1]], was released on October 17, 2013, and includes features such as new live tile sizes, deeper SkyDrive integration, and many other revisions.<ref>[http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/10/17/windows-8-1-now-available.aspx Windows 8.1 now available!]. Blogs.windows.com. Retrieved on 2013-10-31.</ref>

====Future releases====
The next release of Windows is [[List of Microsoft codenames|codenamed]] "Threshold", and is expected to be released in April 2015 as "Windows 9".<ref name="threshold">{{cite web | url=http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/threshold-be-called-windows-9-ship-april-2015| title="Threshold" to be Called Windows 9, Ship in April 2015 | work=Paul Thurrot's Supersite for Windows | accessdate=19 January 2014 | first=Paul | last=Thurrot | date=11 January 2014}}</ref> Threshold will be a wave of operating system releases that will represent the first step in unifying the different versions of Windows, including [[Windows Phone]] and [[Windows RT]].<ref name="MJFThreshold">{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-codename-threshold-the-next-major-windows-wave-takes-shape-7000023832/|title=Microsoft codename 'Threshold': The next major Windows wave takes shape|author=Mary Jo Foley|work=[[ZDNet]]|date=2 December 2013|accessdate=19 January 2014}}</ref> It is believed that an [[SKU]] aimed at traditional PCs will be released, which is expected to allow [[Windows Store]] apps to run in individual windows on the desktop and also restore the classic [[Start menu]] that was removed in Windows 8.<ref name="MJFThresholdSKU">{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com/more-on-microsofts-sku-morphic-windows-vision-7000024092/|title=More on Microsoft's SKU-morphic Windows vision|author=Mary Jo Foley|work=[[ZDNet]]|date=9 December 2013|accessdate=19 January 2014}}</ref>

====Multilingual support: IMEs and LIPs====
{{importance-section|date=May 2013}}

There are three main issues involved in making English-language Windows multilingual:
(1) some languages require an [[Input Method Editor]] (IME) to enter text, (2) many users want application menus (such as MS Office menus) to display in their own language, and they may also want to use a keyboard that matches the normal keyboard layout and marking for their own language, and (3) some users want Windows menus and messages to display in their own language, i.e. they want to be able to switch from an English Windows environment to another language.

For languages like Italian, Spanish, French and German, [[Microsoft Windows#lipso|(2)]] alone may suffice. For languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean ([[CJK]]), an IME [[Microsoft Windows#ime|(1)]] is also required. This is bundled with the corresponding language version of Windows, but is also available as a separate download for English Windows, as described below; (1) and (2) can be essentially free (apart from the custom keyboard).
For some languages, [[Microsoft Windows#lipsw|(3)]], multilingual support for Windows, is a free download for Windows XP and later—but it requires Windows 7 Ultimate or better for languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

{{anchor|ime}}(1) After releasing Chinese, Japanese, and Korean bundles of Office 2010 and IME 2010,
Microsoft made IME 2010 available as a free upgrade for users of the earlier [[Input Method Editor|IME]] versions of Windows. Microsoft later made these Chinese, Japanese, and Korean IME versions available free to users of Windows XP and later, including English Windows XP (but now says that users should own some version of MS Office).<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=30390 Download IME 2010] Microsoft.</ref> Each IME package enables the entering of text in the corresponding language; necessary fonts may be bundled with it (or supplementary fonts offered with the corresponding version of Office).

{{anchor|lipso}}(2) Microsoft now also offers [[Microsoft Office Language Packs|Language Interface Packs (LIPs) for MS Office]]. Some LIPs are free;<ref>[http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/office-language-interface-pack-lip-downloads-HA001113350.aspx MS Office Language Interface Packs] Microsoft.</ref> some "Language Packs" (such as the CJK ones) are sold separately and may include spelling and grammar checking tools.<ref>[http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/list/parentCategoryID.37286600/categoryID.54807000 MS Office Language Packs] Microsoft.</ref>
(Recent application software from some companies may support two or more popular languages).

{{anchor|lipsw}}(3) Microsoft now also offers Language Interface Packs (LIPs) that allow users to view Windows menus, dialog boxes, and other user interface items in their preferred language. These are free; most are for English Windows (XP and later)—however, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean LIP downloads require Windows 7 Ultimate or Enterprise.<ref>[http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/language-packs Download Windows Language Interface Packs] Microsoft.</ref> These LIPs include IMEs where applicable.


====Platform support====
Windows NT included support for several different platforms before the [[x86]]-based [[personal computer]] became dominant in the professional world. [[Windows NT 4.0]] and its predecessors supported [[PowerPC]], [[DEC Alpha]] and [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]] R4000. (Although some these platforms implement [[64-bit computing]], the operating system treated them as 32-bit.) However, Windows 2000, the successor of Windows NT 4.0, dropped support for all platforms except the third generation x86 (known as [[IA-32]]) or newer in 32-bit mode. The client line of Window NT family still runs on IA-32, although the [[Windows Server]] line has ceased supporting this platform with the release of [[Windows Server 2008 R2]].

With the introduction of the [[Intel Itanium architecture]] (IA-64), Microsoft released new versions of Windows to support it. Itanium versions of [[Windows XP]] and [[Windows Server 2003]] were released at the same time as their mainstream x86 counterparts. Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, released in 2005, is the last Windows client operating systems to support Itanium. Windows Server line continued to support this platform until [[Windows Server 2012]]; Windows Server 2008 R2 is the last Windows operating system to support Itanium architecture.

On April 25, 2005, Microsoft released [[Windows XP Professional x64 Edition]] and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions to support the [[x86-64]] (or simply x64), the eighth generation of x86 architecture. [[Windows Vista]] was the first client version of Windows NT to be released simultaneously in IA-32 and x64 editions. x64 is still supported.

An edition of Windows 8 known as [[Windows RT]] was specifically created for computers with [[ARM architecture]].

===Windows CE===
{{Main|Windows CE|Windows Phone}}
[[File:WindowsCE7.png|thumb|250px|The latest current version of Windows CE, [[Windows Embedded Compact 7]], displaying a concept media player UI.]]

Windows CE (officially known as ''Windows Embedded Compact''), is an edition of Windows that runs on [[Handheld PC|minimalistic computers]], like satellite navigation systems and some mobile phones. Windows Embedded Compact is based on its own dedicated kernel, dubbed Windows CE kernel. Microsoft licenses Windows CE to [[OEM]]s and device makers. The OEMs and device makers can modify and create their own user interfaces and experiences, while Windows CE provides the technical foundation to do so.

Windows CE was used in the [[Dreamcast]] along with Sega's own proprietary OS for the console. Windows CE was the core from which [[Windows Mobile]] was derived. Its successor, [[Windows Phone 7]], was based on components from both [[Windows Embedded CE 6.0|Windows CE 6.0 R3]] and [[Windows Embedded Compact 7|Windows CE 7.0]]. [[Windows Phone 8]] however, is based on the same NT-kernel as Windows 8.

Windows Embedded Compact is not to be confused with [[Windows XP Embedded]] or [[Windows NT 4.0 Embedded]], modular editions of Windows based on Windows NT kernel.

{{clear}}

==Timeline of releases==
{{Main|Timeline of Microsoft Windows}}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left; width:100%;"
|-
! colspan="6" | Timeline of releases
|-
! abbr="release" | Release date
! abbr="name" | Product name
! abbr="version" | Current Version / Build
! Notes<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/|title=Microsoft Support Lifecycle|publisher=Microsoft}}</ref>
! Last [[Internet Explorer|IE]]
! Last [[DirectX|DX]]
|-
! {{rh}} | November 1985
| [[Windows 1.0]]1
| 1.01
| Unsupported
| Unsupported
| —
|-
! {{rh}} | November 1987
| [[Windows 2.0]]3
| 2.03
| Unsupported
| Unsupported
| —
|-
! {{rh}} | May 1988
| [[Windows 2.1x|Windows 2.10]]
| 2.10
| Unsupported
| Unsupported
| —
|-
! {{rh}} | March 1989
| [[Windows 2.1x|Windows 2.11]]
| 2.11
| Unsupported
| Unsupported
| —
|-
! {{rh}} | May 1990
| [[Windows 3.0]]
| 3.0
| Unsupported
| Unsupported
| —
|-
! {{rh}} | March 1992
| [[Windows 3.1x]]
| 3.1
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | October 1992
| [[Windows 3.1|Windows For Workgroups 3.1]]
| 3.1
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | July 1993
| [[Windows NT 3.1]]
| NT 3.1
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | December 1993
| [[Windows 3.1|Windows For Workgroups 3.11]]
| 3.11
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | January 1994
| [[Windows 3.2]] (released in [[Simplified Chinese]] only)
| 3.2
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | September 1994
| [[Windows NT 3.5]]
| NT 3.5
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | May 1995
| [[Windows NT 3.51]]
| NT 3.51
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5]]
| Unsupported
|-
! {{rh}} | August 1995
| [[Windows 95]]
| 4.0.950
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 5|5.5]]
| 6.1
|-
! {{rh}} | July 1996
| [[Windows NT 4.0]]
| NT 4.0.1381
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 6|6]]
| 6.1
|-
! {{rh}} | June 1998
| [[Windows 98]]
| 4.10.1998
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 6|6]]
| 6.1
|-
! {{rh}} | May 1999
| [[Windows 98 Second Edition|Windows 98 SE]]
| 4.10.2222
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 6|6]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | February 2000
| [[Windows 2000]]
| NT 5.0.2195
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 6|6]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | September 2000
| [[Windows ME]]
| 4.90.3000
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 6|6]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | October 2001
| [[Windows XP]]
| NT 5.1.2600
| Extended Support for [[Windows XP SP3|SP3]] until April 8, 2014. ([[Release to manufacture|RTM]], SP1 and SP2 unsupported).
| [[Internet Explorer 8|8]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | March 2003
| [[Windows XP 64-bit Edition]] ([[IA-64]])
| NT 5.2.3790
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 6|6]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | April 2003
| [[Windows Server 2003]]
| NT 5.2.3790
| Extended Support for SP2 until July 14, 2015. (RTM and SP1 unsupported).
| [[Internet Explorer 8|8]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | April 2005
| [[Windows XP Professional x64 Edition]] ([[x86-64]])
| NT 5.2.3790
| Extended Support for SP2 until April 8, 2014. (RTM and SP1 unsupported).
| [[Internet Explorer 8|8]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | July 2006
| [[Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs]]
| NT 5.1.2600
| Extended Support until April 8, 2014.
| [[Internet Explorer 8|8]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | November 2006 (volume licensing) January 2007 (retail)
| [[Windows Vista]]
| NT 6.0.6002
| Extended Support for SP2 until April 11, 2017. (RTM and SP1 unsupported). Version changed to NT 6.0.6002 with SP2 (April 28, 2009).
| [[Internet Explorer 9|9]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | July 2007
| [[Windows Home Server]]
| NT 5.2.4500
| Unsupported
| [[Internet Explorer 8|8]]
| 9.0c
|-
! {{rh}} | February 2008
| [[Windows Server 2008]]
| NT 6.0.6002
| Current Version changed to NT 6.0.6002 with SP2 (April 28, 2009).
| [[Internet Explorer 9|9]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | October 2009<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/May09/05-11TechEd09PR.mspx?rss_fdn=Press%20Releases |title=Microsoft Delivers New Wave of Technologies to Help Businesses Thrive in Today's Economy |date=May 11, 2009 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=May 22, 2009}}</ref>
| [[Windows 7]] and [[Windows Server 2008 R2]]
| NT 6.1.7601
| Current Version changed to NT 6.1.7601 with SP1 (February 22, 2011).
| [[Internet Explorer 11|11]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | May 2010
| [[Windows Multipoint Server 2010]]
| NT 6.1.7600
| Current
| [[Internet Explorer 8|8]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | April 2011
| [[Windows Home Server 2011]]
| NT 6.1.8400
| Current
| [[Internet Explorer 9|9]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | September 2012
| [[Windows Server 2012]]
| NT 6.2.9200
| Current
| [[Internet Explorer 10|10]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | October 2012
| [[Windows 8]]
| NT 6.2.9200
| Current
| [[Internet Explorer 10|10]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | October 2013
| [[Windows 8.1]]
| NT 6.3.9600
| Current
| [[Internet Explorer 11|11]]
| 11
|-
! {{rh}} | October 2013
| [[Windows Server 2012 R2]]
| NT 6.3.9600
| Current
| [[Internet Explorer 11|11]]
| 11
|-

{{hidden begin
|title = Windows timeline
|titlestyle = background:#D3D3D3
}}
{{Timeline Windows}}
{{hidden end}}
{{Wide image|Windows Updated Family Tree.png|700px|The Windows family tree|100%|center}}

==Usage share==

{{Main|Usage share of operating systems}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Source
| Net Market Share<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.netmarketshare.com/report.aspx?qprid=10&qptimeframe=M&qpsp=179&qpch=350&qpcustomd=0 |title=Operating System Market Share |date=December 2013 |work=Net Market Share |publisher=Net Applications |accessdate=3 January 2014}}</ref>
| Global Stats<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#desktop-os-ww-monthly-201312-201312-bar |title=StatCounter Global Stats |date=December 2013 |work=Global Stats |publisher=StatCounter |accessdate=3 January 2014}}</ref>
| W3Counter<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php?year=2013&month=12 |title=Global Web Stats |date=December 2013 |work=W3Counter |publisher=Awio Web Services |accessdate=3 January 2014}}</ref>
|-

! Date
| December 2013
| December 2013
| December 2013
|-
! All versions
| 90.63%
| 89.24%
| 65.71%
|-
! Windows 7
| 47.52%
| 54.8%
| 40.93%
|-
! Windows XP
| 28.98%
| 19.79%
| 14.32%
|-
! Windows 8
| 6.89%
| 8.13%
| 7.2%
|-
! Windows Vista
| 3.61%
| 4.3%
| 3.26%
|-
! Windows 8.1
| 3.6%
| 2.22%
| —
|-
! Windows 2000
| 0.03%
| —
| —
|}

==Security==
Consumer versions of Windows were originally designed for ease-of-use on a single-user PC without a network connection, and did not have security features built in from the outset.<ref>Multi-user memory protection was not introduced until Windows NT and XP, and a computer's default user was an administrator until Windows Vista. Source: [http://blogs.msdn.com/uac/ UACBlog].</ref> However, Windows NT and its successors are designed for security (including on a network) and multi-user PCs, but were not initially designed with Internet security in mind as much, since, when it was first developed in the early 1990s, Internet use was less prevalent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0883396.html |title=Telephones and Internet Users by Country, 1990 and 2005 |publisher=Information Please Database |accessdate=June 9, 2009}}</ref>

These design issues combined with programming errors (e.g. [[buffer overflow]]s) and the popularity of Windows means that it is a frequent target of [[computer worm]] and [[Computer virus|virus]] writers. In June 2005, [[Bruce Schneier]]'s ''Counterpane Internet Security'' reported that it had seen over 1,000 new viruses and worms in the previous six months.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0506.html |title=Crypto-Gram Newsletter |author=Bruce Schneier |authorlink=Bruce Schneier |date=June 15, 2005 |publisher=[[BT Counterpane|Counterpane Internet Security, Inc.]] |accessdate=April 22, 2007}}</ref> In 2005, [[Kaspersky Lab]] found around 11,000 malicious programs—viruses, Trojans, back-doors, and exploits written for Windows.<ref name="Patrizio">{{cite web |url=http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3601946 |title=Linux Malware On The Rise |author=Andy Patrizio |date=April 27, 2006 |work=InternetNews |publisher=[[QuinStreet]] |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

Microsoft releases security patches through its [[Windows Update]] service approximately once a month (usually the [[Patch Tuesday|second Tuesday]] of the month), although critical updates are made available at shorter intervals when necessary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Windows/Microsofts-Security-Response-Center-How-Little-Patches-Are-Made/ |title=Microsoft's Security Response Center: How Little Patches Are Made |author=[[Ryan Naraine]] |date=June 8, 2005 |work=[[eWeek]] |publisher=Ziff Davis Enterprise |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref> In versions of Windows after and including Windows 2000 SP3 and Windows XP, updates can be automatically downloaded and installed if the user selects to do so. As a result, Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, as well as Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2003, were installed by users more quickly than it otherwise might have been.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=50900297 |title=Windows XP SP2 Distribution Surpasses 100 Million |author=John Foley |date=October 20, 2004 |work=[[InformationWeek]] |publisher=UBM TechWeb |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

While the [[Windows 9x]] series offered the option of having profiles for multiple users, they had no concept of [[Principle of least privilege|access privileges]], and did not allow concurrent access; and so were not true [[multi-user]] operating systems. In addition, they implemented only partial [[memory protection]]. They were accordingly widely criticised for lack of security.

The [[Windows NT]] series of operating systems, by contrast, are true multi-user, and implement absolute memory protection. However, a lot of the advantages of being a true multi-user operating system were nullified by the fact that, prior to Windows Vista, the first user account created during the setup process was an [[Windows administrator|administrator]] account, which was also the default for new accounts. Though [[Windows XP]] did have limited accounts, the majority of home users did not change to an account type with fewer rights – partially due to the number of programs which unnecessarily required administrator rights – and so most home users ran as administrator all the time.

[[Windows Vista]] changes this<ref>Microsoft describes in detail the steps taken to combat this in a TechNet bulletin. Source: [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905073.aspx Windows Vista Security and Data Protection Improvements].</ref> by introducing a privilege elevation system called [[User Account Control]]. When logging in as a standard user, a logon session is created and a [[Token (Windows NT architecture)|token]] containing only the most basic privileges is assigned. In this way, the new logon session is incapable of making changes that would affect the entire system. When logging in as a user in the Administrators group, two separate tokens are assigned. The first token contains all privileges typically awarded to an administrator, and the second is a restricted token similar to what a standard user would receive. User applications, including the [[Windows Shell]], are then started with the restricted token, resulting in a reduced privilege environment even under an Administrator account. When an application requests higher privileges or "Run as administrator" is clicked, UAC will prompt for confirmation and, if consent is given (including administrator credentials if the account requesting the elevation is not a member of the administrators group), start the process using the unrestricted token.<ref name="kennykerr">{{cite web |url=http://weblogs.asp.net/kennykerr/archive/2006/09/29/Windows-Vista-for-Developers-_1320_-Part-4-_1320_-User-Account-Control.aspx |title=Windows Vista for Developers – Part 4 – User Account Control |author=Kenny Kerr |date=September 29, 2006 |accessdate=March 15, 2007}}</ref>

===File permissions===
All Windows versions from Windows NT 3 have been based on a file system permission system referred to as AGLP (Accounts, Global, Local, Permissions) [[AGDLP]] which in essence where file permissions are applied to the file/folder in the form of a 'local group' which then has other 'global groups' as members. These global groups then hold other groups or users depending on different Windows versions used. This system varies from other vendor products such as [[Linux]] and [[NetWare]] due to the 'static' allocation of permission being applied directory to the file or folder. However using this process of AGLP/AGDLP/AGUDLP allows a small number of static permissions to be applied and allows for easy changes to the account groups without reapplying the file permissions on the files and folders.

===Windows Defender===
On January 6, 2005, Microsoft released a [[Beta version]] of Microsoft AntiSpyware, based upon the previously released [[GIANT Company Software|Giant]] AntiSpyware. On February 14, 2006, Microsoft AntiSpyware became [[Windows Defender]] with the release of Beta 2. Windows Defender is a freeware program designed to protect against spyware and other unwanted software. Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users who have [[Windows Genuine Advantage|genuine]] copies of Microsoft Windows can freely download the program from Microsoft's web site, and Windows Defender ships as part of Windows Vista and 7.<ref name=defendervista>{{cite web |url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/products/features/security-safety|title=Windows Vista: Security & Safety|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=April 16, 2012}}</ref> In Windows 8, Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials have been combined into a single program, named Windows Defender. It is based on [[Microsoft Security Essentials]], borrowing its features and user interface. Although it is enabled by default, it can be turned off to use another anti-virus solution.<ref name=defender8>{{cite web |url=http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-security/how-do-i-keep-windows-8-consumer-preview-secure/acd2bfea-ed36-401e-9050-f2fe4212ecf3 |title=Microsoft Answers: How do I keep Windows 8 Consumer Preview secure from malware?|publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=April 16, 2012}}</ref> [[Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool]] and the optional [[Microsoft Safety Scanner]] are two other free security products offered by Microsoft.

===Third-party analysis===
In an article based on a report by Symantec,<ref name=thereg>{{cite web |url=http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/enterprise/white_papers/ent-whitepaper_internet_security_threat_report_xi_03_2007.en-us.pdf |title=Symantec Internet Security Threat Report Trends for July – December 2006 |date=March 2007 |work=Internet Security Threat Report Volume XI |publisher=Symantec |format=PDF |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref> internetnews.com has described Microsoft Windows as having the "fewest number of patches and the shortest average patch development time of the five operating systems it monitored in the last six months of 2006."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3667201 |title=Report Says Windows Gets The Fastest Repairs |author=Andy Patrizio |date=March 21, 2007 |work=InternetNews |publisher=QuinStreet |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

A study conducted by [[Kevin Mitnick]] and marketing communications firm Avantgarde in 2004 found that an unprotected and unpatched Windows XP system with Service Pack 1 lasted only 4 minutes on the Internet before it was compromised, and an unprotected and also unpatched Windows Server 2003 system was compromised after being connected to the internet for 8 hours.<ref name=hackXP>{{cite web |url=http://www.avantgarde.com/ttln113004.html |title=Automated "Bots" Overtake PCs Without Firewalls Within 4 Minutes |date=November 30, 2004 |work=Avantgarde |publisher=Avantgarde |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref> This study does not apply to Windows XP systems running the Service Pack 2 update (released in late 2004), which vastly improved the security of Windows XP.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} The computer that was running Windows XP Service Pack 2 was not compromised. The [[AOL]] National Cyber Security Alliance Online Safety Study of October 2004 determined that 80% of Windows users were infected by at least one [[spyware]]/[[adware]] product.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} Much documentation is available describing how to increase the security of Microsoft Windows products. Typical suggestions include deploying Microsoft Windows behind a hardware or software [[Firewall (computing)|firewall]], running [[anti-virus]] and [[anti-spyware]] software, and installing patches as they become available through Windows Update.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.computer-security-news.com/0969/5-steps-to-securing-your-windows-xp-home-computer |title=5 Steps To Securing Your Windows XP Home Computer |author=Richard Rogers |date=September 21, 2009 |work=Computer Security News |publisher=Computer Security News |accessdate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

==Alternative implementations==



Owing to the operating system's popularity, a number of applications have been released that aim to provide compatibility with Windows applications, either as a [[compatibility layer]] for another operating system, or as a standalone system that can run software written for Windows out of the box. These include:

*'''[[Wine (software)|Wine]]''' – a [[free and open-source]] implementation of the [[Windows API]], allowing one to run many Windows applications on x86-based platforms, including [[UNIX]], [[Linux]] and [[OS X]]. Wine developers refer to it as a "compatibility layer"<ref>[http://www.winehq.org/ Wine]</ref> and use Windows-style APIs to emulate Windows environment.

**'''[[CrossOver (software)|CrossOver]]''' – a Wine package with licensed fonts. Its developers are regular contributors to Wine, and focus on Wine running officially supported applications.

**'''[[Cedega (software)|Cedega]]''' – proprietary [[Fork (software development)|fork]] of Wine by [[TransGaming Technologies]], designed specifically for running Microsoft Windows games on Linux. A version of Cedega known as [[TransGaming Technologies#Cider|Cider]] allows Windows games to run on OS X. Since Wine was licensed under the LGPL, Cedega has been unable to port the improvements made to Wine to their proprietary codebase. Cedega ceased its service in February 2011.

**'''[[Darwine]]''' – a port of Wine for [[OS X]] and [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]]. Operates by running Wine on [[QEMU]].
*'''[[ReactOS]]''' – an open-source OS intended to run the same software as Windows, originally designed to simulate Windows NT 4.0, now aiming at Windows 7 compatibility. It has been in the [[development stage]] since 1996.

*'''[[Linspire]]''' – formerly LindowsOS, a commercial Linux distribution initially created with the goal of running major Windows software. Changed its name to Linspire after [[Microsoft v. Lindows]]. Discontinued in favor of [[Xandros|Xandros Desktop]].


*'''Freedows OS''' – an open-source attempt at creating a Windows clone for x86 platforms, intended to be released under the [[GNU General Public License]]. Started in 1996 by Reece K. Sellin, the project was never completed, getting only to the stage of design discussions which featured a number of novel concepts until it was suspended in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Student's Dream of Creating A New Operating System Encounters Problems |url=http://chronicle.com/article/A-Students-Dream-of-Creati/103396/ |work=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]] |date=18 September 1998 |accessdate=17 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.advogato.org/person/chipx86/diary.html?start=134 |title=Older blog entries for chipx86 |work=Advogato.org |publisher=Advogato |date=27 June 2002 |accessdate=17 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://features.slashdot.org/story/98/08/31/2231220/freedows-splits |title=Freedows splits |work=[[Slashdot]] |publisher=[[Dice Holdings]] |date=31 August 1998 |accessdate=17 May 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Microsoft}}
*[[Architecture of the Windows NT operating system line]]
*[[Wintel]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links |wikt=no |commons=Microsoft Windows |b=Basic Computing Using Windows |n=no |q=no |s=no |v=Microsoft Windows |voy=no |d=no |species=no |display=Microsoft Windows}}

*{{Official website|windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/home}}
** {{Official blog|URL = http://blogs.windows.com}}
*[http://www.msdn.com/ Microsoft Developer Network]
*[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/default.aspx?WT.mc_id=soc-c-au-loc--2010oct Windows Client Developer Resources]
*[http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/WinHistoryIntro.mspx Microsoft Windows History Timeline]
*[http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1358665&rll=1 Pearson Education, InformIT] – History of Microsoft Windows
*[http://www.microsoft.com/industry/government/products/windows7/default.aspx Microsoft Windows 7 for Government]

{{Microsoft Windows family}}
{{Microsoft operating systems}}
{{Microsoft}}
{{Microsoft Windows components}}
{{Operating system}}

[[Category:1985 software]]
[[Category:Microsoft Windows| ]]

{{Link FA|tl}}
{{Link FA|ceb}}
{{Link FA|mr}}

List of Microsoft codenames

2014-01-19T13:41:46Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Windows NT family */ Adding "Threshold" aka Windows 9

{{Refimprove|date=November 2008}}

'''Microsoft codenames''' are the [[codename]]s given by [[Microsoft]] to products it has in development, before these products are given the names by which they appear on store shelves. Many of these products (new versions of [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] in particular) are of major significance to the [[Information Technology|IT]] community, and so the terms are often widely used in discussions prior to the official release. Microsoft usually does not announce a final name until shortly before the product is publicly available. It is not uncommon for Microsoft to reuse codenames a few years after a previous usage has been abandoned.

There has been some suggestion that Microsoft may move towards defining the real name of their upcoming products earlier in the product development lifecycle so as to avoid needing product codenames.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/brierdudley/2006/05/02/ | title=Fun with Microsoft code names | date=May 2, 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | author=Brier Dudley | work=Brier Dudley's blog | publisher=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

==Operating systems==

===Windows 3.1x/9x===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=15%|Preliminary name
!width=15%|Final name
!Notes
!Ref
|-
|Sparta, Winball
|Windows Plus
|[[Windows for Workgroups]] 3.1
|Windows 3.1 ([[16-bit]]) with enhanced networking; designed to work particularly well as a client with the new [[Windows NT]].
|<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XlEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39 |title=Windows to boost data sharing |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |date=May 18, 1992 |first=Stuart |last=Johnston |volume=14 |issue=20 |page=39}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kREEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA2 |title=Early users detail features of Windows pack |journal=[[Network World]] |date=April 27, 1992 |first=Margie |last=Wylie |volume=9 |issue=17 |page=2}}</ref>
|-
|Snowball
|Windows for Workgroups 3.10
|Windows for Workgroups 3.11
|Although this release was still 16-bit Windows, it included a 32-bit TCP/IP stack (when running on compatible hardware). Along with [[Win32s]], this was one of the first steps towards moving the Windows desktop to a [[32-bit]] code base.
|<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nREEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA4 |title=Reworking Windows for Workgroups |journal=[[Network World]] |date=July 19, 1993 |first=Frederic |last=Paul |volume=10 |issue=29 |page=4}}</ref>
|-
|Chicago
|Windows 4.0
|[[Windows 95]]
|The 32-bit protected mode kernel of Chicago (Windows 95) was codenamed Cougar and runs on top of Jaguar (Chicago kernel).
|<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nToEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30 |title=Delay of Windows 95 spells relief for many developers |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |date=January 9, 1995 |first=Ilan |last=Greenberg |volume=17 |issue=2 |page=30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://iowa.gotthefacts.org/011607/5000/PX05516.pdf
|title=Chicago Feature Specification
|date=1992-09-30}}</ref>
|-
|Detroit
|Windows 4.1
|Windows 95 OSR 2
|Named after [[Detroit, Michigan]]. A writer for [[Maximum PC]] suggested that "Detroit" and other Windows 95-era names were answers to the question posed by Microsoft's "[[Where do you want to go today?]]" marketing campaign.
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/microsoft_unveils_official_name_windows_7 |title=Microsoft Unveils the Official Name for "Windows 7" |author=Mark Edward Soper |date=October 14, 2008 |accessdate=2009-05-23 |publisher=Maximum PC}}</ref>
|-
|[[Windows Nashville|Nashville]]
|Windows 96
|[[Windows Desktop Update]], [[Internet Explorer|Internet Explorer 4.0]]
|Cancelled upgrade for Windows 95; sometimes referred to in the press as ''Windows 96''. Codename was reused for Internet Explorer 4.0 which incorporated many of the technologies planned for Nashville.
|
|-
|Memphis
|Windows 97, Windows 4.1
|[[Windows 98]]
|The codename was the key to activating an [[easter egg (virtual)|easter egg]] in Windows 98:
* Open the "Regional Settings" control panel;
* Go to the "Regional Settings" page;
* Hold the Control key and drag a line with the mouse cursor from [[Memphis, Egypt|''Memphis'', Egypt]] (or maybe Cairo, codename of Windows NT 4 - the map is too small to tell) to [[Memphis, Tennessee|''Memphis'', Tennessee]]. Still holding the Control key, drag another line from Memphis to [[Redmond, Washington]];
* A [[window (computing)|window]] opens with the credits for Windows 98.
*this codename is also visible from Windows 95 OSR in its version of DOS 7 - before any EXEs or windows is loaded the words: Microsoft (R) Memphis - are loaded into memory, although on the disc they are encrypted.
|<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/news2/memphis-windows-98-.aspx |title = Memphis: Windows 98? |work = Windows IT Pro |publisher = Penton Media, Inc. |date = 6 June 1997 |accessdate = 16 December 2010 |first1 = Paul |last1 = Thurrott |authorlink1 = Paul Thurrott}}</ref>
|-
|Millennium
|Windows 4.9
|[[Windows Me]]
|''Me'' stands for ''Millennium Edition''.
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-names-new-consumer-OS-Windows-Me/2100-1040_3-236499.html |title=Microsoft names new consumer OS: Windows Me |work=[[CNET.com]] |first=Stephanie |last=Miles |date=February 3, 2000}}</ref>
|}

===Windows NT family===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
|-
|Daytona<ref>{{cite book
| title = Microsoft Windows Internals
| edition = 4th edition
| last = Russinovich
| first = Mark
| authorlink =Mark Russinovich
| first2 = David A.
| last2 = Solomon
| year = 2005
| publisher = Microsoft Press
| isbn = 0-7356-1917-4
| quote = The first release of Windows NT was larger and slower than expected, so the next major push was a project called Daytona, named after the speedway in Florida. The main goals for this release were to reduce the size of the system, increase the speed of the system, and, of course, to make it more reliable.
| page = xx
}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows NT 3.5]]
| Named after the [[Daytona International Speedway]] in [[Daytona Beach, Florida]].
|-
|SUR (Shell Update Release), [[Cairo (operating system)|Cairo]]<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/jun96/dirserpr.mspx Microsoft Demonstrates Next-Generation Directory Server]</ref>
|
|[[Windows NT 4.0]]
|Microsoft originally planned for NT 4.0 to be just a simple "Shell Update Release" to integrate the Windows 95 GUI with Windows NT 3.51's kernel.
|-
|Wolfpack<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://news.cnet.com/Scalability-Day-falls-short/2100-1001_3-279928.html
|title=Scalability Day falls short
|last=Davis
|first=Jim
|publisher=CNet
|date=May 20, 1997
|accessdate=2009-05-23
}}</ref>
|
|[[Microsoft Cluster Server]]
|
|-
|Janus<ref>{{cite web|last=Thurrott|first=Paul|title=64-bit Windows 2000 on track for mid-2000|url=http://windowsitpro.com/windows-server/64-bit-windows-2000-track-mid-2000|work=[[Windows IT Pro]]|publisher=[[Penton Media]]|accessdate=10 August 2013|date=26 July 1999}}</ref>
|
|Windows 2000 [[64-bit]]
|[[Windows 2000]] itself did not have a codename because, according to Dave Thompson of Windows NT team, "[[Jim Allchin]] didn't like codenames".<ref>{{cite web|last=Thurrott|first=Paul|title=SuperSite Flashback: NT’s First Decade|url=http://winsupersite.com/windows/supersite-flashback-nt-s-first-decade|work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows|publisher=[[Penton Media]]|accessdate=10 August 2013|authorlink=Paul Thurrott|date=8 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
|Impala<ref name="ntexpe">{{cite web
| url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa459171.aspx
| title=Getting to Know Windows NT Embedded and Windows XP Embedded
| author=Jon Fincher
| work=Get Embedded
| publisher=Microsoft
| date=November 20, 2001
| accessdate=2009-05-23
}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows NT 4.0 Embedded]]
|-
|[[Windows Neptune|Neptune]]
|Microsoft Neptune<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digibarn.com/collections/screenshots/XP%20Neptune%20Build%205111/index.htm |title=DigiBarn Screen Shots: Widnows XP Neptune Build 5111 |publisher=Digibarn.com |date= |accessdate=2013-06-15}}</ref>
|Never named
|Planned consumer version of Windows 2000, merged with Odyssey to form Whistler.
|-
|[[Windows Odyssey|Odyssey]]
|
|Never named
|Planned successor to Windows 2000 for business customers, merged with Neptune to form Whistler.
|-
|[[Microsoft Whistler|Whistler]]
|
|[[Windows XP]]
|Named after [[Whistler, British Columbia]], where design retreats were held.
|-
|Mantis<ref name="ntexpe"/>
|
|[[Windows XP Embedded]]
| Named after the [[Mantis shrimp]]
|-
|Freestyle<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,654995,00.asp |title=Only HP Selling Media Center PCs—For Now |journal=[[PC Magazine]] |first=Mary Jo |last=Foley |date=October 29, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-frees-up-Freestyle/2100-1044_3-979772.html |title=Microsoft frees up Freestyle |work=[[CNET.com]] |first=Joe |last=Wilcox |date=January 8, 2003}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows XP Media Center Edition]]
|
|-
|Harmony<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1304918,00.asp |title=Second-Generation Media Center Edition: Worth the Wait |journal=[[PC Magazine]] |first=Bill |last=Howard |date=September 30, 2003}}</ref>
|
|Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004
|
|-
|Symphony<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=4192 |title=Microsoft aims high with Media Center update |journal=[[PC Advisor]] |agency=[[IDG News Service]] |first=Joris |last=Evers |date=October 12, 2004}}</ref>
|
|Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
|
|-
|Emerald<ref name=emerald>{{cite web |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Desktops-and-Notebooks/Microsoft-Has-New-Mission-for-Media-Center/ |title=Microsoft Has New Mission for Media Center |work=[[eWeek]] |first=John G. |last=Spooner |date=October 11, 2005}}</ref>
|
|Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Update Rollup 2
|
|-
|Diamond<ref name=emerald/>
|
|Windows Media Center
|Included in Windows Vista
|-
|Springboard
|
|
|Set of enhanced security features, included in [[Windows XP Service Pack 2]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/news2/windows-xp-sp2-to-be-springboard-to-longhorn.aspx |title=Windows XP SP2 to be 'Springboard' to Longhorn |journal=[[Windows IT Pro]] |first=Paul |last=Thurrott |authorlink=Paul Thurrott |date=October 15, 2003}}</ref>
|-
|Lonestar<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/Next-Microsoft-Tablet-PC-software-renamed/2110-1001_3-5197209.html |title=Next Microsoft Tablet PC software renamed |work=[[CNET.com]] |first=Ina |last=Fried |date=October 15, 2003}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005]]
|
|-
|Whistler Server<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-server-2003/microsoft-sets-windows-server-2003-release-date.aspx |title=Microsoft Sets Windows Server 2003 Release Date |journal=[[Windows IT Pro]] |first=Paul |last=Thurrott |authorlink=Paul Thurrott |date=January 9, 2003}}</ref>
|Windows Server 2002,<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/05/01/whistler_server_confirmed_as_windows/ |title=Whistler Server confirmed as Windows 2002 |journal=[[The Register]] |first=John |last=Lettice |date=May 1, 2001}}</ref> Windows .NET Server
|[[Windows Server 2003]]
|
|-
|Bobcat<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/102644/microsoft_shares_sharepoint_details.html |title=Microsoft Shares Sharepoint Details |journal=[[PC World (magazine)]] |first=Ed |last=Scannell |date=July 15, 2002}}</ref>
|
|Windows Small Business Server 2003
|
|-
|Eiger, Mönch<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2006/07/13/microsoft_releases_fundamentals/1 |title=Microsoft releases Fundamentals for older PCs |work=[[bit-tech]] |first=Glen |last=Chivers |date=July 13, 2006}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs]]
|Mönch included additional features for use on mobile devices.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/101214/Microsoft_preparing_Windows_XP_based_thin_clients |title=Microsoft preparing Windows XP-based thin clients |work=[[Computerworld]] |publisher=[[IDG News Service]] |first=Joris |last=Evers |date=April 24, 2005}}</ref>
|-
|Longhorn<ref>{{Cite news
|url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jul05/07-22LHMA.mspx
|title = Media Alert: Microsoft Unveils Official Name for "Longhorn" and Sets Date for First Beta Targeted at Developers and IT Professionals
|work = Microsoft News Center
|publisher = Microsoft Corporation
|date = 5 July 2005
|accessdate = 16 December 2010
|location = Redmond, Washington
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
|url = http://news.cnet.com/Longhorns-new-name-Windows-Vista/2100-1016_3-5799734.html
|title = Longhorn's new name: Windows Vista
|work = [[CNET News]]
|publisher = CBS Interactive
|date = 22 July 2005
|first1 = Mike
|last1 = Ricciuti
|accessdate = 16 December 2010
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
|url = http://www.betanews.com/article/Longhorn-Gets-a-Name-Windows-Vista/1122002477
|title = Longhorn Gets a Name: Windows Vista
|work = Betanews
|date = 22 July 2005
|first1 = Ed
|last1 = Oswald
|first2 = Nate
|last2 = Mook
|accessdate = 16 December 2010
}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows Vista]]
|Went gold (RTM) on 8 of November 2006. Named after the Longhorn Bar in the [[Whistler-Blackcomb]] resort; initially planned as an "interim release" between "Whistler" and "Blackcomb" (which was "Vienna" and is now [[Windows 7]]).
|-
|Mojave
|
|Windows Vista
|Spoof codename used for the Windows Vista "[[Mojave Experiment]]" marketing exercise.<ref>[http://www.mojaveexperiment.com The Mojave Experiment]</ref>
|-
|Q,<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/news2/q-it-up-windows-home-server-hits-external-beta.aspx |title=Q It Up: Windows Home Server Hits External Beta |journal=[[Windows IT Pro]] |first=Paul |last=Thurrott |authorlink=Paul Thurrott |date=February 13, 2007}}</ref> Quattro<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9007499/CES_Gates_expands_Microsoft_s_digital_home_plan |title=CES: Gates expands Microsoft's digital home plan |journal=[[Computerworld]] |first=Elizabeth |last=Montalbano |date=January 8, 2007}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows Home Server]]
|
|-
|Vail<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.pcmag.com/business/article/public-preview-of-next-version |title=Public Preview of Windows Home Server "Vail" is Here |journal=[[PC Magazine]] |first=Samara |last=Lynn |date=April 27, 2010}}</ref>
|[[Windows Home Server 2011]]
|[[Windows Home Server 2011]]
|
|-
|Longhorn Server<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=3675218 |title=Microsoft Begins Buildup to Windows Server 2008 Release |work=[[ABC News]] |publisher=[[PC World (magazine)]] |first=Eric |last=Lai |date=October 1, 2007}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows Server 2008]]
|
|-
|Cougar<ref name=cougarcentro>{{cite journal |url=http://www.itjungle.com/two/two022708-story03.html |title='Centro' and 'Cougar' Become Windows Server Essentials |journal=[[The Windows Observer]] |first=Alex |last=Woodie |volume=5 |issue=8 |date=February 27, 2008}}</ref>
|
|Windows Small Business Server 2008
|
|-
|Centro<ref name=cougarcentro/>
|
|[[Windows Essential Business Server]]
|
|-
|Blackcomb, Vienna,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/07/23/Microsoft-finalizes-Windows-7-code/UPI-87421248404771/ |title=Microsoft finalizes Windows 7 code |work=[[United Press International]] |date=July 23, 2009}}</ref> "7"
|
|[[Windows 7]]
|
|-
|Fiji<ref>{{cite web |url=http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2008/06/02/windows-fiji-screenshots-leak-final-name-revealed |title=Windows Fiji screenshots leak, final name revealed? |work=[[Ars Technica]] |first=Emil |last=Protalinski |date=June 2, 2008}}</ref>
|[[Windows Media Center#Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008|Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008]]
|Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008
|
|-
|Aurora<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-small-business-server-code-name-quotauroraquot-revealed
|title = Windows Small Business Server code name "Aurora" revealed
|work = Neowin.net
|first1 = Tom
|last1 = Warren
|date = 3 February 2010
|accessdate = 16 December 2010
}}</ref>
|
|Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials
|
|-
|Quebec<ref>{{Cite news
|url = http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/sep09/09-01NextWindowsEmbeddedPR.mspx?rss_fdn=Press%20Releases
|title = Microsoft Delivers Windows 7-Based Windows Embedded Standard 2011 Community Technology Preview
|work = Microsoft News Center
|publisher = Microsoft Corporation
|location = Redmond, Washington
|date = 9 September 2009
|accessdate = 16 December 2010
}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows Embedded|Windows Embedded 2011]]
|-
| Windows Server 8<ref name="ZDNet1">{{cite web | url=http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/windows-server-8-officially-dubbed-windows-server-2012/12475 | title=Windows Server "8" officially dubbed Windows Server 2012 | work=[[ZDNet]] | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | accessdate=17 April 2012 | first=Mary Jo |last=Foley |date=17 April 2012}}</ref>
|
| [[Windows Server 2012]]
|
|-
| Blue<ref name="blue">{{cite web | url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2013/03/26/looking-back-and-springing-ahead.aspx | title=Looking Back and Springing Ahead | work=The Official Microsoft Blog | publisher=[[Microsoft Corporation]] | accessdate=Aug 17, 2013 | first=Frank X. | last=Shaw | date=26 March 2013}}</ref>
|
| [[Windows 8.1]]
|
|-
| Threshold<ref name="threshold">{{cite web | url=http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/threshold-be-called-windows-9-ship-april-2015| title="Threshold" to be Called Windows 9, Ship in April 2015 | work=Paul Thurrot's Supersite for Windows | accessdate=19 January 2014 | first=Paul | last=Thurrot | date=11 January 2014}}</ref>
| Windows 9
| TBA
|
|}

===Windows CE family===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
|-
|Pegasus, Alder<ref name="boling">{{cite web
|url=http://download.microsoft.com/documents/australia/medc2006/Windows_CE6_Architecture_Boling.ppt
|title=The Windows CE New Kernel (PowerPoint presentation)
|publisher=Microsoft
}}</ref>
|
|[[Windows CE]] 1.0
|(released November 1996)
|-
|Birch,<ref name="boling"/> Gryphon
|
|Windows CE 2.1
|
|-
|Cedar,<ref name="boling"/> Galileo, Rapier, Merlin, Stinger
|
|Windows CE 3.0
|(released April 2000)
|-
|Talisker<ref name="boling"/>
|Windows CE .NET
|Windows CE 4.0
|(released January 7, 2002)
|-
|Macallan<ref name="boling"/>
|
|Windows CE 5.0
|(July 9, 2004)
|-
|Yamazaki<ref name="boling"/>
|Windows CE 6.0
|[[Windows Embedded CE 6.0]]
|
|}

===Others===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
! 
|-
|Mango
|
|[[Windows Phone 7.5]]
|
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2011/10/24/2509332/windows-phone-75-mango-review |title=Windows Phone 7.5 ‘Mango’ release details and updated review |work=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |date=September 27, 2011 |accessdate=August 22, 2013 |first=Chris |last=Ziegler}}</ref>
|-
|Red Dog<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/27/microsoft_amazon/ |title=Microsoft's Red-Dog cloud turns Azure |work=[[The Register]] |first=Gavin |last=Clarke |date=October 27, 2008}}</ref>
|Windows Cloud
|[[Windows Azure]]
|Windows [[Cloud computing|cloud services]] platform
|-
|Zurich
|
|[[Windows Azure]]
|Microsoft's [[cloud computing]] platform
|<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/azure/default.mspx Azure Services Platform]{{Failed verification|date=December 2012}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=December 2012}}
|-
|[[Singularity (operating system)|Singularity]]
|
|[[Singularity (operating system)|Singularity]]
|Experimental operating system based on the [[Microsoft .NET]] platform, using software-based [[type safety]] as a replacement for hardware-based [[memory protection]].
|<ref>[http://research.microsoft.com/os/singularity/ Microsoft Research Singularity Project]</ref>
|}

==OS components==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
! 
|-
|O'Hare
|
|[[Internet Explorer 1]]
|Internet Explorer 1, first shipped in [[Microsoft Plus!]] for Windows 95: The codename ''O'Hare'' ties into the ''Chicago'' codename for Windows 95: [[O'Hare International Airport]] is the largest airport in the city of [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]] — in Microsoft's words, "a point of departure to distant places from Chicago".
|<ref>{{cite web| url=http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd316500.aspx |title=Internet Standards and Operating Systems - Why Integration Makes Sense |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=1998-03-03 |accessdate=2009-07-31}}</ref>
|-
|Frosting
|Windows 95 codename
|[[Microsoft Plus!|Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95]]
|
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/documents/gates0827p2.htm |title=Deposition of Bill Gates |date=August 27, 1998 |accessdate=2006-07-23 |work=U.S. v. Microsoft Special Report |publisher=washingtonpost.com}}</ref>
|-
|Hydra
|
|[[Terminal Services]], Windows Terminal Server
|Terminal Server adds "multiheading" support to Windows (the ability to run multiple instances of the graphics subsystem), and the [[Lernaean Hydra|hydra]] is a [[mythological]] [[monster]] with multiple [[head (anatomy)|head]]s.
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Overview-Terminal-Services.html |title=Overview of Terminal Services |first=Mitch |last=Tullcoh |publisher=WindowsNetworking.com |date=February 24, 2005 |accessdate=2009-05-23 }}</ref>
|-
|Morro
|
|[[Microsoft Security Essentials]]
|MSE was codenamed after the [[Morro de São Paulo]] beach in [[Brazil]].
|<ref>Bott, Ed. [http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1067 "How good is Microsoft's free antivirus software?"], [[ZDnet]], June 18, 2009, accessed July 6, 2009.</ref><ref>Schofield, Jack. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/jun/11/microsoft-morro-antivirus "Waiting for Morro: Microsoft's free anti-virus software"], guardian.co.uk, June 11, 2009, accessed July 6, 2009.</ref>
|-
|Monad
|MSH, Microsoft Shell
|[[Windows PowerShell]]
|"Monads", according to philosopher [[Gottfried Leibniz]]'s [[monadology]], are the ultimate elements of the universe, individual percipient beings, and MSH is similarly composed of small, individual modules the user puts in interrelation.
||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nickmac/archive/2005/11/03/msh-microsoft-command-shell-codename-monad-beta-2-refresh.aspx |title=msh: Microsoft Command Shell (Codename: Monad) Beta 2 Refresh |work=[[MSDN Blogs]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=October 27, 2008 |first=Nick |last=MacKechnie}}</ref>
|-
|Pinball
|
|[[High Performance File System]] (HPFS)
|Implemented as an [[Installable File System#History|Installable File System]] when IBM and Microsoft were co developing OS/2.
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Darwin
|Microsoft Installer
|[[Windows Installer]]
|A [[Windows service]] and [[application programming interface]] for installing software on computers running Microsoft Windows operating systems
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://blogs.msdn.com/chrsmith/archive/2005/07/01/Darwin_the_FX_the_Bootstrapper_and_you.aspx | title=Windows Installer, The .NET Framework, The Bootstrapper, and You | date=July 1, 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | author=Chris Smith | work=Chris Smith's completely unique view | publisher=MSDN Blogs}}</ref>
|-
|Viridian
|
|[[Hyper-V]]
|[[Platform virtualization|Virtualization]] update for [[Windows Server 2008]]
|<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/147603/its_official_microsoft_hyperv_now_available.html |title=It's Official: Microsoft Hyper-V Now Available |journal=[[PC World (magazine)]] |first=Elizabeth |last=Montalbano |publisher=[[IDG News Service]] |date=June 26, 2008}}</ref>
|-
|Jupiter
|
|[[Windows Runtime]]
|A new application framework on [[Windows 8]] used to create cross-platform "immersive" [[mobile app|apps]].
|<ref name=zdn-jupiter>{{cite web|title=More on Microsoft 'Jupiter' and what it means for Windows 8|url=http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/more-on-microsoft-jupiter-and-what-it-means-for-windows-8/8373|work=ZDNet|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=30 March 2013}}</ref>
|}

==[[Microsoft Servers]]==

===SQL Server family===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
|-
|SQLNT
|
|SQL Server 4.21
|
|-
|SQL95
|
|SQL Server 6.0
|
|-
|Hydra
|
|SQL Server 6.5
|
|-
|Sphinx<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/sql7_workshop.asp
|title=SQL Server 7 "Sphinx" Technical Workshop Reviewed
|last=Thurrott
|first=Paul
|authorlink=Paul Thurrott
|date=February 27, 1998
|accessdate=2009-05-23
|publisher=SuperSite for Windows
}}</ref>
|
|SQL Server 7.0
|-
|Yukon
|
|SQL Server 2005<ref name=yukon>{{cite web
|title=Why Browser is installed under 90\shared directory rathar than 100\Shared?
|url=https://blogs.msdn.com/b/sql_protocols/archive/2008/04/07/why-browser-is-installed-under-90-shared-directory-rathar-than-100-shared.aspx
|publisher=Microsoft: Microsoft SQL Server Protocols Team Blog
|date=April 7, 2008
|accessdate=2011-02-01}}</ref>
|(Version 9)
|-
|Katmai / Akadia
|
|SQL Server 2008<ref name=yukon/><ref>{{cite web|title=ChannelWeb: Next SQL Server stop: Katmai|url=http://www.crn.com/storage/170702999|accessdate=2005-11-05}}</ref>
|(Version 10)
|-
|Kilimanjaro
|
|SQL Server 2008R2
|(Version 10.5)
|-
|Plato<ref>{{cite web|title=CNet: Microsoft adds to Plato feature list|url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-adds-to-Plato-feature-list/2100-1001_3-215561.html|accessdate=2011-07-07}}</ref>
|
|Olap Services 7.0
| This was the first release of [[Microsoft Analysis Services]]
|-
|Blue
|
|SQL Report Designer 2.0<ref>{{cite web|title=Silvaware: What's up with the new SSRS 2008 Report Designer |url=http://silvaware.blogspot.com/2008/04/whats-up-with-new-ssrs-2008-report.html}}</ref>
|This is the stand alone release of the tool for [[SQL Server Reporting Services]].
|-
|Denali<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/product-info/future-editions.aspx
|title=Microsoft SQL Server Future Editions
|accessdate=2010-11-11
|publisher=Microsoft
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214(v=sql.110).aspx
|title=Books Online for SQL Server "Denali"
|accessdate=2010-11-11
|publisher=Microsoft
}}</ref>
|
|SQL Server 2012<ref>{{cite web|title=SQL Server 2012 Launches 2012 H1 |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/SQL-Server-2012-Launches-in-H1-2012-Now-in-the-Final-Production-Stages-227430.shtml}}</ref>
|(Version 11)
|-
|Juneau<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/gg427686
|title=SQL Server Developer Tools, Codename "Juneau"
|accessdate=2011-02-25
|publisher=Microsoft
}}</ref>
|
|SQL Server Data Tools
|Will be included in the next CTP of SQL Server "Denali"
|-
|Crescent<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlrsteamblog/archive/2010/11/09/a-glimpse-at-project-crescent.aspx
|title=A Glimpse at Project Crescent
|accessdate=2011-02-25
|publisher=SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog
}}</ref>
|
|Power View
|A data visualisation tool that will be included in SQL Server "Denali"
|-
|[[Hekaton (database)|Hekaton]]
|
|SQL Server In-Memory OLTP
|[[In-memory database]] engine built into SQL Server 2014<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/dataplatforminsider/archive/2012/11/08/breakthrough-performance-with-in-memory-technologies.aspx
|title=Breakthrough performance with in-memory technologies
|date=2012-11-08
|accessdate=2013-12-18
|publisher=SQL Server Blog
}}</ref>
|}

===Others===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Codename
!Final name
!Ref
|-
|Hermes
|[[System Management Server|Microsoft System Management Server]] 1.0
|<ref>
{{cite web|
url=http://58.240.47.242/~hz/win32/chic_mgt.htm |
title=Press Release: Windows 95 System Management Architecture|
publisher=[[Microsoft]]|
date=October 29, 1996|
accessdate=2009-07-31}}</ref>
|-
|Catapult
|[[Microsoft Proxy Server]] 1.0
|<ref>
{{cite web|
url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/oct96/proxypr.mspx |
title=Press Release: Microsoft Ships Proxy Server 1.0|
publisher=[[Microsoft]]|
date=July 26, 1994|
accessdate=2011-02-07}}</ref>
|-
| Geneva
| [[Active Directory Federation Services]]
| <ref>{{cite web|last=Dave|first=Martinez|title=Microsoft and CA - ADFS Interop|url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/F/D/CFD1D9C8-EBA4-4780-B34B-DBEB5A4792BF/CA-ADFS%20Interop.pdf|work=[[Microsoft.com]]|accessdate=22 July 2011|month=July|year=2009}}</ref>
|-
| Falcon
| [[Microsoft Message Queue Server]]
| <ref>{{cite journal |first=Maggie |last=Biggs|title=Falcon delivers distributed application messages |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |volume=19 |issue=18 |date=5 May 1997 |page=114 |issn=0199-6649 |oclc=61313585 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FTwEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA114&pg=PA114#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>
|-
| Viper
| [[Microsoft Transaction Server]]
| <ref>{{cite journal |first=Maggie |last=Biggs |title=Viper bites into the enterprise |journal=InfoWorld |volume=18 |issue=46 |date=11 November 1996 |page=97 |issn=0199-6649 |oclc=191857055 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=hjoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA97#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>
|}

==Developers tools==

===Visual Studio family===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
! 
|-
|Thunder
|
|Visual Basic 1.0
|The first version of [[Visual Basic]]. The standard [[dialog box|dialog]]s and [[widget (computing)|control]]s created by the Visual Basic [[runtime library]] all have "Thunder" as a prefix of their internal type names (for example, [[button (computing)|button]]s are internally known as ThunderCommandButton).
|<ref name="chrissmith">{{cite web | url=http://blogs.msdn.com/chrsmith/archive/2006/04/30/Some_Microsoft_codenames.aspx | title=Some Microsoft codenames | date=April 30, 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | author=Chris Smith | work=Chris Smith's completely unique view | publisher=MSDN Blogs}}</ref>
|-
|Zamboni
|
|Microsoft Visual C++ 4.1
|After [[Ice resurfacer|Zamboni]], an ice resurfacing machine.
|<ref name="chrissmith"/>
|-
|Boston
|
|[[Microsoft Visual Studio#Visual Studio 97|Microsoft Visual Studio 97]]
|Named for [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/1947659/in-brief-microsoft-names-boston-visual-studio |title=In brief: Microsoft names Boston Visual Studio 97 |work=v3.co.uk |publisher=Incisive Media |date=29 January 1997 |first=Cath |last=Everett |accessdate=22 August 2012}}</ref>
|-
|Aspen
|
|[[Visual Studio 6.0|Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0]]
|Named after the popular ski destination [[Aspen, Colorado]]
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=4647&iTestingId=15855 |title=Visual Studio 1998 (6.0) |work=WineHQ |publisher=CodeWeavers |accessdate=August 22, 2013 |work=[[Wine (software)]]}}</ref>
|-
|Cassini Web Server
|
|ASP.NET Development Server
|The lightweight local Web server that is launched in Visual Studio in order to test Web projects
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/58wxa9w5.aspx |title=Web Servers in Visual Studio for ASP.NET Web Projects |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=August 22, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|Hatteras
|Visual Studio Team System's Source Control System
|
|Named after the [[Cape Hatteras Light]]house in the [[Outer Banks]] region of [[North Carolina]]
|<ref name="outerbanks">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/crathjen/archive/2004/11/16/258542.aspx |title=Hatteras, Currituck, Ocracoke |date=November 16, 2004 |accessdate=2006-07-23 |first=Chris |last=Rathjen |publisher=MSDN Blogs}}</ref>
|-
|Ocracoke
|Visual Studio Team System load testing suite
|
|Named after the [[Ocracoke Island Light]]house on [[Ocracoke Island]], also in North Carolina
|<ref name="outerbanks" />
|-
|Currituck
|Team Foundation Work Item Tracking
|
|Named after the [[Currituck Beach Lighthouse]] in [[Corolla, North Carolina]]
|<ref name="outerbanks" />
|-
|Bodie
|Team Foundation Server SDK
|
|Named after the [[Bodie Island Light]]house in [[North Carolina]]
|<ref name="outerbanks" />
|-
|Tuscany
|
|Online version of Visual Studio.
|Currently a research project
|<ref>[http://blogs.msdn.com/johnmont/archive/2006/01/11/511402.aspx A View from Elsewhere : A "Live" Version of Visual Studio?]</ref>
|-
|[[Phoenix (compiler framework)|Phoenix]]
|
|
|A Microsoft research software development kit
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/collaboration/focus/cs/phoenix.aspx |title=Phoenix Compiler and Shared Source Common Language Infrastructure |work=[[Microsoft Research]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=August 22, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|Eaglestone
|
|Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere
|This is the name given to the Teamprise suite Microsoft acquired. The product is now named Visual Studio Team Explorer Everywhere
|<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bharry/archive/2010/03/04/microsoft-visual-studio-team-explorer-2010.aspx
|title=Microsoft Visual Studio Team Explorer 2010 codename "Eaglestone"
|publisher=Microsoft
|accessdate=2011-01-02
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Woodward |first=Martin |url=http://www.woodwardweb.com/teamprise/whats_in_a_name.html |title=What’s in a Name? - Martin Woodward |publisher=Woodwardweb.com |date=2010-03-02 |accessdate=2013-06-15}}</ref>
|-
|KittyHawk
|
|[[Visual Studio#Visual Studio LightSwitch|Visual Studio LightSwitch]]
|RAD tool aimed at non-programmers
|<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.drdobbs.com/windows/226500208;jsessionid=NIVKVPMKNQHNLQE1GHRSKH4ATMY32JVN
|title=Microsoft's 'KittyHawk' RAD Tool Takes Flight
|last=Bridgwate
|first=Adrian
|publisher=UBM
|date=August 3, 2010
|accessdate=2010-08-25
}}</ref>
|-
|Rainier
|
|[[Visual Studio .NET|Visual Studio .NET (2002)]]
|Named for [[Mount Rainier]], a volcanic mountain peak visible from the Seattle area (where Microsoft is based)
|<ref name="code-magazine.com">{{cite web
|url=http://www.code-magazine.com/Article.aspx?quickid=1006081
|title=Reflections on a Decade of Visual Studio
|publisher=EPS
|accessdate=2011-01-02
}}</ref>
|-
|Everett
|
|[[Visual Studio .NET 2003]]
|Named after the town [[Everett, Washington]] in Washington state
|<ref name="code-magazine.com"/><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/danielfe/archive/2003/09/18/51839.aspx
|title=Product Names: Everett, Whidbey, Orcas
|publisher=Microsoft
|last=Dan
|first=Fernandez
|date=September 18, 2003
|accessdate=2011-01-02
}}</ref><ref name="Microsoft Codenames">{{cite web
|url=http://www.dnjonline.com/articles/backend/codenames.asp
|title=Microsoft Codenames
|publisher=Matt Publishing
|accessdate=2011-01-02
}}</ref>
|-
|Whidbey<ref name="Microsoft Codenames"/>
|
|[[Visual Studio 2005]]
|Named after [[Whidbey Island]] in the Puget Sound
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/danielfe/archive/2003/09/18/51839.aspx |title=Product Names: Everett, Whidbey, Orcas |publisher=Microsoft |last=Dan |first=Fernandez |date=September 18, 2003 |accessdate=2011-01-02}}</ref><ref name="http">{{cite web |url=http://www.code-magazine.com/article.aspx?quickid=1006081&page=2 |title=Reflections on a Decade of Visual Studio |publisher=EPS |accessdate=2011-01-02 }}</ref>
|-
|Orcas
|
|[[Visual Studio 2008]]
|Named after [[Orcas Island]] in the Puget Sound
|<ref name="Microsoft Codenames"/><ref name="http"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/danielfe/archive/2003/09/18/51839.aspx |title=Product Names: Everett, Whidbey, Orcas |publisher=Microsoft |last=Dan |first=Fernandez |date=September 18, 2003 |accessdate=2011-01-02 }}</ref>
|-
|Camano
|Microsoft Test and Lab Manager
|Microsoft Test Manager, a part of [[Microsoft Visual Studio#Visual Studio 2010|Visual Studio 2010]] [[Microsoft Visual Studio#Test Professional|Test Professional]], Premium and Ultimate editions
|Named after [[Camano Island]] in the Puget Sound
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://elegantcode.com/2007/12/11/introducing-microsoft-camano/ |title=Introducing Microsoft Camano |author=David Starr |date=2007-12-11 |publisher=Elegant Code |accessdate=2013-09-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/charles_sterling/archive/2008/11/05/visual-studio-team-system-2010-test-features-walk-through-with-screen-shots.aspx |title=Visual Studio Team System 2010 Test Features walk through with screen shots |author=Charles Sterling |date=2008-11-05 |publisher=MSDN Blogs |accessdate=2013-09-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jasonz/archive/2009/05/12/announcing-microsoft-test-and-lab-manager.aspx |title=New Name for Test and Lab Tools |author=Jason Zander |publisher=MSDN Blogs |date=2009-05-12 |accessdate=2013-09-06 }}</ref>
|-
|Rosario
|
|[[Microsoft Visual Studio#Visual Studio Ultimate 2010|Visual Studio Ultimate 2010]] (formerly Team System or Team Suite)
|
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/sep08/09-29vs10pr.mspx |title=Microsoft Unveils Next Version of Visual Studio and .NET Framework |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=2011-01-02 }}</ref>
|-
|Cider
|
|
|Visual Studio designer for building [[Windows Presentation Foundation]] applications, meant to be used by application developers
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jaimer/archive/2009/10/23/what-is-new-in-wpf-and-cider-on-the-net-framework-4-and-vs2010-beta-2-release.aspx |title=What is new in WPF and Cider on the .NET Framework 4 and VS2010 beta 2 release |work=[[MSDN Blogs]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=23 October 2009 |accessdate=August 22, 2013 |first=Jaime |last=Rodriguez}}</ref>
|}

===.NET Framework===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
! 
|-
|Lightning, Project 42
|Next Generation Windows Services
|Microsoft .NET v1.0
|Project Lightning was the original codename for the Common Language Runtime in 1997. The team was based in building 42, hence Project 42. "Next Generation Windows Services" appeared in the earliest press releases about the upcoming platform.
|<ref name="jayroxe">{{cite web| url=http://www.code-magazine.com/Article.aspx?quickid=0501091 | title=Jay Roxe interview | month=January | year=2005 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | author=Carl Franklin | publisher=CoDe Magazine}}</ref><ref name="project42">{{cite web | url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/17/1045330514779.html | title=How .Net-work drew sceptics | date=February 18, 2003 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | author=Eric Wilson | publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="ngws">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2000/jun00/forumumbrellapr.mspx | title=Microsoft Unveils Vision for Next Generation Internet | date=June 22, 2000 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | work=Microsoft PressPass | publisher=Microsoft}}</ref>
|-
|Roslyn
|Next Generation C# compiler
|Unspecified, speculative to Microsoft .NET v5 or .NET v6 compiler
|Roslyn is the next generation of design guidelines for developer tools, which is often highlighted by a C# compiler being written in C# (currently it is C++) and being offered as a service. This would enable scenarios like C# having its own version of the [[JavaScript]] [[eval]] command ultimately leading to [[meta-programming]]. [[Mono (software)|Mono]] has had a similar feature since early on its life.
|<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.dotnetrocks.com/default.aspx?ShowNum=649&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+netRocksFullMp3Downloads+%28.NET+Rocks%21+%28mp3%29%29 | title=Eric Lippert interview on DotNetRocks | month=March | year=2011 | accessdate=2011-07-18 | author=Carl Franklin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ericlippert/archive/2010/12/16/hiring-for-roslyn.aspx | title=Hiring for Roslyn | month=December | year=2010 | accessdate=2011-07-18 | author=Eric Lippert}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4222524/what-would-you-do-with-compiler-as-a-service/4226152#4226152 | title=Eric Lippert answer on StackOverflow | month=November | year=2010 | accessdate=2011-07-18 | author=Eric Lippert}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://codebetter.com/patricksmacchia/2010/05/31/c-5-and-meta-programming/ | title=C# 5 and meta-programming | month=May | year=2010 | accessdate=2011-07-18 | author=Patrick Smacchia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://tirania.org/blog/archive/2010/Apr-27.html | title=Mono's C# Compiler as a service on Windows | month=April | year=2010 | accessdate=2011-07-18 | author=Miguel de Icaza}}</ref>
|-
|Project 7
|
|
|Codename for early .net academic recruiting program. 7 was a prime factor of 42.<ref name=smh1>{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Eric|title=How .Net-work drew sceptics|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/17/1045330514779.html|accessdate=31 October 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>
|-
|Astoria
|
|[[WCF Data Services]]
|Enables the creation and consumption of [[Open Data Protocol|OData]] services for the web
|<ref>{{cite web|title=ADO.NET Data Services CTP Released! - Data - Site Home - MSDN Blogs|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/data/archive/2007/12/10/ado-net-data-services-ctp-released.aspx|accessdate=5 December 2012}}</ref>
|-
|Fusion
|
|
|.NET Framework subsystem for locating and loading assemblies, including [[Global assembly cache|GAC]] management
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Using the .NET Fusion API to Manipulate the GAC|url=http://www.developer.com/net/cplus/article.php/3641491/Using-the-NET-Fusion-API-to-Manipulate-the-GAC.htm|date=2006-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms404523.aspx|title=Fusion (Unmanaged API Reference)|work=MSDN Library|accessdate=2013-10-17|publisher=Microsoft}}</ref>
|-
|Atlas
|
|[[ASP.NET AJAX]]
|An implementation for [[ASP.NET]] of Ajax native to [[.NET Framework]] 2.0
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.developerfusion.com/article/84337/microsoft-atlas-8211-the-ajax-extension-to-aspnet-20 |title=Microsoft Atlas - the AJAX extension to ASP.NET 2.0 |work=developerFusion |publisher=DeveloperFusion Ltd |date=28 June 2010 |accessdate=August 22, 2013 |first=Vikram |last=Srivatsa}}</ref>
|-
|Avalon
|
|[[Windows Presentation Foundation]]
|Graphical subsystem released as part of [[.NET Framework]] 3.0
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/13993/WPF-Avalon-Demo-1 |title=WPF ("Avalon") Demo 1 |work=CodeProject.com |publisher=CodeProject |date=2 May 2006 |accessdate=August 22, 2013 |first=A. |last=Gharighi}}</ref>
|-
|Indigo
|
|[[Windows Communication Foundation]]
|An application programming interface (API) in .NET Framework for building connected, service-oriented applications
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Introducing Indigo: An Early Look|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480188.aspx|accessdate=19 October 2011}}</ref>
|}

===Others===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
! 
|-
|D
|
|[[M (programming language)|M]]
|Modelling language
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Godot
|
|[[Microsoft Layer for Unicode]]
|Named after the play ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' (centered around the endless wait for a man named "Godot" who never comes), because it was felt to be long overdue.
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://weblogs.asp.net/michkap/archive/2005/02/12/371650.aspx | title=Why/how MSLU came to be, and more | date=February 12, 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-23 | author=Michael Kaplan | work=Sorting It All Out|publisher=MSDN Blogs}}</ref>
|-
|Clarity
|
|[[Language Integrated Query]] (LINQ)
|LINQ Language extensions to expose query syntax natively to languages such as [[Visual Basic .NET]] and C#
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Omega
|
|JET Engine
|ISAM database engine used in [[Microsoft Access]] (a desktop database management system) and made available as a generic database access API
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Jakarta
|
|[[Visual J++]]
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Jasper
|
|
|Jasper provides a data programming interface for [[rapid application development]]. When a Jasper program runs, Jasper connects to the database, determines the database schema, and generates corresponding data classes. This generation step does not occur in source files; rather, the data classes are compiled in memory and are only available for use within the running program.
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Jolt
|
|[[Silverlight]] 1.0
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Paxos
|
|[[Silverlight]] 1.1
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|[[Metro (design language)|Metro]]
|
|Microsoft Design language
|A [[typography]]-based [[design language]]
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Volta
|
|
|C# to JavaScript compiler
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|}

==Gaming hardware==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name(s)
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
!Ref
|-
|DirectX Box
|DirectX Box
|[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
|The original codename for the Xbox.
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox |title=Xbox |accessdate=18 July 2011}}</ref>
|-
|Natal
|Project Natal
|[[Kinect]]
|Motion sensitive control system.
|<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/166027/future_controller_wars_natal_vs_ps3.html |title=Future Controller Wars: Natal vs PS3 |newspaper=[[PC World (magazine)]] |first=Ian |last=Paul |date=3 June 2009 |accessdate=22 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2010-06-14-vidgame14_ST_N.htm |title=Microsoft Kinect gets into motion as E3 confab kicks off |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |first=Mike |last=Snider |date=14 June 2010 |accessdate=22 February 2011}}</ref>
|-
|Xenon
|Xbox 2
|[[Xbox 360]]
|
|<ref>{{cite web|title=The Xbox Xenon?|url=http://www.engadget.com/2004/06/05/the-xbox-xenon/|accessdate=5 August 2012}}</ref>
|-
|Durango
|
| [[Xbox One]]
|Successor to Xbox 360
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Next-gen Xbox 'Durango' codename accidentally confirmed by Crytek?|url=http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/2/28/2830897/next-gen-xbox-durango-codename-accidentaly-confirmed-by-crytek|accessdate=13 August 2012}}</ref>
|}

==Others==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!width=15%|Codename
!width=20%|Preliminary name
!width=20%|Final name
!Notes
! 
|-
|Acropolis
|
|
|Application framework for Smart Clients
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Aero Diamond
|
|
|Used during the [[development of Windows Vista]] to describe a set of advanced user interface effects for the [[Desktop Window Manager]] to be introduced after Vista's release
|<ref>[http://www.istartedsomething.com/20070130/interview-tjeerd-ces2007/#aerodiamond Interview with Tjeerd Hoek, director of user experience design for Windows - istartedsomething]</ref>
|-
|Albany
|
|Microsoft Equipt
|Microsoft's all-in-one, subscription-based service for office, communication, and security software
|<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/jul08/07-02equiptpr.mspx Microsoft Launches Consumer Subscription Offering That Combines Microsoft Office and Windows Live OneCare]</ref>
|-
|Alexandria
|
|[[Zune Marketplace]]
|An online music store
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Argo
|
|[[Zune]]
|A digital media player
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Atlanta
|
|
|A [[cloud service]] that monitors [[Microsoft SQL Server]] deployments
|<ref name="softpedia">{{cite web|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Introducing-Codename-Atlanta-Cloud-Monitoring-of-SQL-Server-Deployments-169846.shtml|title=
Introducing Codename Atlanta - Cloud Monitoring of SQL Server Deployments|author=Marius Oiaga|date=December 1, 2010|accessdate=2010-12-04|publisher=[[Softpedia]]}}</ref>
|-
|Bandit
|
|[[Microsoft Schedule+|Schedule+]] 1.0
|Microsoft's first [[Personal Information Manager]]
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|[[Blackbird (online platform)|Blackbird]]
|
|
|An online content-authoring platform centered around the concept of distributed [[Object Linking and Embedding]] (OLE) and meant to be an alternative to HTML. The developer tools were originally released in beta and some titles were made available on [[MSDN]] before it was scrapped in favor of web development around [[Active Server Pages|ASP]] and [[ActiveX]] and the designer was refashioned into [[Visual InterDev]].
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Marvel
|
|[[MSN|The Microsoft Network]]
|The classic version of MSN, originally as a proprietary, "walled garden" online service
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Bullet
|
|[[Microsoft Mail]] 3.0
|Microsoft's first [[LAN]]-based email product written in-house
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Budapest
|
|Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access 2005
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Cirrus
|
|[[Microsoft Access]] 1.0
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Concur
|
|
|Aims to: define higher-level abstractions (above "threads and locks"); for today’s imperative languages; that evenly support the range of concurrency granularities; to let developers write correct and efficient concurrent applications; with lots of latent parallelism; that can be efficiently mapped to the user’s.
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|CRM V1.0, Tsunami
|
|[[Microsoft CRM]] version 1.0
|The platform was initially codenamed Tsunami, but once the decision was made to make it an actual product it was just changed to the initials as the initials were enough of a codename.
|<ref name = "MS Dynamic CRM">[http://blogs.msdn.com/crm/archive/2006/08/28/728400.aspx Microsoft Dynamics CRM Team Blog : CRM Code Names - A Brief History]</ref>
|-
|Dallas
|
|
|Aims to help discover, purchase and manage, premium data subscriptions in the Windows Azure platform
|<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsAzure/dallas/ Microsoft Codename "Dallas"]</ref>
|-
|Danube Phase I
|
|[[Microsoft CRM]] version 1.2
|
|<ref name="MS Dynamic CRM"/>
|-
|Danube Phase II
|
|[[Microsoft CRM]] version 3
|
|<ref name="MS Dynamic CRM"/>
|-
|Deco
|
|[[Microsoft PhotoDraw]]
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Dorado
|
|[[Zune Software#Zune software|Zune PC Client]]
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Dryad
|
|
|A [[Microsoft Research]] project which aims to design a platform to make developing applications for large-scale distributed computing easier.
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Greenwich
|Real-Time Communications Server 2003
|[[Microsoft Office Live Communications Server]] 2003
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Istanbul
|
|[[Microsoft Office Communicator 2005]]
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Kumo
|
|[[Bing]]
|Microsoft's set of features improving [[Live Search]] search engine
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Maestro
|
|Microsoft Office Business Scorecard Manager 2005
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Media2Go
|
|Windows Mobile software for [[Portable Media Center]]s
|Platform built on [[Windows Mobile]] found on [[portable media player]]s
|<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/jan03/01-09m2glaunchpr.mspx Microsoft Unveils "Media2Go" Portable Media Player Platform: Intel to Deliver Initial Hardware Reference]</ref><ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/oct03/10-27abocomtatungpr.mspx Microsoft Announces Official Name and New ODM Partners For Portable Media Center Devices]</ref>
|-
|Metro
|
|[[XML Paper Specification]] (XPS)
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Milan
|Surface
|[[Microsoft PixelSense]]
|Table-top style computer with multi-touch touchscreen interface
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Mira
|
|
|Windows CE .NET-based technology for [[smart display]]s
|<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/jan02/01-07freestylemirapr.mspx Microsoft Unveils New Home PC Experiences With "Freestyle" and "Mira": New Technologies]</ref><ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/windows/smartdisplay/howitworks.mspx How a Smart Display Works]</ref>
|-
|Monaco
|
|
|Music-making program similar to [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[GarageBand]] application
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Origami
|
|[[Ultra-Mobile PC]]
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Opus
|
|[[Microsoft Word|Word for Windows]] v1.0 for Windows 2.x
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Palladium
|Trusted Windows
|
|Effort to develop a small, very secure operating environment within Windows, including curtained memory, trusted input, and graphics. Project renamed to Next-Generation Secure Computing Base, and was never fully implemented.
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Softsled
|
|
|Software based [[Windows Media Center Extender]]{{Clarify|post-text=Is it "software-based" or "software based on"?|date=December 2012}}
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Springfield
|[[Microsoft Popfly]]
|
|Website in Alpha testing stage providing mashup and webpages creation tools, with publishing as [[Rich Internet Application]] option
|<ref>{{Cite news
|url = http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-popfly-yahoo-pipes-for-the-rest-of-us/452
|title = Microsoft Popfly: Yahoo Pipes for the rest of us
|work = [[ZDNet News]]
|publisher = CBS Interactive
|date = 18 May 2007
|accessdate = 22 December 2010
|first = Mary Jo
|last = Foley
}}</ref>
|-
|Tahiti
|
|
|Supposedly a family of multi-core technologies including an operating system, applications and development tools designed to make better use of today's multi-core CPUs. It is believed{{by whom|date=December 2012}} that [[Midori (operating system)|Midori]] may be a part of this suite of new Microsoft technologies.
|<ref name="Tahiti-manycore">{{Cite news
|url = http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1485
|title = Tahiti: Microsoft’s ultimate many-core destination
|work = [[ZDNet News]]
|publisher = CBS Interactive
|date = 15 July 2008
|accessdate = 22 December 2010
|first = Mary Jo
|last = Foley
}}</ref>
|-
|Tahiti
|Microsoft SharedView
|
|A screen sharing tool which allows users to take over sessions and interact with remote desktops. No audio or conference facilities.
|<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://connect.microsoft.com/site94/Surveys
|title = Microsoft SharedView
|work = [[Microsoft Connect]]
|publisher = Microsoft Corporation
|accessdate = 22 December 2010
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/a-microsoft-code-name-a-day-tahiti/643
|title = A (Microsoft) Code Name a Day: Tahiti
|work = [[ZDNet News]]
|publisher = CBS Interactive
|date = 14 August 2007
|accessdate = 22 December 2010
|first = Mary Jo
|last = Foley
}}</ref>
|-
|Tahoe
|
|Sharepoint Portal Server 2001
|
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
|-
|Titan, Kilimanjaro
|
|[[Microsoft CRM]] version 4
|Was originally Kilimanjaro but changed to Titan, as Kilimanjaro was too difficult to spell
|<ref name = "MS Dynamic CRM"/>
|-
|Utopia
|
|Microsoft Bob
|Intended to be a user-friendly GUI.
|<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.07.windowsconfidential.aspx
|title = Raymond Chen discusses Microsoft Bob
|work = [[Microsoft Technet]]
|first = Raymond
|last = Chen
|authorlink = Raymond Chen (Microsoft)
|publisher = Microsoft Corporation
|accessdate = 30 December 2012
}}</ref>
|-
|Wolverine
|
|TCP/IP Stack for WfW 3.11
|Named after the Wolverine the character from Marvel Comics
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}

|-
|Stirling
|
|[[Microsoft Forefront|Microsoft Forefront Protection Suite]]
|Named after [[Stirling Castle]]
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Business Ready Security news at WPC|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/forefront/archive/2009/07/13/business-ready-security-news-at-wpc.aspx|work=Forefront Team Blog|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=10 August 2013|date=13 July 2009}}</ref>
|-
|[[Oslo (Microsoft)|Oslo]]
|Microsoft BizTalk Server SOA, SQL Server Modeling CTP
|
|Set of [[Service-oriented architecture]] (SOA) technologies
|<ref>{{cite web |last=De la Torre Llorente |first=César |title=Model-Driven SOA with "Oslo" |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/architecture/aa699436.aspx |work=MSDN Architecture Center |publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=7 December 2012 |month=September |year=2009}}</ref><ref name="future 0f SSM">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/modelcitizen/archive/2010/09/22/update-on-sql-server-modeling-ctp-repository-modeling-services-quot-quadrant-quot-and-quot-m-quot.aspx |title=Update on SQL Server Modeling CTP (Repository/Modeling Services, "Quadrant" and "M") |work=Model Citizen blog |publisher=Microsoft |first=Kraig |last=Brockschmidt |date=22 September 2010 |accessdate=7 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=SQL Server Modeling CTP - Nov 2009 Release 3 (formerly "Oslo")|url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24113|work=Download Center|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=7 December 2012|date=20 April 2010}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web|last=Foley|first=Mary Jo|title=All About Microsoft: CodeTracker A monthly look at Microsoft’s codenames and what they reveal about the direction of the company.|url=http://i.techrepublic.com.com/downloads/Kaelin/CodeTracker-July2011.pdf|publisher=ZDNet|accessdate=30 October 2011|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62qOYYhuY|archivedate=31 October 2011}}

==External links==
* [http://www.windowswiki.info/2010/12/16/microsoft-codenames-list/ Microsoft Codenames List]

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Microsoft Codenames}}
[[Category:Microsoft lists|Codenames]]
[[Category:Code names]]

Archer (2009 TV series)

2014-01-14T17:05:41Z

Dorsal Axe: It's not a conventional reboot, but a form of one nonetheless. It's also the term that is being used in most sources.

{{infobox television
|show_name = Archer
|image = [[File:Archer 2010 Intertitle.png|250px]]
|caption = Title card for the first four seasons of ''Archer''.
|genre = [[Action (fiction)|Action]] [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]] [[Black comedy]] [[Crime drama|Crime]] [[Dramedy]] [[Espionage]] [[Sitcom]]
|format = [[Animated series]]
|runtime = 19–21 minutes
|creator = [[Adam Reed]]
|voices = [[H. Jon Benjamin]] [[Judy Greer]] [[Amber Nash]] [[Chris Parnell]] [[Aisha Tyler]] [[Jessica Walter]] [[George Coe]] [[Adam Reed]] Lucky Yates
|country = {{TVUS|United States}}
|network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
|picture_format = [[16:9]] [[HDTV]]
|first_aired = January 14, 2010
|last_aired = present
|company = [[Floyd County Productions]] Radical Axis [[FX (TV channel)|FX Productions]]
|executive_producer = [[Adam Reed]] [[Matt Thompson (animator)|Matt Thompson]]
|producer = Neal Holman Eric Sims Casey Willis Bryan Fordney
|num_seasons = 5
|num_episodes = 50
|list_episodes = List of Archer episodes
|website = http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer
|related = ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' ''
}}

'''''Archer''''' is an American animated [[comedy]] television series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=2009-11-16|author=Toomey, Johnathon|accessdate=2010-01-04}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite news | author=Joyce Eng | title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule| url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx| work=TVGuide.com}}</ref> The show carries a [[TV-MA|TV-MA-LSV]] rating.

The inspiration for ''Archer'' came to Reed while in a cafe in [[Salamanca]], [[Spain]]. Finding himself unable to approach a beautiful woman seated nearby, Reed conjured up the idea of a spy who "would have a perfect line".<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/01/11/new-fx-series-archer-puts-animated-twist-on-spy-genre/|title=New FX Series "Archer" Puts an Animated Twist on the Spy Genre|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=2010-01-11 | first=Jamin | last=Brophy-Warren}}</ref> Reed conceived the show's concept while walking along the [[Vía de la Plata]] in 2008.<ref name="pdf">{{cite web|url=http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/assets/download/Archer_MG_Final.pdf|title=Jan. 14 Thurs. 10 PM|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|page=4}}</ref> He [[pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] his idea to [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], which accepted it and ordered six episodes, along with an additional four scripts.<ref name="am">{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483|title=FX Orders 6 Episodes of Archer Toon|work=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=2009-08-18|author=Zahed, Ramin|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100116005116/http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483| archivedate= 16 January 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The show's [[Archer (season 5)|fifth season]] serves as a [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] for the series, known as '''''Archer Vice'''''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/review/archer-shakes-everything-up-for-the-better-200797|title=Archer shakes everything up (for the better)|publisher=The A.V. Club|author=David Sims|date=12 January 2014|accessdate=14 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> The format moves away from the [[Cold War]]-inspired espionage setting and depicts the characters embarking on a life of [[crime]] as they attempt to sell one-ton of [[cocaine]].<ref name=StarPulse>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Premise==
===''Archer''===
Set at ISIS, the International Secret Intelligence Service in [[New York City]], suave and incredibly self-centered master spy Sterling Archer deals with global [[espionage]]; his domineering, emotionally distant mother and boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend (and fellow ISIS agent), Lana Kane; and his other ISIS co-workers (including fellow agent Ray Gillette, accountant Cyril Figgis, Human Resources Director Pam Poovey, dimwitted secretary Cheryl Tunt, and Applied Research head Doctor Krieger); as well as a code name: "Duchess" (after his mother's deceased [[Afghan Hound]]).<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

===''Archer Vice''===
[[File:Archer Vice Intertitle.png|thumb|left|200px|Title card for ''Archer Vice''.]]
{{Main|Archer (season 5)}}
When ISIS is disbanded by the [[U.S. government]], its former employees discover a hidden stockpile of [[cocaine]] that the agency accumulated from previous operations. They establish a new headquarters in Cheryl Tunt's manor and form a [[drug cartel]], before heading [[Southern United States|south]] to sell the cocaine to fund their retirements.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/08/archer-season-5-to-take-inspiration-from-breaking-bad-as-isis-disband-to-sell-drugs-4254081/|title=Archer season 5 to take inspiration from Breaking Bad as ISIS disband to sell drugs|publisher=Metro|date=8 January 2014|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> Cheryl, who is already extremely wealthy, instead decides to launch a new career as a [[country singer]]. Along the way, the group attract the attention of rival gangs and face problems that arise from the characters adapting to their new roles.<ref name="OOU"/>

===Time period===
The show's time setting is [[Anachronism#Comical anachronism|comically anachronistic]], deliberately mixing technologies, clothing styles and historical backdrops of different decades. The characters wear 1960s clothing and hairstyles, and many episodes feature references to the [[Soviet Union]] as a current nation — yet in the fourth season episode "Once Bitten", [[Turkmenistan]] is an independent nation rather than a Soviet republic — and also contains references to [[Fidel Castro]] as the current leader of [[Cuba]]. The show frequently uses pop culture references which are contemporary to the 2010s, yet character backstories place them at older events — such as Woodhouse's service in [[World War I]], or Malory's involvement in various espionage events of the [[Cold War]] era — which would require them to be much older than they are if the show were actually set in the 21st century. The technological sophistication within the series also varies, with characters using dated computer technology (e.g. [[reel-to-reel]] [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] systems, desktop computers resembling very closely the [[Apple Lisa]], [[dot-matrix printers]] and [[punchcards]]) and making surveillance recordings on [[cassette tape]] rather than digitally, but also using modern devices such as cell phones, [[GPS]] devices, and laser gunsights. This ambiguity is explicitly recognized in at least two episodes, in which characters are unable to answer when asked what year they think it is.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Archer episodes}}
The show's first season ran from January 14 to March 18, 2010, and the second season premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref>http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/fx-renews-archer-.html</ref> The season 1 DVD was released in [[Region 1]] on December 28, 2010. On December 17, 2010 the first season of Archer also aired in [[Germany]] on [[Comedy Central Germany]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} On March 29, 2011 it was announced that [[FX Network]] had ordered a 16-episode third season of ''Archer''.<ref name=thirdseason>{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Kate|title=It's official: 'Justified,' 'Archer' renewed at FX|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/29/its-official-justified-archer-renewed-at-fx/|work=Inside TV|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=March 29, 2011}}</ref> A three episode special dubbed "The Heart of Archness" was aired in September 2011. Ten new episodes from season 3 began airing on January 19, 2012.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|last=Nehra|first=Pete|title=Aiesha Tayler on Sklarboro Country |url=http://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-beauty-episode/|work=Interview Podcast|publisher=Earwolf.com|accessdate=July 8, 2011}}</ref> On February 23, 2012, FX ordered a 13-episode fourth season of ''Archer''<ref name=fourthseason>{{cite web|last=Surette|first=Time|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 4|url=http://www.tv.com/news/fx-renews-archer-for-season-4-27914/|work=TV.com|publisher=CBS Entertainment|accessdate=February 23, 2012}}</ref> which premiered on January 17, 2013.<ref name=fourthseasonrelease>{{cite web|last=Nova|first=Sasha|title=Archer season 4 Premier Announced|url=http://www.boomtron.com/2012/11/justified-archer/|work=boomtron.com|accessdate=November 29, 2012}}</ref> On February 27, 2013, FX renewed the show for a fifth season consisting of 13 episodes.<ref>{{cite news|last=Seat42f|title=FX Renews Archer For A Fifth Season|url=http://www.seat42f.com/fx-renews-archer-for-a-fifth-season.html|accessdate=27 February 2013}}</ref>

==Characters==
{{main|List of Archer characters}}
* [[Sterling Archer|Sterling Malory Archer]] ([[H. Jon Benjamin]]), codename: ''Duchess'', is 184 lb, 6'2", 36 years old, and is considered the world's most dangerous secret agent and is similar to [[James Bond]]. He is extremely egotistical and self-involved. Though he shows proficiency in stereotypical spy skills—weapons, driving, martial arts—his only real interest in the job is the opportunity to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle full of sex, alcohol, thrills, lacrosse, fast cars, spy gadgets and turtleneck sweaters.

* Lana Kane ([[Aisha Tyler]]) is the top female agent at ISIS and Archer's ex-girlfriend. A tall, beautiful woman, she is a competent and deadly agent but is constantly frustrated that she is treated as the number two ISIS field agent because Archer's mother runs the agency. The fact that she is tall and has abnormally large hands are often a source of fodder for jokes at her expense. She is revealed to be pregnant at the end of the fourth season, though the identity of the father is currently unknown, aside from it not being Cyril Figgis. Her name is reminiscent of Lanacane, a pharmaceutical company that produces anti-itching cream.<ref name="cane">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/14/entertainment/la-et-archer14-2010jan14|title='Archer': The new cartoon on FX is more office comedy than spy spoof|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|date=January 14, 2010|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

* Malory Archer ([[Jessica Walter]]), Sterling Archer's mother and the head of ISIS, is a self-centered alcoholic who regularly hatches half-baked, invariably disastrous schemes to use the agency's resources to her own personal advantage. She has staged a false assassination attempt on a U.N. official to secure a lucrative government contract, called in fake threats to restaurants and air ships in order to get reservations and cabin berths, sent ISIS agents to blow up an oil pipeline in [[Turkmenistan]], murdered the Prime Minister of [[Italy]] and tricked the ISIS staff into disposing of the body, assisted a [[coyote (smuggler)|coyote]] syndicate so she could use the reward money to redecorate her office, and attempted to salvage a hydrogen bomb from the ocean so she could ransom it back to the U.S. government.

* Cyril Figgis ([[Chris Parnell]]) is the [[comptroller]] of ISIS. Cyril is portrayed as quite competent at his job, but is plagued by a number of personal issues. He is eventually promoted to secret agent, but is incredibly incompetent at that. He was Lana Kane's love interest at the beginning of Season 1, but due to residual trust issues from her relationship with Archer (and her finding out Cyril was cheating on her repeatedly), she refused to call Cyril her boyfriend or say she loved him.

* [[Cheryl Tunt]] ([[Judy Greer]]) also known as Carol, is Malory's [[secretary]]. In the pilot episode, she was portrayed as a lovesick, ditzy secretary frequently taken advantage of by Archer, but that side of her character was gradually phased out as her behavior became more and more unhinged: she has [[pyromania]]c and [[Sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] tendencies and is often sniffing or swallowing rubber cement. She is also revealed to be an heiress with a fortune of half a billion dollars (it was 1 billion, but she had to split it with her "stupid brother Cecil" <ref name="El secuestro">Archer, Season 2, Episode 10.</ref>).

* Pam Poovey ([[Amber Nash]]) is ISIS's [[Human Resources]] Director. A gossipy pot smoker who is the brunt of many jokes regarding her weight, she serves as a foil for most of the members of the cast, often calling them out on their zany schemes. Though not a field agent (until season four, episode ten), she is a trained drift car racer and bare knuckle fighter, with over a dozen kills under her belt (represented on her back, along with the third verse of [[Lord Byron]]'s poem "[[The Destruction of Sennacherib]]" in tattoo form). Among her other interests are graffiti, directing amateur tentacle porn, and cock-fighting with [[Siamese fighting fish]].

* Mr. Doctor Algernop<ref>tie-in book ''How To Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' by Sterling Archer, p. 27</ref> Krieger (Lucky Yates), is the head of the ISIS applied research department. He spends most of his time working on projects to facilitate his kinky sexual fantasies. He has had several holographic anime-style girlfriends, and has developed the technology to turn human beings into cyborgs. It is discovered he shares blood ties to Adolf Hitler, being one of the [[The Boys from Brazil (film)|"Boys from Brazil"]]. He has an affinity for [[Rush (band)|Rush]] and in one episode is shown to own a [[drum kit]] identical to that of Rush drummer [[Neil Peart]]. He is not an actual doctor, however: Doctor is his first name.

* Ray Gillette ([[Adam Reed]]) is an openly [[gay]] intelligence analyst and one of the few competent members of ISIS. Along with Lana, he serves as the voice of reason on the show. Raised in an impoverished part of West Virginia, he was once an ordained minister, as well as an Olympic bronze medalist in giant slalom. He spent most of season three pretending to be paralyzed after being injured on a rescue mission, but was actually paralyzed following a space shuttle crash at the end of the season. In season four, he receives [[Bionics|bionic]] legs, allowing him to walk again, however in the season four finale, the CPU controlling his bionic legs is damaged, rendering him once again paralyzed in a wheelchair. Gillette appeared only three times in the first season, becoming a regular character from the second onward.

* Woodhouse ([[George Coe]], [[Roy McCrery]] in flashbacks) is Sterling's long-suffering, heroin-addict, English [[valet]], who patiently accepts the unending stream of abuse hurled at him by Archer, in part due to Archer's resemblance to a pilot friend of his from World War I whom Woodhouse had an unrequited crush on. He also bears an uncanny resemblance to the Pope, as revealed in the fourth season. His name is a tip to the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]'' creator, [[P.G. Wodehouse]]. {{cn|date=January 2014}}

== Production ==
[[File:Archer pilot.jpg|thumb|left|Screenshot from Archer TV series.]]
Each episode of Archer takes a couple of months to produce following the completion of the script. The show is mostly animated by Reed's Floyd County Productions in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref name="reed">{{cite web|url=http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php|title=Archer Crew|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20091231141635/http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php| archivedate= 31 December 2009 | deadurl= no}}</ref> while 3D background models are made by Trinity Animation in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name="foxnews">{{cite news|title = Local Animators Ready for Cable Debut with 'Archer'|publisher = FOX4 News|date = January 5, 2010| url = http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-trinity-animation-archer-010510,0,1725954.story}}</ref> Originally, [[Radical Axis (studio)|Radical Axis]] housed the show's animation staff for Season 1, but the crew has since moved to their own facilities close to [[Emory University]].

[[File:Archer cast at Comic-Con in 2010.jpg|thumb|right|''From left to right:'' Aisha Tyler, Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer and Amber Nash at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con International]] in 2010]]
The artistic style of the series was designed to be as realistic as possible, so the character designers used as much reference material as they could.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10837/Exclusive:_Adam_Reed_On_The_Origins_Of_FX%27s_%27Archer%27 Exclusive: Adam Reed On The Origins Of FX's 'Archer']</ref> The character drawings are based on Atlanta-area models; they coincidentally resemble some of the voice actors in the series.<ref name=Gelman1/> As Chad Hurd, the lead character designer for the series, noted, the end result resembles "a 1960s comic book come to life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/|title=Hey Everyone!|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|author=Hurd, Chad|date=2009-11-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100201024835/http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/| archivedate= 1 February 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Television critics have also compared the show's overall visual style to that of the drama series ''[[Mad Men]]'',<ref>[http://www.awn.com/articles/2d/spy-spoofing-archer "Spy Spoofing in Archer"]. Animation World Network, January 14, 2010.</ref> as well as noting that lead character Sterling Archer, in particular, bears a substantial resemblance to ''Mad Men'''s protagonist [[Don Draper]].<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/14/2010-01-14_spy_satire_archer_a_bullseye.html "FX spy satire 'Archer' a bull's-eye"]. ''[[New York Daily News]]'', January 14, 2010.</ref> The artwork is also similar to the original [[Jonny Quest]] cartoon series penned by artist Doug Wildey in the 1960s.

Stylistically, the show is a mix of several different time periods; show creator [[Adam Reed]] described it as "intentionally ill-defined", noting that the show "cherry-pick[ed] the best and easiest from several decades".<ref name=Gelman1/> Numerous plot details arise from contemporary culture, such as [[affirmative action]] and [[sexual harassment]] complaints.

''Archer'' is influenced by the early [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]] films, as well as [[OSS 117]], [[The Man from U.N.C.L.E]] and [[The Pink Panther]],<ref name=Gelman1 /> and can be compared to Reed's former shows for Adult Swim, ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Driven by rapid-fire dialogue<ref name=Miller1>{{cite news|title=Spy guy Archer returns in TV’s saltiest show |first=Michael |last=Miller |url=http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/01/25/spy-guy-archer-returns-in-tv%E2%80%99s-saltiest-show/ |newspaper=[[Toledo Free Press Star]] |date=2011-01-25 |accessdate=2011-03-04}}</ref> and interaction-based drama, the series is "stuff[ed]...with [[pop-culture]] references"<ref name=Tucker1>{{cite web|url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/01/27/archer-season-2-fx-adult-family-guy/ |title='Archer' season premiere review: Is this the best (adult) cartoon on TV? |first=Ken |last=Tucker |date=2011-01-27 |work=Ken Tucker's TV |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |accessdate=2011-03-04 |quote=Creator Adam Reed and his collaborators stuff every half-hour with pop-culture references that zip by as quickly as Archer’s snow-mobile did this evening.}}</ref> and features an anachronistic style, using fashion from the early 1960s, a mix of 1980s-era and modern technology and a political status quo in which "the [[Cold War]] never ended".<ref name=Gelman1>{{cite interview |last=Reed |first=Adam |subjectlink=Adam Reed |interviewer=Vlada Gelman |program=[[The A.V. Club]]|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed,52336/ |date=2011-02-24 |accessdate=2011-02-24}}</ref>

==Relation to other media==

=== ''Arrested Development'' ===
[[Jessica Walter]], [[Jeffrey Tambor]], [[David Cross]], and [[Judy Greer]] previously starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] critically acclaimed comedy series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. Since both shows largely revolve around feuds and rivalry disputes between family members, ''Archer'' has been described by its creator, [[Adam Reed]], as "''[[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]]'' meets ''Arrested Development''{{-"}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-16-archer_N.htm|title=FX's 'Archer': Bond meets 'Arrested Development'|last=Levin|first=Gary|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=July 16, 2009|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> There are also notable similarities between the characters played by Greer, Walter and Tambor. Of particular note is Archer's relationship with his mother, which parallels somewhat Buster Bluth's relationship with Lucille Bluth, including the fact that both sons refer to her as 'Mother' and are still under great parental influence as adults. Judy Greer's character is a "lovelorn secretary",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/01/06/jeffrey-tambor-jessica-walter-to-reunite-on-archer/|title=Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter to Reunite on 'Archer'|last=Lee|first=Allyssa|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=Jan 6, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Walter is the wealth-wielding [[matriarch]] and Tambor, while not the husband, is her long-lost passion interest and possibly Sterling's biological father as well (which is similar to Tambor's secondary role on ''Arrested Development'', [[Oscar Bluth|Oscar]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/01/05/fx-archer-jeffrey-tambor-arrested-development/|title=Exclusive: 'Arrested Development' reunion coming to FX (but there's a catch)!|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=Jan 5, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Both shows also frequently use [[Callback (comedy)|callbacks]] and [[catchphrase]]s. Walter stated in an interview that she became interested in ''Archer'' after her manager sent her the pilot script describing Malory as "Think Jessica Walter in ''Arrested Development''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popculturemadness.com/interview/2011/Jessica-Walter.html|title=Jessica Walter PCM interview|publisher=Pop Culture Madness|accessdate=December 18, 2011}}</ref>

=== ''Sealab 2021'' and ''Frisky Dingo'' ===
Just as some series voice-actors have worked together previously, notable people on the ''Archer'' animation and production teams (such as Adam Reed and Matt Thompson) were also cooperatively involved in several shows for [[Adult Swim]], most notably ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''. All three shows share similar animation styles; a trademark which initially began with ''Sealab's'' cut-and-paste juxtaposition of vintage cartoon clips and modern dialogue, was modernized with computer animation for ''Frisky Dingo,'' and continues with essentially unchanged appearances for some characters in ''Archer.'' The show also shares numerous stylistic and character development similarities with its two predecessors.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One of the supporting characters from ''Frisky Dingo'', Mr. Ford, makes a cameo appearance in "Drift Problem", the seventh episode of Season 3 of Archer, repeating one of his ''Frisky Dingo'' catchphrases ("My ass is everywhere.").

Additionally, the [[List of Archer episodes|season 4 finale]] (Sea Tunt: Part II) included a nod to ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' (a show that series creator Adam Reed previously worked on<ref>[http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4517 Archer's Adam Reed]</ref>), featuring an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy (''Sealab 2021'' revolved around an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy). The character bore a heavy resemblance to the aforementioned ''Sealab 2021'' character both in appearance and mannerisms. He is later killed by an off brand soda machine, which is the central plot of an episode of Sealab 2021. As a tribute to [[Harry Goz]], the actor who played Captain Murphy in Sealab 2021, the soda machine dispenses Goz soda in the Archer episode.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/season_4_of_archer_reviewed/week_13/archer_season_4_sealab_finale_jon_hamm_s_deadpan_brilliance_and_an_intense.html Archer, Season 4: Jon Hamm’s deadpan brilliance and an intense underwater escape make for the perfect season finale.]</ref><ref>[http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/04/archer-review-teotwawki-in-sealab-2021/ Archer Season Finale Review: TEOTWAWKI in Sealab 2021]</ref>

===''Bob's Burgers''===
The fourth season opening scene had Archer working in ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'', under an assumed identity. Both shows share [[H. Jon Benjamin]] as their lead voice actor (Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher).<ref>[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/06/archer-bobs-burger-crossover-h-jon-benjamin/ Next 'Archer' season will include a 'Bob's Burgers' crossover episode -- EXCLUSIVE]</ref> The two-part season finale of season four also stars Bob's Burgers actors [[Eugene Mirman]] and [[Kristen Schaal]].<ref>[http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130312fx06/ The Futon Critic - Listings: Archer, S4E12]</ref>

==Reception==
The show has seen positive reviews, scoring a 78/100 on [[Metacritic]] for its first season, 88/100 for its second, indicating "universal acclaim", 75/100 for its third, and 80/100 for its fourth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/archer|title=''Metacritic reviews''}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called it a wittily raunchy spy spoof,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,4,00.html|title=''EW Archer review'' }}</ref> and the ''[[Miami Herald]]'' referred to it as "a millennial (and very much R-rated) ''[[Get Smart]]'' that acerbically and hilariously plays on our post-9/11 fears that 'U.S. government intelligence' might be a grim oxymoron."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/01/14/1422121/review-archer-an-r-rated-spy-romp.html|title=''Miami Herald Archer review'' }}</ref> The show has been nominated for a 2010 Emmy and a 2012 Annie Award.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

==DVD release==
{| class="wikitable"
!DVD name!!Region 1 release date!!Region 2 release date!!Region 4 release date!!Blu-ray release date!!Episode count!! Discs !! Additional content
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 1)|Season 1]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 28, 2010<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1/10572 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 2, 2011<ref>http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17493614/Archer-Season-1/Product.html</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|March 2, 2011<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817738 Archer - The Complete Season 1 (2 Disc Set)]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1-Blu-ray/11735 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| An allegedly unaired ''Archer'' pilot titled ''Archersaurus'' (essentially the first episode with Archer replaced by a human sized [[velociraptor]]), an unaired network promo, deleted scenes, a six-part "The Making of ''Archer''" featurette, bonus episodes from ''[[The League]]'' and ''[[Louie (TV series)|Louie]]''.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 2)|Season 2]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2/11737 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 7, 2012<ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0058SFA7W Archer - Season 2 [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler: Film & TV]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|February 29, 2012<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-2/dp/6107777 Archer - The Complete Season 2]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2-Blu-ray/11736 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| ''Archersaurus'' - Self Extinction; Ask Archer; Semper Fi; L'espion Mal Fait; ISIS infiltrates Comic-con.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 3 (2011–2013)|Season 3]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 8, 2013<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 Archer DVD news: Announcement for Archer - Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
|
|March 13, 2013<ref>http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/archer-season-3/678901 Archer - Season 3 JBHIFI</ref>
|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Commentaries on "El Contador", "Drift Problem", and "Lo Scandalo "; extended version of "Heart of Archness"; Audio Book Fail; Cooking with Archer; and [[Trailer (promotion)|trailer]] for ''Gator 2''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 4 (2013)|Season 4]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|February 5, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-4/dp/6148128|title=Archer Season 4 on DVD|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Fisherman's Daughter; and Archer Live!
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}

==Book==
''How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' (ISBN 9780062066312) a how-to book "written" by Sterling Archer was released January 17, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/How-Archer-Sterling-Archer/ |title=How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written By Sterling Archer |work=[[HarperCollins]] |accessdate=April 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2010, H. Jon Benjamin was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voiceover Performance]].<ref>[http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2010/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance 2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]</ref> On July 17, 2010, ''Archer'' won the [[NewNowNext Awards|NewNowNext Award]] for "Best Show You're Not Watching".<ref>[http://www.newnownextawards.com/ 2012 NewNowNext Awards | Vote for Everything New, Now and Next in Pop Culture | Logo TV Awards]</ref> ''Archer'' was nominated for and won Best Animated Comedy Series at the 2012 [[The Comedy Awards|Comedy Awards]].

''Archer'' was also nominated for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series|Best Comedy Series]] at the [[1st Critics' Choice Television Awards|2011 Critics' Choice Television Awards]]. It won the [[2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2012 Critics' Choice Television Award]] and [[3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2013 Critics' Choice Television Award]] for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series|Best Animated Series]].<ref>[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055689?refcatid=14 NBC, 'Community' top Critics Choice Awards - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety]</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Archer (TV series)|Archer}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer}}
*{{IMDb title|1486217|Archer}}
*{{tv.com show|archer|Archer}}

{{Archer}}
{{Radical Axis}}
{{FXNetwork Shows}}
{{Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:2009 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s American television series]]
[[Category:2010s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s American television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:American animated television series]]
[[Category:Animated sitcoms]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]
[[Category:Espionage television series]]
[[Category:FX network shows]]
[[Category:Black comedy television programs]]

Archer (2009 TV series)

2014-01-14T13:34:25Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Archer Vice */

{{infobox television
|show_name = Archer
|image = [[File:Archer 2010 Intertitle.png|250px]]
|caption = Title card for the first four seasons of ''Archer''.
|genre = [[Action (fiction)|Action]] [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]] [[Black comedy]] [[Crime drama|Crime]] [[Dramedy]] [[Espionage]] [[Sitcom]]
|format = [[Animated series]]
|runtime = 19–21 minutes
|creator = [[Adam Reed]]
|voices = [[H. Jon Benjamin]] [[Judy Greer]] [[Amber Nash]] [[Chris Parnell]] [[Aisha Tyler]] [[Jessica Walter]] [[George Coe]] [[Adam Reed]] Lucky Yates
|country = {{TVUS|United States}}
|network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
|picture_format = [[16:9]] [[HDTV]]
|first_aired = January 14, 2010
|last_aired = present
|company = [[Floyd County Productions]] Radical Axis [[FX (TV channel)|FX Productions]]
|executive_producer = [[Adam Reed]] [[Matt Thompson (animator)|Matt Thompson]]
|producer = Neal Holman Eric Sims Casey Willis Bryan Fordney
|num_seasons = 5
|num_episodes = 50
|list_episodes = List of Archer episodes
|website = http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer
|related = ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' ''
}}

'''''Archer''''' is an American animated [[comedy]] television series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=2009-11-16|author=Toomey, Johnathon|accessdate=2010-01-04}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite news | author=Joyce Eng | title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule| url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx| work=TVGuide.com}}</ref> The show carries a [[TV-MA|TV-MA-LSV]] rating.

The inspiration for ''Archer'' came to Reed while in a cafe in [[Salamanca]], [[Spain]]. Finding himself unable to approach a beautiful woman seated nearby, Reed conjured up the idea of a spy who "would have a perfect line".<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/01/11/new-fx-series-archer-puts-animated-twist-on-spy-genre/|title=New FX Series "Archer" Puts an Animated Twist on the Spy Genre|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=2010-01-11 | first=Jamin | last=Brophy-Warren}}</ref> Reed conceived the show's concept while walking along the [[Vía de la Plata]] in 2008.<ref name="pdf">{{cite web|url=http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/assets/download/Archer_MG_Final.pdf|title=Jan. 14 Thurs. 10 PM|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|page=4}}</ref> He [[pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] his idea to [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], which accepted it and ordered six episodes, along with an additional four scripts.<ref name="am">{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483|title=FX Orders 6 Episodes of Archer Toon|work=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=2009-08-18|author=Zahed, Ramin|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100116005116/http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483| archivedate= 16 January 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The show's [[Archer (season 5)|fifth season]] serves as a [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] for the series, known as '''''Archer Vice'''''.<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> The format moves away from the [[Cold War]]-inspired espionage setting and depicts the characters embarking on a life of [[crime]] as they attempt to sell one-ton of [[cocaine]].<ref name=StarPulse>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Premise==
===''Archer''===
Set at ISIS, the International Secret Intelligence Service in [[New York City]], suave and incredibly self-centered master spy Sterling Archer deals with global [[espionage]]; his domineering, emotionally distant mother and boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend (and fellow ISIS agent), Lana Kane; and his other ISIS co-workers (including fellow agent Ray Gillette, accountant Cyril Figgis, Human Resources Director Pam Poovey, dimwitted secretary Cheryl Tunt, and Applied Research head Doctor Krieger); as well as a code name: "Duchess" (after his mother's deceased [[Afghan Hound]]).<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

===''Archer Vice''===
[[File:Archer Vice Intertitle.png|thumb|left|200px|Title card for ''Archer Vice''.]]
{{Main|Archer (season 5)}}
When ISIS is disbanded by the [[U.S. government]], its former employees discover a hidden stockpile of [[cocaine]] that the agency accumulated from previous operations. They establish a new headquarters in Cheryl Tunt's manor and form a [[drug cartel]], before heading [[Southern United States|south]] to sell the cocaine to fund their retirements.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/08/archer-season-5-to-take-inspiration-from-breaking-bad-as-isis-disband-to-sell-drugs-4254081/|title=Archer season 5 to take inspiration from Breaking Bad as ISIS disband to sell drugs|publisher=Metro|date=8 January 2014|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> Cheryl, who is already extremely wealthy, instead decides to launch a new career as a [[country singer]]. Along the way, the group attract the attention of rival gangs and face problems that arise from the characters adapting to their new roles.<ref name="OOU"/>

===Time period===
The show's time setting is [[Anachronism#Comical anachronism|comically anachronistic]], deliberately mixing technologies, clothing styles and historical backdrops of different decades. The characters wear 1960s clothing and hairstyles, and many episodes feature references to the [[Soviet Union]] as a current nation — yet in the fourth season episode "Once Bitten", [[Turkmenistan]] is an independent nation rather than a Soviet republic — and also contains references to [[Fidel Castro]] as the current leader of [[Cuba]]. The show frequently uses pop culture references which are contemporary to the 2010s, yet character backstories place them at older events — such as Woodhouse's service in [[World War I]], or Malory's involvement in various espionage events of the [[Cold War]] era — which would require them to be much older than they are if the show were actually set in the 21st century. The technological sophistication within the series also varies, with characters using dated computer technology (e.g. [[reel-to-reel]] [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] systems, desktop computers resembling very closely the [[Apple Lisa]], [[dot-matrix printers]] and [[punchcards]]) and making surveillance recordings on [[cassette tape]] rather than digitally, but also using modern devices such as cell phones, [[GPS]] devices, and laser gunsights. This ambiguity is explicitly recognized in at least two episodes, in which characters are unable to answer when asked what year they think it is.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Archer episodes}}
The show's first season ran from January 14 to March 18, 2010, and the second season premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref>http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/fx-renews-archer-.html</ref> The season 1 DVD was released in [[Region 1]] on December 28, 2010. On December 17, 2010 the first season of Archer also aired in [[Germany]] on [[Comedy Central Germany]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} On March 29, 2011 it was announced that [[FX Network]] had ordered a 16-episode third season of ''Archer''.<ref name=thirdseason>{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Kate|title=It's official: 'Justified,' 'Archer' renewed at FX|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/29/its-official-justified-archer-renewed-at-fx/|work=Inside TV|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=March 29, 2011}}</ref> A three episode special dubbed "The Heart of Archness" was aired in September 2011. Ten new episodes from season 3 began airing on January 19, 2012.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|last=Nehra|first=Pete|title=Aiesha Tayler on Sklarboro Country |url=http://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-beauty-episode/|work=Interview Podcast|publisher=Earwolf.com|accessdate=July 8, 2011}}</ref> On February 23, 2012, FX ordered a 13-episode fourth season of ''Archer''<ref name=fourthseason>{{cite web|last=Surette|first=Time|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 4|url=http://www.tv.com/news/fx-renews-archer-for-season-4-27914/|work=TV.com|publisher=CBS Entertainment|accessdate=February 23, 2012}}</ref> which premiered on January 17, 2013.<ref name=fourthseasonrelease>{{cite web|last=Nova|first=Sasha|title=Archer season 4 Premier Announced|url=http://www.boomtron.com/2012/11/justified-archer/|work=boomtron.com|accessdate=November 29, 2012}}</ref> On February 27, 2013, FX renewed the show for a fifth season consisting of 13 episodes.<ref>{{cite news|last=Seat42f|title=FX Renews Archer For A Fifth Season|url=http://www.seat42f.com/fx-renews-archer-for-a-fifth-season.html|accessdate=27 February 2013}}</ref>

==Characters==
{{main|List of Archer characters}}
* [[Sterling Archer|Sterling Malory Archer]] ([[H. Jon Benjamin]]), codename: ''Duchess'', is 184 lb, 6'2", 36 years old, and is considered the world's most dangerous secret agent and is similar to [[James Bond]]. He is extremely egotistical and self-involved. Though he shows proficiency in stereotypical spy skills—weapons, driving, martial arts—his only real interest in the job is the opportunity to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle full of sex, alcohol, thrills, lacrosse, fast cars, spy gadgets and turtleneck sweaters.

* Lana Kane ([[Aisha Tyler]]) is the top female agent at ISIS and Archer's ex-girlfriend. A tall, beautiful woman, she is a competent and deadly agent but is constantly frustrated that she is treated as the number two ISIS field agent because Archer's mother runs the agency. The fact that she is tall and has abnormally large hands are often a source of fodder for jokes at her expense. She is revealed to be pregnant at the end of the fourth season, though the identity of the father is currently unknown, aside from it not being Cyril Figgis. Her name is reminiscent of Lanacane, a pharmaceutical company that produces anti-itching cream.<ref name="cane">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/14/entertainment/la-et-archer14-2010jan14|title='Archer': The new cartoon on FX is more office comedy than spy spoof|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|date=January 14, 2010|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

* Malory Archer ([[Jessica Walter]]), Sterling Archer's mother and the head of ISIS, is a self-centered alcoholic who regularly hatches half-baked, invariably disastrous schemes to use the agency's resources to her own personal advantage. She has staged a false assassination attempt on a U.N. official to secure a lucrative government contract, called in fake threats to restaurants and air ships in order to get reservations and cabin berths, sent ISIS agents to blow up an oil pipeline in [[Turkmenistan]], murdered the Prime Minister of [[Italy]] and tricked the ISIS staff into disposing of the body, assisted a [[coyote (smuggler)|coyote]] syndicate so she could use the reward money to redecorate her office, and attempted to salvage a hydrogen bomb from the ocean so she could ransom it back to the U.S. government.

* Cyril Figgis ([[Chris Parnell]]) is the [[comptroller]] of ISIS. Cyril is portrayed as quite competent at his job, but is plagued by a number of personal issues. He is eventually promoted to secret agent, but is incredibly incompetent at that. He was Lana Kane's love interest at the beginning of Season 1, but due to residual trust issues from her relationship with Archer (and her finding out Cyril was cheating on her repeatedly), she refused to call Cyril her boyfriend or say she loved him.

* [[Cheryl Tunt]] ([[Judy Greer]]) also known as Carol, is Malory's [[secretary]]. In the pilot episode, she was portrayed as a lovesick, ditzy secretary frequently taken advantage of by Archer, but that side of her character was gradually phased out as her behavior became more and more unhinged: she has [[pyromania]]c and [[Sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] tendencies and is often sniffing or swallowing rubber cement. She is also revealed to be an heiress with a fortune of half a billion dollars (it was 1 billion, but she had to split it with her "stupid brother Cecil" <ref name="El secuestro">Archer, Season 2, Episode 10.</ref>).

* Pam Poovey ([[Amber Nash]]) is ISIS's [[Human Resources]] Director. A gossipy pot smoker who is the brunt of many jokes regarding her weight, she serves as a foil for most of the members of the cast, often calling them out on their zany schemes. Though not a field agent (until season four, episode ten), she is a trained drift car racer and bare knuckle fighter, with over a dozen kills under her belt (represented on her back, along with the third verse of [[Lord Byron]]'s poem "[[The Destruction of Sennacherib]]" in tattoo form). Among her other interests are graffiti, directing amateur tentacle porn, and cock-fighting with [[Siamese fighting fish]].

* Mr. Doctor Algernop<ref>tie-in book ''How To Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' by Sterling Archer, p. 27</ref> Krieger (Lucky Yates), is the head of the ISIS applied research department. He spends most of his time working on projects to facilitate his kinky sexual fantasies. He has had several holographic anime-style girlfriends, and has developed the technology to turn human beings into cyborgs. It is discovered he shares blood ties to Adolf Hitler, being one of the [[The Boys from Brazil (film)|"Boys from Brazil"]]. He has an affinity for [[Rush (band)|Rush]] and in one episode is shown to own a [[drum kit]] identical to that of Rush drummer [[Neil Peart]]. He is not an actual doctor, however: Doctor is his first name.

* Ray Gillette ([[Adam Reed]]) is an openly [[gay]] intelligence analyst and one of the few competent members of ISIS. Along with Lana, he serves as the voice of reason on the show. Raised in an impoverished part of West Virginia, he was once an ordained minister, as well as an Olympic bronze medalist in giant slalom. He spent most of season three pretending to be paralyzed after being injured on a rescue mission, but was actually paralyzed following a space shuttle crash at the end of the season. In season four, he receives [[Bionics|bionic]] legs, allowing him to walk again, however in the season four finale, the CPU controlling his bionic legs is damaged, rendering him once again paralyzed in a wheelchair. Gillette appeared only three times in the first season, becoming a regular character from the second onward.

* Woodhouse ([[George Coe]], [[Roy McCrery]] in flashbacks) is Sterling's long-suffering, heroin-addict, English [[valet]], who patiently accepts the unending stream of abuse hurled at him by Archer, in part due to Archer's resemblance to a pilot friend of his from World War I whom Woodhouse had an unrequited crush on. He also bears an uncanny resemblance to the Pope, as revealed in the fourth season. His name is a tip to the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]'' creator, [[P.G. Wodehouse]]. {{cn|date=January 2014}}

== Production ==
[[File:Archer pilot.jpg|thumb|left|Screenshot from Archer TV series.]]
Each episode of Archer takes a couple of months to produce following the completion of the script. The show is mostly animated by Reed's Floyd County Productions in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref name="reed">{{cite web|url=http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php|title=Archer Crew|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20091231141635/http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php| archivedate= 31 December 2009 | deadurl= no}}</ref> while 3D background models are made by Trinity Animation in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name="foxnews">{{cite news|title = Local Animators Ready for Cable Debut with 'Archer'|publisher = FOX4 News|date = January 5, 2010| url = http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-trinity-animation-archer-010510,0,1725954.story}}</ref> Originally, [[Radical Axis (studio)|Radical Axis]] housed the show's animation staff for Season 1, but the crew has since moved to their own facilities close to [[Emory University]].

[[File:Archer cast at Comic-Con in 2010.jpg|thumb|right|''From left to right:'' Aisha Tyler, Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer and Amber Nash at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con International]] in 2010]]
The artistic style of the series was designed to be as realistic as possible, so the character designers used as much reference material as they could.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10837/Exclusive:_Adam_Reed_On_The_Origins_Of_FX%27s_%27Archer%27 Exclusive: Adam Reed On The Origins Of FX's 'Archer']</ref> The character drawings are based on Atlanta-area models; they coincidentally resemble some of the voice actors in the series.<ref name=Gelman1/> As Chad Hurd, the lead character designer for the series, noted, the end result resembles "a 1960s comic book come to life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/|title=Hey Everyone!|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|author=Hurd, Chad|date=2009-11-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100201024835/http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/| archivedate= 1 February 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Television critics have also compared the show's overall visual style to that of the drama series ''[[Mad Men]]'',<ref>[http://www.awn.com/articles/2d/spy-spoofing-archer "Spy Spoofing in Archer"]. Animation World Network, January 14, 2010.</ref> as well as noting that lead character Sterling Archer, in particular, bears a substantial resemblance to ''Mad Men'''s protagonist [[Don Draper]].<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/14/2010-01-14_spy_satire_archer_a_bullseye.html "FX spy satire 'Archer' a bull's-eye"]. ''[[New York Daily News]]'', January 14, 2010.</ref> The artwork is also similar to the original [[Jonny Quest]] cartoon series penned by artist Doug Wildey in the 1960s.

Stylistically, the show is a mix of several different time periods; show creator [[Adam Reed]] described it as "intentionally ill-defined", noting that the show "cherry-pick[ed] the best and easiest from several decades".<ref name=Gelman1/> Numerous plot details arise from contemporary culture, such as [[affirmative action]] and [[sexual harassment]] complaints.

''Archer'' is influenced by the early [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]] films, as well as [[OSS 117]], [[The Man from U.N.C.L.E]] and [[The Pink Panther]],<ref name=Gelman1 /> and can be compared to Reed's former shows for Adult Swim, ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Driven by rapid-fire dialogue<ref name=Miller1>{{cite news|title=Spy guy Archer returns in TV’s saltiest show |first=Michael |last=Miller |url=http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/01/25/spy-guy-archer-returns-in-tv%E2%80%99s-saltiest-show/ |newspaper=[[Toledo Free Press Star]] |date=2011-01-25 |accessdate=2011-03-04}}</ref> and interaction-based drama, the series is "stuff[ed]...with [[pop-culture]] references"<ref name=Tucker1>{{cite web|url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/01/27/archer-season-2-fx-adult-family-guy/ |title='Archer' season premiere review: Is this the best (adult) cartoon on TV? |first=Ken |last=Tucker |date=2011-01-27 |work=Ken Tucker's TV |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |accessdate=2011-03-04 |quote=Creator Adam Reed and his collaborators stuff every half-hour with pop-culture references that zip by as quickly as Archer’s snow-mobile did this evening.}}</ref> and features an anachronistic style, using fashion from the early 1960s, a mix of 1980s-era and modern technology and a political status quo in which "the [[Cold War]] never ended".<ref name=Gelman1>{{cite interview |last=Reed |first=Adam |subjectlink=Adam Reed |interviewer=Vlada Gelman |program=[[The A.V. Club]]|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed,52336/ |date=2011-02-24 |accessdate=2011-02-24}}</ref>

==Relation to other media==

=== ''Arrested Development'' ===
[[Jessica Walter]], [[Jeffrey Tambor]], [[David Cross]], and [[Judy Greer]] previously starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] critically acclaimed comedy series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. Since both shows largely revolve around feuds and rivalry disputes between family members, ''Archer'' has been described by its creator, [[Adam Reed]], as "''[[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]]'' meets ''Arrested Development''{{-"}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-16-archer_N.htm|title=FX's 'Archer': Bond meets 'Arrested Development'|last=Levin|first=Gary|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=July 16, 2009|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> There are also notable similarities between the characters played by Greer, Walter and Tambor. Of particular note is Archer's relationship with his mother, which parallels somewhat Buster Bluth's relationship with Lucille Bluth, including the fact that both sons refer to her as 'Mother' and are still under great parental influence as adults. Judy Greer's character is a "lovelorn secretary",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/01/06/jeffrey-tambor-jessica-walter-to-reunite-on-archer/|title=Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter to Reunite on 'Archer'|last=Lee|first=Allyssa|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=Jan 6, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Walter is the wealth-wielding [[matriarch]] and Tambor, while not the husband, is her long-lost passion interest and possibly Sterling's biological father as well (which is similar to Tambor's secondary role on ''Arrested Development'', [[Oscar Bluth|Oscar]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/01/05/fx-archer-jeffrey-tambor-arrested-development/|title=Exclusive: 'Arrested Development' reunion coming to FX (but there's a catch)!|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=Jan 5, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Both shows also frequently use [[Callback (comedy)|callbacks]] and [[catchphrase]]s. Walter stated in an interview that she became interested in ''Archer'' after her manager sent her the pilot script describing Malory as "Think Jessica Walter in ''Arrested Development''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popculturemadness.com/interview/2011/Jessica-Walter.html|title=Jessica Walter PCM interview|publisher=Pop Culture Madness|accessdate=December 18, 2011}}</ref>

=== ''Sealab 2021'' and ''Frisky Dingo'' ===
Just as some series voice-actors have worked together previously, notable people on the ''Archer'' animation and production teams (such as Adam Reed and Matt Thompson) were also cooperatively involved in several shows for [[Adult Swim]], most notably ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''. All three shows share similar animation styles; a trademark which initially began with ''Sealab's'' cut-and-paste juxtaposition of vintage cartoon clips and modern dialogue, was modernized with computer animation for ''Frisky Dingo,'' and continues with essentially unchanged appearances for some characters in ''Archer.'' The show also shares numerous stylistic and character development similarities with its two predecessors.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One of the supporting characters from ''Frisky Dingo'', Mr. Ford, makes a cameo appearance in "Drift Problem", the seventh episode of Season 3 of Archer, repeating one of his ''Frisky Dingo'' catchphrases ("My ass is everywhere.").

Additionally, the [[List of Archer episodes|season 4 finale]] (Sea Tunt: Part II) included a nod to ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' (a show that series creator Adam Reed previously worked on<ref>[http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4517 Archer's Adam Reed]</ref>), featuring an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy (''Sealab 2021'' revolved around an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy). The character bore a heavy resemblance to the aforementioned ''Sealab 2021'' character both in appearance and mannerisms. He is later killed by an off brand soda machine, which is the central plot of an episode of Sealab 2021. As a tribute to [[Harry Goz]], the actor who played Captain Murphy in Sealab 2021, the soda machine dispenses Goz soda in the Archer episode.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/season_4_of_archer_reviewed/week_13/archer_season_4_sealab_finale_jon_hamm_s_deadpan_brilliance_and_an_intense.html Archer, Season 4: Jon Hamm’s deadpan brilliance and an intense underwater escape make for the perfect season finale.]</ref><ref>[http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/04/archer-review-teotwawki-in-sealab-2021/ Archer Season Finale Review: TEOTWAWKI in Sealab 2021]</ref>

===''Bob's Burgers''===
The fourth season opening scene had Archer working in ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'', under an assumed identity. Both shows share [[H. Jon Benjamin]] as their lead voice actor (Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher).<ref>[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/06/archer-bobs-burger-crossover-h-jon-benjamin/ Next 'Archer' season will include a 'Bob's Burgers' crossover episode -- EXCLUSIVE]</ref> The two-part season finale of season four also stars Bob's Burgers actors [[Eugene Mirman]] and [[Kristen Schaal]].<ref>[http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130312fx06/ The Futon Critic - Listings: Archer, S4E12]</ref>

==Reception==
The show has seen positive reviews, scoring a 78/100 on [[Metacritic]] for its first season, 88/100 for its second, indicating "universal acclaim", 75/100 for its third, and 80/100 for its fourth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/archer|title=''Metacritic reviews''}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called it a wittily raunchy spy spoof,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,4,00.html|title=''EW Archer review'' }}</ref> and the ''[[Miami Herald]]'' referred to it as "a millennial (and very much R-rated) ''[[Get Smart]]'' that acerbically and hilariously plays on our post-9/11 fears that 'U.S. government intelligence' might be a grim oxymoron."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/01/14/1422121/review-archer-an-r-rated-spy-romp.html|title=''Miami Herald Archer review'' }}</ref> The show has been nominated for a 2010 Emmy and a 2012 Annie Award.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

==DVD release==
{| class="wikitable"
!DVD name!!Region 1 release date!!Region 2 release date!!Region 4 release date!!Blu-ray release date!!Episode count!! Discs !! Additional content
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 1)|Season 1]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 28, 2010<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1/10572 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 2, 2011<ref>http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17493614/Archer-Season-1/Product.html</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|March 2, 2011<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817738 Archer - The Complete Season 1 (2 Disc Set)]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1-Blu-ray/11735 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| An allegedly unaired ''Archer'' pilot titled ''Archersaurus'' (essentially the first episode with Archer replaced by a human sized [[velociraptor]]), an unaired network promo, deleted scenes, a six-part "The Making of ''Archer''" featurette, bonus episodes from ''[[The League]]'' and ''[[Louie (TV series)|Louie]]''.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 2)|Season 2]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2/11737 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 7, 2012<ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0058SFA7W Archer - Season 2 [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler: Film & TV]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|February 29, 2012<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-2/dp/6107777 Archer - The Complete Season 2]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2-Blu-ray/11736 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| ''Archersaurus'' - Self Extinction; Ask Archer; Semper Fi; L'espion Mal Fait; ISIS infiltrates Comic-con.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 3 (2011–2013)|Season 3]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 8, 2013<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 Archer DVD news: Announcement for Archer - Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
|
|March 13, 2013<ref>http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/archer-season-3/678901 Archer - Season 3 JBHIFI</ref>
|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Commentaries on "El Contador", "Drift Problem", and "Lo Scandalo "; extended version of "Heart of Archness"; Audio Book Fail; Cooking with Archer; and [[Trailer (promotion)|trailer]] for ''Gator 2''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 4 (2013)|Season 4]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|February 5, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-4/dp/6148128|title=Archer Season 4 on DVD|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Fisherman's Daughter; and Archer Live!
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}

==Book==
''How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' (ISBN 9780062066312) a how-to book "written" by Sterling Archer was released January 17, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/How-Archer-Sterling-Archer/ |title=How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written By Sterling Archer |work=[[HarperCollins]] |accessdate=April 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2010, H. Jon Benjamin was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voiceover Performance]].<ref>[http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2010/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance 2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]</ref> On July 17, 2010, ''Archer'' won the [[NewNowNext Awards|NewNowNext Award]] for "Best Show You're Not Watching".<ref>[http://www.newnownextawards.com/ 2012 NewNowNext Awards | Vote for Everything New, Now and Next in Pop Culture | Logo TV Awards]</ref> ''Archer'' was nominated for and won Best Animated Comedy Series at the 2012 [[The Comedy Awards|Comedy Awards]].

''Archer'' was also nominated for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series|Best Comedy Series]] at the [[1st Critics' Choice Television Awards|2011 Critics' Choice Television Awards]]. It won the [[2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2012 Critics' Choice Television Award]] and [[3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2013 Critics' Choice Television Award]] for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series|Best Animated Series]].<ref>[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055689?refcatid=14 NBC, 'Community' top Critics Choice Awards - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety]</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Archer (TV series)|Archer}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer}}
*{{IMDb title|1486217|Archer}}
*{{tv.com show|archer|Archer}}

{{Archer}}
{{Radical Axis}}
{{FXNetwork Shows}}
{{Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:2009 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s American television series]]
[[Category:2010s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s American television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:American animated television series]]
[[Category:Animated sitcoms]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]
[[Category:Espionage television series]]
[[Category:FX network shows]]
[[Category:Black comedy television programs]]

Archer (2009 TV series)

2014-01-14T11:45:43Z

Dorsal Axe: Few misc changes

{{infobox television
|show_name = Archer
|image = [[File:Archer 2010 Intertitle.png|250px]]
|caption = Title card for the first four seasons of ''Archer''.
|genre = [[Action (fiction)|Action]] [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]] [[Black comedy]] [[Crime drama|Crime]] [[Dramedy]] [[Espionage]] [[Sitcom]]
|format = [[Animated series]]
|runtime = 19–21 minutes
|creator = [[Adam Reed]]
|voices = [[H. Jon Benjamin]] [[Judy Greer]] [[Amber Nash]] [[Chris Parnell]] [[Aisha Tyler]] [[Jessica Walter]] [[George Coe]] [[Adam Reed]] Lucky Yates
|country = {{TVUS|United States}}
|network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
|picture_format = [[16:9]] [[HDTV]]
|first_aired = January 14, 2010
|last_aired = present
|company = [[Floyd County Productions]] Radical Axis [[FX (TV channel)|FX Productions]]
|executive_producer = [[Adam Reed]] [[Matt Thompson (animator)|Matt Thompson]]
|producer = Neal Holman Eric Sims Casey Willis Bryan Fordney
|num_seasons = 5
|num_episodes = 50
|list_episodes = List of Archer episodes
|website = http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer
|related = ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' ''
}}

'''''Archer''''' is an American animated [[comedy]] television series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=2009-11-16|author=Toomey, Johnathon|accessdate=2010-01-04}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite news | author=Joyce Eng | title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule| url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx| work=TVGuide.com}}</ref> The show carries a [[TV-MA|TV-MA-LSV]] rating.

The inspiration for ''Archer'' came to Reed while in a cafe in [[Salamanca]], [[Spain]]. Finding himself unable to approach a beautiful woman seated nearby, Reed conjured up the idea of a spy who "would have a perfect line".<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/01/11/new-fx-series-archer-puts-animated-twist-on-spy-genre/|title=New FX Series "Archer" Puts an Animated Twist on the Spy Genre|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=2010-01-11 | first=Jamin | last=Brophy-Warren}}</ref> Reed conceived the show's concept while walking along the [[Vía de la Plata]] in 2008.<ref name="pdf">{{cite web|url=http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/assets/download/Archer_MG_Final.pdf|title=Jan. 14 Thurs. 10 PM|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|page=4}}</ref> He [[pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] his idea to [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], which accepted it and ordered six episodes, along with an additional four scripts.<ref name="am">{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483|title=FX Orders 6 Episodes of Archer Toon|work=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=2009-08-18|author=Zahed, Ramin|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100116005116/http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483| archivedate= 16 January 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The show's [[Archer (season 5)|fifth season]] serves as a [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] for the series, known as '''''Archer Vice'''''.<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> The format moves away from the [[Cold War]]-inspired espionage setting and depicts the characters embarking on a life of [[crime]] as they attempt to sell one-ton of [[cocaine]].<ref name=StarPulse>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Premise==
===''Archer''===
Set at ISIS, the International Secret Intelligence Service in [[New York City]], suave and incredibly self-centered master spy Sterling Archer deals with global [[espionage]]; his domineering, emotionally distant mother and boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend (and fellow ISIS agent), Lana Kane; and his other ISIS co-workers (including fellow agent Ray Gillette, accountant Cyril Figgis, Human Resources Director Pam Poovey, dimwitted secretary Cheryl Tunt, and Applied Research head Doctor Krieger); as well as a code name: "Duchess" (after his mother's deceased [[Afghan Hound]]).<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

===''Archer Vice''===
{{Main|Archer (season 5)}}
[[File:Archer Vice Intertitle.png|thumb|left|200px|Title card for ''Archer Vice''.]]
When ISIS is disbanded by the [[U.S. government]], its former employees discover a hidden stockpile of [[cocaine]] that the agency accumulated from previous operations. They establish a new headquarters in Cheryl Tunt's manor and form a [[drug cartel]], before heading [[Southern United States|south]] to sell the cocaine to fund their retirements.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/08/archer-season-5-to-take-inspiration-from-breaking-bad-as-isis-disband-to-sell-drugs-4254081/|title=Archer season 5 to take inspiration from Breaking Bad as ISIS disband to sell drugs|publisher=Metro|date=8 January 2014|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> Cheryl, who is already extremely wealthy, instead decides to launch a new career as a [[country singer]]. Along the way, the group attract the attention of rival gangs and face problems that arise from the characters adapting to their new roles.<ref name="OOU"/>

===Time period===
The show's time setting is [[Anachronism#Comical anachronism|comically anachronistic]], deliberately mixing technologies, clothing styles and historical backdrops of different decades. The characters wear 1960s clothing and hairstyles, and many episodes feature references to the [[Soviet Union]] as a current nation — yet in the fourth season episode "Once Bitten", [[Turkmenistan]] is an independent nation rather than a Soviet republic — and also contains references to [[Fidel Castro]] as the current leader of [[Cuba]]. The show frequently uses pop culture references which are contemporary to the 2010s, yet character backstories place them at older events — such as Woodhouse's service in [[World War I]], or Malory's involvement in various espionage events of the [[Cold War]] era — which would require them to be much older than they are if the show were actually set in the 21st century. The technological sophistication within the series also varies, with characters using dated computer technology (e.g. [[reel-to-reel]] [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] systems, desktop computers resembling very closely the [[Apple Lisa]], [[dot-matrix printers]] and [[punchcards]]) and making surveillance recordings on [[cassette tape]] rather than digitally, but also using modern devices such as cell phones, [[GPS]] devices, and laser gunsights. This ambiguity is explicitly recognized in at least two episodes, in which characters are unable to answer when asked what year they think it is.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Archer episodes}}
The show's first season ran from January 14 to March 18, 2010, and the second season premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref>http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/fx-renews-archer-.html</ref> The season 1 DVD was released in [[Region 1]] on December 28, 2010. On December 17, 2010 the first season of Archer also aired in [[Germany]] on [[Comedy Central Germany]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} On March 29, 2011 it was announced that [[FX Network]] had ordered a 16-episode third season of ''Archer''.<ref name=thirdseason>{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Kate|title=It's official: 'Justified,' 'Archer' renewed at FX|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/29/its-official-justified-archer-renewed-at-fx/|work=Inside TV|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=March 29, 2011}}</ref> A three episode special dubbed "The Heart of Archness" was aired in September 2011. Ten new episodes from season 3 began airing on January 19, 2012.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|last=Nehra|first=Pete|title=Aiesha Tayler on Sklarboro Country |url=http://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-beauty-episode/|work=Interview Podcast|publisher=Earwolf.com|accessdate=July 8, 2011}}</ref> On February 23, 2012, FX ordered a 13-episode fourth season of ''Archer''<ref name=fourthseason>{{cite web|last=Surette|first=Time|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 4|url=http://www.tv.com/news/fx-renews-archer-for-season-4-27914/|work=TV.com|publisher=CBS Entertainment|accessdate=February 23, 2012}}</ref> which premiered on January 17, 2013.<ref name=fourthseasonrelease>{{cite web|last=Nova|first=Sasha|title=Archer season 4 Premier Announced|url=http://www.boomtron.com/2012/11/justified-archer/|work=boomtron.com|accessdate=November 29, 2012}}</ref> On February 27, 2013, FX renewed the show for a fifth season consisting of 13 episodes.<ref>{{cite news|last=Seat42f|title=FX Renews Archer For A Fifth Season|url=http://www.seat42f.com/fx-renews-archer-for-a-fifth-season.html|accessdate=27 February 2013}}</ref>

==Characters==
{{main|List of Archer characters}}
* [[Sterling Archer|Sterling Malory Archer]] ([[H. Jon Benjamin]]), codename: ''Duchess'', is 184 lb, 6'2", 36 years old, and is considered the world's most dangerous secret agent and is similar to [[James Bond]]. He is extremely egotistical and self-involved. Though he shows proficiency in stereotypical spy skills—weapons, driving, martial arts—his only real interest in the job is the opportunity to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle full of sex, alcohol, thrills, lacrosse, fast cars, spy gadgets and turtleneck sweaters.

* Lana Kane ([[Aisha Tyler]]) is the top female agent at ISIS and Archer's ex-girlfriend. A tall, beautiful woman, she is a competent and deadly agent but is constantly frustrated that she is treated as the number two ISIS field agent because Archer's mother runs the agency. The fact that she is tall and has abnormally large hands are often a source of fodder for jokes at her expense. She is revealed to be pregnant at the end of the fourth season, though the identity of the father is currently unknown, aside from it not being Cyril Figgis. Her name is reminiscent of Lanacane, a pharmaceutical company that produces anti-itching cream.<ref name="cane">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/14/entertainment/la-et-archer14-2010jan14|title='Archer': The new cartoon on FX is more office comedy than spy spoof|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|date=January 14, 2010|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

* Malory Archer ([[Jessica Walter]]), Sterling Archer's mother and the head of ISIS, is a self-centered alcoholic who regularly hatches half-baked, invariably disastrous schemes to use the agency's resources to her own personal advantage. She has staged a false assassination attempt on a U.N. official to secure a lucrative government contract, called in fake threats to restaurants and air ships in order to get reservations and cabin berths, sent ISIS agents to blow up an oil pipeline in [[Turkmenistan]], murdered the Prime Minister of [[Italy]] and tricked the ISIS staff into disposing of the body, assisted a [[coyote (smuggler)|coyote]] syndicate so she could use the reward money to redecorate her office, and attempted to salvage a hydrogen bomb from the ocean so she could ransom it back to the U.S. government.

* Cyril Figgis ([[Chris Parnell]]) is the [[comptroller]] of ISIS. Cyril is portrayed as quite competent at his job, but is plagued by a number of personal issues. He is eventually promoted to secret agent, but is incredibly incompetent at that. He was Lana Kane's love interest at the beginning of Season 1, but due to residual trust issues from her relationship with Archer (and her finding out Cyril was cheating on her repeatedly), she refused to call Cyril her boyfriend or say she loved him.

* [[Cheryl Tunt]] ([[Judy Greer]]) also known as Carol, is Malory's [[secretary]]. In the pilot episode, she was portrayed as a lovesick, ditzy secretary frequently taken advantage of by Archer, but that side of her character was gradually phased out as her behavior became more and more unhinged: she has [[pyromania]]c and [[Sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] tendencies and is often sniffing or swallowing rubber cement. She is also revealed to be an heiress with a fortune of half a billion dollars (it was 1 billion, but she had to split it with her "stupid brother Cecil" <ref name="El secuestro">Archer, Season 2, Episode 10.</ref>).

* Pam Poovey ([[Amber Nash]]) is ISIS's [[Human Resources]] Director. A gossipy pot smoker who is the brunt of many jokes regarding her weight, she serves as a foil for most of the members of the cast, often calling them out on their zany schemes. Though not a field agent (until season four, episode ten), she is a trained drift car racer and bare knuckle fighter, with over a dozen kills under her belt (represented on her back, along with the third verse of [[Lord Byron]]'s poem "[[The Destruction of Sennacherib]]" in tattoo form). Among her other interests are graffiti, directing amateur tentacle porn, and cock-fighting with [[Siamese fighting fish]].

* Mr. Doctor Algernop<ref>tie-in book ''How To Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' by Sterling Archer, p. 27</ref> Krieger (Lucky Yates), is the head of the ISIS applied research department. He spends most of his time working on projects to facilitate his kinky sexual fantasies. He has had several holographic anime-style girlfriends, and has developed the technology to turn human beings into cyborgs. It is discovered he shares blood ties to Adolf Hitler, being one of the [[The Boys from Brazil (film)|"Boys from Brazil"]]. He has an affinity for [[Rush (band)|Rush]] and in one episode is shown to own a [[drum kit]] identical to that of Rush drummer [[Neil Peart]]. He is not an actual doctor, however: Doctor is his first name.

* Ray Gillette ([[Adam Reed]]) is an openly [[gay]] intelligence analyst and one of the few competent members of ISIS. Along with Lana, he serves as the voice of reason on the show. Raised in an impoverished part of West Virginia, he was once an ordained minister, as well as an Olympic bronze medalist in giant slalom. He spent most of season three pretending to be paralyzed after being injured on a rescue mission, but was actually paralyzed following a space shuttle crash at the end of the season. In season four, he receives [[Bionics|bionic]] legs, allowing him to walk again, however in the season four finale, the CPU controlling his bionic legs is damaged, rendering him once again paralyzed in a wheelchair. Gillette appeared only three times in the first season, becoming a regular character from the second onward.

* Woodhouse ([[George Coe]], [[Roy McCrery]] in flashbacks) is Sterling's long-suffering, heroin-addict, English [[valet]], who patiently accepts the unending stream of abuse hurled at him by Archer, in part due to Archer's resemblance to a pilot friend of his from World War I whom Woodhouse had an unrequited crush on. He also bears an uncanny resemblance to the Pope, as revealed in the fourth season. His name is a tip to the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]'' creator, [[P.G. Wodehouse]]. {{cn|date=January 2014}}

== Production ==
[[File:Archer pilot.jpg|thumb|left|Screenshot from Archer TV series.]]
Each episode of Archer takes a couple of months to produce following the completion of the script. The show is mostly animated by Reed's Floyd County Productions in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref name="reed">{{cite web|url=http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php|title=Archer Crew|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20091231141635/http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php| archivedate= 31 December 2009 | deadurl= no}}</ref> while 3D background models are made by Trinity Animation in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name="foxnews">{{cite news|title = Local Animators Ready for Cable Debut with 'Archer'|publisher = FOX4 News|date = January 5, 2010| url = http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-trinity-animation-archer-010510,0,1725954.story}}</ref> Originally, [[Radical Axis (studio)|Radical Axis]] housed the show's animation staff for Season 1, but the crew has since moved to their own facilities close to [[Emory University]].

[[File:Archer cast at Comic-Con in 2010.jpg|thumb|right|''From left to right:'' Aisha Tyler, Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer and Amber Nash at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con International]] in 2010]]
The artistic style of the series was designed to be as realistic as possible, so the character designers used as much reference material as they could.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10837/Exclusive:_Adam_Reed_On_The_Origins_Of_FX%27s_%27Archer%27 Exclusive: Adam Reed On The Origins Of FX's 'Archer']</ref> The character drawings are based on Atlanta-area models; they coincidentally resemble some of the voice actors in the series.<ref name=Gelman1/> As Chad Hurd, the lead character designer for the series, noted, the end result resembles "a 1960s comic book come to life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/|title=Hey Everyone!|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|author=Hurd, Chad|date=2009-11-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100201024835/http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/| archivedate= 1 February 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Television critics have also compared the show's overall visual style to that of the drama series ''[[Mad Men]]'',<ref>[http://www.awn.com/articles/2d/spy-spoofing-archer "Spy Spoofing in Archer"]. Animation World Network, January 14, 2010.</ref> as well as noting that lead character Sterling Archer, in particular, bears a substantial resemblance to ''Mad Men'''s protagonist [[Don Draper]].<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/14/2010-01-14_spy_satire_archer_a_bullseye.html "FX spy satire 'Archer' a bull's-eye"]. ''[[New York Daily News]]'', January 14, 2010.</ref> The artwork is also similar to the original [[Jonny Quest]] cartoon series penned by artist Doug Wildey in the 1960s.

Stylistically, the show is a mix of several different time periods; show creator [[Adam Reed]] described it as "intentionally ill-defined", noting that the show "cherry-pick[ed] the best and easiest from several decades".<ref name=Gelman1/> Numerous plot details arise from contemporary culture, such as [[affirmative action]] and [[sexual harassment]] complaints.

''Archer'' is influenced by the early [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]] films, as well as [[OSS 117]], [[The Man from U.N.C.L.E]] and [[The Pink Panther]],<ref name=Gelman1 /> and can be compared to Reed's former shows for Adult Swim, ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Driven by rapid-fire dialogue<ref name=Miller1>{{cite news|title=Spy guy Archer returns in TV’s saltiest show |first=Michael |last=Miller |url=http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/01/25/spy-guy-archer-returns-in-tv%E2%80%99s-saltiest-show/ |newspaper=[[Toledo Free Press Star]] |date=2011-01-25 |accessdate=2011-03-04}}</ref> and interaction-based drama, the series is "stuff[ed]...with [[pop-culture]] references"<ref name=Tucker1>{{cite web|url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/01/27/archer-season-2-fx-adult-family-guy/ |title='Archer' season premiere review: Is this the best (adult) cartoon on TV? |first=Ken |last=Tucker |date=2011-01-27 |work=Ken Tucker's TV |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |accessdate=2011-03-04 |quote=Creator Adam Reed and his collaborators stuff every half-hour with pop-culture references that zip by as quickly as Archer’s snow-mobile did this evening.}}</ref> and features an anachronistic style, using fashion from the early 1960s, a mix of 1980s-era and modern technology and a political status quo in which "the [[Cold War]] never ended".<ref name=Gelman1>{{cite interview |last=Reed |first=Adam |subjectlink=Adam Reed |interviewer=Vlada Gelman |program=[[The A.V. Club]]|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed,52336/ |date=2011-02-24 |accessdate=2011-02-24}}</ref>

==Relation to other media==

=== ''Arrested Development'' ===
[[Jessica Walter]], [[Jeffrey Tambor]], [[David Cross]], and [[Judy Greer]] previously starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] critically acclaimed comedy series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. Since both shows largely revolve around feuds and rivalry disputes between family members, ''Archer'' has been described by its creator, [[Adam Reed]], as "''[[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]]'' meets ''Arrested Development''{{-"}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-16-archer_N.htm|title=FX's 'Archer': Bond meets 'Arrested Development'|last=Levin|first=Gary|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=July 16, 2009|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> There are also notable similarities between the characters played by Greer, Walter and Tambor. Of particular note is Archer's relationship with his mother, which parallels somewhat Buster Bluth's relationship with Lucille Bluth, including the fact that both sons refer to her as 'Mother' and are still under great parental influence as adults. Judy Greer's character is a "lovelorn secretary",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/01/06/jeffrey-tambor-jessica-walter-to-reunite-on-archer/|title=Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter to Reunite on 'Archer'|last=Lee|first=Allyssa|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=Jan 6, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Walter is the wealth-wielding [[matriarch]] and Tambor, while not the husband, is her long-lost passion interest and possibly Sterling's biological father as well (which is similar to Tambor's secondary role on ''Arrested Development'', [[Oscar Bluth|Oscar]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/01/05/fx-archer-jeffrey-tambor-arrested-development/|title=Exclusive: 'Arrested Development' reunion coming to FX (but there's a catch)!|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=Jan 5, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Both shows also frequently use [[Callback (comedy)|callbacks]] and [[catchphrase]]s. Walter stated in an interview that she became interested in ''Archer'' after her manager sent her the pilot script describing Malory as "Think Jessica Walter in ''Arrested Development''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popculturemadness.com/interview/2011/Jessica-Walter.html|title=Jessica Walter PCM interview|publisher=Pop Culture Madness|accessdate=December 18, 2011}}</ref>

=== ''Sealab 2021'' and ''Frisky Dingo'' ===
Just as some series voice-actors have worked together previously, notable people on the ''Archer'' animation and production teams (such as Adam Reed and Matt Thompson) were also cooperatively involved in several shows for [[Adult Swim]], most notably ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''. All three shows share similar animation styles; a trademark which initially began with ''Sealab's'' cut-and-paste juxtaposition of vintage cartoon clips and modern dialogue, was modernized with computer animation for ''Frisky Dingo,'' and continues with essentially unchanged appearances for some characters in ''Archer.'' The show also shares numerous stylistic and character development similarities with its two predecessors.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One of the supporting characters from ''Frisky Dingo'', Mr. Ford, makes a cameo appearance in "Drift Problem", the seventh episode of Season 3 of Archer, repeating one of his ''Frisky Dingo'' catchphrases ("My ass is everywhere.").

Additionally, the [[List of Archer episodes|season 4 finale]] (Sea Tunt: Part II) included a nod to ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' (a show that series creator Adam Reed previously worked on<ref>[http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4517 Archer's Adam Reed]</ref>), featuring an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy (''Sealab 2021'' revolved around an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy). The character bore a heavy resemblance to the aforementioned ''Sealab 2021'' character both in appearance and mannerisms. He is later killed by an off brand soda machine, which is the central plot of an episode of Sealab 2021. As a tribute to [[Harry Goz]], the actor who played Captain Murphy in Sealab 2021, the soda machine dispenses Goz soda in the Archer episode.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/season_4_of_archer_reviewed/week_13/archer_season_4_sealab_finale_jon_hamm_s_deadpan_brilliance_and_an_intense.html Archer, Season 4: Jon Hamm’s deadpan brilliance and an intense underwater escape make for the perfect season finale.]</ref><ref>[http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/04/archer-review-teotwawki-in-sealab-2021/ Archer Season Finale Review: TEOTWAWKI in Sealab 2021]</ref>

===''Bob's Burgers''===
The fourth season opening scene had Archer working in ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'', under an assumed identity. Both shows share [[H. Jon Benjamin]] as their lead voice actor (Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher).<ref>[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/06/archer-bobs-burger-crossover-h-jon-benjamin/ Next 'Archer' season will include a 'Bob's Burgers' crossover episode -- EXCLUSIVE]</ref> The two-part season finale of season four also stars Bob's Burgers actors [[Eugene Mirman]] and [[Kristen Schaal]].<ref>[http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130312fx06/ The Futon Critic - Listings: Archer, S4E12]</ref>

==Reception==
The show has seen positive reviews, scoring a 78/100 on [[Metacritic]] for its first season, 88/100 for its second, indicating "universal acclaim", 75/100 for its third, and 80/100 for its fourth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/archer|title=''Metacritic reviews''}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called it a wittily raunchy spy spoof,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,4,00.html|title=''EW Archer review'' }}</ref> and the ''[[Miami Herald]]'' referred to it as "a millennial (and very much R-rated) ''[[Get Smart]]'' that acerbically and hilariously plays on our post-9/11 fears that 'U.S. government intelligence' might be a grim oxymoron."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/01/14/1422121/review-archer-an-r-rated-spy-romp.html|title=''Miami Herald Archer review'' }}</ref> The show has been nominated for a 2010 Emmy and a 2012 Annie Award.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

==DVD release==
{| class="wikitable"
!DVD name!!Region 1 release date!!Region 2 release date!!Region 4 release date!!Blu-ray release date!!Episode count!! Discs !! Additional content
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 1)|Season 1]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 28, 2010<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1/10572 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 2, 2011<ref>http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17493614/Archer-Season-1/Product.html</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|March 2, 2011<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817738 Archer - The Complete Season 1 (2 Disc Set)]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1-Blu-ray/11735 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| An allegedly unaired ''Archer'' pilot titled ''Archersaurus'' (essentially the first episode with Archer replaced by a human sized [[velociraptor]]), an unaired network promo, deleted scenes, a six-part "The Making of ''Archer''" featurette, bonus episodes from ''[[The League]]'' and ''[[Louie (TV series)|Louie]]''.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 2)|Season 2]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2/11737 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 7, 2012<ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0058SFA7W Archer - Season 2 [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler: Film & TV]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|February 29, 2012<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-2/dp/6107777 Archer - The Complete Season 2]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2-Blu-ray/11736 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| ''Archersaurus'' - Self Extinction; Ask Archer; Semper Fi; L'espion Mal Fait; ISIS infiltrates Comic-con.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 3 (2011–2013)|Season 3]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 8, 2013<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 Archer DVD news: Announcement for Archer - Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
|
|March 13, 2013<ref>http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/archer-season-3/678901 Archer - Season 3 JBHIFI</ref>
|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Commentaries on "El Contador", "Drift Problem", and "Lo Scandalo "; extended version of "Heart of Archness"; Audio Book Fail; Cooking with Archer; and [[Trailer (promotion)|trailer]] for ''Gator 2''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 4 (2013)|Season 4]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|February 5, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-4/dp/6148128|title=Archer Season 4 on DVD|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Fisherman's Daughter; and Archer Live!
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}

==Book==
''How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' (ISBN 9780062066312) a how-to book "written" by Sterling Archer was released January 17, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/How-Archer-Sterling-Archer/ |title=How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written By Sterling Archer |work=[[HarperCollins]] |accessdate=April 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2010, H. Jon Benjamin was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voiceover Performance]].<ref>[http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2010/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance 2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]</ref> On July 17, 2010, ''Archer'' won the [[NewNowNext Awards|NewNowNext Award]] for "Best Show You're Not Watching".<ref>[http://www.newnownextawards.com/ 2012 NewNowNext Awards | Vote for Everything New, Now and Next in Pop Culture | Logo TV Awards]</ref> ''Archer'' was nominated for and won Best Animated Comedy Series at the 2012 [[The Comedy Awards|Comedy Awards]].

''Archer'' was also nominated for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series|Best Comedy Series]] at the [[1st Critics' Choice Television Awards|2011 Critics' Choice Television Awards]]. It won the [[2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2012 Critics' Choice Television Award]] and [[3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2013 Critics' Choice Television Award]] for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series|Best Animated Series]].<ref>[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055689?refcatid=14 NBC, 'Community' top Critics Choice Awards - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety]</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Archer (TV series)|Archer}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer}}
*{{IMDb title|1486217|Archer}}
*{{tv.com show|archer|Archer}}

{{Archer}}
{{Radical Axis}}
{{FXNetwork Shows}}
{{Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:2009 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s American television series]]
[[Category:2010s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s American television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:American animated television series]]
[[Category:Animated sitcoms]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]
[[Category:Espionage television series]]
[[Category:FX network shows]]
[[Category:Black comedy television programs]]

List of Archer episodes

2014-01-14T10:24:13Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Season 5 */

{{DISPLAYTITLE:List of ''Archer'' episodes}}
[[File:Archer 2009 logo.svg|right|250px]]
''[[Archer (TV series)|Archer]]'' is a half-hour animated comedy series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A sneak peek of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|last=Toomey|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|work=TV Squad|date=September 16, 2009|accessdate=September 16, 2009}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eng|first=Joyce|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx|title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule|work=TV Guide|date=December 1, 2009|accessdate=December 1, 2009}}</ref> On February 22, 2010, FX announced that it had ordered a 13-episode second season of ''Archer'', which premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref name="press release">{{cite web|url=http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10020/'Archer'_Season_2_Gets_A_Premiere_Date|title=''Archer" Season 2 Gets a Premiere Date|publisher=Fanbolt}}</ref> On March 29, 2011, FX renewed ''Archer'' for a 16-episode third season that was eventually reduced to 13 episodes.<ref name ="Season 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/fx-renews-archer-eyes-another-drama-series-for-fall-comedy-drama-for-2012/|title=FX Renews ‘Archer’, Plans Another Drama Series For Fall, Comedy & Drama For 2012|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=March 29, 2011|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name ="S3 reduction">{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed-walks-us-through-archers-third-season-pa,72917/|title=Adam Reed walks us through Archer's third season (Part 1 of 3)|last=VanDerWerff|first=Todd|date=April 24, 2012|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref> ''Archer'' was renewed again in February 2012 for a fourth season, and again in February 2013 for a fifth season.<ref name ="Season 4">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/02/23/fxs-atlanta-created-archer-renewed-for-fourth-season/?cxntlid=thbz_hm|title=FX’s Atlanta-created ‘Archer’ renewed for fourth season|first=Rodney|last=Ho|work=Atlanta Journal Constitution|date=February 24, 2012|accessdate=March 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name ="Season 5">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/fx-renews-archer-for-season-5|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 5|last=Nicholson|first=Max|date=February 27, 2013|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref>

Set at the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS), suave master spy [[Sterling Archer]] deals with global [[espionage]]; a domineering, late middle-aged mother/boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend, Agent Lana Kane; ISIS accountant Cyril Figgis; and a less-than-masculine code name—"Duchess".<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

As of April 11, 2013, 49 episodes have aired.

== Series overview ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! style="padding: 0 8px;" colspan="2" rowspan="2"| Season
! style="padding: 0 8px;" rowspan="2"| Episodes
! colspan="2"| Original airing
! colspan="3"| [[DVD]] release date
|-
! [[Season premiere]]
! [[Season finale]]
! [[Region 1]]
! [[Region 2]]
! [[Region 4]]
|-
|style="background: #000000;"|
|'''[[#Season 1 (2009-10)|1]]'''
|10
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| September 17, 2009
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{End date|2010|3|18}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2010|12|28}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|5|2}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|3|2}}
|-
|style="background: #FE5B35;"|
|'''[[#Season 2 (2011)|2]]'''
|13
|{{Start date|2011|1|27}}
|{{End date|2011|4|21}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|12|27}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|3|26}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|2|29}}
|-
|style="background: #86c9e9;"|
|'''[[#Season 3 (2011–12)|3]]'''
|13
|{{Start date|2011|9|15|}}
|{{End date|2012|3|22}}
|{{Start date|2013|1|8}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 |title=Archer - 'Season 3' on Blu-ray Disc and DVD: Packaging, Street Date, Extras, More! |publisher=TVShowsonDVD|date=2012-07-31 |accessdate=2012-08-01}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2013|7|01}}<ref>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-Season-H-Jon-Benjamin/dp/B0083UFDNI/ref=pd_cp_d_h__1</ref>
|2013
|-
|bgcolor="D3D3D3" height="10px"|
|align="center"| '''[[#Season 4 (2013)|4]]'''
|align="center"| 13<ref name ="Season 4"/>
| January 17, 2013
| April 11, 2013
| January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|-
|bgcolor="#FF64FF" height="10px"|
|align="center"| '''[[#Season 5|5]]'''
|align="center"| 13<ref name="S5air">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/11/05/fx-sets-january-premiere-dates-for-justified-archer-the-americans-set-to-premiere-in-february/213872/|title=FX Sets January Premiere Dates for 'Justified', 'Archer' & 'Chozen'; 'The Americans' Set to Premiere in February|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|publisher=TV by the Number|date=November 5, 2013|accessdate=November 5, 2013}}</ref>
| January 13, 2014<ref name="S5air" />
| TBA
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|}

== Episode list ==

=== Season 1 (2009-10) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 1)}}
{{:Archer (season 1)}}

=== Season 2 (2011) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 2)}}
{{:Archer (season 2)}}

=== Season 3 (2011–12) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 3)}}
{{:Archer (season 3)}}

=== Season 4 (2013) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 4)}}
{{:Archer (season 4)}}

===Season 5 (2014)===
{{Main|Archer (season 5)}}
{{:Archer (season 5)}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer/}} - United States only
* [http://staytoonedin.com/?tv-article=archer-season-3-review-spoilers Staytoonedin] Exclusive Archer Content
* {{IMDb episodes|1486217|Archer}}
* {{Tv.com episodes|archer|77555|Archer}}

{{Archer}}

[[Category:Lists of American television series episodes|Archer]]
[[Category:Lists of American animated television series episodes|Archer]]
[[Category:Archer episodes|*]]

Archer (2009 TV series)

2014-01-13T23:31:03Z

Dorsal Axe: /* Archer Vice */ Another ref

{{infobox television
|show_name = Archer
|image = [[File:Archer 2010 Intertitle.png|250px]]
|caption = Title card for the first four seasons of ''Archer''.
|genre = [[Action (fiction)|Action]] [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]] [[Espionage]] [[Dramedy]] [[Black comedy]] [[Sitcom]]
|format = [[Animated series]]
|runtime = 19–21 minutes
|creator = [[Adam Reed]]
|voices = [[H. Jon Benjamin]] [[Judy Greer]] [[Amber Nash]] [[Chris Parnell]] [[Aisha Tyler]] [[Jessica Walter]] [[George Coe]] [[Adam Reed]] Lucky Yates
|country = {{TVUS|United States}}
|network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
|picture_format = [[16:9]] [[HDTV]]
|first_aired = '''Episode 1 sneak peek:''' {{Start date|2009|9|17}} '''Official:''' January 14, 2010
|last_aired = present
|company = [[Floyd County Productions]] Radical Axis [[FX (TV channel)|FX Productions]]
|executive_producer = [[Adam Reed]] [[Matt Thompson (animator)|Matt Thompson]]
|producer = Neal Holman Eric Sims Casey Willis Bryan Fordney
|num_seasons = 5
|num_episodes = 49 (and 1 unaired pilot)
|list_episodes = List of Archer episodes
|website = http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer
|related = ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''
}}

'''''Archer''''' is an American animated [[comedy]] television series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=2009-11-16|author=Toomey, Johnathon|accessdate=2010-01-04}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite news | author=Joyce Eng | title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule| url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx| work=TVGuide.com}}</ref> The show carries a [[TV-MA|TV-MA-LSV]] rating.

The inspiration for ''Archer'' came to Reed while in a cafe in [[Salamanca]], [[Spain]]. Finding himself unable to approach a beautiful woman seated nearby, Reed conjured up the idea of a spy who "would have a perfect line".<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/01/11/new-fx-series-archer-puts-animated-twist-on-spy-genre/|title=New FX Series "Archer" Puts an Animated Twist on the Spy Genre|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=2010-01-11 | first=Jamin | last=Brophy-Warren}}</ref> Reed conceived the show's concept while walking along the [[Vía de la Plata]] in 2008.<ref name="pdf">{{cite web|url=http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/assets/download/Archer_MG_Final.pdf|title=Jan. 14 Thurs. 10 PM|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|page=4}}</ref> He [[pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] his idea to [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], which accepted it and ordered six episodes, along with an additional four scripts.<ref name="am">{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483|title=FX Orders 6 Episodes of Archer Toon|work=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=2009-08-18|author=Zahed, Ramin|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100116005116/http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483| archivedate= 16 January 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The show's [[Archer (season 5)|fifth season]] serves as a [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] for the series, known as '''''Archer Vice'''''.<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> The new format moves away from the [[Cold War]]-inspired espionage setting and depicts the characters embarking on a life of crime as they attempt to sell one-ton of [[cocaine]].<ref name=StarPulse>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Premise==
===''Archer''===
Set at ISIS, the International Secret Intelligence Service in [[New York City]], suave and incredibly self-centered master spy Sterling Archer deals with global [[espionage]]; his domineering, emotionally distant mother and boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend (and fellow ISIS agent), Lana Kane; and his other ISIS co-workers (including fellow agent Ray Gillette, accountant Cyril Figgis, Human Resources Director Pam Poovey, dimwitted secretary Cheryl Tunt, and Applied Research head Doctor Krieger); as well as a code name: "Duchess" (after his mother's deceased [[Afghan Hound]]).<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

===''Archer Vice''===
When ISIS is disbanded by the [[U.S. government]], its former employees discover the agency's hidden stockpile of [[cocaine]]. They establish a new headquarters in Cheryl Tunt's manor and form a [[drug cartel]] to sell the cocaine to fund their retirements.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/08/archer-season-5-to-take-inspiration-from-breaking-bad-as-isis-disband-to-sell-drugs-4254081/|title=Archer season 5 to take inspiration from Breaking Bad as ISIS disband to sell drugs|publisher=Metro|date=8 January 2014|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> Along the way, they attract the attention of rival gangs and face problems that arise from the characters adapting to their new roles.<ref name="OOU"/>

===Time period===
The show's time setting is [[Anachronism#Comical anachronism|comically anachronistic]], deliberately mixing technologies, clothing styles and historical backdrops of different decades. The characters wear 1960s clothing and hairstyles, and many episodes feature references to the [[Soviet Union]] as a current nation — yet in the fourth season episode "Once Bitten", [[Turkmenistan]] is an independent nation rather than a Soviet republic — and also contains references to [[Fidel Castro]] as the current leader of [[Cuba]]. The show frequently uses pop culture references which are contemporary to the 2010s, yet character backstories place them at older events — such as Woodhouse's service in [[World War I]], or Malory's involvement in various espionage events of the [[Cold War]] era — which would require them to be much older than they are if the show were actually set in the 21st century. The technological sophistication within the series also varies, with characters using dated computer technology (e.g. [[reel-to-reel]] [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] systems, desktop computers resembling very closely the [[Apple Lisa]], [[dot-matrix printers]] and [[punchcards]]) and making surveillance recordings on [[cassette tape]] rather than digitally, but also using modern devices such as cell phones, [[GPS]] devices, and laser gunsights. This ambiguity is explicitly recognized in at least two episodes, in which characters are unable to answer when asked what year they think it is.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Archer episodes}}
The show's first season ran from January 14 to March 18, 2010, and the second season premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref>http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/fx-renews-archer-.html</ref> The season 1 DVD was released in [[Region 1]] on December 28, 2010. On December 17, 2010 the first season of Archer also aired in [[Germany]] on [[Comedy Central Germany]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} On March 29, 2011 it was announced that [[FX Network]] had ordered a 16-episode third season of ''Archer''.<ref name=thirdseason>{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Kate|title=It's official: 'Justified,' 'Archer' renewed at FX|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/29/its-official-justified-archer-renewed-at-fx/|work=Inside TV|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=March 29, 2011}}</ref> A three episode special dubbed "The Heart of Archness" was aired in September 2011. Ten new episodes from season 3 began airing on January 19, 2012.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|last=Nehra|first=Pete|title=Aiesha Tayler on Sklarboro Country |url=http://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-beauty-episode/|work=Interview Podcast|publisher=Earwolf.com|accessdate=July 8, 2011}}</ref> On February 23, 2012, FX ordered a 13-episode fourth season of ''Archer''<ref name=fourthseason>{{cite web|last=Surette|first=Time|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 4|url=http://www.tv.com/news/fx-renews-archer-for-season-4-27914/|work=TV.com|publisher=CBS Entertainment|accessdate=February 23, 2012}}</ref> which premiered on January 17, 2013.<ref name=fourthseasonrelease>{{cite web|last=Nova|first=Sasha|title=Archer season 4 Premier Announced|url=http://www.boomtron.com/2012/11/justified-archer/|work=boomtron.com|accessdate=November 29, 2012}}</ref> On February 27, 2013, FX renewed the show for a fifth season consisting of 13 episodes.<ref>{{cite news|last=Seat42f|title=FX Renews Archer For A Fifth Season|url=http://www.seat42f.com/fx-renews-archer-for-a-fifth-season.html|accessdate=27 February 2013}}</ref>

==Characters==
{{main|List of Archer characters}}
* [[Sterling Archer|Sterling Malory Archer]] ([[H. Jon Benjamin]]), codename: ''Duchess'', is 184 lb, 6'2", 36 years old, and is considered the world's most dangerous secret agent and is similar to [[James Bond]]. He is extremely egotistical and self-involved. Though he shows proficiency in stereotypical spy skills—weapons, driving, martial arts—his only real interest in the job is the opportunity to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle full of sex, alcohol, thrills, lacrosse, fast cars, spy gadgets and turtleneck sweaters.

* Lana Kane ([[Aisha Tyler]]) is the top female agent at ISIS and Archer's ex-girlfriend. A tall, beautiful woman, she is a competent and deadly agent but is constantly frustrated that she is treated as the number two ISIS field agent because Archer's mother runs the agency. The fact that she is tall and has abnormally large hands are often a source of fodder for jokes at her expense. She is revealed to be pregnant at the end of the fourth season, though the identity of the father is presently unknown. Her name is reminiscent of Lanacane, a pharmaceutical company that produces anti-itching cream.<ref name="cane">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/14/entertainment/la-et-archer14-2010jan14|title='Archer': The new cartoon on FX is more office comedy than spy spoof|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|date=January 14, 2010|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

* Malory Archer ([[Jessica Walter]]), Sterling Archer's mother and the head of ISIS, is a self-centered alcoholic who regularly hatches half-baked, invariably disastrous schemes to use the agency's resources to her own personal advantage. She has staged a false assassination attempt on a U.N. official to secure a lucrative government contract, called in fake threats to restaurants and air ships in order to get reservations and cabin berths, sent ISIS agents to blow up an oil pipeline in [[Turkmenistan]], murdered the Prime Minister of [[Italy]] and tricked the ISIS staff into disposing of the body, assisted a [[coyote (smuggler)|coyote]] syndicate so she could use the reward money to redecorate her office, and attempted to salvage a hydrogen bomb from the ocean so she could ransom it back to the U.S. government.

* Cyril Figgis ([[Chris Parnell]]) is the [[comptroller]] of ISIS. Cyril is portrayed as quite competent at his job, but is plagued by a number of personal issues. He is eventually promoted to secret agent, but is incredibly incompetent at that. He was Lana Kane's love interest at the beginning of Season 1, but due to residual trust issues from her relationship with Archer (and her finding out Cyril was cheating on her repeatedly), she refused to call Cyril her boyfriend or say she loved him.

* [[Cheryl Tunt]] ([[Judy Greer]]) also known as Carol, is Malory's [[secretary]]. In the pilot episode, she was portrayed as a lovesick, ditzy secretary frequently taken advantage of by Archer, but that side of her character was gradually phased out as her behavior became more and more unhinged: she has [[pyromania]]c and [[Sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] tendencies and is often sniffing or swallowing rubber cement. She is also revealed to be an heiress with a fortune of half a billion dollars (it was 1 billion, but she had to split it with her "stupid brother Cecil" <ref name="El secuestro">Archer, Season 2, Episode 10.</ref>).

* Pam Poovey ([[Amber Nash]]) is ISIS's [[Human Resources]] Director. A gossipy pot smoker who is the brunt of many jokes regarding her weight, she serves as a foil for most of the members of the cast, often calling them out on their zany schemes. Though not a field agent (until season four, episode ten), she is a trained drift car racer and bare knuckle fighter, with over a dozen kills under her belt (represented on her back, along with the third verse of [[Lord Byron]]'s poem "[[The Destruction of Sennacherib]]" in tattoo form). Among her other interests are graffiti, directing amateur tentacle porn, and cock-fighting with [[Siamese fighting fish]].

* Mr. Doctor Algernop<ref>tie-in book ''How To Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' by Sterling Archer, p. 27</ref> Krieger (Lucky Yates), is the head of the ISIS applied research department. He spends most of his time working on projects to facilitate his kinky sexual fantasies. He has had several holographic anime-style girlfriends, and has developed the technology to turn human beings into cyborgs. It is discovered he shares blood ties to Adolf Hitler, being one of the [[The Boys from Brazil (film)|"Boys from Brazil"]]. He has an affinity for [[Rush (band)|Rush]] and in one episode is shown to own a [[drum kit]] identical to that of Rush drummer [[Neil Peart]]. He is not an actual doctor, however: Doctor is his first name.

* Ray Gillette ([[Adam Reed]]) is an openly [[gay]] intelligence analyst and one of the few competent members of ISIS. Along with Lana, he serves as the voice of reason on the show. Raised in an impoverished part of West Virginia, he was once an ordained minister, as well as an Olympic bronze medalist in giant slalom. He spent most of season three pretending to be paralyzed after being injured on a rescue mission, but was actually paralyzed following a space shuttle crash at the end of the season. In season four, he receives [[Bionics|bionic]] legs, allowing him to walk again, however in the season four finale, the CPU controlling his bionic legs is damaged, rendering him once again paralyzed in a wheelchair. Gillette appeared only three times in the first season, becoming a regular character from the second onward.

* Woodhouse ([[George Coe]], [[Roy McCrery]] in flashbacks) is Sterling's long-suffering, heroin-addict, English [[valet]], who patiently accepts the unending stream of abuse hurled at him by Archer, in part due to Archer's resemblance to a pilot friend of his from World War I whom Woodhouse had an unrequited crush on. He also bears an uncanny resemblance to the Pope, as revealed in the fourth season. His name is a tip to the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]'' creator, [[P.G. Wodehouse]].

== Production ==
[[File:Archer pilot.jpg|thumb|left|Screenshot from Archer TV series.]]
Each episode of Archer takes a couple of months to produce following the completion of the script. The show is mostly animated by Reed's Floyd County Productions in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref name="reed">{{cite web|url=http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php|title=Archer Crew|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20091231141635/http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php| archivedate= 31 December 2009 | deadurl= no}}</ref> while 3D background models are made by Trinity Animation in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name="foxnews">{{cite news|title = Local Animators Ready for Cable Debut with 'Archer'|publisher = FOX4 News|date = January 5, 2010| url = http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-trinity-animation-archer-010510,0,1725954.story}}</ref> Originally, [[Radical Axis (studio)|Radical Axis]] housed the show's animation staff for Season 1, but the crew has since moved to their own facilities close to [[Emory University]].

[[File:Archer cast at Comic-Con in 2010.jpg|thumb|right|''From left to right:'' Aisha Tyler, Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer and Amber Nash at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con International]] in 2010]]
The artistic style of the series was designed to be as realistic as possible, so the character designers used as much reference material as they could.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10837/Exclusive:_Adam_Reed_On_The_Origins_Of_FX%27s_%27Archer%27 Exclusive: Adam Reed On The Origins Of FX's 'Archer']</ref> The character drawings are based on Atlanta-area models; they coincidentally resemble some of the voice actors in the series.<ref name=Gelman1/> As Chad Hurd, the lead character designer for the series, noted, the end result resembles "a 1960s comic book come to life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/|title=Hey Everyone!|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|author=Hurd, Chad|date=2009-11-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100201024835/http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/| archivedate= 1 February 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Television critics have also compared the show's overall visual style to that of the drama series ''[[Mad Men]]'',<ref>[http://www.awn.com/articles/2d/spy-spoofing-archer "Spy Spoofing in Archer"]. Animation World Network, January 14, 2010.</ref> as well as noting that lead character Sterling Archer, in particular, bears a substantial resemblance to ''Mad Men'''s protagonist [[Don Draper]].<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/14/2010-01-14_spy_satire_archer_a_bullseye.html "FX spy satire 'Archer' a bull's-eye"]. ''[[New York Daily News]]'', January 14, 2010.</ref> The artwork is also similar to the original [[Jonny Quest]] cartoon series penned by artist Doug Wildey in the 1960s.

Stylistically, the show is a mix of several different time periods; show creator [[Adam Reed]] described it as "intentionally ill-defined", noting that the show "cherry-pick[ed] the best and easiest from several decades".<ref name=Gelman1/> Numerous plot details arise from contemporary culture, such as [[affirmative action]] and [[sexual harassment]] complaints.

''Archer'' is influenced by the early [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]] films, as well as [[OSS 117]], [[The Man from U.N.C.L.E]] and [[The Pink Panther]],<ref name=Gelman1 /> and can be compared to Reed's former shows for Adult Swim, ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Driven by rapid-fire dialogue<ref name=Miller1>{{cite news|title=Spy guy Archer returns in TV’s saltiest show |first=Michael |last=Miller |url=http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/01/25/spy-guy-archer-returns-in-tv%E2%80%99s-saltiest-show/ |newspaper=[[Toledo Free Press Star]] |date=2011-01-25 |accessdate=2011-03-04}}</ref> and interaction-based drama, the series is "stuff[ed]...with [[pop-culture]] references"<ref name=Tucker1>{{cite web|url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/01/27/archer-season-2-fx-adult-family-guy/ |title='Archer' season premiere review: Is this the best (adult) cartoon on TV? |first=Ken |last=Tucker |date=2011-01-27 |work=Ken Tucker's TV |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |accessdate=2011-03-04 |quote=Creator Adam Reed and his collaborators stuff every half-hour with pop-culture references that zip by as quickly as Archer’s snow-mobile did this evening.}}</ref> and features an anachronistic style, using fashion from the early 1960s, a mix of 1980s-era and modern technology and a political status quo in which "the [[Cold War]] never ended".<ref name=Gelman1>{{cite interview |last=Reed |first=Adam |subjectlink=Adam Reed |interviewer=Vlada Gelman |program=[[The A.V. Club]]|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed,52336/ |date=2011-02-24 |accessdate=2011-02-24}}</ref>

==Relation to other media==

=== ''Arrested Development'' ===
[[Jessica Walter]], [[Jeffrey Tambor]], [[David Cross]], and [[Judy Greer]] previously starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] critically acclaimed comedy series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. Since both shows largely revolve around feuds and rivalry disputes between family members, ''Archer'' has been described by its creator, [[Adam Reed]], as "''[[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]]'' meets ''Arrested Development''{{-"}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-16-archer_N.htm|title=FX's 'Archer': Bond meets 'Arrested Development'|last=Levin|first=Gary|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=July 16, 2009|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> There are also notable similarities between the characters played by Greer, Walter and Tambor. Of particular note is Archer's relationship with his mother, which parallels somewhat Buster Bluth's relationship with Lucille Bluth, including the fact that both sons refer to her as 'Mother' and are still under great parental influence as adults. Judy Greer's character is a "lovelorn secretary",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/01/06/jeffrey-tambor-jessica-walter-to-reunite-on-archer/|title=Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter to Reunite on 'Archer'|last=Lee|first=Allyssa|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=Jan 6, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Walter is the wealth-wielding [[matriarch]] and Tambor, while not the husband, is her long-lost passion interest and possibly Sterling's biological father as well (which is similar to Tambor's secondary role on ''Arrested Development'', [[Oscar Bluth|Oscar]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/01/05/fx-archer-jeffrey-tambor-arrested-development/|title=Exclusive: 'Arrested Development' reunion coming to FX (but there's a catch)!|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=Jan 5, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Both shows also frequently use [[Callback (comedy)|callbacks]] and [[catchphrase]]s. Walter stated in an interview that she became interested in ''Archer'' after her manager sent her the pilot script describing Malory as "Think Jessica Walter in ''Arrested Development''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popculturemadness.com/interview/2011/Jessica-Walter.html|title=Jessica Walter PCM interview|publisher=Pop Culture Madness|accessdate=December 18, 2011}}</ref>

=== ''Sealab 2021'' and ''Frisky Dingo'' ===
Just as some series voice-actors have worked together previously, notable people on the ''Archer'' animation and production teams (such as Adam Reed and Matt Thompson) were also cooperatively involved in several shows for [[Adult Swim]], most notably ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''. All three shows share similar animation styles; a trademark which initially began with ''Sealab's'' cut-and-paste juxtaposition of vintage cartoon clips and modern dialogue, was modernized with computer animation for ''Frisky Dingo,'' and continues with essentially unchanged appearances for some characters in ''Archer.'' The show also shares numerous stylistic and character development similarities with its two predecessors.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One of the supporting characters from ''Frisky Dingo'', Mr. Ford, makes a cameo appearance in "Drift Problem", the seventh episode of Season 3 of Archer, repeating one of his ''Frisky Dingo'' catchphrases ("My ass is everywhere.").

Additionally, the [[List of Archer episodes|season 4 finale]] (Sea Tunt: Part II) included a nod to ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' (a show that series creator Adam Reed previously worked on<ref>[http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4517 Archer's Adam Reed]</ref>), featuring an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy (''Sealab 2021'' revolved around an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy). The character bore a heavy resemblance to the aforementioned ''Sealab 2021'' character both in appearance and mannerisms. He is later killed by an off brand soda machine, which is the central plot of an episode of Sealab 2021. As a tribute to [[Harry Goz]], the actor who played Captain Murphy in Sealab 2021, the soda machine dispenses Goz soda in the Archer episode.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/season_4_of_archer_reviewed/week_13/archer_season_4_sealab_finale_jon_hamm_s_deadpan_brilliance_and_an_intense.html Archer, Season 4: Jon Hamm’s deadpan brilliance and an intense underwater escape make for the perfect season finale.]</ref><ref>[http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/04/archer-review-teotwawki-in-sealab-2021/ Archer Season Finale Review: TEOTWAWKI in Sealab 2021]</ref>

===''Bob's Burgers''===
The fourth season opening scene had Archer working in ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'', under an assumed identity. Both shows share [[H. Jon Benjamin]] as their lead voice actor (Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher).<ref>[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/06/archer-bobs-burger-crossover-h-jon-benjamin/ Next 'Archer' season will include a 'Bob's Burgers' crossover episode -- EXCLUSIVE]</ref> The two-part season finale of season four also stars Bob's Burgers actors [[Eugene Mirman]] and [[Kristen Schaal]].<ref>[http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130312fx06/ The Futon Critic - Listings: Archer, S4E12]</ref>

==Reception==
The show has seen positive reviews, scoring a 78/100 on [[Metacritic]] for its first season, 88/100 for its second, indicating "universal acclaim", 75/100 for its third, and 80/100 for its fourth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/archer|title=''Metacritic reviews''}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called it a wittily raunchy spy spoof,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,4,00.html|title=''EW Archer review'' }}</ref> and the ''[[Miami Herald]]'' referred to it as "a millennial (and very much R-rated) ''[[Get Smart]]'' that acerbically and hilariously plays on our post-9/11 fears that 'U.S. government intelligence' might be a grim oxymoron."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/01/14/1422121/review-archer-an-r-rated-spy-romp.html|title=''Miami Herald Archer review'' }}</ref> The show has been nominated for a 2010 Emmy and a 2012 Annie Award.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

==DVD release==
{| class="wikitable"
!DVD name!!Region 1 release date!!Region 2 release date!!Region 4 release date!!Blu-ray release date!!Episode count!! Discs !! Additional content
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 1)|Season 1]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 28, 2010<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1/10572 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 2, 2011<ref>http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17493614/Archer-Season-1/Product.html</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|March 2, 2011<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817738 Archer - The Complete Season 1 (2 Disc Set)]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1-Blu-ray/11735 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| An allegedly unaired ''Archer'' pilot titled ''Archersaurus'' (essentially the first episode with Archer replaced by a human sized [[velociraptor]]), an unaired network promo, deleted scenes, a six-part "The Making of ''Archer''" featurette, bonus episodes from ''[[The League]]'' and ''[[Louie (TV series)|Louie]]''.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 2)|Season 2]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2/11737 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 7, 2012<ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0058SFA7W Archer - Season 2 [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler: Film & TV]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|February 29, 2012<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-2/dp/6107777 Archer - The Complete Season 2]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2-Blu-ray/11736 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| ''Archersaurus'' - Self Extinction; Ask Archer; Semper Fi; L'espion Mal Fait; ISIS infiltrates Comic-con.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 3 (2011–2013)|Season 3]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 8, 2013<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 Archer DVD news: Announcement for Archer - Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
|
|March 13, 2013<ref>http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/archer-season-3/678901 Archer - Season 3 JBHIFI</ref>
|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Commentaries on "El Contador", "Drift Problem", and "Lo Scandalo "; extended version of "Heart of Archness"; Audio Book Fail; Cooking with Archer; and [[Trailer (promotion)|trailer]] for ''Gator 2''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 4 (2013)|Season 4]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|February 5, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-4/dp/6148128|title=Archer Season 4 on DVD|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Fisherman's Daughter; and Archer Live!
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}

==Book==
''How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' (ISBN 9780062066312) a how-to book "written" by Sterling Archer was released January 17, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/How-Archer-Sterling-Archer/ |title=How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written By Sterling Archer |work=[[HarperCollins]] |accessdate=April 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2010, H. Jon Benjamin was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voiceover Performance]].<ref>[http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2010/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance 2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]</ref> On July 17, 2010, ''Archer'' won the [[NewNowNext Awards|NewNowNext Award]] for "Best Show You're Not Watching".<ref>[http://www.newnownextawards.com/ 2012 NewNowNext Awards | Vote for Everything New, Now and Next in Pop Culture | Logo TV Awards]</ref> ''Archer'' was nominated for and won Best Animated Comedy Series at the 2012 [[The Comedy Awards|Comedy Awards]].

''Archer'' was also nominated for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series|Best Comedy Series]] at the [[1st Critics' Choice Television Awards|2011 Critics' Choice Television Awards]]. It won the [[2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2012 Critics' Choice Television Award]] and [[3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2013 Critics' Choice Television Award]] for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series|Best Animated Series]].<ref>[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055689?refcatid=14 NBC, 'Community' top Critics Choice Awards - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety]</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Archer (TV series)|Archer}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer}}
*{{IMDb title|1486217|Archer}}
*{{tv.com show|archer|Archer}}

{{Archer}}
{{Radical Axis}}
{{FXNetwork Shows}}
{{Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:2009 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s American television series]]
[[Category:2010s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s American television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:American animated television series]]
[[Category:Animated sitcoms]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]
[[Category:Espionage television series]]
[[Category:FX network shows]]
[[Category:Black comedy television programs]]

Archer season 5

2014-01-13T23:27:32Z

Dorsal Axe: Apparently this is part of the episode titles

{{infobox television season
| season_name = Archer Vice
| fgcolour = #000000
| bgcolour = #FF64FF
| image = [[File:Archer (season 5).jpg|200px]]
| caption =
| country = {{USA}}
| network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
| first_aired = January 13, 2014
| last_aired =
| region_1 =
| region_2 =
| region_4 =
| num_episodes = 13
| prev_season = [[Archer (season 4)|Season 4]]
| next_season =
| episode_list = [[List of Archer episodes|List of ''Archer'' episodes]]
|}}

'''''Archer Vice''''' is the '''fifth season''' of the animated television series, ''[[Archer (TV series)|Archer]]'' and serves as a [[reboot (fiction)|reboot]] of the show.<ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> It will first air in the [[United States]] on the cable network [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]. The season starts on January 13, 2014 with "White Elephant", depicting the transition to the show's new format. The show will move away from revolving around a spy agency and depict the characters embarking on a life of crime as they attempt to sell a large amount of [[cocaine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Archer episodes}}

<onlyinclude>{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width: 100%; margin-right: 0;"
|-
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| No. in series
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| No. in season
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Title
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Written by
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| U.S. viewers (million)
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Original air date
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Production code
|-
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 50
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = White Elephant
|WrittenBy = [[Adam Reed]]
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|13}}<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>
|ProdCode = YJD501
|ShortSummary = ISIS is raided and disbanded by the [[U.S. government]] when it transpires that the agency was never sanctioned by them. Its former staff discover a hidden vault containing one-ton of [[cocaine]], and form a drug cartel to sell the drugs to fund their retirements.<ref name="OOU" />
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 51
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Archer Vice: A Kiss While Dying
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|20}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = TBA
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 52
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = Archer Vice: A Debt of Honor
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|27}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = YJD503
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 53
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = Archer Vice: House Call
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|2|3}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = TBA
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
|}</onlyinclude>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/}} - United States only

{{Archer}}

[[Category:2013 television seasons]]
[[Category:Archer episodes]]

Archer (2009 TV series)

2014-01-13T23:25:30Z

Dorsal Axe: Update to reflect new season/direction

{{infobox television
|show_name = Archer
|image = [[File:Archer 2010 Intertitle.png|250px]]
|caption = Title card for the first four seasons of ''Archer''.
|genre = [[Action (fiction)|Action]] [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]] [[Espionage]] [[Dramedy]] [[Black comedy]] [[Sitcom]]
|format = [[Animated series]]
|runtime = 19–21 minutes
|creator = [[Adam Reed]]
|voices = [[H. Jon Benjamin]] [[Judy Greer]] [[Amber Nash]] [[Chris Parnell]] [[Aisha Tyler]] [[Jessica Walter]] [[George Coe]] [[Adam Reed]] Lucky Yates
|country = {{TVUS|United States}}
|network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
|picture_format = [[16:9]] [[HDTV]]
|first_aired = '''Episode 1 sneak peek:''' {{Start date|2009|9|17}} '''Official:''' January 14, 2010
|last_aired = present
|company = [[Floyd County Productions]] Radical Axis [[FX (TV channel)|FX Productions]]
|executive_producer = [[Adam Reed]] [[Matt Thompson (animator)|Matt Thompson]]
|producer = Neal Holman Eric Sims Casey Willis Bryan Fordney
|num_seasons = 5
|num_episodes = 49 (and 1 unaired pilot)
|list_episodes = List of Archer episodes
|website = http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer
|related = ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''
}}

'''''Archer''''' is an American animated [[comedy]] television series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=2009-11-16|author=Toomey, Johnathon|accessdate=2010-01-04}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite news | author=Joyce Eng | title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule| url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx| work=TVGuide.com}}</ref> The show carries a [[TV-MA|TV-MA-LSV]] rating.

The inspiration for ''Archer'' came to Reed while in a cafe in [[Salamanca]], [[Spain]]. Finding himself unable to approach a beautiful woman seated nearby, Reed conjured up the idea of a spy who "would have a perfect line".<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/01/11/new-fx-series-archer-puts-animated-twist-on-spy-genre/|title=New FX Series "Archer" Puts an Animated Twist on the Spy Genre|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=2010-01-11 | first=Jamin | last=Brophy-Warren}}</ref> Reed conceived the show's concept while walking along the [[Vía de la Plata]] in 2008.<ref name="pdf">{{cite web|url=http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/assets/download/Archer_MG_Final.pdf|title=Jan. 14 Thurs. 10 PM|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|page=4}}</ref> He [[pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] his idea to [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], which accepted it and ordered six episodes, along with an additional four scripts.<ref name="am">{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483|title=FX Orders 6 Episodes of Archer Toon|work=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=2009-08-18|author=Zahed, Ramin|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100116005116/http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10483| archivedate= 16 January 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The show's [[Archer (season 5)|fifth season]] serves as a [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] for the series, known as '''''Archer Vice'''''.<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> The new format moves away from the [[Cold War]]-inspired espionage setting and depicts the characters embarking on a life of crime as they attempt to sell one-ton of [[cocaine]].<ref name=StarPulse>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Premise==
===''Archer''===
Set at ISIS, the International Secret Intelligence Service in [[New York City]], suave and incredibly self-centered master spy Sterling Archer deals with global [[espionage]]; his domineering, emotionally distant mother and boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend (and fellow ISIS agent), Lana Kane; and his other ISIS co-workers (including fellow agent Ray Gillette, accountant Cyril Figgis, Human Resources Director Pam Poovey, dimwitted secretary Cheryl Tunt, and Applied Research head Doctor Krieger); as well as a code name: "Duchess" (after his mother's deceased [[Afghan Hound]]).<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

===''Archer Vice''===
When ISIS is disbanded by the [[U.S. government]], its former employees discover the agency's hidden stockpile of [[cocaine]]. They establish a new headquarters in Cheryl Tunt's manor and form a [[drug cartel]] to sell the cocaine to fund their retirements. Along the way, they attract the attention of rival gangs and face problems that arise from the characters adapting to their new roles.<ref name="OOU"/>

===Time period===
The show's time setting is [[Anachronism#Comical anachronism|comically anachronistic]], deliberately mixing technologies, clothing styles and historical backdrops of different decades. The characters wear 1960s clothing and hairstyles, and many episodes feature references to the [[Soviet Union]] as a current nation — yet in the fourth season episode "Once Bitten", [[Turkmenistan]] is an independent nation rather than a Soviet republic — and also contains references to [[Fidel Castro]] as the current leader of [[Cuba]]. The show frequently uses pop culture references which are contemporary to the 2010s, yet character backstories place them at older events — such as Woodhouse's service in [[World War I]], or Malory's involvement in various espionage events of the [[Cold War]] era — which would require them to be much older than they are if the show were actually set in the 21st century. The technological sophistication within the series also varies, with characters using dated computer technology (e.g. [[reel-to-reel]] [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] systems, desktop computers resembling very closely the [[Apple Lisa]], [[dot-matrix printers]] and [[punchcards]]) and making surveillance recordings on [[cassette tape]] rather than digitally, but also using modern devices such as cell phones, [[GPS]] devices, and laser gunsights. This ambiguity is explicitly recognized in at least two episodes, in which characters are unable to answer when asked what year they think it is.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Archer episodes}}
The show's first season ran from January 14 to March 18, 2010, and the second season premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref>http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/fx-renews-archer-.html</ref> The season 1 DVD was released in [[Region 1]] on December 28, 2010. On December 17, 2010 the first season of Archer also aired in [[Germany]] on [[Comedy Central Germany]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} On March 29, 2011 it was announced that [[FX Network]] had ordered a 16-episode third season of ''Archer''.<ref name=thirdseason>{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Kate|title=It's official: 'Justified,' 'Archer' renewed at FX|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/29/its-official-justified-archer-renewed-at-fx/|work=Inside TV|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=March 29, 2011}}</ref> A three episode special dubbed "The Heart of Archness" was aired in September 2011. Ten new episodes from season 3 began airing on January 19, 2012.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|last=Nehra|first=Pete|title=Aiesha Tayler on Sklarboro Country |url=http://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-beauty-episode/|work=Interview Podcast|publisher=Earwolf.com|accessdate=July 8, 2011}}</ref> On February 23, 2012, FX ordered a 13-episode fourth season of ''Archer''<ref name=fourthseason>{{cite web|last=Surette|first=Time|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 4|url=http://www.tv.com/news/fx-renews-archer-for-season-4-27914/|work=TV.com|publisher=CBS Entertainment|accessdate=February 23, 2012}}</ref> which premiered on January 17, 2013.<ref name=fourthseasonrelease>{{cite web|last=Nova|first=Sasha|title=Archer season 4 Premier Announced|url=http://www.boomtron.com/2012/11/justified-archer/|work=boomtron.com|accessdate=November 29, 2012}}</ref> On February 27, 2013, FX renewed the show for a fifth season consisting of 13 episodes.<ref>{{cite news|last=Seat42f|title=FX Renews Archer For A Fifth Season|url=http://www.seat42f.com/fx-renews-archer-for-a-fifth-season.html|accessdate=27 February 2013}}</ref>

==Characters==
{{main|List of Archer characters}}
* [[Sterling Archer|Sterling Malory Archer]] ([[H. Jon Benjamin]]), codename: ''Duchess'', is 184 lb, 6'2", 36 years old, and is considered the world's most dangerous secret agent and is similar to [[James Bond]]. He is extremely egotistical and self-involved. Though he shows proficiency in stereotypical spy skills—weapons, driving, martial arts—his only real interest in the job is the opportunity to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle full of sex, alcohol, thrills, lacrosse, fast cars, spy gadgets and turtleneck sweaters.

* Lana Kane ([[Aisha Tyler]]) is the top female agent at ISIS and Archer's ex-girlfriend. A tall, beautiful woman, she is a competent and deadly agent but is constantly frustrated that she is treated as the number two ISIS field agent because Archer's mother runs the agency. The fact that she is tall and has abnormally large hands are often a source of fodder for jokes at her expense. She is revealed to be pregnant at the end of the fourth season, though the identity of the father is presently unknown. Her name is reminiscent of Lanacane, a pharmaceutical company that produces anti-itching cream.<ref name="cane">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/14/entertainment/la-et-archer14-2010jan14|title='Archer': The new cartoon on FX is more office comedy than spy spoof|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|date=January 14, 2010|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

* Malory Archer ([[Jessica Walter]]), Sterling Archer's mother and the head of ISIS, is a self-centered alcoholic who regularly hatches half-baked, invariably disastrous schemes to use the agency's resources to her own personal advantage. She has staged a false assassination attempt on a U.N. official to secure a lucrative government contract, called in fake threats to restaurants and air ships in order to get reservations and cabin berths, sent ISIS agents to blow up an oil pipeline in [[Turkmenistan]], murdered the Prime Minister of [[Italy]] and tricked the ISIS staff into disposing of the body, assisted a [[coyote (smuggler)|coyote]] syndicate so she could use the reward money to redecorate her office, and attempted to salvage a hydrogen bomb from the ocean so she could ransom it back to the U.S. government.

* Cyril Figgis ([[Chris Parnell]]) is the [[comptroller]] of ISIS. Cyril is portrayed as quite competent at his job, but is plagued by a number of personal issues. He is eventually promoted to secret agent, but is incredibly incompetent at that. He was Lana Kane's love interest at the beginning of Season 1, but due to residual trust issues from her relationship with Archer (and her finding out Cyril was cheating on her repeatedly), she refused to call Cyril her boyfriend or say she loved him.

* [[Cheryl Tunt]] ([[Judy Greer]]) also known as Carol, is Malory's [[secretary]]. In the pilot episode, she was portrayed as a lovesick, ditzy secretary frequently taken advantage of by Archer, but that side of her character was gradually phased out as her behavior became more and more unhinged: she has [[pyromania]]c and [[Sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] tendencies and is often sniffing or swallowing rubber cement. She is also revealed to be an heiress with a fortune of half a billion dollars (it was 1 billion, but she had to split it with her "stupid brother Cecil" <ref name="El secuestro">Archer, Season 2, Episode 10.</ref>).

* Pam Poovey ([[Amber Nash]]) is ISIS's [[Human Resources]] Director. A gossipy pot smoker who is the brunt of many jokes regarding her weight, she serves as a foil for most of the members of the cast, often calling them out on their zany schemes. Though not a field agent (until season four, episode ten), she is a trained drift car racer and bare knuckle fighter, with over a dozen kills under her belt (represented on her back, along with the third verse of [[Lord Byron]]'s poem "[[The Destruction of Sennacherib]]" in tattoo form). Among her other interests are graffiti, directing amateur tentacle porn, and cock-fighting with [[Siamese fighting fish]].

* Mr. Doctor Algernop<ref>tie-in book ''How To Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' by Sterling Archer, p. 27</ref> Krieger (Lucky Yates), is the head of the ISIS applied research department. He spends most of his time working on projects to facilitate his kinky sexual fantasies. He has had several holographic anime-style girlfriends, and has developed the technology to turn human beings into cyborgs. It is discovered he shares blood ties to Adolf Hitler, being one of the [[The Boys from Brazil (film)|"Boys from Brazil"]]. He has an affinity for [[Rush (band)|Rush]] and in one episode is shown to own a [[drum kit]] identical to that of Rush drummer [[Neil Peart]]. He is not an actual doctor, however: Doctor is his first name.

* Ray Gillette ([[Adam Reed]]) is an openly [[gay]] intelligence analyst and one of the few competent members of ISIS. Along with Lana, he serves as the voice of reason on the show. Raised in an impoverished part of West Virginia, he was once an ordained minister, as well as an Olympic bronze medalist in giant slalom. He spent most of season three pretending to be paralyzed after being injured on a rescue mission, but was actually paralyzed following a space shuttle crash at the end of the season. In season four, he receives [[Bionics|bionic]] legs, allowing him to walk again, however in the season four finale, the CPU controlling his bionic legs is damaged, rendering him once again paralyzed in a wheelchair. Gillette appeared only three times in the first season, becoming a regular character from the second onward.

* Woodhouse ([[George Coe]], [[Roy McCrery]] in flashbacks) is Sterling's long-suffering, heroin-addict, English [[valet]], who patiently accepts the unending stream of abuse hurled at him by Archer, in part due to Archer's resemblance to a pilot friend of his from World War I whom Woodhouse had an unrequited crush on. He also bears an uncanny resemblance to the Pope, as revealed in the fourth season. His name is a tip to the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]'' creator, [[P.G. Wodehouse]].

== Production ==
[[File:Archer pilot.jpg|thumb|left|Screenshot from Archer TV series.]]
Each episode of Archer takes a couple of months to produce following the completion of the script. The show is mostly animated by Reed's Floyd County Productions in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref name="reed">{{cite web|url=http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php|title=Archer Crew|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20091231141635/http://fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/crew.php| archivedate= 31 December 2009 | deadurl= no}}</ref> while 3D background models are made by Trinity Animation in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name="foxnews">{{cite news|title = Local Animators Ready for Cable Debut with 'Archer'|publisher = FOX4 News|date = January 5, 2010| url = http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-trinity-animation-archer-010510,0,1725954.story}}</ref> Originally, [[Radical Axis (studio)|Radical Axis]] housed the show's animation staff for Season 1, but the crew has since moved to their own facilities close to [[Emory University]].

[[File:Archer cast at Comic-Con in 2010.jpg|thumb|right|''From left to right:'' Aisha Tyler, Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer and Amber Nash at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con International]] in 2010]]
The artistic style of the series was designed to be as realistic as possible, so the character designers used as much reference material as they could.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10837/Exclusive:_Adam_Reed_On_The_Origins_Of_FX%27s_%27Archer%27 Exclusive: Adam Reed On The Origins Of FX's 'Archer']</ref> The character drawings are based on Atlanta-area models; they coincidentally resemble some of the voice actors in the series.<ref name=Gelman1/> As Chad Hurd, the lead character designer for the series, noted, the end result resembles "a 1960s comic book come to life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/|title=Hey Everyone!|publisher=[[FX Network]]|accessdate=2010-01-04|author=Hurd, Chad|date=2009-11-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100201024835/http://archer.blogs.fxnetworks.com/2009/09/21/hey-everyone/| archivedate= 1 February 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Television critics have also compared the show's overall visual style to that of the drama series ''[[Mad Men]]'',<ref>[http://www.awn.com/articles/2d/spy-spoofing-archer "Spy Spoofing in Archer"]. Animation World Network, January 14, 2010.</ref> as well as noting that lead character Sterling Archer, in particular, bears a substantial resemblance to ''Mad Men'''s protagonist [[Don Draper]].<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/14/2010-01-14_spy_satire_archer_a_bullseye.html "FX spy satire 'Archer' a bull's-eye"]. ''[[New York Daily News]]'', January 14, 2010.</ref> The artwork is also similar to the original [[Jonny Quest]] cartoon series penned by artist Doug Wildey in the 1960s.

Stylistically, the show is a mix of several different time periods; show creator [[Adam Reed]] described it as "intentionally ill-defined", noting that the show "cherry-pick[ed] the best and easiest from several decades".<ref name=Gelman1/> Numerous plot details arise from contemporary culture, such as [[affirmative action]] and [[sexual harassment]] complaints.

''Archer'' is influenced by the early [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]] films, as well as [[OSS 117]], [[The Man from U.N.C.L.E]] and [[The Pink Panther]],<ref name=Gelman1 /> and can be compared to Reed's former shows for Adult Swim, ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Driven by rapid-fire dialogue<ref name=Miller1>{{cite news|title=Spy guy Archer returns in TV’s saltiest show |first=Michael |last=Miller |url=http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/01/25/spy-guy-archer-returns-in-tv%E2%80%99s-saltiest-show/ |newspaper=[[Toledo Free Press Star]] |date=2011-01-25 |accessdate=2011-03-04}}</ref> and interaction-based drama, the series is "stuff[ed]...with [[pop-culture]] references"<ref name=Tucker1>{{cite web|url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/01/27/archer-season-2-fx-adult-family-guy/ |title='Archer' season premiere review: Is this the best (adult) cartoon on TV? |first=Ken |last=Tucker |date=2011-01-27 |work=Ken Tucker's TV |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |accessdate=2011-03-04 |quote=Creator Adam Reed and his collaborators stuff every half-hour with pop-culture references that zip by as quickly as Archer’s snow-mobile did this evening.}}</ref> and features an anachronistic style, using fashion from the early 1960s, a mix of 1980s-era and modern technology and a political status quo in which "the [[Cold War]] never ended".<ref name=Gelman1>{{cite interview |last=Reed |first=Adam |subjectlink=Adam Reed |interviewer=Vlada Gelman |program=[[The A.V. Club]]|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed,52336/ |date=2011-02-24 |accessdate=2011-02-24}}</ref>

==Relation to other media==

=== ''Arrested Development'' ===
[[Jessica Walter]], [[Jeffrey Tambor]], [[David Cross]], and [[Judy Greer]] previously starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] critically acclaimed comedy series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. Since both shows largely revolve around feuds and rivalry disputes between family members, ''Archer'' has been described by its creator, [[Adam Reed]], as "''[[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]]'' meets ''Arrested Development''{{-"}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-16-archer_N.htm|title=FX's 'Archer': Bond meets 'Arrested Development'|last=Levin|first=Gary|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=July 16, 2009|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> There are also notable similarities between the characters played by Greer, Walter and Tambor. Of particular note is Archer's relationship with his mother, which parallels somewhat Buster Bluth's relationship with Lucille Bluth, including the fact that both sons refer to her as 'Mother' and are still under great parental influence as adults. Judy Greer's character is a "lovelorn secretary",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/01/06/jeffrey-tambor-jessica-walter-to-reunite-on-archer/|title=Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter to Reunite on 'Archer'|last=Lee|first=Allyssa|publisher=[[TV Squad]]|date=Jan 6, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Walter is the wealth-wielding [[matriarch]] and Tambor, while not the husband, is her long-lost passion interest and possibly Sterling's biological father as well (which is similar to Tambor's secondary role on ''Arrested Development'', [[Oscar Bluth|Oscar]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/01/05/fx-archer-jeffrey-tambor-arrested-development/|title=Exclusive: 'Arrested Development' reunion coming to FX (but there's a catch)!|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=Jan 5, 2010|accessdate=Sep 15, 2010}}</ref> Both shows also frequently use [[Callback (comedy)|callbacks]] and [[catchphrase]]s. Walter stated in an interview that she became interested in ''Archer'' after her manager sent her the pilot script describing Malory as "Think Jessica Walter in ''Arrested Development''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popculturemadness.com/interview/2011/Jessica-Walter.html|title=Jessica Walter PCM interview|publisher=Pop Culture Madness|accessdate=December 18, 2011}}</ref>

=== ''Sealab 2021'' and ''Frisky Dingo'' ===
Just as some series voice-actors have worked together previously, notable people on the ''Archer'' animation and production teams (such as Adam Reed and Matt Thompson) were also cooperatively involved in several shows for [[Adult Swim]], most notably ''[[Frisky Dingo]]'' and ''[[Sealab 2021]]''. All three shows share similar animation styles; a trademark which initially began with ''Sealab's'' cut-and-paste juxtaposition of vintage cartoon clips and modern dialogue, was modernized with computer animation for ''Frisky Dingo,'' and continues with essentially unchanged appearances for some characters in ''Archer.'' The show also shares numerous stylistic and character development similarities with its two predecessors.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One of the supporting characters from ''Frisky Dingo'', Mr. Ford, makes a cameo appearance in "Drift Problem", the seventh episode of Season 3 of Archer, repeating one of his ''Frisky Dingo'' catchphrases ("My ass is everywhere.").

Additionally, the [[List of Archer episodes|season 4 finale]] (Sea Tunt: Part II) included a nod to ''[[Sealab 2021]]'' (a show that series creator Adam Reed previously worked on<ref>[http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4517 Archer's Adam Reed]</ref>), featuring an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy (''Sealab 2021'' revolved around an underwater research laboratory with an insane commander named Captain Murphy). The character bore a heavy resemblance to the aforementioned ''Sealab 2021'' character both in appearance and mannerisms. He is later killed by an off brand soda machine, which is the central plot of an episode of Sealab 2021. As a tribute to [[Harry Goz]], the actor who played Captain Murphy in Sealab 2021, the soda machine dispenses Goz soda in the Archer episode.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/season_4_of_archer_reviewed/week_13/archer_season_4_sealab_finale_jon_hamm_s_deadpan_brilliance_and_an_intense.html Archer, Season 4: Jon Hamm’s deadpan brilliance and an intense underwater escape make for the perfect season finale.]</ref><ref>[http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/04/archer-review-teotwawki-in-sealab-2021/ Archer Season Finale Review: TEOTWAWKI in Sealab 2021]</ref>

===''Bob's Burgers''===
The fourth season opening scene had Archer working in ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'', under an assumed identity. Both shows share [[H. Jon Benjamin]] as their lead voice actor (Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher).<ref>[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/06/archer-bobs-burger-crossover-h-jon-benjamin/ Next 'Archer' season will include a 'Bob's Burgers' crossover episode -- EXCLUSIVE]</ref> The two-part season finale of season four also stars Bob's Burgers actors [[Eugene Mirman]] and [[Kristen Schaal]].<ref>[http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130312fx06/ The Futon Critic - Listings: Archer, S4E12]</ref>

==Reception==
The show has seen positive reviews, scoring a 78/100 on [[Metacritic]] for its first season, 88/100 for its second, indicating "universal acclaim", 75/100 for its third, and 80/100 for its fourth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/archer|title=''Metacritic reviews''}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called it a wittily raunchy spy spoof,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,4,00.html|title=''EW Archer review'' }}</ref> and the ''[[Miami Herald]]'' referred to it as "a millennial (and very much R-rated) ''[[Get Smart]]'' that acerbically and hilariously plays on our post-9/11 fears that 'U.S. government intelligence' might be a grim oxymoron."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/01/14/1422121/review-archer-an-r-rated-spy-romp.html|title=''Miami Herald Archer review'' }}</ref> The show has been nominated for a 2010 Emmy and a 2012 Annie Award.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

==DVD release==
{| class="wikitable"
!DVD name!!Region 1 release date!!Region 2 release date!!Region 4 release date!!Blu-ray release date!!Episode count!! Discs !! Additional content
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 1)|Season 1]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 28, 2010<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1/10572 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 2, 2011<ref>http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17493614/Archer-Season-1/Product.html</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|March 2, 2011<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817738 Archer - The Complete Season 1 (2 Disc Set)]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-1-Blu-ray/11735 Archer - Season 1 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| An allegedly unaired ''Archer'' pilot titled ''Archersaurus'' (essentially the first episode with Archer replaced by a human sized [[velociraptor]]), an unaired network promo, deleted scenes, a six-part "The Making of ''Archer''" featurette, bonus episodes from ''[[The League]]'' and ''[[Louie (TV series)|Louie]]''.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Archer (season 2)|Season 2]]
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2/11737 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|May 7, 2012<ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0058SFA7W Archer - Season 2 [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler: Film & TV]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|February 29, 2012<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-2/dp/6107777 Archer - The Complete Season 2]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|December 27, 2011<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Archer-Season-2-Blu-ray/11736 Archer - Season 2 DVD Information | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| ''Archersaurus'' - Self Extinction; Ask Archer; Semper Fi; L'espion Mal Fait; ISIS infiltrates Comic-con.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 3 (2011–2013)|Season 3]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 8, 2013<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 Archer DVD news: Announcement for Archer - Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com]</ref>
|
|March 13, 2013<ref>http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/archer-season-3/678901 Archer - Season 3 JBHIFI</ref>
|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Commentaries on "El Contador", "Drift Problem", and "Lo Scandalo "; extended version of "Heart of Archness"; Audio Book Fail; Cooking with Archer; and [[Trailer (promotion)|trailer]] for ''Gator 2''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[List of Archer episodes#Season 4 (2013)|Season 4]]
| style="text-align:center;"|January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|February 5, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/archer-season-4/dp/6148128|title=Archer Season 4 on DVD|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| Fisherman's Daughter; and Archer Live!
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}

==Book==
''How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written'' (ISBN 9780062066312) a how-to book "written" by Sterling Archer was released January 17, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/How-Archer-Sterling-Archer/ |title=How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written By Sterling Archer |work=[[HarperCollins]] |accessdate=April 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2010, H. Jon Benjamin was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voiceover Performance]].<ref>[http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2010/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance 2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]</ref> On July 17, 2010, ''Archer'' won the [[NewNowNext Awards|NewNowNext Award]] for "Best Show You're Not Watching".<ref>[http://www.newnownextawards.com/ 2012 NewNowNext Awards | Vote for Everything New, Now and Next in Pop Culture | Logo TV Awards]</ref> ''Archer'' was nominated for and won Best Animated Comedy Series at the 2012 [[The Comedy Awards|Comedy Awards]].

''Archer'' was also nominated for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series|Best Comedy Series]] at the [[1st Critics' Choice Television Awards|2011 Critics' Choice Television Awards]]. It won the [[2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2012 Critics' Choice Television Award]] and [[3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards|2013 Critics' Choice Television Award]] for [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series|Best Animated Series]].<ref>[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055689?refcatid=14 NBC, 'Community' top Critics Choice Awards - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety]</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Archer (TV series)|Archer}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer}}
*{{IMDb title|1486217|Archer}}
*{{tv.com show|archer|Archer}}

{{Archer}}
{{Radical Axis}}
{{FXNetwork Shows}}
{{Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:2009 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s American television series]]
[[Category:2010s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s American television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:American animated television series]]
[[Category:Animated sitcoms]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]
[[Category:Espionage television series]]
[[Category:FX network shows]]
[[Category:Black comedy television programs]]

List of Archer episodes

2014-01-13T23:22:14Z

Dorsal Axe: +

{{DISPLAYTITLE:List of ''Archer'' episodes}}
[[File:Archer 2009 logo.svg|right|250px]]
''[[Archer (TV series)|Archer]]'' is a half-hour animated comedy series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A sneak peek of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|last=Toomey|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|work=TV Squad|date=September 16, 2009|accessdate=September 16, 2009}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eng|first=Joyce|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx|title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule|work=TV Guide|date=December 1, 2009|accessdate=December 1, 2009}}</ref> On February 22, 2010, FX announced that it had ordered a 13-episode second season of ''Archer'', which premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref name="press release">{{cite web|url=http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10020/'Archer'_Season_2_Gets_A_Premiere_Date|title=''Archer" Season 2 Gets a Premiere Date|publisher=Fanbolt}}</ref> On March 29, 2011, FX renewed ''Archer'' for a 16-episode third season that was eventually reduced to 13 episodes.<ref name ="Season 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/fx-renews-archer-eyes-another-drama-series-for-fall-comedy-drama-for-2012/|title=FX Renews ‘Archer’, Plans Another Drama Series For Fall, Comedy & Drama For 2012|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=March 29, 2011|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name ="S3 reduction">{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed-walks-us-through-archers-third-season-pa,72917/|title=Adam Reed walks us through Archer's third season (Part 1 of 3)|last=VanDerWerff|first=Todd|date=April 24, 2012|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref> ''Archer'' was renewed again in February 2012 for a fourth season, and again in February 2013 for a fifth season.<ref name ="Season 4">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/02/23/fxs-atlanta-created-archer-renewed-for-fourth-season/?cxntlid=thbz_hm|title=FX’s Atlanta-created ‘Archer’ renewed for fourth season|first=Rodney|last=Ho|work=Atlanta Journal Constitution|date=February 24, 2012|accessdate=March 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name ="Season 5">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/fx-renews-archer-for-season-5|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 5|last=Nicholson|first=Max|date=February 27, 2013|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref>

Set at the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS), suave master spy [[Sterling Archer]] deals with global [[espionage]]; a domineering, late middle-aged mother/boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend, Agent Lana Kane; ISIS accountant Cyril Figgis; and a less-than-masculine code name—"Duchess".<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

As of April 11, 2013, 49 episodes have aired.

== Series overview ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! style="padding: 0 8px;" colspan="2" rowspan="2"| Season
! style="padding: 0 8px;" rowspan="2"| Episodes
! colspan="2"| Original airing
! colspan="3"| [[DVD]] release date
|-
! [[Season premiere]]
! [[Season finale]]
! [[Region 1]]
! [[Region 2]]
! [[Region 4]]
|-
|style="background: #000000;"|
|'''[[#Season 1 (2009-10)|1]]'''
|10
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| September 17, 2009
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{End date|2010|3|18}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2010|12|28}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|5|2}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|3|2}}
|-
|style="background: #FE5B35;"|
|'''[[#Season 2 (2011)|2]]'''
|13
|{{Start date|2011|1|27}}
|{{End date|2011|4|21}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|12|27}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|3|26}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|2|29}}
|-
|style="background: #86c9e9;"|
|'''[[#Season 3 (2011–12)|3]]'''
|13
|{{Start date|2011|9|15|}}
|{{End date|2012|3|22}}
|{{Start date|2013|1|8}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 |title=Archer - 'Season 3' on Blu-ray Disc and DVD: Packaging, Street Date, Extras, More! |publisher=TVShowsonDVD|date=2012-07-31 |accessdate=2012-08-01}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2013|7|01}}<ref>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-Season-H-Jon-Benjamin/dp/B0083UFDNI/ref=pd_cp_d_h__1</ref>
|2013
|-
|bgcolor="D3D3D3" height="10px"|
|align="center"| '''[[#Season 4 (2013)|4]]'''
|align="center"| 13<ref name ="Season 4"/>
| January 17, 2013
| April 11, 2013
| January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|-
|bgcolor="#FF64FF" height="10px"|
|align="center"| '''[[#Season 5|5]]'''
|align="center"| 13<ref name="S5air">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/11/05/fx-sets-january-premiere-dates-for-justified-archer-the-americans-set-to-premiere-in-february/213872/|title=FX Sets January Premiere Dates for 'Justified', 'Archer' & 'Chozen'; 'The Americans' Set to Premiere in February|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|publisher=TV by the Number|date=November 5, 2013|accessdate=November 5, 2013}}</ref>
| January 13, 2014<ref name="S5air" />
| TBA
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|}

== Episode list ==

=== Season 1 (2009-10) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 1)}}
{{:Archer (season 1)}}

=== Season 2 (2011) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 2)}}
{{:Archer (season 2)}}

=== Season 3 (2011–12) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 3)}}
{{:Archer (season 3)}}

=== Season 4 (2013) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 4)}}
{{:Archer (season 4)}}

===Season 5 (2014)===
{{Main|Archer (season 5)}}
{{:Archer (season 5)}}
On February 27, 2013, FX renewed ''Archer'' for a fifth season.<ref name ="Season 5"/> On June 6, 2013, [[Aisha Tyler]] announced on her Facebook account that she had begun recording for season 5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/aishatyler/posts/10151621426539356|title=Just started working today on season 5 of #Archer. I love this show so much I could eat it. #phrasing|last=Tyler|first=Aisha|publisher=[[Facebook]]|date=June 6, 2013|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}</ref> Season 5, comprising 13 episodes, is scheduled to begin airing on January 13, 2014.<ref name="S5air" />

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer/}} - United States only
* [http://staytoonedin.com/?tv-article=archer-season-3-review-spoilers Staytoonedin] Exclusive Archer Content
* {{IMDb episodes|1486217|Archer}}
* {{Tv.com episodes|archer|77555|Archer}}

{{Archer}}

[[Category:Lists of American television series episodes|Archer]]
[[Category:Lists of American animated television series episodes|Archer]]
[[Category:Archer episodes|*]]

Archer season 5

2014-01-13T23:20:53Z

Dorsal Axe: A few tweaks

{{infobox television season
| season_name = Archer Vice
| fgcolour = #000000
| bgcolour = #FF64FF
| image = [[File:Archer (season 5).jpg|200px]]
| caption =
| country = {{USA}}
| network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
| first_aired = January 13, 2014
| last_aired =
| region_1 =
| region_2 =
| region_4 =
| num_episodes = 13
| prev_season = [[Archer (season 4)|Season 4]]
| next_season =
| episode_list = [[List of Archer episodes|List of ''Archer'' episodes]]
|}}

'''''Archer Vice''''' is the '''fifth season''' of the animated television series, ''[[Archer (TV series)|Archer]]'' and serves as a [[reboot (fiction)|reboot]] of the show.<ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> It will first air in the [[United States]] on the cable network [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]. The season starts on January 13, 2014 with "White Elephant", depicting the transition to the show's new format. The show will move away from revolving around a spy agency and depict the characters embarking on a life of crime as they attempt to sell a large amount of [[cocaine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Archer episodes}}

<onlyinclude>{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width: 100%; margin-right: 0;"
|-
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| No. in series
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| No. in season
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Title
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Written by
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| U.S. viewers (million)
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Original air date
! style="background:#FF64FF; color:#000000;"| Production code
|-
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 50
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = White Elephant
|WrittenBy = [[Adam Reed]]
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|13}}<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>
|ProdCode = YJD501
|ShortSummary = ISIS is raided and disbanded by the [[U.S. government]] when it transpires that the agency was never sanctioned by them. Its former staff discover a hidden vault containing one-ton of [[cocaine]], and form a drug cartel to sell the drugs to fund their retirements.<ref name="OOU" />
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 51
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = A Kiss While Dying
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|20}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = TBA
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 52
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = A Debt of Honor
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|27}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = YJD503
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 53
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = House Call
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|2|3}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = TBA
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = FF64FF
}}
|}</onlyinclude>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/}} - United States only

{{Archer}}

[[Category:2013 television seasons]]
[[Category:Archer episodes]]

List of Archer episodes

2014-01-13T23:19:31Z

Dorsal Axe: Episode list

{{DISPLAYTITLE:List of ''Archer'' episodes}}
[[File:Archer 2009 logo.svg|right|250px]]
''[[Archer (TV series)|Archer]]'' is a half-hour animated comedy series created by [[Adam Reed]] for the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network. A sneak peek of the series aired on September 17, 2009.<ref name="sneak">{{cite web|last=Toomey|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/16/fx-quietly-plans-sneak-peek-of-animated-archer/|title=FX quietly plans sneak-peek of animated Archer|work=TV Squad|date=September 16, 2009|accessdate=September 16, 2009}}</ref> The first season premiered on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eng|first=Joyce|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/FX-Sets-Midseason-1012661.aspx|title=FX Sets Midseason Schedule|work=TV Guide|date=December 1, 2009|accessdate=December 1, 2009}}</ref> On February 22, 2010, FX announced that it had ordered a 13-episode second season of ''Archer'', which premiered on January 27, 2011.<ref name="press release">{{cite web|url=http://www.fanbolt.com/headline/10020/'Archer'_Season_2_Gets_A_Premiere_Date|title=''Archer" Season 2 Gets a Premiere Date|publisher=Fanbolt}}</ref> On March 29, 2011, FX renewed ''Archer'' for a 16-episode third season that was eventually reduced to 13 episodes.<ref name ="Season 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/fx-renews-archer-eyes-another-drama-series-for-fall-comedy-drama-for-2012/|title=FX Renews ‘Archer’, Plans Another Drama Series For Fall, Comedy & Drama For 2012|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=March 29, 2011|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name ="S3 reduction">{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/adam-reed-walks-us-through-archers-third-season-pa,72917/|title=Adam Reed walks us through Archer's third season (Part 1 of 3)|last=VanDerWerff|first=Todd|date=April 24, 2012|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref> ''Archer'' was renewed again in February 2012 for a fourth season, and again in February 2013 for a fifth season.<ref name ="Season 4">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/02/23/fxs-atlanta-created-archer-renewed-for-fourth-season/?cxntlid=thbz_hm|title=FX’s Atlanta-created ‘Archer’ renewed for fourth season|first=Rodney|last=Ho|work=Atlanta Journal Constitution|date=February 24, 2012|accessdate=March 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name ="Season 5">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/fx-renews-archer-for-season-5|title=FX Renews Archer for Season 5|last=Nicholson|first=Max|date=February 27, 2013|accessdate=February 28, 2013}}</ref>

Set at the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS), suave master spy [[Sterling Archer]] deals with global [[espionage]]; a domineering, late middle-aged mother/boss, Malory Archer; his ex-girlfriend, Agent Lana Kane; ISIS accountant Cyril Figgis; and a less-than-masculine code name—"Duchess".<ref name="FX">{{cite news| title = FX Official Site: About the Show |publisher = FX | accessdate = December 8, 2009 | url = http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/about.php}}</ref>

As of April 11, 2013, 49 episodes have aired.

== Series overview ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! style="padding: 0 8px;" colspan="2" rowspan="2"| Season
! style="padding: 0 8px;" rowspan="2"| Episodes
! colspan="2"| Original airing
! colspan="3"| [[DVD]] release date
|-
! [[Season premiere]]
! [[Season finale]]
! [[Region 1]]
! [[Region 2]]
! [[Region 4]]
|-
|style="background: #000000;"|
|'''[[#Season 1 (2009-10)|1]]'''
|10
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| September 17, 2009
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{End date|2010|3|18}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2010|12|28}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|5|2}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|3|2}}
|-
|style="background: #FE5B35;"|
|'''[[#Season 2 (2011)|2]]'''
|13
|{{Start date|2011|1|27}}
|{{End date|2011|4|21}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2011|12|27}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|3|26}}
|style="padding: 0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|2|29}}
|-
|style="background: #86c9e9;"|
|'''[[#Season 3 (2011–12)|3]]'''
|13
|{{Start date|2011|9|15|}}
|{{End date|2012|3|22}}
|{{Start date|2013|1|8}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Archer-Season-3/17317 |title=Archer - 'Season 3' on Blu-ray Disc and DVD: Packaging, Street Date, Extras, More! |publisher=TVShowsonDVD|date=2012-07-31 |accessdate=2012-08-01}}</ref>
|{{Start date|2013|7|01}}<ref>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-Season-H-Jon-Benjamin/dp/B0083UFDNI/ref=pd_cp_d_h__1</ref>
|2013
|-
|bgcolor="D3D3D3" height="10px"|
|align="center"| '''[[#Season 4 (2013)|4]]'''
|align="center"| 13<ref name ="Season 4"/>
| January 17, 2013
| April 11, 2013
| January 7, 2014<ref>http://www.cinemasquid.com/netflix-instant/movies/titles/archer-season-4/7957a63b-bcce-438c-a1a1-f0e226e84e06</ref>
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|-
|bgcolor="#00FF00" height="10px"|
|align="center"| '''[[#Season 5|5]]'''
|align="center"| 13<ref name="S5air">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/11/05/fx-sets-january-premiere-dates-for-justified-archer-the-americans-set-to-premiere-in-february/213872/|title=FX Sets January Premiere Dates for 'Justified', 'Archer' & 'Chozen'; 'The Americans' Set to Premiere in February|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|publisher=TV by the Number|date=November 5, 2013|accessdate=November 5, 2013}}</ref>
| January 13, 2014<ref name="S5air" />
| TBA
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|}

== Episode list ==

=== Season 1 (2009-10) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 1)}}
{{:Archer (season 1)}}

=== Season 2 (2011) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 2)}}
{{:Archer (season 2)}}

=== Season 3 (2011–12) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 3)}}
{{:Archer (season 3)}}

=== Season 4 (2013) ===
{{Main|Archer (season 4)}}
{{:Archer (season 4)}}

===Season 5 (2014)===
{{Main|Archer (season 5)}}
{{:Archer (season 5)}}
On February 27, 2013, FX renewed ''Archer'' for a fifth season.<ref name ="Season 5"/> On June 6, 2013, [[Aisha Tyler]] announced on her Facebook account that she had begun recording for season 5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/aishatyler/posts/10151621426539356|title=Just started working today on season 5 of #Archer. I love this show so much I could eat it. #phrasing|last=Tyler|first=Aisha|publisher=[[Facebook]]|date=June 6, 2013|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}</ref> Season 5, comprising 13 episodes, is scheduled to begin airing on January 13, 2014.<ref name="S5air" />

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/archer/}} - United States only
* [http://staytoonedin.com/?tv-article=archer-season-3-review-spoilers Staytoonedin] Exclusive Archer Content
* {{IMDb episodes|1486217|Archer}}
* {{Tv.com episodes|archer|77555|Archer}}

{{Archer}}

[[Category:Lists of American television series episodes|Archer]]
[[Category:Lists of American animated television series episodes|Archer]]
[[Category:Archer episodes|*]]

Archer season 5

2014-01-13T23:18:08Z

Dorsal Axe: Make a start on article

{{infobox television season
| season_name = Archer Vice
| fgcolour = #000000
| bgcolour = #D3D3D3
| image = [[File:Archer (season 5).jpg|200px]]
| caption =
| country = {{USA}}
| network = [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]
| first_aired = January 13, 2014
| last_aired =
| region_1 =
| region_2 =
| region_4 =
| num_episodes = 13
| prev_season = [[Archer (season 4)|Season 4]]
| next_season =
| episode_list = [[List of Archer episodes|List of ''Archer'' episodes]]
|}}

'''''Archer Vice''''' is the '''fifth season''' of the animated television series, ''[[Archer (TV series)|Archer]]'' and serves as a [[reboot (fiction)|reboot]] of the show.<ref name="OOU">{{cite web|url=http://oneofus.net/2014/01/archer-season-5-a-few-secrets-declassified/|title='Archer' Season 5: A Few Secrets Declassified!|last=Salisbury|first=Brian|date=12 January 2014|publisher=One of Us|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref> It will first air in the [[United States]] on the cable network [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]. The season starts on January 13, 2014 with "White Elephant", depicting the transition to the show's new format. The show will move away from revolving around a spy agency and depict the characters embarking on a life of crime as they attempt to sell a large amount of [[cocaine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Brittany_Frederick/2014/01/13/archer_season_5_preview_big_changes_fo|title='Archer' Season 5 Preview: Big Changes For The Hit FX Comedy|last=Frederick|first=Brittany|date=13 January 2014|publisher=StarPulse|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Archer episodes}}

<onlyinclude>{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width: 100%; margin-right: 0;"
|-
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| No. in series
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| No. in season
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| Title
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| Written by
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| U.S. viewers (million)
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| Original air date
! style="background:#D3D3D3; color:#000000;"| Production code
|-
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 50
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = White Elephant
|WrittenBy = [[Adam Reed]]
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|13}}<ref name="TVguide">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/archer/episodes/|title=Archer Season 5 episode list|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>
|ProdCode = YJD501
|ShortSummary = ISIS is raided and disbanded by the [[U.S. government]] when it transpires that the agency was never sanctioned by them. Its former staff discover a hidden vault containing one-ton of [[cocaine]], and form a drug cartel to sell the drugs to fund their retirements.<ref name="OOU" />
|LineColor = D3D3D3
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 38
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = A Kiss While Dying
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|20}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = TBA
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = D3D3D3
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 39
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = A Debt of Honor
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|1|27}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = YJD503
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = D3D3D3
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Archer episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 40
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = House Call
|WrittenBy = TBA
|Aux2 =
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|2|3}}<ref name="TVguide" />
|ProdCode = TBA
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = D3D3D3
}}
|}</onlyinclude>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/}} - United States only

{{Archer}}

[[Category:2013 television seasons]]
[[Category:Archer episodes]]

Edna Krabappel

2013-10-26T16:57:05Z

Dorsal Axe: character to be retired

{{refimprove|date=April 2012}}
{{Simpsons character
|image= [[Image:Edna Krabappel.png]]
|name= Edna Flanders
| gender= [[Female]]
| hair= Light [[brown hair|brown]]
| job= Fourth grade teacher at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives= '''Husband:''' Mr Krabappel (divorced), [[Ned Flanders]] '''Step-sons:''' [[List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Rod_Flanders|Rod]] and [[List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Todd_Flanders|Todd]] Flanders
| appearance="[[Bart the Genius]]"
| voiceactor=[[Marcia Wallace]] (1990-2013)
}}
'''Edna Krabappel''' {{IPAc-en|k|r|ə|ˈ|b|ɑː|p|əl}} is a [[Character (arts)|fictional character]] from the [[Animated cartoon|animated TV series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]'', who was voiced by [[Marcia Wallace]] until her death on October 25, 2013.<ref name="WallaceDeathEW">{{cite web| url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/10/26/marcia-wallace-actress-from-the-simpsons-and-the-bob-newhart-show-dies-at-70/|title=Marcia Wallace, actress from 'The Simpsons' and 'The Bob Newhart Show', dies at 70|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|date=2013-10-26|accessdate=2013-10-26}}</ref> She is the [[teacher]] of [[Bart Simpson]]'s [[Fourth grade|4th grade]] class at [[Springfield Elementary School]], and [[Ned Flanders]]'s wife in later seasons. Krabappel was the only character Wallace voiced on a regular basis. The show's producers intend to retire the character following Wallace's death.<ref name="WallaceDeathEW"/>

== Profile ==
Edna Krabappel holds a [[master's degree|Master's]] from [[Bryn Mawr College]], but is thoroughly jaded, a caricature of the American [[Public school (government funded)|public school]] system. In "[[The Seemingly Never-Ending Story]]", it's revealed that she was once a very optimistic woman who genuinely wanted to help people in need. It would seem that after years of frustration thanks to the school, and [[Bart Simpson]] in particular, this wore away.

There is some inconsistency about Edna's origins. She is said to have come to Springfield to begin teaching in "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story". However, because of [[retroactive continuity|retconning]], in "[[Springfield Up]]" she can be seen as a student running through the background at Springfield High School while eventual cop [[Chief Wiggum]] is being filmed, as part of the documentary featured in that episode, carrying out his duties as a hall monitor.

Krabappel smokes heavily, especially during school hours. In the episode "[[Bart Gets a 'Z']]", she is fired from teaching after getting drunk (Bart spiked her coffee) and decides to open a muffin store. She is later rehired when the substitute teacher got drunk.

== Love life ==
A recurring theme is Ms. Krabappel's desire for a romantic partner. She is divorced; in "[[Separate Vocations]]", she implies indirectly that her husband ran off with their marriage counselor. In early episodes, she is shown as very sexually aggressive and promiscuous: in "[[Flaming Moe's]]", she is shown with her arms around two sailors in the parody of the famous ''[[Cheers]]'' theme, and tries to pick up both [[Joey Kramer]] ([[Aerosmith]]'s drummer) and [[Homer Simpson]], even after learning he is married and Bart's father. In "[[Bart's Friend Falls in Love]]", while the children are watching the [[Sex education|Sex Ed]] movie, she says to the children in disgust, "She's faking it". Also, when asked by [[Nelson Muntz]] about why she doesn't live with "Mr. Krabappel" in the same episode, she tells him that he "chased something small and fluffy down the rabbit hole". In "[[One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish]]" she has a "hot encounter" with a [[Japanese people|Japanese]] [[sushi]] chef on the backseat of her car. The episode "[[Bart the Lover]]" was the first episode to give Krabappel a central role, and also to expand her character and personality. Krabappel appears to be desired by many men (and in one case even women, when [[Patty and Selma Bouvier#Patty Bouvier|Patty Bouvier]] once had a sexual fantasy with Edna), as seen in [[Sideshow Bob]]'s outrage (in "[[Brother from Another Series]]") wherein his romantic date with her is ruined by a spying Bart: "You only get one chance with Edna Krabappel!"

Another theme is her relationship with the school principal, [[Seymour Skinner]]. In the episode "[[Grade School Confidential]]", she develops a secret romance with Skinner, a relationship that almost leads to marriage. Since then, Krabappel's attitudes to Skinner have vacillated between passion and disdain in various episodes. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', she can be seen at the [[Green Day]] concert on top of Seymour's shoulders wearing a T-Shirt saying "Not my boyfriend" with an arrow pointing down at Skinner.

In Season 17 ("[[The Seemingly Never-Ending Story]]"), a [[Flashback (narrative)|flashback]] showed that Krabappel was in a serious relationship with [[Moe Szyslak]] when she first moved to Springfield, before meeting Skinner or even becoming a teacher. She was about to elope with him, but then changed her mind when she met [[Bart Simpson]], a student she believed needed help. Consequently, Moe breaks up with her. At the end of the episode, Moe and Edna are a couple once again, much to Skinner's jealousy when he catches them making out on school property. In "[[Regarding Margie]]", she and Principal Skinner are seen making love on a golf course. Then he climbs off and she says, "Birthday is over, Seymour," and lights up a cigarette.

Edna is in a relationship with Ned Flanders. During the twenty second episode of the twenty second season, "[[The Ned-Liest Catch]]", Ned and Edna began dating. The fate of the couple was left to a fan vote, to be revealed during the twenty third season opener. When "[[The Falcon and the D'ohman]]" debuted, it revealed that the fans voted in favor of the relationship. At the close of the episode, a disclaimer appeared on screen which stated - "What our fans have joined together, let no writer rip asunder". It is also revealed in ''The Ned-Liest Catch'' that she has "dated" in addition to Skinner, [[Moe Szyslak]], [[Lenny and Carl#Lenny Leonard|Lenny]], [[Lenny and Carl#Carl Carlson|Carl]], [[Comic Book Guy]], [[Joey Kramer]], [[Krusty the Clown]], [[Cletus Spuckler]] and several others.

It is revealed in the episode "[[Ned 'n Edna's Blend]]" that Edna and Ned married in secret (although she continues to use her first married name, Krabappel, a teacher) and the town throws them a proper reception.

==Character==
[[Image:Marcia Wallace at 47th Emmy Awards.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Marcia Wallace]], the voice of Edna Krabappel.]]
Krabappel's name was chosen by early ''Simpsons'' writers [[Wallace Wolodarsky]] and [[Jay Kogen]] as a play on the fruit "[[Malus|crabapple]]" and as a reference to the teacher Miss Crabtree from the 1930s ''[[Our Gang]]'' shorts.<ref name=homersodyssey>Groening, Matt; Wolodarsky, Wallace (2001). Commentary for the episode "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Also, there was an initial joke of no one mispronouncing the character's last name as "Crabapple" until [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] uses it in a later episode, stunning the other children. In one episode Homer is horrified to learn that no one has corrected him for calling her "Krandal."<ref name=homersodyssey/> Like many characters, Mrs. Krabappel has a memorable catchphrase, used often in the series: her derisive laugh ("HA!").

==Cultural impact and reception==
Marcia Wallace won an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Emmy Award]] in 1992 for [[voice acting|voicing]] Krabappel in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]]-episode "[[Bart the Lover]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-08-20|page=L20|work=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref> [[IGN]] called "[[Special Edna]]" the best episode of the fourteenth season of the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/731/731095p3.html|title=The Simpsons: 17 Seasons, 17 Episodes|author=Goldman, Eric; Dan Iverson, Brian Zoromski|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2006-09-08|accessdate=2008-11-06}}</ref> [[Tilda Swinton]] modeled her hairdo in the film ''[[Burn After Reading]]'' on Krabappel's.<ref>{{cite news|first=Amy|last=Verner|title=Bad hair days welcomed on set of Coen brothers film|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080908.BURN08/TPStory/Entertainment|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-14}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
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{{Simpsons characters}}

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[[de:Figuren aus Die Simpsons#Edna Krabappel]]