Berkshire Hathaway Considered Nintendo Acquisition: Insights from Gaming Industry Leaders

Berkshire Hathaway Considered Nintendo Acquisition: Insights from Gaming Industry Leaders In a surprising revelation that has sparked renewed discussion within the gaming world, it was disclosed that Berkshire Hathaway, the $1 trillion conglomerate managed by Warren Buffett, once considered acquiring Nintendo.

This insight emerged from an episode of the Grit Podcast, featuring former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick and former EA Chief Creative Officer Bing Gordon, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes of high-stakes corporate decision-making in the video game industry. Nintendo, known globally for its iconic franchises and innovative hardware platforms such as the Nintendo Switch, has long been the subject of acquisition rumors.

Historically, the company has remained fiercely independent, even in the face of interest from major Western corporations.

Previous reports have confirmed that Microsoft approached Nintendo with a buyout proposal—an advance said to have been humorously dismissed by Nintendo’s leadership. In the Grit Podcast interview, Kotick recounted a meeting during his tenure at Activision where he engaged with Charlie Munger, the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway until his passing in 2023.

Kotick explained that Munger expressed casual interest in acquiring Nintendo alongside Activision, referencing the company’s significant market value and cash position at the time.

According to the Apple Podcasts transcript, Munger remarked that, “If we bought yours, we should buy that company Nintendo too.” He then asked if the possibility had been explored, to which Kotick recalled responding with Nintendo’s then-market statistics, indicating awareness of such options in the sector. Munger reportedly joked about his willingness to take bold financial decisions at his age, suggesting that any negative outcomes could be dismissed as the misjudgment of an octogenarian.

While the conversation did not lead to an actual purchase—Berkshire Hathaway never acquired Nintendo and Activision ultimately bought back shares from Vivendi—it exemplifies the type of deliberations that occur among industry titans. The podcast segment containing this discussion was later edited out across streaming platforms, yet the remaining transcripts continued to provide insight into the exchange.

This transparency highlights the enduring fascination with Nintendo’s independence and the company’s robust financial standing, evidenced by its consistent hardware and software successes, including record-breaking sales of titles on the Nintendo Switch such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Berkshire Hathaway, known for substantial investments in tech giants like Apple and Amazon, has rarely ventured into the gaming sector beyond cursory interest, as reflected in these newly surfaced comments.

Charlie Munger’s passing in 2023 coincided with significant leadership changes in the gaming industry, most notably Bobby Kotick’s departure from Activision Blizzard following Microsoft’s historic acquisition of the publisher. As more stories come to light about high-profile companies contemplating major gaming acquisitions, one thing remains clear: Nintendo’s unique position in the market continues to make it both a coveted and unattainable target for many.

The company’s steadfast approach to autonomy remains central to its ongoing legacy in the video game industry.

Nintendo Activision Bobby Kotick Berkshire Hathaway Gaming Industry