Nintendo’s biggest flop, the Virtual Boy, launched in the United States 30 years ago today

Just last month, we reported that the Nintendo Switch 2 debuted as the fastest-selling console in US history, with a whopping 1.6 millions units shipped during the month of June. Nintendo has had over 40 years of critically and commercially successful hardware launches, majorly shaping the landscape of gaming culture as we know it over the decades. Not all of the company’s consoles were winners, though, and today serves as a perfect reminder of what may be Nintendo’s biggest flop.

 

 

The Virtual Boy launched in North America 30 years ago today on August 14th, 1995, after debuting in Japan a month prior on July 21st. Unlike most consoles, which are designed to hook up to a television, the Virtual Boy was a portable, tabletop machine with the display embedded into the machine itself. By propping it onto a table and planting your face into its binocular eyepiece – similar to how you would view through a modern VR headset – you could view the Virtual Boy’s games rendered in glorious, stereoscopic 3D, thanks to its parallax effect creating an illusion of depth.

Despite its bold new approach, the system was instantly panned by critics and was an instant commercial failure – which would probably explain why it never saw a release in Europe. Its high retail price of $179.95 (roughly equivalent to $380 today) put off many consumers, and later price cuts were not enough to tempt most of the public.

 

 

The red LED display was actually a cost-cutting measure by Nintendo – despite the Virtual Boy’s already high asking price, it would have cost even more had the company opted for a full-color LCD system. Unfortunately, the resulting red-and-black monochrome graphics were another common source of criticism, considered highly unappealing by many. It was also lambasted for causing players great discomfort during play, including headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

The Virtual Boy was discontinued in August 1996 in the United States, a single year after its launch. It had an even shorter lifespan in Japan, where production ceased in December 1995 – a mere five months after it was released. It saw just 22 games across both countries, but due to region exclusivity, only 14 games saw a release in the US It sold a paltry 770,000 units worldwide – for comparison, the Wii U, Nintendo’s second-lowest selling console, still managed to sell 13.6 million units.

Despite its shortcomings, the Virtual Boy’s legacy isn’t all doom and gloom. You’ll find plenty of fans online who’ll run to its defense, with the system garnering a cult following in many retro hobbyist circles. Also, rather than sweep its financial mess under the rug, Nintendo has embraced the Virtual Boy as part of its history with a ton of references to the system across its games. In Luigi’s Mansion 3, Professor E. Gadd gives Luigi the “Virtual Boo”, following up with the statement, “Just wait until I finish the marketing materials on this! It’ll fly off the shelves!” It has also appeared through cameos in the Super Smash Bros and WarioWare series, Splatoon 3, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Tomodachi Life, Super Paper Mario, and more.

 

 

It’s also worth noting that, while its stereoscopic 3D display was not enough to entice the masses of the ‘90s, the concept saw a revival in 2011 when Nintendo introduced the 3DS – a system that actually did manage to make a massive financial and cultural impact.

It may not stand tall on its tripod among Nintendo’s many great success stories, but the Virtual Boy is worth celebrating as a fascinating outlier in the company’s rich history. Nintendo tried something bold and new, and though the project didn’t work out, the mighty manufacturer was not deterred by its downfall, instead going on to produce the bestselling consoles ever made. It’s a reminder that even the greatest minds in the industry can have missteps, and that even the biggest hardware flops can have their charms, perks, and loving fans.

Happy 30th, sweet prince!

 

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