Nintendo loses a little color
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Nov 26th 2008 at 4:24PM }
In one of its more mystifying announcements this year, Nintendo Europe sent out a press release saying it was dumping the famous red Nintendo logo, and replacing it with a ... serious, business-like gray version. Ugh.The press release, translated from German to English by Kotaku, didn't give a specific reason for the switch, merely requesting that, "In the event that you have not already done so, we would like to sincerely ask you to now only use the current, grey Nintendo logo." CasualGaming.biz contacted Nintendo UK, who not only confirmed the story was entirely true, but revealed that the change was officially made around two years ago. We missed that one, to be honest.
This may seem like trivial news to some of you, but to a generation who grew up in a world where Nintendo was assuredly red and Sega always blue, this feels somewhat sad.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
D dogg @ Nov 26th 2008 4:41PM
"This may seem like trivial news to some of you, but to a generation who grew up in a world where Nintendo was assuredly red and Sega always blue, this feels somewhat sad."
I agree with this entire statement.
Onomah @ Nov 26th 2008 4:42PM
N...Nuh....N-no
This is horrible, it's like they are erasing a fraction of my childhood.
bug frawg @ Nov 26th 2008 5:01PM
.......a fraction of your childhood you didn't notice was gone until someone pointed it out to you. :o
Onomah @ Nov 28th 2008 12:32PM
...don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'till it's gone?
James @ Nov 26th 2008 4:50PM
The UK Official Nintendo Magazine changed from a red to silver logo in December '06.
dan @ Nov 26th 2008 5:29PM
yeah, the gray has no personality.
but the red will be back one day. I'm optimistic.
zchry @ Nov 27th 2008 4:02PM
I will personally be buying red markers to recorrect this error from now on.
Glenn @ Nov 27th 2008 4:23PM
LOL, red markers... thats a bloody damn good idea though... :P
comtar @ Nov 26th 2008 5:04PM
Sounds like someone wants to go to a more professional Apple like polished silver logo so they can be somehow taken more seriously. Ever since the launch of the Wii and DSLite, it's been clear the Nintendo has been silently trying to make themselves look more professional, and their devices taking on a fashionable design that has won over Macintosh addicts, changing the logo from red to silver, seems like a similar move.
By the way I never concidered the red vs blue thing with Sega and Nintendo... It never even occured to me. So are we saying that Sega is the party of Obama?
lorddshadow2 @ Nov 26th 2008 5:09PM
no that's not what we're saying. sega lost.
linebeginstoblur @ Nov 26th 2008 5:05PM
Wow, I've noticed this with Sony recently too. Their PS logo used to be red, yellow, green and blue, but now? All white. We went from a colorful childhood to a monochromatic future? Makes me sad..
ZombiePikmin @ Nov 26th 2008 5:07PM
Well considering that they crushed Sega back in the day i feel it is only appropriate that they take the silver belt. Red is the opposite of blue and since Blue is now red's little bitch it only makes since that blue fails and red is the almighty silver. This means its gonna be gold after we kill microsoft and sony.
Hamster @ Nov 26th 2008 5:13PM
Yeah I noticed this a while ago. It may seem like a small thing, but it's really sad. I know it's just a logo, but that red Nintendo logo means so much to gamers. It is a symbol of our childhood! But I guess a bland, dull gray is more the sort of image they want to present these days and red is probably considered (by some corporate suits in a marketing meeting) too fun and exciting and stimulating for the middle-aged and geriatrics of the expanded/diluted audience, shame.
Mr Khan @ Nov 26th 2008 5:53PM
Chris, i'm disappointed in you
Shouldn't the title be "Nintendo loses a little colour"?
Chris Greenhough @ Nov 27th 2008 10:56AM
It should. But I'm oppressed here. OPPRESSED, I tells ya. :(
Glenn @ Nov 27th 2008 4:24PM
Isn't color american and colour English? or is my English teacher nuts?
NixonTech2071 @ Nov 26th 2008 6:05PM
Nintendo might have beat sega in several departments, but Sony was the head of their fall-on-face demise. Fact.
Nintendo is plenty proffesional, I dont know why the logo change is necessary. =/
Curtis @ Nov 26th 2008 6:16PM
Hmm... I hadn't noticed, well atleast the logo is the same otherwise
john @ Nov 26th 2008 6:47PM
dont see the point really
never notice but the nintendo logo on ds and wii games is gray.
where it was the old red and white on n64 boxs
it is a pity to see something so small change and agree about the colour thing alway remember sega as the big blue and knew nintendo from the bright red logo
Lucas @ Nov 26th 2008 10:44PM
HEEEEEAAALP!!!
now all we do is wait for the EBA.
morriscey @ Nov 28th 2008 12:53PM
Nice! But you should know only the divas can correct this tragedy!
Papytendo @ Nov 26th 2008 7:00PM
*Insert scene of Indiana Jones where that guy's face melts off here*
Lakitu @ Nov 26th 2008 7:36PM
LOL @ that one
Sept @ Nov 26th 2008 7:31PM
i hate this.... i cant even put it into words. Why does nintendo want to ruin such an iconic figure... i don't even see how a gray logo appeals to casual gamers more than any other color. (because there is of course no other possible reason for this)
zchry @ Nov 27th 2008 4:10PM
The red's reminiscent of the NES (and Virtual Boy), which featured a red/white/black color scheme. The current systems' schemes are more of a white/grey/electric blue.
They're trying to make a differentiation from their past consoles. The Wii and the DSi are innovation! They are the future! They are accessible and casual! The NES is the past now!
HairyBalls @ Nov 26th 2008 8:08PM
DS phat has the Gray logo...
So been using Gray longer than 2 years.
FantomRedux @ Nov 27th 2008 5:08PM
Not really. The Nintendo logo on my Wii Sports case is still res, yet my Smash Bros case has a grey one. Must've been just after the Wii launch or something
Matt @ Nov 26th 2008 8:43PM
NEVER HAPPENED!!!!!
Garst @ Nov 26th 2008 11:01PM
Maybe they're trying to save on color costs. Does it cost any more to make logos red in anything other than in print?
TracerBullet @ Nov 27th 2008 4:45AM
Yep, latelly there's nothing printed in red on Nintendo fields, unlike a few years ago.
The logo may be a reflex of that :p
Shugo @ Nov 27th 2008 1:10PM
My only thought is what went through your mind Nintendo? Your red logo is easily recognizable and known by millions.
KaBob799 @ Nov 27th 2008 5:56PM
Well, I'll admit I liek the red one a lot but the silver one makes more sense to put on stuff because red stands out too much. I don't see why they couldn't use the red one where it looks good, though.
Twilight @ Nov 27th 2008 9:21PM
I
rodjoh @ Nov 28th 2008 7:21AM
They've changed this for quiet a while already. I like the grey logo better, it's classier. The red logo will be missed sure, but at this point I guess it's time for a change. In the end though, it's the same damn logo and it looks great in many colors.