“With the aim of improving business efficiency and speeding up decision-making by consolidating functions within Nintendo of Europe“, Nintendo’s management has taken the decision to merge Nintendo France, Nintendo Benelux and Nintendo Ibérica into the headquarters of Nintendo of Europe, which is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Let’s face it, the wording of the press release, which talks about the “disappearance“of the various regional subsidiaries, was cause for concern.
No misunderstanding, however. Gamekult has contacted a Nintendo France representative for more information. It appears that the employees of these subsidiaries, including Nintendo France, will simply become employees of Nintendo of Europe and, above all, that this restructuring does not include any reduction in staff or office closures. There is therefore no question of dismissal or even of asking regional employees to fly to Germany. For current employees, the operation will involve a change in status but not the disappearance of their position.
“Nintendo will proceed with an absorption type merger in which our subsidiary Nintendo of Europe will be the surviving company, and Nintendo France SARL, Nintendo Benelux BV and Nintendo Ibérica, SA, which are also our subsidiaries, will be the companies that will disappear“, can we read. In fact, the merger of the operations of Nintendo France and Nintendo Benelux with the new European headquarters in Germany is scheduled for July 2023, while Nintendo Ibérica will in turn be absorbed in August 2024.
Since 2018, the headquarters of Nintendo of Europe has been led by Stephan Bole, former general manager of Nintendo France. Nintendo adds to shareholders’ attention that the merger will have “low impact“on the results.”The activities of these three merged companies will continue in each of the newly created branches“, says Nintendo’s press release.