Nintendo Board of Directors: Video Game Crash of 1983

The year is 1983, and the video game industry is knee-deep in its worst decline since its inception. And this might spell death for the video game industry, which threatens to lose over $2 billion in value and enter almost certain obscurity over the next few years without immediate, radical action.

Delegates in this committee will represent members of Nintendo’s Board of Directors in order to navigate the Video Game Crash of 1983. There are many factors that led to this crash, not the least of which is an oversaturated market with far too many competitors, such as Atari, Odyssey, Vectrex, and more. From the flooded market to the lack of consumer confidence to the loss of publishing control, an industry shakeout threatens every company involved. Committee will navigate a number of topics, including the failure of the newly created gaming system Famicom, the decline of international usage of Nintendo gaming systems, as well as threats from external forces, the most prominent of which is Atari. Delegates can also expect internal conflict, teamwork, betrayal, and resolutions from executives with varying motives.

As the Board of Directors for what has historically been one of the most successful companies in many industries, it is your job to navigate this tumultuous crisis and ensure that Nintendo ends up on top. Will Nintendo bounce back to market dominance, or will this be the last the world hears of a once-successful gaming company? The fate of Nintendo lies in your hands.

Chair Letter

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to LAMUN XVIII! My name is Shrinidhy Srinivas and I am delighted to be serving as your Chair for the Nintendo Board of Directors. I’m so excited for everything we have in store for you and I can’t wait to see the rigorous and riveting debate that you all engage in. 

Before diving into all things committee-related, I’d like to introduce myself to you all. I am a third-year student studying Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics with a minor in Global Health here at UCLA. I hope to go to medical school after college and eventually become a physician with additional focuses in research and healthcare policy. I first joined Model UN in seventh grade, making this my ninth year participating in Model UN. I’ve staffed and competed at many conferences throughout high school and college and served as the Chair for the UNSC at LAMUN last year. I also serve as Model UN at UCLA’s Director of External Relations and a member of our travel team. Besides Model UN, I love swimming, painting, dancing, singing (though I’m not good at it), all things Disney, roller coasters, and lakes in the mountains. And my Mario Kart main is Toad. 

I’ve always been captivated by Nintendo; I grew up playing games on my Wii and Switch and watching Nintendo-based movies. Beyond the legendary games and animations that we all know and love, Nintendo has a rich and fascinating history which has turned them into the iconic company they are today. The Video Game Crash of 1983, though, nearly threatened the success of Nintendo in North America as it did to so many other companies at the time. The economic recession pitted the plethora of video game companies against one another. Moreover, the many other confounding factors, from a fall in consumer confidence to new devices, further complicated the situation. As competitors in the market begin to succumb to the effects of the crash, the fate of Nintendo is based on the decisions you make in committee. All that said, there is no one solution to this problem, so I am looking forward to seeing the creative and thoughtful debate that ensues.

I am thrilled to see you all in LA and for everything that all of you will bring to committee. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. 

Best,

Shrinidhy Srinivas

Chair | Nintendo Board of Directors: Video Game Crash of 1983 | LAMUN XVIII

CD Letter

Dear Delegates,

Hey, hey, and welcome to Nintendo Board of Directors: Video Game Crash of 1983!! My name is Natalie Agnew, and I’m so excited to be your crisis director for this committee with your chair, Shrinidhy Srinivas. Both of us and our staffers have worked super hard on this committee and are excited to see what you all debate and create!

I’m a third year at UCLA majoring in political science with minors in statistics and professional writing. I’m feeling a little indecisive career-wise but considering law school and hoping to pursue something related to political communications and strategy. Although I wasn’t able to participate in Model UN in high school, I’ve always been passionate about international relations and debate and was excited to join Model UN in college. As a crisis staffer, I loved the fast-paced environment, improvisation, and emphasis on creativity, and I’m super excited to bring those elements to the committee this year! Outside of Model UN, I spend most of my free time in the Daily Bruin office copy editing, designing, and writing, and for fun, I love reading, making obscure playlists, spending time outdoors, and watching/overanalyzing movies. Fun fact: I am absolutely the worst at Mario Kart, but I still love it. And my main is Yoshi. 

I’m super excited to see what you all do with this committee. The Video Game Crash of 1983 was a unique moment in the history of Nintendo, as the company struggled to rise to prominence in the face of the near death of the video game industry. You delegates will tackle dealing with the immediate effects of a recession, launching and designing a new product with industry barriers, and battling competitors at every turn as other companies rush to do the same. This presents a unique opportunity for creativity and business-minded problem solving, with time being of the essence. 

I can’t wait to meet you all and see what committee has in store! Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Best,

Natalie Agnew

Crisis Director | Nintendo Board of Directors: Video Game Crash of 1983 | LAMUN XVIII