Nintendo Integrated Research & Development Division, commonly abbreviated as Nintendo IRD, was a division of Nintendo that developed video game console hardware and associated peripherals. Originally established in 1980 with engineer Genyo Takeda acting as manager, Nintendo Research & Development No. 3 Department and part of the Manufacturing Division, the department was responsible for various hardware technologies and even developed several arcade and console titles. In 2000, as technology evolved into the 3D era, Takeda's group spun-off and established itself as a division into Integrated Research & Development Division, and began spending longer periods of time researching and testing the various and rapidly evolving hardware that would power Nintendo's next generation of consoles.

The Integrated Development Division comprised two coexisting departments: the Nintendo IRD, which was responsible for the development of Nintendo's home console hardware and related peripherals, and the Research & Engineering Development Department (Nintendo RED), which was responsible for the development of Nintendo's handheld game console hardware and associated peripherals. Both departments were further divided into several groups.

On February 16, 2013, Nintendo announced that the Nintendo RED was absorbed into Nintendo IRD Division. On September 16, 2015, IRD merged with the Nintendo System Development division, becoming the Nintendo Platform Technology Development.

History

In December 1980, Genyo Takeda was promoted to manager of the Nintendo R&D3 department.

Hardware developed

General Manager: Genyo Takeda

The Integrated Research & Development Department (or IRD) was the hardware development team responsible for all of Nintendo's home video game consoles and associated peripherals. The department was split into five different groups who worked together on most projects, with each group generally focusing on a different aspect of product design. The manager, Genyo Takeda, and most of the chief engineers originated from the Nintendo R&D3 hardware division.

YearTitlePlatform(s)
1984Punch-Out!!Arcade
Super Punch-Out!!Arcade
1985Arm WrestlingArcade
1985Famicom/NES Game PakNintendo Entertainment System
1986Pro WrestlingNintendo Entertainment System
1987Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!Nintendo Entertainment System
1990StarTropicsNintendo Entertainment System
1994Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics IINintendo Entertainment System
Super Punch-Out!!Super Nintendo Entertainment System
1996Nintendo 64Hardware
Pilotwings 64Nintendo 64
Controller PakNintendo 64
1997Transfer PakNintendo 64
Rumble PakNintendo 64
1998Expansion PakNintendo 64
1999Nintendo 64DDNintendo 64
2001GameCubeHardware
GameCube controllerGameCube
Memory CardGameCube
2002Memory Card 251GameCube
WaveBird Wireless ControllerGameCube
2003Game Boy PlayerGameCube
2006WiiHardware
2006 (2010)Wii Remote (Plus)Wii
2006NunchukWii
2006 (2009)Classic Controller (Pro)Wii
2006Wii Component CablesWii
2007Wii ZapperWii
2008Wii WheelWii
Wii Balance BoardWii
Wii SpeakWii
2009Wii MotionPlusWii
2012Nintendo 3DS XLHardware
Wii UHardware
Wii U GamePadWii U
Wii U Pro ControllerWii U
2013Nintendo 2DSHardware
2014New Nintendo 3DSHardware
New Nintendo 3DS XLHardware

Notes