2009 – present
Nintendo
of Europe
From Frankfurt, I have worked for many years on Nintendo’s digital brand presence across Europe. Products, markets, languages and channels keep changing, while the brand still has to feel unmistakably Nintendo everywhere.
My role
Supervisor Online Design
As Supervisor Online Design, I combine hands-on design with team leadership and responsibility for quality. I set direction, clarify requirements and work on UX/UI, information architecture, templates and design standards together with the team, European markets and specialist departments.
01
The website in transition
A large platform is rarely developed from scratch. Over the years, Nintendo’s European website evolved continuously while remaining live – adapting to new products, new requirements and new technical possibilities.
View live website
From game pages, news, support and Club Nintendo to e-commerce
Over many years, the Nintendo website grew with new products and services. Sales offerings were later consolidated in the Nintendo Store. As the platform evolved, so did its design, structure and user guidance.
Website redesign, 2009–2014
Two stages in the development of the same platform: in 2009, removing the Flash navigation created more room for content and an additional console. In 2012, larger buttons responded to growing tablet use, while a carousel calmed the main stage and news and social media elements were integrated.
The move into responsive, 2015–2016
For the first time, the website was implemented responsively using Bootstrap. As a technical interim step, the basic structure largely remained in place. The navigation became more compact again because the responsive layout made the previously enlarged tablet buttons unnecessary.
More room for brand and content
With the red branding, the homepage gained a new visual emphasis. Larger image areas put artwork and products centre stage, while a smaller set of reusable modules structured content more clearly. Search, login and the main navigation were reorganised as well.
The current website
The homepage moves away from the previous mosaic and places even greater emphasis on visual content through a large hero carousel. News now has its own section below, while the header navigation is further reduced: the former search field gives way to a compact search icon.
Project & Contribution
I contributed to this continuous development both conceptually and visually – from UX/UI and information architecture to page types, templates and design standards. The key was to evolve what already existed without losing sight of day-to-day operation or the recognisability of the brand.
02
One system for many formats and channels
The more content, formats and markets come together, the more important shared rules become. Reusable templates and clearly defined design frameworks make communication more efficient to produce while keeping the brand consistent across different digital touchpoints.
Templates for different formats and channels
Reusable templates ensured a consistent presence across social media and the Nintendo website. They were also provided to local markets and continually adapted to new formats and platform requirements.
A modular newsletter system
Over time, individual newsletters evolved into a responsive modular system with its own design rules. Production was later handed over to a dedicated newsletter team, while Online Design continued to support templates, assets and design approvals.
A design system for the Nintendo website
Reusable components and a shared style guide formed the basis of the website’s modular structure. The system was developed in close exchange with development and continuously expanded over the years.
From system to detail
Header, footer and main navigation were defined as core system components for desktop and mobile. This example shows how components and responsive variants were documented.
Pricing and shop functions as part of the platform
New commerce elements were integrated into the existing website and visually adapted to the modular system.
Project & Contribution
I developed and maintained reusable templates as well as design and production structures for different applications. This also meant bringing content, brand and production requirements together so that teams and local markets could work within one shared system.
03
When design becomes process
For a large digital brand, design does not end at the screen. Assets, approvals, production and technical workflows all help determine whether quality can be maintained in everyday work.
Online Design as an interface
Between content, design, review and local markets, the team consolidated requirements and translated them into reusable assets and clearly structured production processes.
From master to local markets
Campaigns and assets were developed and reviewed centrally before being adapted for local markets. Approval, versioning and analysis formed one continuous process from production through to rollout.
Project & Contribution
Together with IT and process management, I structured and optimised asset and workflow processes and worked on automated and template-based production flows. Design was therefore not only defined, but translated reliably into production.
Context / Europe
Nintendo in transition
Over the years, platforms, services and touchpoints have changed repeatedly. Selected milestones show some of this evolution – from the eShop and the website relaunch to Nintendo Today! and Nintendo Switch 2.
Selected milestones in Nintendo’s digital development in Europe. External links lead to official Nintendo sources. These developments are shown as context and are not attributed to Daniel Funke.