How a Failing Nintendo Accessory Spawned the $100 Billion Pokémon Empire

Thursday, March 19, 2026 · nick maillet

AI Briefing

The Game Boy Link Cable was a technology developed by Nintendo in the 1980s that enabled link cables and backup saving between Game Boy games.
The cable's limitations and high cost led to its discontinuation, but its legacy lived on as a crucial component in the development of the Pokémon franchise.
The Pokémon franchise's massive success can be attributed, in part, to the Game Boy Link Cable's role in facilitating the trading and battling mechanics that became a defining feature of Pokémon games.