The Family Computer (ファミリーコンピュータ or Famicom) in Japan or Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) outside of Japan is an 8-bit video game console that was first released by Nintendo in 1983 in Japan and 1985 in North America.
The NES was the most successful video game system of its time and helped revitalize the American video game industry following the crash of 1983. With the NES, Nintendo introduced the now-standard business model of licensing third-party developers to produce and distribute software for the platform.
The NES was succeeded by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES or Super Famicom in Japan.
