Is Nintendo planning to bring back the classic Game Boy handheld console?

New trademark application teases prospect of retro gaming on the move

A TRADEMARK APPLICATION filed by Nintendo has fuelled speculation that the firm could be about to revive the Game Boy.

The trademark, which was filed on 15 September and uncovered by, er, a Japanese Twitter bot, is accompanied by an image of the classic handheld console (below).

The trademark doesn't mention the mooted Game Boy Classic by name, but as noted by Gears of Biz, instead covers a variety of merchandising opportunities employing the Game Boy brand including wallets, bags, pouches, clothing, umbrellas and more. So if nothing else, some cool Nintendo swag is probably on its way.

However, the filing also covers programmes and storage "home video game machines' and "portable electronic game machines", hinting that some kind of console could be on the way.

Reviving the Game Boy would be a no-brainer for Nintendo too, especially as 2019 will mark the 30th anniversary of the handheld console. The original Game Boy came out in Japan on 21 April 1989 and began selling in Europe a year later on 28 September 1990.

What's more, the company's recently-released and easily-hackable NES Classic and SNES Classic consoles both sold out and continue to sell out almost instantaneously.

Back in July, Nintendo filed a trademark showing a controller for the N64, suggesting that the company has yet more plans to revive another of its classic consoles.

And after the Nintendo Game Boy, how about resurrecting the Nintendo Virtual Boy?