You heard it on the playground in 1992. Some kid, probably named Kevin, swore he’d already played Super Mario 4. He knew how to find the Triforce in Ocarina of Time. How? Because my uncle works for Nintendo, he’d say, leaning in with that unearned confidence only an elementary schooler can muster. It was the ultimate trump card. You couldn’t prove him wrong. You didn't have the internet. All you had was a stack of Nintendo Power magazines and a sense of deep, burning envy.
Decades later, that sentence has morphed into the internet's favorite shorthand for "you’re lying through your teeth." It’s a meme. It’s a punchline. But honestly, the history of this trope is actually a fascinating look at how we share information—and how we gatekeep it.
The "Uncle" was the original leaker before social media existed.
Where the Uncle Works for Nintendo Legend Actually Started
Before Reddit threads and Twitter insiders, gaming culture was built on word-of-mouth. We are talking about a pre-digital era where secrets were gold. If you knew how to get past the ghost in Lavender Town or how to unlock Sonic in Super Smash Bros. Melee (spoiler: you couldn’t), you were a god.
The my uncle works for Nintendo lie worked because it was just plausible enough. Nintendo of America is a real place in Redmond, Washington. They have employees. Thousands of them. Statistically, someone’s uncle did work there. But the "Uncle" in the legend was never a mid-level accountant or a HR rep. He was always a top-tier developer who hand-delivered prototypes to his nephew's suburban bedroom.
Why did we believe it?
Kids are gullible, sure. But it was more than that. The 80s and 90s were the Wild West of gaming. Games were buggy, translations were weird, and "Easter eggs" were a brand new concept. When games like Street Fighter II had rumors about a secret boss named Sheng Long (which started as a translation error), the line between reality and fiction blurred. If a game could have a secret boss, why couldn't your friend have a secret source?
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The Psychology of the Playground Lie
Psychologists often point to "social currency" when explaining why kids make up these stories. In a world where you have no control over your life, knowing something others don’t is power. Saying my uncle works for Nintendo wasn't just about the game; it was about status.
It provided a "source" that was unreachable. You couldn't ask for the uncle's name. You couldn't call him. He was a phantom.
Interestingly, this wasn't just an American thing. In the UK, the "Uncle" often worked for Sega or Rare. In Japan, rumors circulated about family members at Enix or Square. It is a universal human urge to pretend we have a "guy on the inside."
When the Myth Became a Reality
Here is the weird part: sometimes, the uncle was real.
Take the case of the Star Fox 2 leak or the various "Nintendo Gigaleak" files that surfaced in 2020. People found builds of games that were never supposed to see the light of day. For years, people claimed they had played a version of Pokémon Gold with different starter designs. Everyone called them liars. Then, the 1997 Space World demo leaked, and guess what? They were right. The "Uncle" might have been a developer who actually showed a kid a work-in-progress.
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But those cases are one in a million. Most of the time, it was just Kevin wanting attention.
How the Meme Lives On in 2026
Today, the phrase has evolved. You see it on Discord servers and Twitter whenever a "leaker" posts a blurry photo of a supposed Switch 2.
"Source: My uncle works for Nintendo."
It is used ironically now. It’s a way to mock the "Trust me bro" culture of modern gaming leaks. We’ve traded the playground for the 4chan board, but the energy is the same. People still want to feel like they have a secret pipeline to the truth.
The Modern "Uncle" is the Data Miner
We don't need uncles anymore. We have code.
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Modern "Uncles" are the people who dig through update files to find hidden strings of text. When a new character is coming to a fighting game, we don't wait for Kevin to tell us; we wait for a script to find a leftover file path. Yet, the nostalgia for that era of mystery remains. There was something magical about a world where secrets weren't immediately debunked by a Google search.
Spotting a Fake "Uncle" Story
If you’re lurking in gaming forums and someone starts dropping "leaks," look for the red flags.
- Vagueness. Real leaks usually have specific details. Fake ones use broad strokes like "The next Mario will be open world."
- The "No Photos" Rule. In 2026, everyone has a high-def camera in their pocket. If they can't provide a single frame of evidence, they’re probably pulling your leg.
- Emotional Appeals. If the person gets overly defensive when questioned, they’re likely channeling their inner 1992 playground liar.
The my uncle works for Nintendo trope is essentially the "Bigfoot" of gaming. We know it’s fake, but we kind of want it to be real. We want there to be a secret world of unreleased games just out of reach.
Moving Beyond the Legend
If you want to actually get into the industry or find real information, stop looking for the metaphorical uncle.
- Follow official PR channels. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have moved toward direct-to-consumer communication (like Nintendo Directs) specifically to kill the rumor mill.
- Check credible journalists. Look for names like Jason Schreier or outlets with a track record of vetting sources. They are the closest thing we have to a verified "Uncle" in the modern age.
- Learn to read the signs. Game development takes years. If someone claims a game was started six months ago and is launching tomorrow, they’re lying. Simple math.
The legend of the Nintendo uncle is a piece of cultural history. It marks the transition from the analog world to the digital one. It represents a time when games were mysterious, and anything felt possible. While the lie was annoying, the wonder it created was real.
To verify a modern rumor, cross-reference it with historical release patterns and official developer social media accounts. Never take a single source at face value, especially if that source claims to have a relative in the Redmond corporate office. The best way to engage with gaming news is with a healthy dose of skepticism and a memory of why we fell for the "Uncle" story in the first place.