Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
07-12-15, 07:39 PM
#1
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Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
http://kotaku.com/nintendos-presiden...way-1717386412
I haven't paid much attention to Nintendo lately, didn't realize he was sick. Sad to hear 
Nintendo has just issued a short statement announcing that president Satoru Iwata has passed away at the age of 55.
The statement reads:
Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth.
Iwata was forced to skip last year’s E3 due to his poor health, and shortly afterwards underwent surgery to remove the bile duct growth. A few months later, in the wake of concerns over his health, he said via Twitter “I’m progressing well”.
Iwata first joined Nintendo’s HAL Laboratory in the 1980s, where he worked on games like Balloon Fight and EarthBound. He became a Director of the company in 2000, and in 2002 was appointed as only the fourth President of Nintendo when he succeeded Hiroshi Yamauchi.
In his time as President, Iwata oversaw some of the strongest (Wii, DS) and weakest (GameCube, Wii U) periods in Nintendo’s history as a video game company. In recent times, he developed almost cult status as the host of the Nintendo Direct programs.
The statement reads:
Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth.
Iwata was forced to skip last year’s E3 due to his poor health, and shortly afterwards underwent surgery to remove the bile duct growth. A few months later, in the wake of concerns over his health, he said via Twitter “I’m progressing well”.
Iwata first joined Nintendo’s HAL Laboratory in the 1980s, where he worked on games like Balloon Fight and EarthBound. He became a Director of the company in 2000, and in 2002 was appointed as only the fourth President of Nintendo when he succeeded Hiroshi Yamauchi.
In his time as President, Iwata oversaw some of the strongest (Wii, DS) and weakest (GameCube, Wii U) periods in Nintendo’s history as a video game company. In recent times, he developed almost cult status as the host of the Nintendo Direct programs.
07-12-15, 08:20 PM
#4
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Wow, sad news. Bile duct cancer is very rare, but like other cancers of the digestive system, it's aggressive and nasty.
07-12-15, 08:35 PM
#5
DVD Talk God
Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Wow. Dude was young. Sad news.
07-12-15, 09:14 PM
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Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Devastating. I can't imagine there's anyone in the industry whose passing could hit me as hard as the way Iwata's has. Maybe not even Miyamoto, just because Iwata has basically been the face of the company for so many years.
Despite Nintendo's current struggles, he presided over some of the company's most colossal successes, and I think many of the changes that Iwata instituted will pay great dividends in the coming years (particularly merging the handheld/console hardware teams). There aren't a lot of people in the CEO chair in this industry who actually programmed games, giving Iwata a perspective that...geez, probably no one else leading a major publisher has, and his commitment to quality and to his employees is beyond commendable.
He will be missed.
Despite Nintendo's current struggles, he presided over some of the company's most colossal successes, and I think many of the changes that Iwata instituted will pay great dividends in the coming years (particularly merging the handheld/console hardware teams). There aren't a lot of people in the CEO chair in this industry who actually programmed games, giving Iwata a perspective that...geez, probably no one else leading a major publisher has, and his commitment to quality and to his employees is beyond commendable.
He will be missed.
07-12-15, 09:38 PM
#8
gamer for life
Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Fucking sucks...
how much of a force was he behind Nintendo's recent Wii U path...and what does this mean for them going forward?
how much of a force was he behind Nintendo's recent Wii U path...and what does this mean for them going forward?
07-12-15, 10:19 PM
#11
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Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Yeah. I mean... he KNOWS Nintendo but I dunno if he has the business sense to manage a company.
Jesus. Iwata gone is a big blow. He had it perfect as a role. Shiiiiiiiiiite. Not many men like him in that kind of role.
Jesus. Iwata gone is a big blow. He had it perfect as a role. Shiiiiiiiiiite. Not many men like him in that kind of role.
07-13-15, 08:49 PM
#15
Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Shigestto Itoi, the lead designer of Mother, had this to say about Satoru Iwata:
“When I’m parting with a friend, regardless of the circumstances, I find it best to just say, ‘See you later.’ We’ll meet again. After all, we’re friends.
That’s right—nothing unusual about it. I’ll see you later.
You went on a trip far, far away, even though it was planned for many years from now. You wore your best outfit and said ‘Sorry for the short notice,’ though you didn’t say it out loud.
You always put yourself last, after you’d finished helping everyone else. You were so generous as a friend that this trip might be your very first selfish act.
I still can’t grasp what’s happened. It feels like I could still get a light-hearted e-mail asking me out to lunch at any moment—after you’ve made sure lunch wouldn’t disrupt my schedule, of course.
You can invite me out whenever you want. I’ll invite you, too.
So for now, let’s plan on meeting again. You can call me up whenever you like, and I’ll give you a call, too. I still have a lot to talk to you about, and if I come up with any particularly good ideas, I’ll let you know.
So let’s meet again.
No–I suppose we’re already meeting. Right here, right now.”
That’s right—nothing unusual about it. I’ll see you later.
You went on a trip far, far away, even though it was planned for many years from now. You wore your best outfit and said ‘Sorry for the short notice,’ though you didn’t say it out loud.
You always put yourself last, after you’d finished helping everyone else. You were so generous as a friend that this trip might be your very first selfish act.
I still can’t grasp what’s happened. It feels like I could still get a light-hearted e-mail asking me out to lunch at any moment—after you’ve made sure lunch wouldn’t disrupt my schedule, of course.
You can invite me out whenever you want. I’ll invite you, too.
So for now, let’s plan on meeting again. You can call me up whenever you like, and I’ll give you a call, too. I still have a lot to talk to you about, and if I come up with any particularly good ideas, I’ll let you know.
So let’s meet again.
No–I suppose we’re already meeting. Right here, right now.”
07-14-15, 09:34 AM
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Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Various reports are going that Miyamoto may take Iwata's spot. I'd want him to but also not want him to do that. I like Miyamoto being closer to the frontlines of development. Man, Iwata was such a nice guy to see running Nintendo. The guy understood development and business. Also... Nintendo likes their big guys to be on the front for promotion in an entertaining way too. Can't say that too much w/ the other big two.
07-14-15, 10:08 AM
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Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
I really, really doubt Miyamoto will take the reins, at least for any lengthy period of time. I can imagine he and Takeda serving as interim leadership, but Miyamoto has been making it sound for a while that he wants to take a step back, the guy's gonna be 63 later this year, and I don't think the nitty-gritty business end of things plays to his strengths.
Shinya Takahashi, the general manager of Nintendo's SPD department (the same position Iwata held before taking the big chair) and the leader of the newly-created Development Administration & Support group, would make my shortlist of successors. He's already on the board of directors too.
Katsuya Eguchi, the hardware producer of the Wii U and one of the high muckity-mucks at EAD, is considered another favorite, although I don't think he's as likely as Takahashi.
If they hire outside of Nintendo of Japan, Satoru Shibata (who's done great work leading Nintendo of Europe) and maaaaybe Bill Trinen as a wildcard (western marketing experience, fluent in Japanese). I can't imagine Nintendo tapping someone who's not Japanese to lead the company, but maybe I'm wrong.
Shinya Takahashi, the general manager of Nintendo's SPD department (the same position Iwata held before taking the big chair) and the leader of the newly-created Development Administration & Support group, would make my shortlist of successors. He's already on the board of directors too.
Katsuya Eguchi, the hardware producer of the Wii U and one of the high muckity-mucks at EAD, is considered another favorite, although I don't think he's as likely as Takahashi.
If they hire outside of Nintendo of Japan, Satoru Shibata (who's done great work leading Nintendo of Europe) and maaaaybe Bill Trinen as a wildcard (western marketing experience, fluent in Japanese). I can't imagine Nintendo tapping someone who's not Japanese to lead the company, but maybe I'm wrong.
07-14-15, 12:27 PM
#19
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
Isn't Miyamoto the reason we got a Wiimote and a Gamepad, to indulge his game ideas? I'll pass. Get some fresh blood in there to mix things up.
