Nintendo president Satoru Iwata passed away yesterday at the young age of 55. While tributes have been pouring in for the legendary figurehead of the prestigious company, his illustrious career in the gaming industry is being rightfully celebrated by gamers, his peers and his rivals over at Sony and Microsoft.
Also See: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Has Died, Aged 55
With him having left behind a legacy in the industry that will never be forgotten, here are the highlights of Satoru Iwata’s career, a man who was responsible for bringing plentiful amounts of joy into the lives of Nintendo fans worldwide:
R.I.P. Satoru Iwata: The Nintendo President's Career in Highlights
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He was a skilled programmer.
At the time of his passing Satoru Iwata was more prominently known for his managerial work rather than the time he spent behind the scenes actually creating video games.
While his impact upon the landscape of gaming in terms of design wasn't as celebrated as some of his peers, such as Nintendo's own Shigeru Miyamoto, he lent his hand to a number of classic video games during his time at HAL Laboratories and programmed the likes of Balloon Fight.
Iwata once said: "On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer." While he will certainly be most remembered for his work as Nintendo's president, Iwata was an incredibly skilled programmer who many in the industry looked up to.
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His time as Nintendo president.
Iwata was appointed president of Nintendo in 2002, bringing with him a raft of changes that helped usher in a new era for the company.
While the company's management of the Wii U launch is a notable stain on Nintendo's history, considering that he was also in charge when the company released both the DS and the Wii, his positive impact upon Nintendo was monumental and should not be understated.
Iwata changed Nintendo's entire outlook, and without him the company would arguably not have experienced the success of its last generation of home and handheld consoles.
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He was the first Nintendo president who wasn't a Yamauchi.
One of the most impressive statistics from Iwata's career was that he was the very first Nintendo president who wasn't a part of the company's founding Yamauchi family, breaking a chain of nepotism that had lasted for over a century when Nintendo first formed in 1889 as a playing card company.
It is uncertain who will take the reins of the company following Iwata's passing, though many have speculated that legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto will fill the role, continuing a trend of presidents assigned their roles due to skill rather than familial ties to the company.
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He revitalized Nintendo with the DS.
Nintendo was struggling after the release of the GameCube, a system which performed poorly and caused the company to lose some footing in the hardware market. After Iwata was appointed president in 2002, he took over the reins of a company that was suffering something of an identity crisis and struggling to compete with the likes of Sony and Microsoft.
Sensing that a change needed to take place, Iwata commented upon the exclusivity of gaming as a hobby, and sought to revitalize the company by putting the DS into development.
The DS paved the way for a new era for the company, selling by the bucketload and leaving Sony's PSP, who many thought would be the next big thing in the handheld market, in the dust. Not only did the DS appeal to existing gamers, but it also introduced many more people to the hobby by way of inclusive games such as the adorable Nintendogs and Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training.
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He presided over the Wii launch.
Iwata pushed for the development of the Wii, a console that would change Nintendo's fortunes following the relative failure of the GameCube, and would become the best-selling console of its generation.
Even up against the likes of the mighty PS3 and especially the Xbox 360, the Wii proved to be a tremendous hit and had one of the most successful launches in console history, thanks in large part to it being bundled with the modern classic Wii Sports.
The Wii is one of the brightest moments in Nintendo's illustrious history, and Iwata was in charge throughout the duration of its reign during the last console generation.
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His Nintendo Direct presentations.
Aside from his role as Nintendo president, Iwata will mostly be known for his job as host of the Nintendo Direct presentations. During these presentations Iwata would inform Wii U and 3DS owners of upcoming games, DLC and news, providing a charming and likable human face of the company alongside its fictional mascots.
While Nintendo's E3 2015 was roundly criticized, the Jim Henson muppets used to represent Iwata, Miyamoto and Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime instantly became hits on the Internet, highlighting how more so than arguably any other gaming company, Nintendo's cast of executives, managers and creators have carved out a place in the hearts of gamers.
