This weekend, Nintendo’s President and CEO Satoru Iwata passed away from cancer. In the 126 years since its founding as a card-game company, Nintendo has only had four presidents, including Iwata.
Iwata has helmed the $22.2 billion corporation since 2002, seeing it through some of its best and worst moments. Through it all, he managed to remain one of the most universally liked and respected figures in video gaming.
Iwata was often the public face of Nintendo. In 2006, Iwata launched the Iwata Asks series in which he interviewed developers about the projects that they were working on for Nintendo. Later, he began making cameos in Nintendo games, including Tomodachi Life and WarioWare: Smooth Moves. In 2011, Nintendo launched its Nintendo Direct video series designed to keep the world updated on its latest games. Iwata frequently hosted.
Satoru Iwata appeared as a puppet in Nintendo’s E3 2015 Digital Event.
In every appearance he made, Iwata was patient, polite, and funny. He laughed often. His Nintendo Direct appearances were quirky, often including puppets, floating heads, epic fight sequences, and more.
And when Nintendo had difficult news to announce, he tackled it himself, using soft words to lessen the blow and reminding his fans that Nintendo would always put them first. In 2013, when the Wii U was selling poorly, Iwata voluntarily took a 50% pay cut to avoid laying off Nintendo employees.
Since news of his death was announced yesterday, the Internet has been showered with an outpouring of love and respect.
#ThankYouIwata pic.twitter.com/JOoyampuph
— ishie (@SHERWlND) July 13, 2015
Thank you for my childhood #ThankYouIwata pic.twitter.com/JL6O3SyQ6j
— projectTiGER (@projectTiGER_) July 13, 2015
#ThankYouIwata, for all the inspiration, fun, love and passion @lucyamorris http://t.co/DGj5OZDlQY pic.twitter.com/TRitaoY7WR
— Sonja van Vuure (@sipsapson) July 13, 2015
#ThankYouMrIwata pic.twitter.com/AHfveCPDr6
— meowza (@meowza) July 13, 2015
Nintendo's flag is of course at half-mast today pic.twitter.com/QpIJPK7bwB
— Dylan Cuthbert (@dylancuthbert) July 13, 2015
For his lifetime of gaming contributions and for his immensely kind and thoughtful personality, Pixelkin.org would like to thank Satoru Iwata. He is sorely missed.
