Satoru Iwata brought charm, laughter, and fun to Nintendo and the gaming industry. Today we remember the man who showed us that games are for everyone to enjoy. A video game programmer, the forth president and CEO of the Nintendo company and a gamer, Iwata-san pushed Nintendo back into the spotlight with the Wii and the DS. We remember his Direct Videos, the Iwata Asks website, and of course, his ability to make Nintendo move forward and beyond imagination.
While working at HAL Laboratory, he worked on Balloon Fight, Earthbound, and Kirby games alongside Masahiro Sakurai. It was Iwata-san who pushed for Sakurai’s creation, Kirby, to premiere through Kirby’s Dream Land and make him a well remembered character. The game company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and it was Iwata-san who was able to present a way to save it. After joining Nintendo in 2002, Iwata-san decided that Nintendo’s consoles needed to appeal to all players. He helped lead a renaissance of handhelds with the quirky DS and the development of the Wii and motion control games. He was able to take the idea that games can be played by anyone, despite their age, background, and skill level.
Iwata-san helped show the world that games can be creative and more interactive than previously thought. By pushing the DS and Wii, Nintendo was able to pick up after the GameCube sales began to falter. In an interview with Seatlepi, Iwata-san stated:
“I’ve never once been embarrassed that children have supported Nintendo. I’m proud of it. That’s because children judge products based on instinct. Everyone wants to appeal to people’s instincts, but it’s not easy. That doesn’t mean we’re making products just for children. We believe that there’s interactive entertainment that people in their 60s, 70s and 80s can enjoy, so we’re doing various things”.
The way Iwata-san saw Nintendo’s place in the industry was remarkable. He believed that Nintendo games were designed for every person to enjoy, something that many gamers and developers have forgotten. His smile and mischievous grin in the Direct Videos broke down the barrier between the elusive business side of the video game company and their fans. Satoru Iwata was a graceful and playful CEO, who recognized how the gap between developers and customers could be closed. His Iwata Asks site was a great way for players to learn more info about upcoming games in a fun format. Iwata-san — as the CEO and as a fan of video games — interviewed the very people who created Nintendo games. His new style of presenting info through these interviews and reminiscing funny anecdotes of beloved series was perfect for Nintendo fans.
With Iwata-san’s passing, it’s hard to imagine Nintendo without his guidance. It’s only a matter of time before we hear of the new CEO and start seeing changes. But for the time-being, it’s a blessing that Genyo Takada and Shigeru Miyamoto were named representative directors this week, since they both have experience creating and developing games. Having the creator of Mario and Link as the new CEO would practically ensure that the fun and joy continues.
However, it seems unlikely that Miyamoto-san would become the CEO, since he is much more of a creator than businessman. Takada-san is a wise choice since he has been working at Nintendo longer than Iwata-san had. Genyo Takada is the one who created the analog-stick on the N64 controller, and lead developer of the Wii console. With Takada-san as the CEO, he could direct Nintendo into a new age and make Nintendo once again the video game company that offers the most innovative entertainment.
No matter who is chosen to become the next CEO of Nintendo, it is the hope of many that the new CEO is a visionary and a gamer. The new CEO will be in charge during the NX generation, and will have to prove that Nintendo can maintain its legacy while joining the world of mobile gaming. We can only hope that the person will have a bit of Iwata-san’s humor, and continue his work as the bridge between the developers and the players. Satoru Iwata was a leader, a developer, and a gamer. His last work of beginning to lead Nintendo into a new age of gaming with the NX will be remembered. Iwata-san, we miss you, but your memory and legacy will live on forever in the games you helped create.
