Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has passed away

[Your Vest Friend]

Hmm, don't call the Jimquisition being posted in here.

 

[goku262002]

Got this from the NeoGAF thread:

 

"...Please understand..."

After a full week a reading this thread and trying to process this awful news... Great loss of a  good man for humanity, a unique voice for the gaming industry, and of a brilliant leader for this funny and weird little company named Nintendo. RIP Iwata-san

Now, I was watching a video of Florent Gorges (the man behind the "The History of Nintendo" books) yesterday, and he said that Iwata worked until the very end, and he has contacts saying that there was a last Iwata Asks recorded 2 weeks ago. I don't know anything more about this, and I don't know if Nintendo will choose to publish it (I certainly hope !), but I'm sure some of you wanted to know this information.

Take care,
 

Just like I thought, he fought damned hard to keep going until he couldn't anymore.

1 more, there is 1 last final Iwata Asks that Nintendo has. I will understand if Nintendo decides to never show it but if they edit it up real nice it would make a real touching tribute to him.

EDIT: Also this pic is being show about on GAF, a rare photo him Iwata on a day off:

Just wanted to show this pic of Iwata and his wife at Itoi's house a while back. You can tell he was such a happy person in life and let nothing get him down

Edited July 17, 2015 by goku262002

[Emperor Robrainiac]

God damn it. It seems like when I go on vacation, a great man leaves this world.

I was away from the internet for most of this week, so I had not heard of it until my dad told me at the hotel room. I was in legitimate shock, the last time I saw him, he looked like he was in good health! How in the world could someone like him pass away? and at a young age at that? 

Well, it wasn't until today I saw his most recent picture... I hadn't realized he was this sickly. The more I browsed through this thread the more upset I got. I had a lot of respect for the man, it was very clear he absolutely loved his job and cared about the fans. I hadn't realized he was so involved so many Nintendo games.., Needless to say, I had no Idea that Iwata was the one who helped put Kanto on Pokemon G/S/C, and for that I have to say I've gained so much more respect than I already had for him. 

He's made some decisions I didn't agree with, but in the end, Iwata has done so much more and to see him go really breaks my heart. He was a very good, fun loving man and I'm really going to miss him. To this day, this moment has and always will make me smile.

May you rest in piece, Mr. Iwata. 

[TheChris110]

Did Iwata post the picture of him in his house by himself? If not, please respect his/the privacy of his family and don't share it everywere.

Anyway, here is a little video for Iwata. I like it because it focuses on the fun.

The translation of the title is: "Thanks Satoru Iwata for over 30 years Nintendo fun"

Edited July 17, 2015 by TheChris110

[goku262002]

Did Iwata post the picture of him in his house by himself? If not, please respect his/the privacy of his family and don't share it everywere.

It was from NeoGAF, one of his close work associates and friend posted it long before. please read instead of skimming next time, the picture is respectful.

EDIT: Iwata's Eulogy by Genyo Takeda has been posted:

    As we gather here today for a joint funeral with Nintendo Co., Ltd. and Mr. Iwata's family, I would like to share my heartfelt condolences. President Iwata, allow me to call you Iwata-san, just as I always used to.

    Iwata-san, you left us far too soon. Having just chaired our shareholders' meeting the other day on June 26, the news of your sudden death has left all the employees overcome with a deep sorrow. The late Yamauchi-san passed the baton to you in naming you the president of Nintendo in 2002, and the two Senior Managing Directors of the company, Shigeru Miyamoto and I, have been assisting and working alongside you. Being rather short-tempered myself, the thing that I am most deeply struck by is that you were a true leader in every sense of the word, overflowing with compassion for people. You always maintained a two-way dialogue, even with the next generation of employees, or with much younger members of the development and marketing teams, or with employees outside of Japan whose different customs and cultures can make communication challenging — sometimes even admitting your own mistakes to them. You demonstrated this through your belief that people could eventually come to understand one another, and your strong conviction that the best way for us to grow is through patient communication, even if it took several times, a dozen times or even seemingly endless discussion.

    You succeeded in planting the seed in employees' hearts that, in order to solve an issue, there is a fundamental cycle whereby you make a hypothesis, execute the plan, see the result and then make adjustments, and by which you have caringly nurtured these seeds to sprout and mature into plants.

    Until now, our successors and the younger generation would take a few first steps and then look back at you for guidance because they could not tell if they had chosen the right path. Today they cannot ask for your guidance anymore.

    However, I am sure that they have already made the firm determination that they will continue on their own, making the hypothesis, executing the plan, seeing the results and reflecting on the results to improve and adjust by themselves.

    In the face of your unbelievable passing it will surely take some time before we can emerge from this deep sorrow. Please know, however, that the seeds you have planted, and the plants that have sprouted will put forth small flowers as they bring smiles to the faces of people around the world, blossom into a grand flower bigger than even you, our leader, Iwata-san. Together with Miyamoto and others of our generation, we swear in our hearts that we will continue our efforts so that, someday, we can report and present to you the blossoming of these flowers. May you continuously watch over and guide us managers, our employees and your family.

    On behalf of all of us, I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences and sincerest prayer. May you rest in peace, Iwata-san.

I'm amazed Nintendo and his family has been this open with his passing I don't believe Nintendo's previous president was ever this open, even until the end and then some Iwata has been an open book kind of guy.

Edited July 18, 2015 by goku262002
Source link.

[Kaze no Klonoa]

More than four thousand people attended his funeral.

It's also stated that Shigeru Miyamoto, Yuji Naka, Dylan Cuthbert, Sakurai, Eiji Aonuma, Hideki Kamiya, and Reggie were among the many that were present.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Inkling no Klonoa

[Junko]

Nintendo have released a transcript of Takeda's eulogy(?).

Edited July 19, 2015 by Athena Cykes

[Milo]

My heart hurts.

I just want to take a moment and highly commend whoever did this, because this is a really, really, ingenious tribute.

For those who don't know, this picture is a shout out to a similar illustration (which you can see below) made in 1990, of Mickey Mouse consoling Kermit the Frog. That drawing was made by Disney artists Joe Lanzisero and Tim Kirk as a tribute to puppeteer/entertainer Jim Henson, who had died a few weeks earlier.

Kermit (along with The Muppets cast he's the face of) was created by Jim Henson, who also founded The Jim Henson Company. Who, as you may know, created the Muppet versions of Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Reggie Fils-Aime Nintendo used in their E3 2015 Digital Event.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Gabe

[Ellipsis-Ultima]

Krysta Yang of Nintendo of America appeared in a Cake wars episode...

And then there was the cakes-

 

The entire episode was dedicated to Iwata ;_;

 

[goku262002]

wow that was pretty cool for an american reality show to do something like that. hell nothing over here has been said about it on tv, you'd think the sudden death of nintendo's president, a person associated with a company ingrained into the american culture since the late 80s, would at least be discussed but nope nothing.

[sonicgirl313]

wow that was pretty cool for an american reality show to do something like that. hell nothing over here has been said about it on tv, you'd think the sudden death of nintendo's president, a person associated with a company ingrained into the american culture since the late 80s, would at least be discussed but nope nothing.

My local news station took the time to talk about Iwata's death. Then again it wasn't that long and they never mentioned it again.

EDIT: Oh here's the Cake Wars Nintendo episode for anyone that wants to see it.

 

Edited July 26, 2015 by sonicgirl313

[goku262002]

Itoi tweeted a picture, don't think it's been seen before.

[Tara]

I wish his pictures of his personal life would stop being so adorable so I could avoid having a confusing moodswing when I remember. =(

[Ellipsis-Ultima]

Pax Prime has an area dedicated to Satoru Iwata.

 

[Junko]

We have our new President of Nintendo.

We aim to strengthen and enhance the management structure of the Company following President (Representative Director) Satoru Iwata’s passing on July 11, 2015 and a large-scale revision of the organizational structure of the Company on September 16, 2015. 

Tatsumi Kimishima

• Now: Representative Director / President
• Formerly: Managing Director / General Manager, Corporate Analysis & Administration Division and General Manager, General Affairs Division / In charge of Human Resources Division

1. Dec. 2000 - Appointed as Representative Director of The Pokémon Company
2. Jan. 2002 - Appointed as Director of Nintendo of America Inc. (to present)
3. Jun. 2002 - Appointed as Director of the Company (to present)
4. May 2006 - Appointed as Director and Chairman (CEO) of Nintendo of America Inc.
5. Jun. 2013 - Appointed as Managing Director (to present)
   1. General Manager, Corporate Analysis & Administration Division (to present) and
   2. General Manager, General Affairs Division (to present)
6. Jun. 2014 - In charge of Human Resources Division (to present)

Previously, Kimishima served as the chief financial officer of The Pokemon Company Inc. until 2001. After that, he became the first president of Pokemon USA until 2002 - it would eventually grow and be renamed as The Pokemon Company International. Kimishima replaced Minoru Arakawa as president for Nintendo of America in 2002. He was later succeeded by current president Reggie Fils-Aime in May 2006.

At that time, Kimishima became CEO and chairman of the board for NoA until he relinquished the position to Satoru Iwata in April 2013. Kimishima held a number of positions Nintendo including managing director, general manager of Corporate Analysis & Administration Division, and head of Human Resources Division.

 

Edited September 14, 2015 by Athena Cykes

[Salamander]

That seems like a pretty convincing record, and of course, Iwata's own unfinished plans will carry them through for a while.  It looks like we're probably in for a change in direction for how Nintendo's Japanese arm connects with fans, though, as looking around it seems Kimishima has a reputation for keeping behind the scenes; not an Iwata Asks or Nintendo Direct sort of guy.  I can't think of any obvious candidates from the Japanese side to step in and front those even if we still have Reggie and Shibata in the west.

I'm also hearing hints of planning for a group leadership model for Nintendo in the future, which in theory at least I very much like; Nintendo has a lot of very strong people near the top of the chain.

[Tani Coyote]

I have no doubt he's qualified as a businessman, but the best officials in gaming are more than businessmen.

 

They're gamers themselves, or at least heavily involved in the gaming process. He sounds like he's more of a bureaucrat than a true successor. We can see where this can be a problem with many companies, to say nothing of SEGA, where it's pretty clear the guys making the games and the guys running the company are on two different planets.

 

However, the position of CEO is still open. Hopefully they'll pick someone who is very involved in game development. There's a reason guys like Iwata, Aaron Webber, Reggie, etc. have been so liked; there's more to them than just being corporate officials. They all come/came off as people like us who just so happened to end up holding a very important office.

[Milo]

The press release announcing Kimishima's new role as president also mentioned Miyamoto will be stepping down from his managerial role at EAD towards a purely advisory role on the board of directors. Similarly, Takeda will also step down as general manager of the IRD division (based on the old and new titles both of them have in the press release). Both of these actions seem to be part of a large-scale corporate restructuring. No announcement of successors for both of them.

Here's an interesting analysis of what this could mean for Nintendo, from Gurgelhals from Neogaf:

 

- Are EAD and SPD (and IRD?) being merged? Because Shinya Takahashi seems to have gotten a BIG promotion from General Manager of SPD to General Manager of an apparently new division called "Entertainment Planning & Development Division" - which could be the name for the newly merged Entertainment & Analysis Development and Software Planning & Development divisions. This would be pretty big news. After all, he takes over Miyamoto's old managerial position while, at the same time, remaining the boss of the other major game development division within Nintendo.

- Also, Takahashi has been appointed as supervisor of the "Business Development Division". Another new division? Something along the line of Iwata's Corporate Planning Division (of which he was the general manager in the years before he became president), perhaps?

If you ask me, Takahashi is the crown prince in this arrangement. He's being groomed to take over in a few years, while Miyamoto and Takeda are slowly stepping back and settling in a purely advisory role until their eventual retirement. Kimishima is taking the reins in the meantime as the more experienced manager for the next couple of years (until after the NX launch, etc.). Just my two cents on the matter.

 

Edited September 14, 2015 by Gabe

[Tani Coyote]

Sounds like Takahashi would be a good successor for Miyamoto.

 

Still expecting a ton of doom and gloom over Miyamoto rolling back his involvement, though.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Ty the Tasmanian Ogilvie

[Milo]

Some people at GAF were speculating that based on his qualifications and age, Kimishima wasn't going to actually serve the role as Nintendo's CEO for more than a few years, and hypothesized that he was most likely going to be a transitional CEO.

Turns out they were right. Kimishima has clarified that he's only going to serve as Nintendo's CEO for one year. He has also said he did not receive any instructions from Iwata on running the company prior to his death, and that he is open to the idea of a company outsider coming in at some point in the future and running Nintendo. He has also stated that Nintendo's smartphone and IP-related tasks won't be changing; rather, the company will now be developing new businesses. Remains to be seen what that exactly means / what those new businesses will be.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Gabe

[Ellipsis-Ultima]

Turns out there's going to be a tribute to Iwata in the Game Awards... Not sure what exactly..

http://nintendoeverything.com/iwata-tribute-teased-for-the-game-awards-nintendo-will-apparently-have-stuff-to-show/