“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” - Satoru Iwata, GDC 2005
Today, Nintendo confirmed that we lost Satoru Iwata yesterday.
Wow. I'm a die-hard Nintendo guy. I pretty much always have been. Iwata was the kind of public figure that made me proud to say so. Even if he didn't produce the video segments he was in, he always seemed to understand his core audience. There was something warm about his presence in Nintendo Direct conferences. He was a staple of their PR machine. It always felt like Iwata had keeping the fans happy in mind, especially with all the fun involved in those videos. He's been closer to center stage the past few years, and even though I never knew the guy, he came across as so genuine I almost felt like I did.. Rest in peace, sir. I only hope your successor will have as much fun with his/her job.