I regret to inform you, my readers that Mr. Satoru Iwata has passed away as of July 11th, 2015.
Nintendo has released a statement regarding this loss:
"Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth."
Sometime in June of 2014, Mr. Iwata had been advised by his physician to "not to travel overseas in the immediate future" (Web. Kotaku. June 5, 2014) due to health concerns. Presumably, these were related to a malignant bile duct growth, that was later removed during that month. As a result of the following recuperation that took place, Mr. Iwata was unable to attend the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
In November, Mr. Iwata Tweeted to his followers to let them know that he was "...progressing well."
Unfortunately, Mr. Iwata's time was cut obscenely short. He was born in Sapporo, Japan on December 6, 1959 and passed away at the age of 55.
As a final farewell to this legendary person, I would like to share a few words:
Mr. Iwata was someone I truly respected in the video game industry. He made his share of mistakes like anyone would in such a high position of authority and while there were times that I too, found myself questioning his methods, he always managed to keep the company's best interests at heart.
Those goals always involved providing a fun, upbeat, and whimsical nature to the games that they produced & published. He made me laugh time & time again with his Nintendo Direct segments and provided boundless insight into what makes a truly great title through his "Iwata Asks" interviews.
Everything he did in the public eye seemed to instill joy and proved to be slightly less business oriented (thus, far more approachable to the populace).
Nintendo, more than any other company, has been purely centered around family entertainment, and I sincerely hope that the next person to fill Mr. Iwata's rather larger shoes will honor his legacy and the traditions of the company. Today, we've lost a great, imaginative, and innovate mind. May he rest in peace.
Source List:
Nintendo has released a statement regarding this loss:
"Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth."
Sometime in June of 2014, Mr. Iwata had been advised by his physician to "not to travel overseas in the immediate future" (Web. Kotaku. June 5, 2014) due to health concerns. Presumably, these were related to a malignant bile duct growth, that was later removed during that month. As a result of the following recuperation that took place, Mr. Iwata was unable to attend the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
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| “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 |
In November, Mr. Iwata Tweeted to his followers to let them know that he was "...progressing well."
Unfortunately, Mr. Iwata's time was cut obscenely short. He was born in Sapporo, Japan on December 6, 1959 and passed away at the age of 55.
As a final farewell to this legendary person, I would like to share a few words:
Mr. Iwata was someone I truly respected in the video game industry. He made his share of mistakes like anyone would in such a high position of authority and while there were times that I too, found myself questioning his methods, he always managed to keep the company's best interests at heart.
Those goals always involved providing a fun, upbeat, and whimsical nature to the games that they produced & published. He made me laugh time & time again with his Nintendo Direct segments and provided boundless insight into what makes a truly great title through his "Iwata Asks" interviews.
Everything he did in the public eye seemed to instill joy and proved to be slightly less business oriented (thus, far more approachable to the populace).
Nintendo, more than any other company, has been purely centered around family entertainment, and I sincerely hope that the next person to fill Mr. Iwata's rather larger shoes will honor his legacy and the traditions of the company. Today, we've lost a great, imaginative, and innovate mind. May he rest in peace.
Source List:
Ashcraft, Brian. "Nintendo President Responds to Worries Over His Health." Kotaku. 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 July 2015.
Plunkett, Luke. "Nintendo's President Had Surgery To Remove A "Bile Duct Growth"" Kotaku. 24 June 2014. Web. 12 July 2015.
Plunkett, Luke. "The Video Game Community Pays Tribute To Satoru Iwata." Kotaku. 12 July 2015. Web. 12 July 2015.
Stephen Totilo, Stephen. "Nintendo Chief Satoru Iwata Missing E3 On Advice Of His Physician." Kotaku. 5 June 2014. Web. 12 July 2015.
