The video game world was rocked yesterday after learning of the passing of Nintendo’s president, Mr. Satoru Iwata, at age 55.
There’s nothing we can truly do to honor a man that meant so much to the industry and our lives.
The Pure Nintendo staff wanted to share some thoughts on the passing of an icon and a man that meant so much to everyone. This post isn’t just for the staff but for all Iwata fans. Please feel free to share your feelings and thoughts about Mr. Satoru Iwata in the comments below. Let’s come together as a Nintendo community to celebrate and mourn the passing of a great man.
#RIPIwata
I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate news regarding Iwata-san. He was truly dedicated to the gaming industry, and dedicated to fans of Nintendo. Not only did he cut his own salary in half, something most individuals would never consider doing in a life time, he took ownership and responsibly for Nintendo’s short comings. He was the best in the business and will forever be missed.
-Peter Lopez
Nintendo has meant so much to me and it was shocking to hear the news of their president’s passing. I never met or knew Iwata but only from the Nintendo Direct presentations that the company held regularly and spotting him a few times at the annual industry event, E3. I am sure that his absence will be felt throughout Nintendo and that the company will not be the same without him. I know that for me it will be strange watching future Nintendo Directs without Iwata as our host. Nintendo is responsible for who I am today not only as a gamer but also personally and any loss for them, is a loss for me as well. RIP Iwata
-Justin Hinton
Wow this news came out of nowhere, and like everyone I’m shocked and saddened by Mr Iwata’s passing. For me, he will always represent the revitalized Nintendo of the 21st Century, who helped make gaming accessible for anyone and everyone via the DS and the Wii … may your legacy live on.
-Jemma Casson
I never had the privilege to meet Satoru Iwata. But through his warm interactions with the Nintendo community he cared so much for, I feel as if he was a friend. My heartfelt condolences go out to all his loved ones. I’m very thankful that my final memories of Iwata – smiling and dancing as a Muppet alongside Reggie and Miyamoto – were such happy ones. Thank you Iwata.
-Trevor Gould
As I sit here at my computer, I find myself at a loss for words. Truth be told, I’m still in shock over the news of Mr. Iwata’s passing. It seems, in my confusion, the only thing that I can really say is thank you. I want to thank you, Mr. Iwata for running the company that is responsible for so many happy memories that I hold close to my heart. I want to thank you for being so passionate about your work, and for taking us fans on a wild ride through all the incredible ups and downs over the years. Most of all, I want to thank you for all the times you’ve made me smile or shake my head in disbelief with every Nintendo Direct you produced. May you rest in peace, Mr. Iwata, and may your friends and loved ones find peace within themselves. Some may have said you had big shoes to fill running Nintendo, but I for one, thought you performed admirably. Thank you, Mr. Iwata from the bottom of my heart.
-Alex Schramke
It’s hard to write anything at this time but I think I’ll always remember Mr. Iwata’s humor the most. He just seemed to exude joy every time I saw him in a Direct or at E3. I could tell he was passionate about games just by the simple way in which he conducted himself. He seemed to shy away from the spotlight and instead focused that light on the game developers themselves, like he did so often with his Iwata Asks interviews. I know that we, as gamers, often joked when we saw those interview transcripts mention “Iwata: [laughs]” several times throughout but I think that showed a tremendous amount about him. He loved his job and he loved bringing joy into the lives of everyone who played Nintendo games. Thank you for everything Mr. Iwata and may we continue your legacy of bringing joy into people’s lives.
-Justin Sharp
I’ve started writing my piece a million times and I still don’t know what to say. After reading all the staff’s words above, there’s nothing more I need to say. He has clearly touched and changed many people’s lives. All I know – The man who’s life goal was to make every gamer smile and have fun has accomplished that. You will be missed Mr. Iwata but you will live forever through the Nintendo that you helped grow.
-James Higginbotham
The Author
July 13, 2015
It was last night I was playing Spatoon, and my wife walked into the room and said that she had just read that Mr. Iwata died. I immediately shut of the game. It was such a shock to me. I have to admit that I was not too familiar with him until the mid years of the Wii console. I had not been gaming too much and then my son wanted a Wii, it was not too far after that he wanted to upgrade is Ds to a Dsi and eventually a 3DS. The more time I spent playing with my son the more I became interested in Nintendo and it bought back my love of gaming. With the return of my love of gaming the more I grew in love with Nintendo, it then I realized it was not just the games, but the people behind them. I noticed that people like Mr. Iwata had such a passion and sense of humor behind what they were doing. The more I looked into it the more these people felt like a friend. Every time I read about an upcoming NIntendo Direct I was excited and if I missed it because of work I would immediately come home and watch it. I have got to say that I really respected him and all that he did for the company. I always felt his commitment and passion toward making each Nintendo direct fun and unique. I have to say he will be missed.
July 13, 2015
It’s a testament to how genuine and personable Satoru Iwata was that his passing is having such a profound effect on all of us, even though we didn’t know him. We were so privileged to have a Nintendo CEO that took the time to speak to us fans directly. Each time I sat down to watch a Nintendo Direct, I had a huge smile on my face from the moment he greeted us. I’ll never forget his quirky personality (pondering the existence of bananas), his class (the white-gloved unboxing of the Wii U), his politeness (making sure to bow in each Direct), and his cheerfulness (so many smiles, and so much laughter). He was one of a kind.
July 20, 2015
When I heard about Iwata’s passing, I couldn’t explain the empty feeling that I experienced afterwards. I didn’t know him personally, but it felt as if I lost a good friend. After having just watched the Direct Event 2 months prior, it was a punch in the gut.
Iwata embodied everything I admire about Nintendo: innovative, young at heart, steadfastly confident. I have been onboard with Nintendo’s vision since I first got my game on with my Nintendo Action Set.
Thank you for everything, Iwata. Rest in peace!