The Passing of a Great Man

By Brandon Sultana July 14, 2015

 

When Hiroshi Yamauchi passed around one and a half years ago. I wasn’t incredibly upset. I respected everything he did for Nintendo, but  I never had much of a connection to him, because he was well before my time. But when it happened, it made me wonder how I’d handle the death of a Nintendo member I was more familiar and closer with. Never did I think I'd have to deal with it so soon though.

 

Unfortunately, we all know by now that our dear Satoru Iwata, has passed. Never before have I been so affected by the death of someone who I had never met. My first reaction was just total disbelief. I was out with friends, and when the news came out I just sat there. Stunned. I knew he had health concerns, but not like this. It blind-sided me and I just couldn’t believe what had happened. The day after was when it really began to set in. It was the only thought on my mind the whole day, and it got to the point that after reading everyone’s kind words, watching the wonderful tributes, and viewing the amazing fan-art, that it brought me to tears.

 

He was more than the president. Yes, he made major decisions and did a good job at what he did, but he always felt more than just a corporate big-wig. He started his career as a simple programmer, which is so inspiring to me, because that’s exactly what I want to do with my life. He had a pivotal role in programming many of Nintendo’s early games. Pokemon, Kirby, Earthbound, and Balloon Fight are all part of his excellent legacy as a programmer. There are countless stories, of how much of a coding genius he was, such as cramming Kanto into Pokemon Gold & Silver. He may not have created iconic characters like Miyamoto did, but his excellence as a programmer was essential to the creation of the great games that these characters occupied.

 

With a stellar background in gaming (something few gaming CEO’s can boast), his presidential career was also incredible. Championing the success of the DS and Wii, as well as reviving the 3DS, were all excellent feats, and I’m sure his ventures into Amusement Parks and Mobile games will continue his fantastic legacy. But not only did he make great decisions, he also became an icon in Nintendo culture. It’s one thing to have a joke surrounding you, which is very common in the industry, but it’s another to fully embrace and have fun with it. In every Direct he was there, telling us the latest and greatest news, while also knowingly feeding the Internet with his phrases and antics. “Directly”, “Please Understand”, the Bananas, and many more have become such mainstays in the gaming culture that it’s difficult to move past it all. It’s so great to have a president who cares about the success of the company AND the products that they put out.

 

It’s obvious Iwata will be missed. The man did great work for the company, but despite how high up the corporate ladder he was, he never lost sight of the games. It’s always very sad to see people get struck down in their prime, but the community has really come together and given a proper tribute to this great man. The messages, videos, and images have been very moving, and it makes me so happy to be part of this wonderful fanbase. I’m finally starting to overcome the grief of this incident, but I’m sure the next time I finish a Nintendo game, and see his name at the end of the credits as it always is, I’ll probably end up breaking down all over again.

 

Rest in Peace Iwata-San.