Nintendo Names Tatsumi Kimishima To Succeed Late Gaming Great Satoru Iwata
Nintendo is turning to one of its own to replace the late Satoru Iwata as the company's President. The job now belongs to Tatsumi Kimishima, a former banker and, more recently, the man in charge of Nintendo's Human Resources division, which is one of several positions he's held with the company.
Kimishima has been with Nintendo for over a decade. After spending several years in the banking industry, Kimishima took a leadership position at The Pokemon Company before joining Nintendo in 2002 as CEO of of Nintendo of America. He was in charge of the company when it introduced the Wii and 3DS to the U.S. market.
He fills the role vacated by Iwata, who passed away in July from bile duct cancer. Iwata's death caught Nintendo a bit off guard, as doctors detected and operated on a cancerous growth in his bile duct at an early stage, which led to optimism of there being a full recovery.
Kimishima takes the reins right as Nintendo gets ready to make a mobile push in gaming with its first mobile game service for smartphones set to launch later this year. Nintendo is also preparing a new console codenamed NX.
"The basic direction and strategy won’t change," Kimishima said in a statement. "I will continue along the path set by President Iwata."
Kimishima has been with Nintendo for over a decade. After spending several years in the banking industry, Kimishima took a leadership position at The Pokemon Company before joining Nintendo in 2002 as CEO of of Nintendo of America. He was in charge of the company when it introduced the Wii and 3DS to the U.S. market.
He fills the role vacated by Iwata, who passed away in July from bile duct cancer. Iwata's death caught Nintendo a bit off guard, as doctors detected and operated on a cancerous growth in his bile duct at an early stage, which led to optimism of there being a full recovery.
Kimishima takes the reins right as Nintendo gets ready to make a mobile push in gaming with its first mobile game service for smartphones set to launch later this year. Nintendo is also preparing a new console codenamed NX.
"The basic direction and strategy won’t change," Kimishima said in a statement. "I will continue along the path set by President Iwata."
