Nintendo’s Former President Dies at 85
- 11 years ago
Hiroshi Yamauchi, the man who made Nintendo what it is today, has died at the age of 85.
Hiroshi Yamauchi, the man who made Nintendo what it is today, has died at the age of 85.
It was announced on Thursday, September 19th that Mr. Yamauchi had passed away in a hospital in central Japan. The cause of death was pneumonia.
When Mr. Yamauchi took the reins of Nintendo in 1949 it was small trading card business.
After developing that business for years, Yamauchi expanded the company’s reach into electronic entertainment.
He was among the first to recognize the enormous economic potential of gaming as well as its social value.
It was Yamauchi who ushered Nintendo into the US arcade market with Donkey Kong and then into American homes with Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.
He was also behind several gaming systems including the NES and the Gamecube.
Said a fellow gaming entrepreneur, “Most importantly he steered Nintendo on its own course and was unconcerned by the actions of his competitors. He was a true visionary."
Yamauchi was also known for his informal style, raspy voice, and native Kyoto dialect. It is said that his spontaneous and casual manner was a rarity among executives in Japan’s very formal business environment.
Hiroshi Yamauchi, the man who made Nintendo what it is today, has died at the age of 85.
It was announced on Thursday, September 19th that Mr. Yamauchi had passed away in a hospital in central Japan. The cause of death was pneumonia.
When Mr. Yamauchi took the reins of Nintendo in 1949 it was small trading card business.
After developing that business for years, Yamauchi expanded the company’s reach into electronic entertainment.
He was among the first to recognize the enormous economic potential of gaming as well as its social value.
It was Yamauchi who ushered Nintendo into the US arcade market with Donkey Kong and then into American homes with Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.
He was also behind several gaming systems including the NES and the Gamecube.
Said a fellow gaming entrepreneur, “Most importantly he steered Nintendo on its own course and was unconcerned by the actions of his competitors. He was a true visionary."
Yamauchi was also known for his informal style, raspy voice, and native Kyoto dialect. It is said that his spontaneous and casual manner was a rarity among executives in Japan’s very formal business environment.