My body was not ready for this news.
After working with the company for over 15 years, Nintendo of America’s President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime has today announced that he will be retiring. Fils-Aime’s last day with the company will be on April 15, 2019. Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s current Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, will then be replacing Fils-Aime as President.
Fils-Aime originally joined Nintendo back in 2003 before later becoming President of NoA in 2006. Fils-Aime helped oversee all hardware from the GameCube to the Switch during his tenure with the company.
“Nintendo owns a part of my heart forever,” Fils-Aime said in a statement about his leaving of the company. “It’s a part that is filled with gratitude – for the incredibly talented people I’ve worked with, for the opportunity to represent such a wonderful brand, and most of all, to feel like a member of the world’s most positive and enduring gamer community. As I look forward to departing in both good health and good humor, this is not ‘game over’ for me, but instead ‘leveling up’ to more time with my wife, family and friends.”
Nintendo’s President Shuntaro Furukawa spoke highly of Fils-Aime’s work for the company saying, “Inside and outside our company, Reggie is known as an exceptional leader. We are grateful that he is leaving the business in good shape with strong momentum. While we will miss him and we wish him the very best in his retirement, we are also pleased to have such an able successor ready to step into that role. Doug Bowser and the rest of the team will ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum for Nintendo.”
Even though Nintendo will surely continue much in the same fashion without Fils-Aime at the helm of the company’s American branch, Fils-Aime will surely be missed more by the fans more than anyone else. Fils-Aime has served as the face of Nintendo in the west for such a long time and has in many ways become just as synonymous with the company as Mario himself. Reggie’s willingness to be a little silly and have fun with his job won the affection of many in his time at Nintendo.
Below you can find a video of Reggie telling thank you to Nintendo fans for the endless years of support. It feels kind of weird to be somber over an executive leaving a company, but Reggie’s presence at Nintendo was massive and it’ll be weird to not see him around any longer.
Nintendo fans, Reggie has a message for all of you. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/EAhaEl5oEJ
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 21, 2019
Be the first to comment