After overcoming the big shock and sadness I woke up with this news earlier today, I can finally write my short tribute to one of the icons in the gaming industry, Satoru Iwata.
I never once met the man in person. I only even knew his name when he became the president and CEO of Nintendo a decade ago. Heck, I played tons of Balloon Fight when I was a kid and never knew he was the man behind that game until I learned how to use Google Search. But like a close friend, I really am deeply saddened for his death because he was the man who always cared, and has never stopped caring for this hobby I also truly cared for a long time. When he said that in heart he was a gamer, nobody can really disprove that because we felt the sincerity when he uttered those words.
We may not remember him because of the games he created, like we remember the likes of Miyamoto for Mario and Sakaguchi for Final Fantasy, but he has been a big part of a lot of games we have cherished for a long time until today. Earthbound, Pokemon Gold and Silver, Super Smash Bros. and Melee, Pokemon Stadium...that guy sure knows when to step up from a game development perspective, even when he was already taking the management role when some of those games are being developed. It really is funny that a lot of his exploits as a genius programmer were only discovered several years later. A true genius that this industry will truly miss.
And his passion for video games and the industry is very legit. Taking pay cuts when the company is losing money just to prevent job losses as much as possible, giving developers highlights with very insightful interviews from Iwata Asks, and hosting those Nintendo Directs himself even if speaking in a foreign language like English can be really hard for him...it really takes a deep passion for the industry to even do all those things even if he's already the top guy in one of the gaming giants. And he never forgets his roots, and has always been appreciative of the men and women behind the games we now enjoy.
Let me give my biggest thanks to Satoru Iwata for all that he's done not just for the video game industry but also for me. I have played a lot of games where he has been a big part of and all I can say is that he really did bring me the fun that I desired while playing those games. And thank you for being a man that always displays passion and love for what you do, and always smiled even in the face of adversity and sickness. You really serve as a big inspiration not just for the people behind video gaming but also for the people who wanted to become successful in the things they want to become.
Enjoy your long vacation Mr. Iwata! Your legacy will always keep you alive in our hearts and minds.