Highlights of Satoru Iwata’s Career at Nintendo (Wall Street Journal)

[entremet]

Thought this deserved its own thread since its focus are on the business decisions of Iwata and the other thread still seems focused on mourning, and understandably so.

http://blogs.wsj.com/briefly/2015/07/12/satoru-iwata-career-at-nintendo-five-highlights/

First President Outside the Yamauchi Family

Mr. Iwata succeeded Hiroshi Yamauchi, who had built Nintendo from a playing-card maker into a global videogame powerhouse.

“The appointment is the company’s first presidential change in 52 years and marks a major shift to younger management,” The Wall Street Journal reported when he was named president in 2002, adding that Nintendo, which once dominated the industry, was being overshadowed by Sony Corp. and its PlayStation hardware.

Mr. Iwata quickly chose to take a different approach from competitors, contending that new games were losing their appeal for average users by becoming too complex. ”What we are looking for is not next-generation technology, but next-generation game play,” Mr. Iwata told analysts and reporters in June 2004.

The other highlights include:

Introducing the DS
The Wii becoming a hit
Company downturn with 3DS/Wii U
Mobile initiative

The DS really came out of nowhere for me. I remember seeing the original prototypes and just laughing. It became my most played console that generation and still collect and play games on it.

 

[Afrocious]

The DS was really the modern SNES.

 

[EloquentM]

So many fond memories with this guy at the helm. Man, for all his successes and failures he's been at the forefront of the Nintendo that know and love today.

 

[entremet]

The DS was really the modern SNES.

Yep even with the third party support. Konami, Capcom, Square-Enix. Just like the Super Famicom days.

Konami gave us three Castlevanias and a Contra
Capcom gave us AA, Mega Man Zero Collection, Mega Man ZX
SE gave us DQ remakes, a new DQ, FF remakes, Chrono Trigger DS.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

Iwata was defined by his earnest desire to bring people happiness. A week ago I was too cynical to value that because I didn't play a lot of Nintendo games anymore.

It's just really something to see somebody so humble and genuine disappear when I wasn't appreciating them properly.

 

[Tizoc]

Yep even with the third party support. Konami, Capcom, Square-Enix. Just like the Super Famicom days.

Konami gave us three Castlevanias and a Contra
Capcom gave us AA, Mega Man Zero Collection, Mega Man ZX
SE gave us DQ remakes, a new DQ, FF remakes, Chrono Trigger DS.

There are also Cing's games, those were some of the best adventure games I've played.

There were also various games from developers that were great, their names escape me atm but ask what are some good obscure NDS games and you'll get some interesting titles mentioned.

 

[J-Skee]

Speaking of the DS, there's no way to buy a copy of HeartGold/SoulSilver without spending an arm & leg, huh?

Either way, I remember when the DS was first introduced & how Nintendo said that it would coexist with the Game Boy. Well that changed rather quickly. The DS ended up becoming a monster in sales & poor Game Boy retired quietly.

 

[entremet]

Speaking of the DS, there's no way to buy a copy of HeartGold/SoulSilver without spending an arm & leg, huh?

Either way, I remember when the DS was first introduced & how Nintendo said that it would coexist with the Game Boy. Well that changed rather quickly. The DS ended up becoming a monster in sales & poor Game Boy retired quietly.

Not on eBay/Amazon.

If you're patient try garage sales or Craigslist. The former being the best. It is garaga sale season.

 

[Jumpman23]

DS is Nintendo's crown jewel. We have Iwata to thank for that. Great hardware with phenomenal games.

Everyone should run out and purchase what could be his last endeavor, WiiU.

Though, spiritually the NX is likely his baby too, even though it's still in the proverbial oven. So buy one of those too next year!

 

[LonelyGreyWolf]

I don't know exactly what Iwata did; as in what he deserves credit for compared to what work he merely approved, but some big decisions were certainly made under his helm. The DS and Wii had such an enormous impact on the video game industry. I've no idea what went on behind the scenes, but from what we're presented with, the man certainly did some great things at Nintendo.

 

[big_erk]

The DS was really the modern SNES.

True. I went through 2 DS's. Not because of any quality issues but because I wore the frist on out. I am an avid fan of JRPGs and the DS was second to none in providing my fix.

The World Ends with You
DQIV
DQV
DQIX
Radiant Historia
FF:TFHOL
Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals
Childreen of Mana

These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. Great system, I think I need to charge it up and run through some of these one more time.

 

[FlyingSaucer]

The DS was really the modern SNES.

Both of them DID receive a Tengai Makyo game.

 

[Pikma]

The 3DS turnaround was, in my opinion, one of his most amazing feats as a businessman.

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

* As Developer for HAL / Nintendo (1983-1999)
- Fixed several unfinished codes on Nintendo games like Pinball, and F1 Race
- Ported the arcade version of Balloon Fight to NES.
- Localization program for Nintendo of America on Dragon Warrior
- Programmed Mother 2
- Programmed NES Open Tournament Golf
- Program Assistant on NCAA Basketball for Nintendo of America

*As Corporate Director for Nintendo (2000-2002)
- Launched Game Boy Advance
- Launched Nintendo GameCube
- Launched Pokemon Mini
- Debugging and program analysis on Super Smash Bros. Melee

* As President for Nintendo (2002-2015)
- Launched Nintendo DS
- Created Touch Generation Line (Blue Ocean Strategy)
- Spearheaded Brain-Age and English Training
- Launched Nintendo Wii
- Iwata Asks
- Nintendo Direct
- Launched Nintendo 3DS
- Launched Wii U
- Built the new Nintendo Development Center (third major Nintendo building in Kyoto)

 

[Worldshaker]

The DS was really the modern SNES.

Couldn't agree more.

Such a fantastic system. I'm going to need an entire bookshelf to hold all my DS games soon.

 

[Lyte Edge]

The DS was really the modern SNES.

That was the GBA.

Yep even with the third party support. Konami, Capcom, Square-Enix. Just like the Super Famicom days.

Konami gave us three Castlevanias and a Contra
Capcom gave us AA, Mega Man Zero Collection, Mega Man ZX
SE gave us DQ remakes, a new DQ, FF remakes, Chrono Trigger DS.

Konami also released three Castlevanias and a Contra (port) on GBA.

The first three Ace Attorney games on DS were GBA ports, plus the original MMZs, and then Capcom released ports/remakes of games like Super Ghouls N' Ghosts, SSF2T, SFA3, Final Fight One, Mega Man & Bass, Breath Of Fire, and more.

Square Enix also released new games and remakes on GBA.

 

[EloquentM]

That was the GBA.

Think he's more so talking in terms of fan reception.

 

[FunkyDealer]

The man compressed Pokemon Gold and Silver to the point where they could fit Kanto on the cartridge. It wasn't part of the original vision.

 

[entremet]

That was the GBA.



Konami also released three Castlevanias and a Contra (port) on GBA.

The first three Ace Attorney games on DS were GBA ports, plus the original MMZs, and then Capcom released ports/remakes of games like Super Ghouls N' Ghosts, SSF2T, SFA3, Final Fight One, Mega Man & Bass, Breath Of Fire, and more.

Square Enix also released new games and remakes on GBA.

Terrible sound chip means it will never be a SNES ;P

I'm joking.

You're right about the GBA. I totally skipped the GBA, though. DS brought me back to portables, along with the PSP.

 

[pinkurocket]

The DS was such a great console and it felt like it made developers think and create new experiences. It also opened up the casual market, which nowadays has become standard. Nintendo really did some great things under Iwata. They hit a slump the past few years, but I have faith they'll get through this. It's a shame Iwata couldn't leave while on a high, but that's how it is. His legacy will forever be remembered.

 

[Mononoke]

Regardless of whether we agreed or disagreed with Iwatas decisions, his successes impacted so many lives. He also fought for traditional games and did what he could to steer Nintendo in a direction that stayed true to its roots, vs completely abandoning things just to chase where the money is at.

He was a gamer at heart, and really did what he thought was best for gaming. This is a huge loss.

 

[Lulu23]

Interesting article, thanks for linking. Sure as hell did a better job than what I had to listen to on my way home from work:

A local radio station (NDR Info, broadcasted in northern Germany) did a little part about Iwata's passing today.

They called the Wii a "videogame even your grandma will understand" and said that Iwata failed to enter the smartphone gaming market, which is now supposedly being dominated by Sony and Microsoft.

For god's sake at least get your facts straight.