Satoru Iwata Dead at 55

July 13, 2015

In news sure to send a ripple across the games industry, Nintendo today released a short statement informing the world of the passing of President Satoru Iwata.

Beginning his career at Nintendo as a programmer at HAL Laboratories on the NES classics Earthbound and Balloon Fight, Iwata worked with the company in numerous roles, before becoming President of the company in 2002, and presiding over the launch of the DS, 3DS, Wii and Wii U.

Iwata was absent from E3 2014 due to medical procedures on the bile duct growth that would eventually claim his life. He was 55.

We will update this story as more comes to hand. Vale, Iwata-san.