RIP Satoru Iwata

[importaku]

No way

[Wools]

Heard about it on Twitter earlier, a real shock as I had no idea he was that poorly.

A man who took a fading company and brought them into the main stream, more than any other game developer has ever achieved. A business and game industry icon.

[MartyG]

One poignant thing Satoru Iwata said was video games should be fun. I think we've lost a lot of the fun part from video games in recent years (or I'm getting too old), but I also think we've just lost a little bit more of that fun.

[Mr Ono]

Such sad news for one so young. RIP.

[importaku]

I was hoping it was some horrible internet hoax, actually reeling a bit from the news. Nintendo isn't ever going to be quite the same now. I will really miss seeing him on the Nintendo directs.

Tonight i shall be firing up balloon fight in memory.

[Mayhem]

We knew he had taken time off last year for health reasons, which I'm guessing was because of this. But after E3, you wouldn't have known, he seemed fine, despite the pounding the company took in the media. Wow, this is a bit shocking. Nintendo really managed to keep this under wraps.

Thank you for your games (even the really early ones such as Star Battle on the Vic20!) and your leadership, you will be missed

[Neon Ignition]

Just read the cause of death and it does seem pretty likely tied back to his illness, he sure as hell made sure it never came across to fans in his directs or interviews though as despite the long term nature it's like everyone said, out of the blue.

[Mayhem]

We knew he had taken time off last year for health reasons, which I'm guessing was because of this. But after E3, you wouldn't have necessarily known, he seemed fine, despite the pounding the company took in the media. Yes, a bit thinner, but outward appearances evidently lied. Wow, this is a bit shocking. Nintendo really managed to keep this under wraps.

Thank you for your games (even the really early ones such as Star Battle on the Vic20!) and your leadership, you will be missed

[VR46]

Was only about 8 weeks ago he present their latest figures. Such a shame. RIP.

[nakamura]

Iwata took a misfiring Nintendo and gave the world Wii and DS under his presidency. That catapulted casual gaming more than anyone else.

[QualityChimp]

55 is very young. What a shame.

I wonder how many people got into gaming, that were previously distanced from it thanks to the DS and the Wii?
Lots of people I know who'd never bought a console before couldn't wait to try Brain Training or Wii Sports, and then they'd branch out to the likes of Professor Layton and Trauma Centre.

I think the last console to do that was probably the PS1, so that's a mighty impressive achievement.

It's amazing that he took a pay cut to compensate Nintendo's losses. There's not many bosses who'd do that.

I think I'll play Brain Training tonight, in his honour.

[nakamura]

Even my mum has a DS and still uses it. That's massive.

[fuse]

Hit me like a tonne of bricks this morning - an amazing man in every regard, and a tragic loss for the world at large.

[Ghost]

Was shocked and saddened to see this news this morning, still trying to come to terms with it.

Will be interesting to see how this will affect Nintendo going forward, I hope the new CEO continues the work that Iwata did and doesn't go for the easy option of making Nintendo a software only company

[QualityChimp]

[MENTION=13193]nakamura[/MENTION]
Absolutely! I know of a couple of people who've never bought a games console/handheld before or since.
A couple of goes on Brain Training got people hooked!

His mission was to get more people into gaming and I'd say mission accomplished, and then some:

What made them (wii/DS) stand out were their accessibility and appeal to a broader market beyond hardcore gamers. The DS featured puzzle and educational games, most famously Brain Age, while the Wii was designed as a family-friendly console.

He told the BBC in 2008 that he believed the key was to "increase the number of people gaming" and attract those outside the usual gaming demographic of young men.

He often preached this inclusive approach, urging developers to create games for different audiences and of varying skills.

At a 2005 game developer conference, he asked: "As we spend more time and money chasing exactly the same players, who are we leaving behind? Are we creating games just for each other? Do you have friends and family members who do not play videogames? Well, why don't they?"