Hiroshi Yamauchi ran Nintendo for 53 years from 1949 until 2002. He is the man credited with turning Nintendo from a card making company into the videogame company you all know and love today. Sadly, Yamauchi passed away last night following complications from pneumonia. He was 85 years old.
Yamauchi was considered to be one of Japan's richest men. He also used to own the Seattle Mariners until 2004 and was on Nintendo's board of directors until 2005.
Without Hiroshi Yamauchi's move to turn Nintendo from a card making company into an electronics powerhouse, the world may never seen the NES, the Gamecube, the Nintendo 64, the Gameboy, or many other consoles that gave birth to hundreds of classic games from our childhoods.
Rest in peace, Hiroshi Yamauchi and thank you.
(via BBC)
"Hiroshi Yamauchi transformed a run-of the-mill trading card company into an entertainment empire in video games," said Ian Livingstone, co-founder of Games Workshop and former chairman of publisher Eidos.
"He understood the social value of play, and economic potential of electronic gaming. Most importantly he steered Nintendo on its own course and was unconcerned by the actions of his competitors. He was a true visionary."
Rob Crossley, associate editor of Computer and Video Games magazine, told the BBC: "You cannot overestimate the influence the man had on the games industry."
"He spearheaded Nintendo as they moved into the arcade business, with hits such as Donkey Kong.
"This man was the president of Nintendo during the NES, the SNES, the N64 and the Gamecube - the first two were transformative pieces of electronic entertainment."
"He understood the social value of play, and economic potential of electronic gaming. Most importantly he steered Nintendo on its own course and was unconcerned by the actions of his competitors. He was a true visionary."
Rob Crossley, associate editor of Computer and Video Games magazine, told the BBC: "You cannot overestimate the influence the man had on the games industry."
"He spearheaded Nintendo as they moved into the arcade business, with hits such as Donkey Kong.
"This man was the president of Nintendo during the NES, the SNES, the N64 and the Gamecube - the first two were transformative pieces of electronic entertainment."
Yamauchi was considered to be one of Japan's richest men. He also used to own the Seattle Mariners until 2004 and was on Nintendo's board of directors until 2005.
Without Hiroshi Yamauchi's move to turn Nintendo from a card making company into an electronics powerhouse, the world may never seen the NES, the Gamecube, the Nintendo 64, the Gameboy, or many other consoles that gave birth to hundreds of classic games from our childhoods.
Rest in peace, Hiroshi Yamauchi and thank you.
(via BBC)
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