Thank You, Satoru Iwata

The news has struck from this month that Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata passed away. The sudden and heavy feeling of loss has not only been seen from Nintendo, but the entire video game industry. Death is a hard subject to talk about. It's hard enough when the person who passed away is someone who played a significant role in your life. For many gamers, Satoru Iwata was present for many of their gaming experiences in one way or another. That happens to include myself who thought that going to Kanto in Pokemon Silver and Pokemon Gold was amazing and that Super Smash Bros on the Nintendo 64 was astounding. Those games had Iwata's direct influence. The loss of Iwata-san is a tragic one; however, his influence and impact in gaming will not be forgotten.

I remember first hearing about Iwata-san going into surgery back in 2014. It was to remove a tumor that developed in his bile duct. As a result, he was going to miss E3 and Reggie stepped in to host. After the surgery, there were statements from both Nintendo and Iwata-san mentioning that the surgery went well. He was all set to get back to work after the operation was done.

Although there was confidence going forward that they caught the problem early enough for a thorough treatment with a gradual recovery, it would seem that the bile duct growth had a stronger impact than everyone expected. I think that because of the initial good news of the surgery being a success last year that it was a part of what has contributed to the overall feeling of disbelief that Iwata-san passed away so suddenly. He was also only fifty-five years old. I think that we can all be in agreement that that also is shocking to hear. At his age and knowing that he had so much more to work on and offer, it feels as though that both himself and many others feel that he wasn't done.

Iwata-san wanted to keep going. He wanted to give gamers products that they can enjoy. After E3 2015, many gamers were upset with the showing. They decried that Nintendo didn't have a good showcase. They exclaimed that 2014 was much better compared to this year. Iwata-san took notice. In a quote following E3 2015, Iwata-san had Tweeted that the company will "meet your expectations". It's unfortunate that one of the last thoughts Iwata-san had was how reactions to their E3 showcase were not as favorable.

As with any death that may effect someone, my advice is to always look at the positives of the person's life. Iwata-san did a lot of great things in Nintendo. From his programming skills in various games to his eventual rise to becoming the leader of the company, Iwata-san was a unique gem of a person. He was a CEO who understood what it took to make games and was always there to show how much of a gamer he truly was. One of his famous quotes is one that many can appreciate:

"On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am gamer."

Satoru Iwata was far from perfect (a lesson many people should realize about both themselves and others), but he always gave his all no matter the situation. Whether he was speaking directly to gamers through Nintendo Direct, saving and improving Earthbound and Balloon Fight, ensuring Super Smash Bros Melee made its schedule release, took a pay cut to avoid laying off employees, or adding code to allow gamers to have an incredible experience in both Johto and Kanto in Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver, Iwata-san was there to help his fellow workers and give gamers his all. All of those things listed were possible because of Iwata-san. One person was able to do all of this. Imagine the kind of determination he must have had. Imagine the selflessness that he possessed in order to make both strides and sacrifices for others.

If I may speak personally, I grew up with Nintendo in a small capacity. My increasing involvement with video games as a whole accrued from my teenage years into adulthood as I began to get more involved with the industry beyond being just a gamer. Writing reviews and blogs on N4G was one way of getting my writing out there, but also to share my views of hot topics of the week or recent news. Within that same age range, I played more Nintendo franchises. I ended up enjoying them a lot more than I expected. While I may not agree with a few of Nintendo's business policies, I am still a fan. Nintendo's approach on bringing fun and unique experiences is a notion I can agree with and believe that should be preserved.

Gaming has grown toxic in some areas with politics and fanboyism, but I will never lose faith in the entertainment industries that played so much into my life. Films, comic books, and video games are the outlets that many of us go to for entertainment, creativity, artistic expression, and to escape reality. It is these industries that show how someone like Satoru Iwata can not only salvage projects and careers, but bring out the best in people's personalities and work ethic. For everything that you have contributed to the industry, I can only say thank you, Iwata-san. You were truly a visionary who many in entertainment can look up to.

Rest in peace, Iwata-san. You will be missed.