Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, who helped pioneer the Wii and Nintendo DS, died on Sunday of a bile duct growth. The death of the 55-year-old Iwata resulted in an outpouring of sympathy from fans.
Iwata, who was named director of the company in 2000 and CEO in 2013, was known for being someone who truly understood and loved video games.
"On my business card, I am a corporate president," he said at the Game Developers Conference in 2005. "In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer."
In 2014, he underwent surgery to remove the growth on his bile duct. To the public, it seemed like he had recovered; Iwata even posted an interview with Fire Emblem game developers a few weeks ago.
Members of the video game community, including rival companies, paid tribute to Iwata after they heard news of his death.
In an age where video games were getting darker and more complicated, Iwata stressed the need for more inclusive titles.
Recently, he appeared at E3 ... in the form of a cheerful puppet.
