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Nintendo’s sixth president is confirmed to start his job in June, although Tatsumi Kimishima will stay on in an assisting role. 

It’s been a turbulent time for Nintendo when it comes to company presidents. The gaming world was shocked by the sudden loss of then-CEO Satoru Iwata in 2015, and throughout the last three years Nintendo has been working through its grief in all manner of touching, inspired references to him in the games he loved so much.

Thankfully, a strong replacement stepped up in the form of Tatsumi Kimishima. Iwata himself had replaced Kimishima as Chief Executive Officer of Nintendo of America back in 2013, when Kimishima was promoted to Managing Director of the main company. Since being appointed to the position Kimishima has overseen big changes in the company, like the hugely successful launch of the Switch console.

▼ This little powerhouse stressed out a lot of parents last Christmas.

Who could imagine how this little guy could rock the gaming industry?

But according to Kimishima himself, it’s time to give younger members of the company a chance to lead.

A document filed by Nintendo shows the details of the staff change. First on the list is Kimishima’s retirement, which will be made official as of their 78th shareholder’s meeting on June 28th.

The second item concerns the new president of the company, the relatively young Shuntaro Furukawa. The reason given for his new role is ‘to replace the retiring president, Tatsumi Kimishima, and to assist in implementing the new structure of the company.’

Here’s the information they give about their new director in the statement:

  • Name: Furukawa, Shuntaro
  • New Position: Representative director president
  • Previous positions: Managing Executive Officer and Director, General Manager of Corporate & Planning, Supervisor of Global Marketing

Kimishima will reportedly be staying on as a consultant for Furukawa, which is reassuring as ever in a time of big changes. Furukawa isn’t the youngest president Nintendo has ever had at the helm – that would be Hiroshi Yamauchi, who became president at 22 years old way back in 1949 – but he is a big deal in that he’s the first president the company has had who grew up with the company’s games.  

▼ Furukawa is the first Nintendo president to truly understand this pain.

He also speaks fluent English and worked as a director for the Pokémon Company, as well as being a self-professed avid gamer. The document Nintendo sent out includes a handy biography, which is as follows:

  • Date of birth: 1972/1/10
  • Education: Waseda University, Political Science & Economics Department
  • Hometown: Tokyo
  • Employment history:
    April 1994 – Joined Nintendo
    May 2012 (to present) – Made Outside Director of Pokemon Company
    July 2015 (to present) – Made General Manager of Corporate and Planning
    June 2016 (to present) – Made Director
    Made Managing Executive Officer
    Supervisor of Sales Management
    September 2016 (to present) – Global Marketing Office Supervisor
  • Shares owned in Nintendo: 100

Mr. Furukawa sounds like a great pick for the games industry, so let’s cheer him on once he takes the wheel in June! And of course, a hearty ‘well done’ to his predecessor!

Source: TDnet via JIN115.com, Nikkei
Top image: Wikipedia/MZ31 (edited by SoraNews24)
Insert images: Wikimedia Commons/Elvis untot, TDNer, Pakutaso