Saying goodbye to Satoru Iwata

Nintendo's visionary president Satoru Iwata died suddenly last week at the age of 55. This charming and personable man was a life-long gamer, and the leading force behind Nintendo's development and gaming strategies.

Nintendo's headquarters lowered their flags to half staff, and the Nintendo store in Manhattan set out a display honoring Iwata's life. Iwata studied computer science in Japan, and was the lead programmer on one of the earliest Nintendo game Balloon Fight, released for the NES in 1986.

Iwata went on to lead the company through some amazing innovations, cultivating a passionate love for the company and it's games among its fans. Iwata will be missed.

Image courtesy Flickr/Chris