Hiroshi Yamauchi, the Man Who Made Nintendo, Dies at 85 Dylan Duarte September 24, 2013 Former Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi, a man who’s played the most pivotal role in Nintendo’s success, died last Thursday, September 19th. Yamauchi was 85-years-old and his death was the result of complications of pneumonia. Sadly, Yamauchi isn’t as well-known of a name as Miyamoto, because his contributions to the company are more business-related and not as memorable as Mario, Donkey Kong, and the like. Yamauchi became president of Nintendo in 1949, when the company simply manufactured playing cards. After a series of diversifications, including a Taxi service, a TV network, and of course the Game & Watch, the company released the Nintendo Entertainment System in the 1980s, which not only solidified the company’s direction but is credited for breathing new life into the videogame industry itself. Yamauchi remained president until May 31, 2002, when he stepped down to successor and current president Satoru Iwata. Yamauchi will always be one of the most important figures in videogame history, even if he doesn’t have a catchy nickname like “Shiggy.” via The Verge Share This With The World!
