Satoru Iwata : le président-programmeur de Nintendo

Satoru Iwata: Nintendo's Programmer-President

1231 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

Satoru Iwata — whose name remains the same in French and English (Satoru Iwata) — was no ordinary boss. This programmer who became president of Nintendo marked the first decade of the 21st century and accompanied one of Mario's most beautiful renaissances.

A look back at the career of a man who was as skilled at writing code as he was at leading a multinational corporation, and whose influence is still felt in every adventure of the mustachioed plumber.

Table of Contents

From keyboard to presidential chair

Before leading the most famous video game publisher, Satoru Iwata was first a genius programmer. Born on December 6, 1959, he developed a passion for coding during his student years. After graduating, in 1982 he joined HAL Laboratory, a small Nintendo partner studio, where he became its fifth employee and sole programmer.

At HAL, his work brought to life classics like Balloon Fight, the Kirby series, and the cult classic EarthBound. In 1993, when the studio was on the verge of bankruptcy, he took over as president at the request of Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo's historic boss, and brought it back to profitability within a few years.

This atypical career made him a unique leader. In May 2002, he succeeded Yamauchi and became the 4th president of Nintendo, the first not to belong to the founding family. He liked to summarize his dual identity as: president on his business card, developer in his head, but gamer at heart.

The man who debugged a playable Mario

Released on GameCube, Super Smash Bros. Melee brought together Nintendo's stars in a festive brawl where Mario is a playable fighter. What few players know is that Iwata left a discreet but decisive mark on it.

Credited with a simple "Special Thanks," he was in fact the uncredited lead debugger of the game. Faced with a high-pressure development, the businessman took back the keyboard to hunt down bugs and help Masahiro Sakurai's team complete the title on time.

This episode perfectly summarizes his character: a president capable of coding, who did not hesitate to dive into the engine of a game featuring Mario. A rare skill at the top of a multinational entertainment company.

The golden age of Wii and DS: Mario's renaissance

Iwata's presidency coincided with one of the plumber's most glorious chapters. On Nintendo DS, New Super Mario Bros. (2006) revived 2D Mario and sold tens of millions of copies, bringing an entire generation back to classic platformers.

The Wii then followed with masterpieces: Super Mario Galaxy (2007) sent Mario from planet to planet and won awards; Mario Kart Wii (2008) popularized racing with its plastic steering wheel; New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) invented simultaneous four-player multiplayer.

This tidal wave owed much to Iwata's vision: targeting casual players as much as fans, with simple and user-friendly consoles. As a result, the Wii and DS are among the best-selling consoles in history, and Mario was their driving force.

"Iwata Asks" and Nintendo Direct: The scenes unveiled

Iwata was not only a strategist; he was a formidable storyteller. In 2006, he launched "Iwata Asks" (Iwata Asks in English), a series of interviews where he himself interviewed the creators of in-house games.

These conversations revealed the behind-the-scenes of many Mario games, from the design of Super Mario Galaxy to anecdotes from Shigeru Miyamoto. They remain a goldmine for understanding how ideas are born at Nintendo.

In October 2011, he inaugurated another format that has since become iconic: the Nintendo Direct. On camera, he himself announced new products, bypassing the press to speak directly to players. Many major Mario revelations have since been made there.

A mischievous cameo and an immense legacy

True to his humor, Iwata even slipped into a game. In WarioWare: Smooth Moves on Wii, he appears as Shop Manager Iwata, the manager of a video game store — an affectionate nod to his dual role as boss and player.

On July 11, 2015, Satoru Iwata passed away at the age of 55 from a tumor, leaving Nintendo and its fans in mourning. His name still appears in the credits of several games, and he was posthumously honored in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

From HAL Laboratory to the presidency, he embodied a simple idea: gaming should remain fun and accessible to everyone. A credo that propelled Mario to new heights and still permeates Nintendo's philosophy today.

Satoru Iwata in brief

Full name Satoru Iwata
Born December 6, 1959 (Japan)
Died July 11, 2015, aged 55
Position 4th President of Nintendo (May 2002 – 2015)
Former position Programmer then President of HAL Laboratory
Role related to Mario Lead debugger (uncredited) of Super Smash Bros. Melee
Creations "Iwata Asks" (2006), Nintendo Direct (2011)
Cameo Shop Manager Iwata in WarioWare: Smooth Moves

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FAQ

  • Who was Satoru Iwata?
    Satoru Iwata was a Japanese programmer who became the fourth president of Nintendo, from May 2002 until his death in July 2015. He led the company during the golden age of the Wii and DS.
  • Which Mario games were released during his presidency?
    Among the most notable are New Super Mario Bros. (2006), Super Mario Galaxy (2007), Mario Kart Wii (2008), and New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009).
  • Did Iwata actually work on a game featuring Mario?
    Yes. He was the uncredited lead debugger for Super Smash Bros. Melee on GameCube, a fighting game where Mario is a playable character.
  • What is "Iwata Asks"?
    It's a series of interviews launched in 2006, known as Iwata Asks in English, where Iwata interviewed creators to reveal the behind-the-scenes of Nintendo games, including many Mario titles.
  • How does he appear in a WarioWare game?
    In WarioWare: Smooth Moves on Wii, Iwata makes a cameo as Shop Manager Iwata, the manager of a video game store.
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