Kyoto-based Nintendo said Hiroshi Yamauchi, who ran Nintendo for more than 50 years, died Thursday of pneumonia at a hospital in central Japan. He was 85.
Yamauchi was Nintendo president from 1949 to 2002, and engineered the company’s global growth, including developing the early Family Computer consoles and Game Boy portables. He is credited with bringing Nintendo through its golden years and making the company a dominant force in videogames.
Although Satoru Iwata took over for Yamauchi after he stepped down, the former president remained active in the company staying on as an adviser.
“We will continue to treasure the values Yamauchi taught us that what makes you unique lies at the core of entertainment. And we at Nintendo will continue to change the company flexibly to adapt to the times, as Yamauchi did, to carry on his spirit,” Iwata said in a statement.
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