Nintendo of America president to retire, Bowser to take the helm

No, not that Bowser: senior vice-president of sales and marketing Doug Bowser will replace long-serving president and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé when he retires on April 15, the video game company announced on Thursday.

Fils-Aimé has been with Nintendo of America for 15 years and has served as president and COO of the company for 13 years.

His tenure with the company began during the GameCube and Game Boy Advance era, and he led the firm through the release of its two most profitable consoles, the Wii and the 3DS.

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“Nintendo owns a part of my heart forever,” Fils-Aimé said in a release. “It’s a part that is filled with gratitude — for the incredibly talented people I’ve worked with, for the opportunity to represent such a wonderful brand, and most of all, to feel like a member of the world’s most positive and enduring gamer community.”

“As I look forward to departing in both good health and good humour, this is not ‘game over’ for me but instead ‘leveling up’ to more time with my wife, family and friends.”

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Fils-Aimé has been a mainstay in the world of video games throughout his entire career, having appeared on stage at several E3s and Nintendo Directs to announce the newest Nintendo software and console releases.

“I really appreciate everything Reggie has done for Nintendo,” said Shuntaro Furukawa, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd., in a release. “Inside and outside our company, Reggie is known as an exceptional leader. We are grateful that he is leaving the business in good shape with strong momentum.”

According to Nintendo, Bowser joined Nintendo of America in May 2015 as the VP of sales before being promoted to senior VP of sales and marketing the next year. He led the team responsible for marketing Nintendo’s newest console, the Switch, in the United States, which became the fastest-selling game console of this generation, according to the company.

Bowser previously worked at Electronic Arts as well as Procter & Gamble, where Fils-Aimé also got his start.