Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime retires, Doug Bowser to succeed

Nintendo of America COO and President Reggie Fils-Aime recently announced his retirement after about 15 years with the company as its beloved leader.

Fils-Aime was popular among many gaming fans during his time at the Redmond-based Nintendo subsidiary and will leave the position on April 15, with senior vice president of sales and marketing Doug Bowser to succeed the position.

Congrats on such a prolific and epic career amigo. Way to impact lives – mine included! Thanks for creating fun!👏🏾👏🏾👊🏾
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 23, 2019

“Yep, I’m retiring,” Fils-Aime said in a goodbye video addressed to fans. “In April, I’ll be dropping the title that’s meant so much to me, president of Nintendo of America. But I’ll retain one that means even more, Nintendo fan. From the bottom of my heart, thanks for everything, you are the best.”

Fils-Aime added that Bowser is already known as a driving force within the company and “with a name like Bowser, who better to hold the keys to the Nintendo castle?”

Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Doug Bowser, is well-praised by Reggie Fils-Aime and will succeed him on April 15. Photo courtesy of Nintendo of America

“I really appreciate everything Reggie has done for Nintendo,” said Shuntaro Furukawa, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd. in a press 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. While we will miss him and we wish him the very best in his retirement, we are also pleased to have such an able successor ready to step into that role. Doug Bowser and the rest of the team will ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum for Nintendo.”

Starting in 2003, Fils-Aime worked as Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales and marketing before becoming its president in May 2006. Nintendo praised Fils-Aime’s leadership in a press release, highlighting the record-breaking sales he oversaw with numerous home and hand-held consoles and innovative games bringing in millions of new players.

The Nintendo of America headquarters in Redmond was built during Fils-Aime’s tenure and is award-winning in environmentally friendly design.

“Nintendo owns a part of my heart forever,” Fils-Aime said in the 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 humor, this is not ‘game over’ for me, but instead ‘leveling up’ to more time with my wife, family and friends.”

Bowser, with a previous executive role at Electronic Arts, joined Nintendo of America in May 2015 and has since led the sales and marketing efforts for Nintendo Switch, which, according to The NPD Group, became the fastest-selling video game system of this hardware generation through 21 months.

Fils-Aime praised Bowser in his goodbye video, saying fans would come to know him well.

“It has been my great fortune to work with and be mentored by Reggie for four years at Nintendo of America,” Bowser said in the press release. “And rest assured, we will continue to build on his work to evolve and expand our brand, furthering Nintendo’s global mission of creating smiles. There are millions more of those to come.”