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Remembering Satoru Iwata on what would have been his 60th birthday

R.I.P.
by rawmeatcowboy
06 December 2019
GN Version 5.0

If Satoru Iwata were still alive, he would be celebrating his 60th birthday today. Sadly, he was taken from us far too soon, and the world of Nintendo has been in mourning ever since. While Iwata is still sorely missed, let's use this occasion to celebrate the man and his many accomplishments. I have just one story that sticks with me all these years later

While I never had the chance to interview Mr. Iwata, I did happen upon him at an event. I honestly don't even remember what the event was, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was a GDC many years ago. I desperately wanted to say hello to Mr. Iwata, as did many others. He was being inundated by people, all asking for autographs, pictures, and more. He had a smile on his face the entire time, and was more than happy to fulfill requests.

Instead of adding one more person to the pile, I decided to let Mr. Iwata wade through the sea of people who were hoping to have a moment with him. Right at the end of the mob, Mr. Iwata walked right by me. I looked over at him and let out a simple "hello," to which he waved, smiled back, and responded with an enthusiastic "hi!" before leaving the building. It was just a one-second interaction, but in that moment, I really got to see how genuine Iwata was in everything he did. It's a great memory to have now that he's gone, and one I'll always cherish.