Who Is Satoru Iwata? Age, Biography and Wiki
Satoru Iwata was born on December 6, 1959, and tragically passed away on July 11, 2015. He was a visionary in the video game industry, serving as the president and CEO of Nintendo from 2002 until his death. Iwata's innovative mindset and commitment to creativity helped shape the company into one of the most prominent names in gaming. As of 2025, he would have celebrated his 66th birthday, and his legacy continues to influence both gamers and developers around the globe.
| Occupation | Game Designer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 6, 1959 |
| Age | 55 Years |
| Birth Place | Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | Japan |
| Date of death | 11 July, 2015 |
| Died Place | Kyoto, Japan |
Popularity
Satoru Iwata's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Iwata's physical attributes are not widely recorded, but Japanese executives typically have varied body statistics. In terms of legacy, Iwata is known more for his incredible contributions to game development rather than physical characteristics. His work ethic and leadership qualities transcend physical appearances, making him a respected figure in the tech world.
Initially codenamed "Revolution" during a teaser at E3 2004, following Iwata's goal of creating a gaming revolution, Iwata publicly revealed the Wii at E3 2005, holding it above his head to emphasize its small size and light weight design. Reveal of the Wii's signature Wii Remote controller was withheld until the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005.
During his speech at the conference, Iwata reiterated his stance on growing the gaming market but expanded upon it by emphasizing the need to make controls less complicated. The controller's remote control design partially stemmed from Iwata's desire to have a device that was "immediately accessible" to all.
He also insisted that the Wii Remote be referred to as simply a "remote" rather than a controller to emphasize its accessibility to anyone.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Satoru Iwata was known to keep his personal life private. He was married to Masako Iwata, and they had a deeply supportive relationship throughout his career at Nintendo. While there are limited details on his family life, it is evident that his loved ones played a crucial role in his journey. As of 2025, discussions about his family mostly revolve around his contributions to gaming rather than his personal relationships.
Nintendo saw growth under Iwata and, when Yamauchi retired, he became the company's president in May 2002. Under Iwata's direction, Nintendo developed the Nintendo DS and Wii game consoles, helping the company achieve financial success.
As a self-declared gamer, he focused on expanding the appeal of video games across demographics through a "blue ocean" business strategy. Nintendo attained record profits by 2009, and Barron's placed Iwata among the top 30 CEOs worldwide.
Iwata expanded his strategy by defining a quality-of-life product line for the Wii that evolved into a ten-year strategy to create standalone products.
Later hardware such as the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U proved far less profitable than the Wii, and Nintendo's net sales fell by two thirds from 2009 to 2012; the company saw its first operating losses in 30 years during this time. Iwata voluntarily halved his salary in 2011 and again in 2014.
In 2015, after several years of refusal, Iwata put a portion of Nintendo's focus into the rapidly growing mobile game market; a landmark partnership with mobile provider DeNA was established that March.
Throughout his career, Iwata built a relationship with Nintendo fans through social media and his regular appearances in Iwata Asks and Nintendo Direct, becoming the public face of the company.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Satoru Iwata's estimated net worth was around $10 million, a reflection of his successful career at Nintendo and his influence in the gaming industry. Although his salary details are not publicly disclosed, it is known that he took a notable pay cut in 2014 to offset the company's losses. Iwata always prioritized the welfare of his employees and the company's direction over personal financial gain.
Nintendo's overall net sales declined from its peak of ¥1.8 trillion (US$18.7 billion) in 2009 to ¥549 billion (US$4.6 billion) in 2015. Net income losses were incurred in 2012 and 2014.
In 2010, Nintendo revealed that Iwata earned a modest salary of ¥68 million (US$770,000), which increased to ¥187 million (US$2.11 million) with performance based bonuses. In comparison, Miyamoto earned a salary of ¥100 million (US$1.13 million).
Iwata voluntarily halved his salary in 2011 and 2014 as apologies for the poor sales while other members of the Nintendo board of directors had pay cuts of 20–30 percent. This also served to ensure the job security of Nintendo's employees, preventing workers from being laid off in order to improve short-term finances.
In 2012, the company experienced its first operating loss since entering the video game market more than 30 years earlier. Losses continued for the next two years before the company finally returned to profitability at the end of the 2015 fiscal year.
The slight turnaround was largely attributed to blockbuster games such as Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
Career, Business and Investments
Iwata's career began at HAL Laboratory, where he worked on several successful titles, including the Kirby series. He later rose to prominence at Nintendo, overseeing major releases such as the Wii and Nintendo DS, which transformed the gaming landscape. Under his leadership, Nintendo adopted a philosophy of "creating new experiences" that appealed to gamers of all ages, broadening the audience and redefining the gaming market.
His investments in innovative technologies and a focus on unique gameplay experiences served as cornerstones of his success. Iwata's legacy continues to influence game design and business practices, with many modern developers citing him as a significant inspiration.
Satoru Iwata (岩田 聡) was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer and producer. He was the fourth president of Nintendo since 2002, and he was also the chief executive officer (CEO) of Nintendo of America since 2013, until his death in 2015.
Iwata was a major contributor in broadening the appeal of video games by focusing on novel and entertaining games rather than top-of-the-line hardware.
Social Network
In 2025, Satoru Iwata's legacy thrives within various social media platforms where fans and industry insiders alike celebrate his contributions. While Iwata himself did not engage personally in social media due to his preference for privacy, his impact is commemorated in numerous forums, Twitter threads, and fan pages dedicated to his life and work.
In June 2014, a tumor in Iwata's bile duct was discovered during a routine physical exam. It was removed, and Iwata returned to work in October of that year. The problem resurfaced in 2015, and Iwata died at the age of 55 from its complications on July 11.
Members of the gaming industry and gamers worldwide alike offered tributes through public announcements and social media, and fans worldwide established temporary memorials. Iwata was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Golden Joystick Awards and the 2016 D.I.C.E. Awards.
Education
Iwata earned a degree in computer science from the National Institute of Technology in Toyohashi, Japan. His educational background laid the groundwork for his future endeavors in game development and programming. Iwata's technical expertise enabled him to bridge the gap between the creative and technical aspects of video game design.
Born in Sapporo, Iwata expressed interest in video games from an early age and created his first simple game while in high school. He majored in computer science at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In 1980, he joined the game developer HAL Laboratory while attending the university.
At HAL, he worked as a programmer and closely collaborated with Nintendo, producing his first commercial game in 1983. Games to which he contributed include EarthBound and many games in the Kirby series.
Following a downturn and near-bankruptcy, Iwata became the president of HAL in 1993 at the insistence of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi and brought financial stability. In the following years, he worked in the development of the Pokémon and Super Smash Bros. series. Iwata joined Nintendo as the head of its corporate planning division in 2000.
