You can really see that because in a corporate world people don't really do this kind of stuff. Going by EA or Microsoft you'd hear someone say that they were brilliant businessmen and did extraordinary projects but Sakurai just said that Iwata understood him best.
@@adam145 This is extra painful considering Nintendo's current CEO now is just as faceless and reclusive as the rest of them. I don't even know who the current president is yet Iwata made sure everyone knew him.
@@JanitorAntisocial It hurts because that's how it feels with Nintendo America and Reggie gone; Bowser is probably doing a great job but the Iwata-Reggie era was legendary
Mr. Iwata is probably one of the few corporate businessmen I have genuine respect for because he always put his employees before anyone else especially when it came down to financial losses like with the Wii U. Other companies would most likely have to cut staff, but not Mr. Iwata. He cut his own salary so no one would have to be laid off.
Not to sour his reputation, but keep in mind, this is kind of required by law in Japan. I'm too lazy to look up specifics, but there's a reason you've been hearing about basically every American studio effected by thousands of layoffs while never hear any happening in Japan.
@@soupahmario5869 that’s very true. Unlike the rest of the world, laying off your employees like companies in America almost never happens in Japan. I think it’s due to culture on how they view their company and workers as “friends and family” vs the US you are always told “companies are not your friends”
@@soupahmario5869it's not just about the layoffs, Nintendo is also the company with the biggest employee retention rate in Japan with 98%. The average in Japan is 70%, Nintendo is definitely a Company that cares about their employees well-being.
I think that sakurai must have had it incredibly rough after his passing, the phrase “he was the one who understood me best” speaks everything you could ever need to know about such an amazing man.
It was not just losing a good friend. It was losing a mentor, as he said, someone who was both senior to him in age and experience at the same company they grew wiser together in. A guiding figure which I'm sure gave him a lot of comfort and ease when he was around, especially when helping out with project deadlines.
If it at least may also live on in that way, Sakurai managed to create this connection of us people who are somewhat on this same wavelength-or at least try to be-through this channel.
Yesss my thoughts exactly! That's the main reason why I got so emotional and teary eyed. The love Sakurai has for Iwata. It must have hit him so hard when he heard Iwata passed away.
The moment Sakurai mentioned that Mr. Iwata “always had the most carefree smile on his face” it struck me that in every Nintendo Direct I’d ever seen, he had that same smile. I can’t think of a more perfect person to have been the CEO of Nintendo than someone who embodied joy in the way he did. May he rest in peace.
@@hulkkkhogan usually the western devs with his level of enthusiasm for what they are giving their customers and the care for their employees tend to be indies like Supergiant or small A-list devs who take more time without corporate mandating like Larian.
Honestly, I feel like he is still around. I think about him all the time. I am a programmer, and he's on my Mount Rushmore of software engineers. But his temperament and human interactions are what inspire me most.
@@HoroJoga Whenever Nintendo decides to do some animated series for streaming, I vote for developers story in this style to be made into standard 30-minute episodes with a new season for every year.
Sakurai really cherish Iwata's friendship while working woth him at Nintendo. He is like a family of the company. We all cherish his hard-on work. That last part is really memorable.
The American saying is "never meet your heroes", because they inevitably fail to meet your expectations. With Mr. Iwata it seems the opposite. The more we learn about him the more amazing and inspirational he's revealed to be. His time with us was nothing less than a precious gift.
3:58 Omg that's the most wholesome explanation for adding brothers to the title. The more I get to know about Satoru Iwata, the more I respect the man.
To be fair, Japanese law requires companies to prove that laying off employees MUST be done to keep the business from going under, otherwise they can't do it. It still says a lot about him that he chose to take the hit himself rather than cutting salaries from others, though.
@@TyrantWeskerI think this is a very good law regardless. CEOs are the biggest money sink and there's huge budgets around hiring them, keeping them, and MOST IMPORTANTLY (in the fucking USA) firing them as the severance pay and cost of hiring a new one could be up to half of the fucking budget for the year. Disney especially wrestled with this problem many times throughout their history. It's HORRIBLE. HUGE FUCKIN WASTE.
People like Mr. Iwata are hard to find. A boss who takes time out of his or her job to help colleagues, rather than throwing his or her work at others. A boss who is interested in learning and helping others, rather than ignoring them and leaving them to “figure it out. A person who always remembers past colleagues and friends, despite their successes in life. A person who never gave up and kept going no matter what the pressure was. It is hard to see someone like him leave this world too soon. Mr. Iwata, you will be missed.
"A boss who takes time out of his or her job to help colleagues, rather than throwing his or her work at others." This! I'm so tired of how common it is for CEOs to give bonuses to themseles for every small bump in growth, and leave families with no jobs when they earned less than last year. Decisions are made from top to bottom, and the consequences are dealt from the bottom up. It's disgusting.
All that you said defines the difference between a Boss and a Leader. The man was a World Leader. One can attest to that by him being the first non-Yamauchi CEO of Nintendo.
And let's not forget when he cut his own salary when Nintendo was doing poorly. Of course, he'd still be a millionaire with more money than he could personally need, so he probably didn't think much of doing the right, morally correct thing to do, but these days, corporations engage in mass layoffs while reporting record profits. After all, how could these poor CEOs possibly afford to live without their 7th yacht and 40th luxury car? Iwata-san truly was the goat.
I always had the impression... even when the Console Wars were raging, even among people who disliked Nintendo as a company for one reason or another, *nobody* disliked Iwata-san. He was just too genuine and heartfelt a person to even consider in the same thought as the various other gaming-company CEO's that people are always grousing and cursing about.
There were plenty of people, especially during the 3DS and WiiU years, who were yelling that Iwata is a bad boss and he should step down. Not only online, I've even known a few of them personally, people who asked me "why do you care about the death of someone you didn't know?" I'm glad I drifted away from them over the years.
Surprised myself getting a lump in my throat when the Smash Bros "All Star" theme played at 8:58. Sad as his death is, isn't it nice to hear so many stories of good about someone after they're gone, rather than all kinds of dirt being dug up? RIP, Iwata-sensei.
Same here! That theme is played in that All-Star mode rest area in melee, which always had a serene feeling to it. It makes me think Iwata is off to a beter place, and that he's at peace wherever he is.
Seeing Sakurai talk about Iwata and the times they got to spend shows how they truly valued one another deep down. It comes to show Iwata was and will always be a wonderful person and CEO.
Sometimes people like to idolize game developers and celebrities for no good reason, but every time I learn something new about Iwata it only gets clearer that he was an amazing person, genuinely a legend
@@pokemonduck While I do miss the more playful Directs from before, IMO the fact we're not getting them as often is a testament to how sincere they were. They didn't do them out of obligation, but because the hosts Nintendo had back then (i.e. Iwata, Reggie) were a bit more of the "entertainer" type.
Damn. Never thought about it that way. I definitely miss it too, but the more I think about it, I enjoyed it because of how sincere it was. Businesses today will do goofy skits like that or be snarky on twitter/X, but you can always see right through them. It's pure marketing. But not Nintendo. They had just as much fun making those as the fun they wanted to share. I hope maybe they can do this again someday, and find that entertainer side that made those skits so funny. I feel like we got pretty close with that brief Doug Bowser and Bowser meeting skit.
The use of the Kirby save room music is perfect during the summary at the end. It is a beautiful melody that always feels calm and comforting, but also wistful and a little sad. There are moments in our lives that embody the spirit of this: reflecting on our journey, feeling hopeful for what's next, yet also wondering what might have happened differently. It is important to keep moving forward, and necessary to acknowledge how we got here. Moments like these reinforce how lucky we are to share this journey with people who understand us. Thank you for sharing this moment to reflect.
In a world where most public CEOs are not likeable, Iwata stood out in that not only being likeable by all, everyone speaks highly about their time with him. Sounds like the ideal CEO. Also gave one of the best GDC talks despite having a cold
This is not the Ideal CEO, this IS WHAT A CEO HAS TO DO. CEOs that are not taking the leadership role are those one who always follow the money instead of becoming a Leader making things well that gets the money, like better developement plans, caring on the personal, culture, etc. Iwata seems the ideal Boss Leader, but he was indeed the Leader the world have seen once.
what i liked the most is how organic it felt to like iwata. from the gamecube days onwards, he started appearing more and more, and with the 'nintendo direct' initiative, everything felt so natural and wholesome that it was pretty easy to like a businessmen. you see all this cynical people like phill "lay offed more than 5 thousand people" spencer trying to be like iwata but even on the WORST times of nintendo NO LAY OFFS happened. he was a human first.
He's the kind of boss who'd help out the low-ranking workers with their jobs if they needed it. Try to contrast that with the Boeing corporate suite, who moved their headquarters away from where they manufactured their commercial aircrafts (in Seattle) back in 2001 and completely detached themselves from the actual development field. Obviously, CEOs need to do their jobs first and foremost, but they also need to be in touch with the rest of the company and should contribute to the lacking parts when needed. Even without expertise, you can be a CEO and go to regular offices from time to time and ask for their troubles.
Lovely personal tribute to Iwata, I think this was the perfect topic for the penultimate episode. (For those wondering about the symbol on young Sakurai’s shirt at 2:55, it’s a Shoshinsha mark, which is used in Japan for learner drivers, but is also commonly used to symbolise beginners in general)
Penultimate is.. technically wrong but also right? Based on his upload schedule, the next one will probably be his last regular episode, but there is a finale planned for sometime after
Me too, The credits song of splatoon 1 also still affects me to this day, because its one of the last games with iwata in the credits and at that time i heard about The passing. 🙏
I can't believe that come July of next year it'll have been a decade since Iwata's passing. Every time someone in the industry opens up about their experience working with him, they never have anything bad to say about him and always have a fun story of how he helped their game make release or something they learned from him. He was taken from us far too soon, but even in the short time he was given he changed the world around him for the better. Truly an outstanding person.
I'll never forget where I was when I heard Iwata passed away. I think it was the first "celebrity" death that really affected me. I can firmly remember the emotions, what I was playing at the time, and how it really made me consider how the days we spend with people we care about are in fact limited. Unfortunately, I don't think I can ever return to the game I was playing at the time. I just think back to where I got to and the memories flood back. Maybe one day, but even still, it hurts a bit. Thank you for sharing your memories, Sakurai. It's a lovely final Grab Bag!
As someone that grew up with games he participated in developing, I really admired him. I still do, I want to be a game developer and I wish I could get to know him... Perhaps, one day in the other side... Thank you Mr Iwata
Mr. Iwata's been my role model for over a decade now. I've looked up to his leadership style where he would help his employees grow and listened to them. And hope to apply it someday soon. I've hoped to become as skilled at programming as he was; never saying No to any ideas that could enhance my software be it games or otherwise. He always came across as genuine and from the way he spoke in Iwata Asks, Directs, and how people have spoken about him be it in Ask Iwata or Reggie's book and Mr. Sakurai's video, he always seemed so cheerful despite how tough any challenges that came his way were. That kind of attitude has helped me on my own tough times. I'm starting my master's in programming next year to develop my skills further, and it's weird to have your friends tell you that you're growing and realizing you've slowly been becoming the man you've looked up to for so many years. But it's even more bittersweet to think I'll never be able to learn from him directly. I never met the man himself, but I still miss him so much.
Thanks for reminding me of this. I'd remember hearing the book was in the works at the time, but never caught that it had actually been released. Ordered a copy now.
Is it just me or can anyone else see Mr. Sakurai's eyes on the verge of tears as he speaks about his friend and mentor throughout the video? Mr. Iwata changed the industry for the better through his various contributions but especially his relationships both internal and external to Nintendo. Rest in peace.
Yeahhh I saw he was holding back tears when he talked about their final moments. I was expecting to get emotional but to hear Iwata was Sakurai's best friend (at Nintendo). That just hurts, and again shows we lost him too soon!
He cared about he product but even more importantly, he cared about his employees. Like, genuinely cared and didn't take every opportunity to cut on staff. He famously cut his own salary in half to keep them eployed.
That's because he came from the whole production line, starting the company and getting his hands dirty. Many CEOs are hired to be CEOs and have no experience outside management positions in their field.
Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Feels. Thank you for this tribute, what an amazing man to always emphasize on communication with colleagues at work and also outside of work. You can see how much he enjoyed doing the direct skits, sharing the fun to everyone worldwide
Welled up a little over this. The Wii U/3DS era is quite dear to me, and I'm very grateful for all the thought, energy and sacrifice Iwata put into it.
Such an abomination like Nintendo Switch Online and the lack of dedicated servers wouldn't happen if Iwata is still alive. Don't get me started on other Nintendo scams from recent years. I can't believe the Wii U's godlike Virtual Console was replaced by watered down subscription BS.
@@saricubra2867sure it’s a subscription now and that sucks a little but is it really that watered down? I mean they couldn’t possibly get the ENTIRE library of a system on NSO because of legal stuff
@@saricubra2867 Yeah, the Wii U's VC was good. But the online servers wasn't that great either on there. Especially when I went back on there, one last day for when the servers were up. And it reminded me of how unstable it could be, even on the strongest most stable connection to my wi-fi, just for something to act up even for one little bit, which disconnects it as simple as that. So with that, I cannot in great conscious, ever call NSO an abomination, especially in comparison to the Wii U/3DS online servers. It unfortunately is how their online servers are, and probably wouldn't change much even if Iwata was still here. I don't think he was ever involved or in charge of how the company went about making their online servers to begin with.
When he passed, I was too young to understand how important of a person he was to gaming. I don't remember where, when or how, but somehow, I encountered his Mii on Streetpass Mii Plaza at some point with his *GOLDEN PANTS*. He was the only "Golden Pants Mii" I encountered. I think we had to send my 3DS for repairs or something? I don't remember at this point, it was probably 10 years ago at this point. He seems like he was a very fun, smart yet humble kind of guy and I'd absolutely have loved to just have a chat with him, maybe play a game of Mario Party on the side. Especially now, the gaming industry needs more people like him. Thank you Iwata (and any other Nintendo employees reading this) for my childhood.
It feels surreal and still sad knowing we lost Iwata almost a decade ago. He will always be missed. He brought so much joy to so many. I’m glad we can appreciate his work all these years later. RIP Mr Iwata
That's when you know a good person died. When almost a decade later you still kinda feel like he was still here and you still feel the effect he has given in whatever he was working for
I'll never forget coming home from school excited to watch Nintendo direct and I'll never forget the mini fighter announcement when Iwata and reggie had a fun anime style fight. It always genuinely brought a smile to my face to see them enjoying what they were making. And It genuinely affected me when iwata passed. We'll all miss him. Even just as a fan when could tell how cool he was and he inspired many to be like him. Rip iwata you will be missed.
Almost ten years later, and it's still sad to remember his departure. He was such an amazing person. He listened to the people, he offered advice, and even took time out of his schedule to help others. That man truly cared about people. On top of that, he sacrificed his salary during the Wii U era so people wouldn't lose their jobs because of the poor sales. Even with his poor health in his final year, he made the effort to appear on camera to lead the Nintendo directs. Loved his famous "directly" catchphrase and hand gesture. Loved the Star Fox Zero bit with the puppets. I'll never forget you, Satoru Iwata. Everyone here misses you.
Iwata's Nintendo Directs will always be the best for how fun they used to be for his great sense of humour, he was very unique and I always loved to see him every time a new Nintendo Direct was scheduled, I still miss him a lot
Satoru Iwata truly was one of a kind, loved his dedication and passion. He'll always live on in our hearts and his legacy. Very happy to see him as executive producer in Splatoon (one of my all-time favorite games)
The world lost a great one when Mr. Iwata passed away. He looked like he embodied the joy and passion for videogames and proved it through is efforts, no matter the success or failure. I'm happy that you, in a way, carry on some of his legacy, conscious or not. With the efforts on games like Smash Bros., your character presentations and wanting to better the industry with your TH-cam series. Thank you for all you do, Mr. Sakurai.
That is exactly what he was the embodiment of, someone who had a fascination of programming and gaming and to think that he actually understood the 8 bit and 16 bit generation processor chip from the ground up and was able to manage some impressive feats that would soon be featured in many games, a prime example of that are the original Gen 2 Pokémon games. if it weren't for the compression methods used by Iwata-San himself, the Post gen 1 Kanto region and the national dex would not exist and would be purely Johto.
This video is amazing! An outsider like me felt quickly that Mr. Iwata was a genius, his high IQ was obvious. I could not believe Nintendo had such a genius at his head, despite the fact that Mr. Yamauchi chose someone outside of his family. There is no wonder he was feeling so well around Mr. Sakurai, as geniuses quickly recognize people like themselves, and Mr. Sakurai is also obviously a genius. These people are very skilled people that have overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect and know their proficiency. I was devastated when I learned that Mr. Iwata passed away, even though he was a complete stranger to me. It’s one of the rare strangers that I felt very close to.
E3 2014 was amazing. I remember how people were skeptic about Nintendo ditching live press conferences, but those Robot Chicken skits, the Reggie vs. Iwata fight and the seamless transition from one announcemt to the next without awkward fails or overenthusiastic hosts gave it a more centered presentation and shaped not only Nintendo Directs, but game-related announcements going forward. It.such a tragedy that Iwata's last tweet was him apologizing for how badly received E3 2015, but at least Nintendo saw the fruits of his efforts when the Switch made it big, and his legacy wouldn't be tarnished because of the bumps along the way. He was a leader and an inspiration to many, many people; and my favorite example of how to be a leader. Kind, empathetic, sincere but at the same time smart, idealistic and hard-working. Iwata was one of a kind, and I hope he's never forgotten.
The last section during the car ride broke my heart to pieces. You never know when the last time you speak to someone will ever be... As casual as taking someone to a plane... But on that plane........
Thank you for this peek behind the curtains on Mr. Iwata. As a member of the general public, all of the news stories i hear about Mr. Iwata seem almost like a fairy tale, as if he was this all-knowing entity with an answer to everything, and so sometimes he doesn't even feel real. But, when you describe your personal experiences with him, it helps shed light on what made him such a good leader: active involvement in the work at every level, and a mind unflinching in it's willingness to hear new ideas. He was truly a wonderful man, thank you.
It feels like through his smile, his patience and his kindness he made everyone's lives happier. Those closest to him and even those that never even got the honor of meeting him in person. Iwata is truly missed and the world sorely needs more people like him.
Sakurai did not only teach us about game mechanics. He teach us about the way to live our life... I will never forget these lessons. Thank you Masahio Sakurai, for all.
Iwata-san's impact on Nintendo cannot be denied and his presence is still being surely missed till this day for me. He was such a great CEO and person and just seeing him in a Nintendo Direct was extraordinary and Directs for me haven't been the same without him. I can never forget the greatness that is Iwata-san. R.I.P🙏🏾
I teared up watching this. Mr. Iwata is one of my few favorites. His passion and his genuine kindness is really inspiring. I have been aiming to be just as enthusiastic as he was about video games cuz I want people to have fun and enjoy them just like I have. Thank you for sharing, Sakurai. ❤
Came out of this video both smiling and crying. Thank you Mr. Sakurai for sharing these personal stories with us. Hard to believe it’s been as long as it has since Mr. Iwata’s passing, he truly was a pillar of Nintendo that played a big part in shaping a lot of our younger years, whether many of us realized it or not. Even though it’s been 9 years, we all still remember how special he was, no introduction for him needed. I’ll never forget how excited I was seeing those early Nintendo directs and how watching them made me feel like I was living in the future seeing all the exciting new game announcements presented with Iwata in front of a white background. His smile truly was infectious, rest in peace Iwata-san 💜
In great honor of Satoru Iwata, the man who cut his own salary to keep nintendo on board and devote his life to creating video games Anything can change! Aether!
Not just to keep Nintendo on board - but to avoid laying off any staff! That is a level of humane and responsible leadership that you just do not see. Not in the west, where shareholder and CEO salaries are valued more than the workers' job security, and not in Japan either, where seniority is often abused by leadership to kick down on younger staff. He was a legend.
I know Nintendo can be scumbags to its fanbase as well as be overprotective of its IPs sometimes. But Satoru Iwata is the only reason I STILL respect Nintendo more than other companies. MOST CEOs especially American ones would've not cared if a company went under. But Iwata cared so much that he put himself on the line. Which is why I never regret buying a Nintendo product.
@@niknik166 I do think Nintendo itself succumbs to what most corporations do in terms of restrictive practices and a lack of understanding of what people want, but it feels to me like they are still (somewhat clumsily) executing a practice that made them great under Iwata, in doing what they believe is right for themselves despite the consequences. Maybe it is a bit of revisionism to look back on history that way prior to his passing - the Wii U sales are a testament to that - but in his time, he was at least a meaningful figure to count on to keep things afloat despite all else. A great idea can still be a bad market decision, after all, and I loved that he supported the quality of what they created above all else.
They should send this video to every CEO and product developer currently workinf in games. "Follow logic, not instinct" is the perfect summation of Iwata. The guy KNEW video games inside and out, from the top to the bottom and every level of corporate between. Nintendo may be different things to different people, but Iwata stands above it all. A truly excellent human being and an absolute laser of a manager.
Can't believe it's almost been 10 years since he left us But his impact is still being felt, through his love for the art and the influence he had on so many high-profile developers Once again: Thank you, Iwata-san
This is a cute video, and while i appreciatte all the videos since im working in the game industry, this kind of videos of his personal experiences are the ones i appreciate the most. Wish he could told us more like these
I treasure the man Mr. Iwata was. Never stopping being human but never for once forgetting to be an beyond-duty professional. I'll make sure that I'll never forget him and tell the man he was to people around me somehow. Thank you Mr. Sakurai for this video.
Playing the Melee Rest Area music (which is a section of the Float Islands theme from Kirby’s Dream Land) was so perfect and heartwarming. It’s such a powerful song for an area so brief, and I’m glad it was used here to lament and remember the amazing Satoru Iwata. I haven’t watched these videos in a while, but I’ll probably go back and watch them (especially since I’m an aspiring game developer)
Iwata-san had most influence on my life, I grew up on things he made and his presence at E3 and GDC always filled me with joy, what a privilege was to witness this man implement his visions.
Mr. Iwata was and is a visionary; his contributions to the game industry are immeasurable, just from a public-facing perspective alone. Even the creation of Nintendo directs is not given enough attention in how much it has shaped the game industry, but Iwata has done far more than that... he always did more. Despite his tremendous responsibilities, he was always proactive in doing new things, and even more amazingly, he was always that warm, inviting person for everyone while doing it. He saw things differently and knew he could bring the fun and happiness of games to more people, always walking his own path, confident in the future. And a big part of that path was, unlike others, choosing to always be that kind and inviting person, putting others before himself. When I was 12 years old, I read the news that he took an extreme pay cut during a very rough period following the 3DS launch so that nobody would have to be fired. Inspired by the world of games, I knew since I was 10 years old that I wanted to have my own business creating things people would love. As I grow older, still with that same dream, I continue to further understand and respect Mr. Iwata. I suppose these TH-cam comments are a bit like a personal diary with the way I go on and on as if what I have to say is so important, but I write it because people like Mr. Iwata deserve to be talked about. Though it was always inevitable, Mr. Sakurai announcing that his channel would be ending stirred up many emotions within me. This video, coincidentally released just in time for my own Birthday, feels like catharsis. Both Mr. Iwata and Mr. Sakurai are very deep inspirations in my life, not only through their amazing works, but through the stories of how much they've sacrificed to create them. I hope I can meet Mr. Sakurai someday to tell him how deeply his work has touched me. I try to follow in your footsteps every day. On special nights, the nights I just can't sleep, the nights I feel the best joy I could ever give others is to just end it all, a part of me reminds me of Mr. Iwata's words. "No part of my experience has turned out to be a waste of time."
(I know this is oddly personal for a TH-cam comment so you can call me a loser; that's okay. I just think that Mr. Iwata's impact on so many people deserves to be talked about)
Its honestly the best topic to end one for your Grab Bag videos. I might have been as aware of him but I do feel like around the time the Nintendo Directs and later WiiU came around was when I truly became aware of him as well the odd story about him that made me want to see him more in the directs. while he is no longer alive he still affects us and hearing stories/accounts about him inspires me to come around to his way of thinking, of solving a problem and most of all really valuing the the treasure of interacting WITH someone. Thank you for for this video \*hug* and a warmth in my heart. would be cool to see him appear as a cameo in the next game of Super Smash Bros
I was too young back then to understand just how great of a person Mr. Iwata was. To me, he was the president of a company I just happened to love. Nowadays, whenever I see his name in a game's credits, I just automatically salute him. I don't do this to anyone else (except for maybe George Martin of the Beatles), but this is the least I can do to honor a man who has made me, and still makes me, so happy.
Mr. Iwata also helped with fixing coding problems with the first Pokemon games, and without him, they may never have seen a release outside of Japan. He truly was one of the all-time greats in the video game industry, and it warms the heart to see Sakurai's final video to be an homage to him.
This was beautiful along with the entire series you've put together. It's honestly wonderful seeing how many peoples lives were personally touched within the industry. Mr. Iwata was and forever will be a treasure.
It sucks to lose a friend especially if you were really close. I lost one of my best friends earlier this year weeks before I got to visit him again on a planned vacation. The moment really hits when the funeral eventually arrives. Anyways, Mr. Iwata sounded like an amazing man who always put himself in moments where it helped the people he cared about, even if he had his own duties to focus on. He meant a lot to many, including fans. Hope you, his family, and friends are doing well. Never give up! Hope you have a wonderful day.
Some of those memories must be bittersweet for you to tell us, thanks for ending this category explaining why he was legendary gaming dev/ceo from your perspective.
Thank you Mr Samurai for sharing your memories of him and thank you Mr Iwata for giving every fan fond experience with Nintendo and it's games may you rest in peace 🕊️🕊️🕊️
Mr. Iwata was one of the greatest examples of servant leadership this world has ever seen. A truly remarkable man that represented the best that humanity has to offer.
The Iwata Asks interviews were really great and insightful. I'm glad that it still sort of lives on today in the Ask the Developer articles(although I'm sad some specific games never got interviews).
The Kirby Rest Area music got me crying. Thank you, Satoru Iwata. And thank YOU, Masahiro Sakurai. Thank you for creating and contributing to the games that shaped my childhood, and thank you for all that you continue to do for video games.
He always told us "Please Understand," and now we do understand. I have a copy of that book, "Ask Iwata," and learned of his past, including working on Balloon Fight, and even contributing to the NES Version of Millipede that HAL Labs made, back in their days of making games like the Eggerland series.
I'm sorry. I wish you could met him that time in June. I followed Nintendo News since late 2016 and missed Iwata. I heard only good things about him. Thank you for sharing your story with us. He seems to deserve this video
Man, this made me really emotional. I still remember the day I saw the news on his death. 😢 Thank you for this beautiful tribute! We truly lost a great one. RIP Iwata
A one in a billion man and mentor, CEO, and gamer. A huge piece of the warmth and spark of Nintendo passed with him, and never came back. Probably the only corporate man's passing in history I've ever mourned and ever tear up about when hearing others' experiences with him. That says a lot.
I can't express how great this channel has been, it's full of advices I now use in my work. Thank you so much for this unique opportunity! Also, thank you Iwata for everything he provided to the industry. Videogames wouldn't be the same at all without someone like him!
I'm tearing up a bit just hearing it all again. Of course I realise you can never truly know someone from just their appearances on a screen, so perhaps it's a reach to say this much... but still, in my view, Iwata always exuded so much joy and sincerity. It was always a pleasure whenever he appeared. It's truly tragic that he had to go the way he did. But as a player and enjoyer of the company's work and products, I'm always grateful. An honest-to-goodness legendary figure of the industry, far as I'm concerned.
8:38 you can really hear the emotion in his voice, even if he doesn't show it outwardly. Iwata was one of his best friends, and his death really impacted Sakurai...
How fascinating on the Smash Bros. part. I always see the name and figure "well, it's just Super Mario Bros. but with a word replaced because it's a fighting game." But Mr. Iwata's insight on his coming up with the name was a lot deeper than I thought. I love Nintendo because of how personal and insightful the development process is -- I feel like Iwata's presence was a large reason that aspect of Nintendo still persists today.
As an aspiring developer, Mr Iwata is an incredible role model to me, both in technical ability and generally being a good, helpful person. Rest in peace.
I look up to Iwata. His influence, his accomplishments, and his personality set him apart and made him into a genuinely good person. I’d say the same about Sakurai as well. I’m so happy Sakurai got to work alongside such a great person, we wouldn’t have some of the great games we have today otherwise.
I've never heard a single bad thing about Mr. Iwata. This was a wonderful tribute to an old friend. Please understand - most of us may never have interacted with him directly, but his loss is still felt today.
Mr. Iwata has set the bar high like nobody I've ever seen, he wasn't just a CEO, he was a friend to many. Anytime I think of leadership he comes to mind first before anyone else, being able to not only directly talk to your employees but help them is something no one sees often nowadays. Never I've felt such sadness for the passing of someone who I've never met in person, but I feel like that for Mr. Iwata. We truly lost one of the best, and sooner than later, when the newer generations hear of him, they'll know how great he was.
![The Team Behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl [Grab Bag]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MammcQ3XkpY/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Team Behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl [Grab Bag]](/img/tr.png)
The last bit destroyed me. Sakurai really cherished Iwata's friendship.
his eyes ;( 💚
I’m sobbing man 😭
You can really see that because in a corporate world people don't really do this kind of stuff. Going by EA or Microsoft you'd hear someone say that they were brilliant businessmen and did extraordinary projects but Sakurai just said that Iwata understood him best.
@@adam145 This is extra painful considering Nintendo's current CEO now is just as faceless and reclusive as the rest of them. I don't even know who the current president is yet Iwata made sure everyone knew him.
@@JanitorAntisocial It hurts because that's how it feels with Nintendo America and Reggie gone; Bowser is probably doing a great job but the Iwata-Reggie era was legendary
Mr. Iwata is probably one of the few corporate businessmen I have genuine respect for because he always put his employees before anyone else especially when it came down to financial losses like with the Wii U. Other companies would most likely have to cut staff, but not Mr. Iwata. He cut his own salary so no one would have to be laid off.
He didn’t just cut his salary, he did twice.
One during the weak launch sells for the 3DS and the second when the Wii U flopped.
@@MatildatheMoonwolf that makes this even better
Not to sour his reputation, but keep in mind, this is kind of required by law in Japan.
I'm too lazy to look up specifics, but there's a reason you've been hearing about basically every American studio effected by thousands of layoffs while never hear any happening in Japan.
@@soupahmario5869 that’s very true. Unlike the rest of the world, laying off your employees like companies in America almost never happens in Japan.
I think it’s due to culture on how they view their company and workers as “friends and family” vs the US you are always told “companies are not your friends”
@@soupahmario5869it's not just about the layoffs, Nintendo is also the company with the biggest employee retention rate in Japan with 98%. The average in Japan is 70%, Nintendo is definitely a Company that cares about their employees well-being.
I think that sakurai must have had it incredibly rough after his passing, the phrase “he was the one who understood me best” speaks everything you could ever need to know about such an amazing man.
It was not just losing a good friend. It was losing a mentor, as he said, someone who was both senior to him in age and experience at the same company they grew wiser together in. A guiding figure which I'm sure gave him a lot of comfort and ease when he was around, especially when helping out with project deadlines.
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@@ZacAttackk25
If it at least may also live on in that way, Sakurai managed to create this connection of us people who are somewhat on this same wavelength-or at least try to be-through this channel.
Yesss my thoughts exactly! That's the main reason why I got so emotional and teary eyed. The love Sakurai has for Iwata. It must have hit him so hard when he heard Iwata passed away.
The moment Sakurai mentioned that Mr. Iwata “always had the most carefree smile on his face” it struck me that in every Nintendo Direct I’d ever seen, he had that same smile.
I can’t think of a more perfect person to have been the CEO of Nintendo than someone who embodied joy in the way he did.
May he rest in peace.
He is really fearless. He maybe gone but not forgotten. He is still being remembered by many old and new fans.
He really did always have that big smile on his face now that I think about it
_"On my business card, I'm a corporate president. In my mind, I'm a game developer, but in my heart, I'm a gamer."_
RIP, Satoru Iwata (1959 - 2015)
To this day, I wonder, how much time does he had to play games, while doin all those work as CEO
Highlights the stark difference with western game companies
How has it almost been 10 years? I can't even believe that. Rest in peace.
He was the best maybe even the greatest.
@@hulkkkhogan usually the western devs with his level of enthusiasm for what they are giving their customers and the care for their employees tend to be indies like Supergiant or small A-list devs who take more time without corporate mandating like Larian.
Lovely tribute to a lovely man. It hasn't quite felt the same without him ❤
He's been dead for nine years and he is still not forgotten.
Honestly, I feel like he is still around.
I think about him all the time.
I am a programmer, and he's on my Mount Rushmore of software engineers.
But his temperament and human interactions are what inspire me most.
I hate you guys at GameXplain, but I love Iwata.
get outta here pay your employees
@@Laughy-FlaaffyThis is not the time or the place for hate, buddy.
7:39 "emails came directly from him" as Iwata does his 'directly' pose.
Yes, i loved that. This is so charming and well thought out. Simple but effective.
@@DPedroBoh animation for the channel are amazing, gonna miss this.
CHOKUSETSU!
@@HoroJoga
Whenever Nintendo decides to do some animated series for streaming, I vote for developers story in this style to be made into standard 30-minute episodes with a new season for every year.
Sakurai really cherish Iwata's friendship while working woth him at Nintendo. He is like a family of the company. We all cherish his hard-on work. That last part is really memorable.
The American saying is "never meet your heroes", because they inevitably fail to meet your expectations. With Mr. Iwata it seems the opposite. The more we learn about him the more amazing and inspirational he's revealed to be. His time with us was nothing less than a precious gift.
3:58 Omg that's the most wholesome explanation for adding brothers to the title. The more I get to know about Satoru Iwata, the more I respect the man.
I thought it was just a pun on Super Mario Bros. all this time!
@@vittosphonecollection57289 In English it probably was, but in Japanese there's no "Super" so the connection is much less.
@@fernandobanda5734 Ooh makes sense
@@vittosphonecollection57289 I legit always thought they just said, replace "Mario" with "Smash".
@@0utrunner237 Yeah, same!
When the Wii U was flopping, Iwata took a pay cut instead of laying anyone off.
I can't think of a single CEO that would do that.
That's loyalty.
Only one I could think of is Gabe Newell. There's nobody quite like those two.
To be fair, Japanese law requires companies to prove that laying off employees MUST be done to keep the business from going under, otherwise they can't do it. It still says a lot about him that he chose to take the hit himself rather than cutting salaries from others, though.
Yes. He is like a king from the medieval times. He really handle it like a true king.
@@TyrantWeskerYeah, but he didn't mind, he really took care or them. Others does by law and not doing anything else for their personal.
@@TyrantWeskerI think this is a very good law regardless. CEOs are the biggest money sink and there's huge budgets around hiring them, keeping them, and MOST IMPORTANTLY (in the fucking USA) firing them as the severance pay and cost of hiring a new one could be up to half of the fucking budget for the year. Disney especially wrestled with this problem many times throughout their history. It's HORRIBLE. HUGE FUCKIN WASTE.
People like Mr. Iwata are hard to find.
A boss who takes time out of his or her job to help colleagues, rather than throwing his or her work at others.
A boss who is interested in learning and helping others, rather than ignoring them and leaving them to “figure it out.
A person who always remembers past colleagues and friends, despite their successes in life.
A person who never gave up and kept going no matter what the pressure was.
It is hard to see someone like him leave this world too soon.
Mr. Iwata, you will be missed.
"A boss who takes time out of his or her job to help colleagues, rather than throwing his or her work at others."
This! I'm so tired of how common it is for CEOs to give bonuses to themseles for every small bump in growth, and leave families with no jobs when they earned less than last year. Decisions are made from top to bottom, and the consequences are dealt from the bottom up. It's disgusting.
We really lost someone incredible, sometimes I wonder how Nintendo would be if he were still around
A talented programmer, a good leader and a brilliant communicator all at once. It is so rare.
All that you said defines the difference between a Boss and a Leader. The man was a World Leader. One can attest to that by him being the first non-Yamauchi CEO of Nintendo.
And let's not forget when he cut his own salary when Nintendo was doing poorly.
Of course, he'd still be a millionaire with more money than he could personally need, so he probably didn't think much of doing the right, morally correct thing to do, but these days, corporations engage in mass layoffs while reporting record profits. After all, how could these poor CEOs possibly afford to live without their 7th yacht and 40th luxury car?
Iwata-san truly was the goat.
I always had the impression... even when the Console Wars were raging, even among people who disliked Nintendo as a company for one reason or another, *nobody* disliked Iwata-san. He was just too genuine and heartfelt a person to even consider in the same thought as the various other gaming-company CEO's that people are always grousing and cursing about.
There were plenty of people, especially during the 3DS and WiiU years, who were yelling that Iwata is a bad boss and he should step down.
Not only online, I've even known a few of them personally, people who asked me "why do you care about the death of someone you didn't know?"
I'm glad I drifted away from them over the years.
To this day, when I see Iwata-San’s name in the credits of a game. I give him a salute
Me too! I respect you for that!
I always give the man a salute as well.
Same, it always makes me a little sad when I see his name at the end of the credits of a game.
Same. Either a salute or a quick "rest in peace" in my case
U look like that fat gaijin with the fedora and kemono
Surprised myself getting a lump in my throat when the Smash Bros "All Star" theme played at 8:58. Sad as his death is, isn't it nice to hear so many stories of good about someone after they're gone, rather than all kinds of dirt being dug up? RIP, Iwata-sensei.
Same here! That theme is played in that All-Star mode rest area in melee, which always had a serene feeling to it. It makes me think Iwata is off to a beter place, and that he's at peace wherever he is.
Seeing Sakurai talk about Iwata and the times they got to spend shows how they truly valued one another deep down. It comes to show Iwata was and will always be a wonderful person and CEO.
I agree. Iwata maybe gone, but not forgotten. This video is very memorable.
Sometimes people like to idolize game developers and celebrities for no good reason, but every time I learn something new about Iwata it only gets clearer that he was an amazing person, genuinely a legend
I really miss those funny skits during nintendo directs, it added so much more hype and enthusiasm for new games
yep now it's just ''LOOK AT PRODUCT NOW GET EXCITED FOR NEXT PRODUCT *product is Funko pop shovelware*''
Nintendo has a big communication problem right now. They really need to work on that, not everything can revolve around Miyamoto and Aonuma.
@@pokemonduck While I do miss the more playful Directs from before, IMO the fact we're not getting them as often is a testament to how sincere they were. They didn't do them out of obligation, but because the hosts Nintendo had back then (i.e. Iwata, Reggie) were a bit more of the "entertainer" type.
Damn. Never thought about it that way. I definitely miss it too, but the more I think about it, I enjoyed it because of how sincere it was.
Businesses today will do goofy skits like that or be snarky on twitter/X, but you can always see right through them. It's pure marketing. But not Nintendo. They had just as much fun making those as the fun they wanted to share.
I hope maybe they can do this again someday, and find that entertainer side that made those skits so funny. I feel like we got pretty close with that brief Doug Bowser and Bowser meeting skit.
@@miss-tessbess The last time I remember something like that happening was the Bowser/Doug Bowser thing.
The use of the Kirby save room music is perfect during the summary at the end. It is a beautiful melody that always feels calm and comforting, but also wistful and a little sad. There are moments in our lives that embody the spirit of this: reflecting on our journey, feeling hopeful for what's next, yet also wondering what might have happened differently. It is important to keep moving forward, and necessary to acknowledge how we got here. Moments like these reinforce how lucky we are to share this journey with people who understand us. Thank you for sharing this moment to reflect.
In a world where most public CEOs are not likeable, Iwata stood out in that not only being likeable by all, everyone speaks highly about their time with him.
Sounds like the ideal CEO. Also gave one of the best GDC talks despite having a cold
Yes and people who work with him are so lucky to meet the kind man himself. Such a honorable president. They are like family to him to Nintendo.
This is not the Ideal CEO, this IS WHAT A CEO HAS TO DO. CEOs that are not taking the leadership role are those one who always follow the money instead of becoming a Leader making things well that gets the money, like better developement plans, caring on the personal, culture, etc.
Iwata seems the ideal Boss Leader, but he was indeed the Leader the world have seen once.
what i liked the most is how organic it felt to like iwata. from the gamecube days onwards, he started appearing more and more, and with the 'nintendo direct' initiative, everything felt so natural and wholesome that it was pretty easy to like a businessmen. you see all this cynical people like phill "lay offed more than 5 thousand people" spencer trying to be like iwata but even on the WORST times of nintendo NO LAY OFFS happened. he was a human first.
He's the kind of boss who'd help out the low-ranking workers with their jobs if they needed it. Try to contrast that with the Boeing corporate suite, who moved their headquarters away from where they manufactured their commercial aircrafts (in Seattle) back in 2001 and completely detached themselves from the actual development field. Obviously, CEOs need to do their jobs first and foremost, but they also need to be in touch with the rest of the company and should contribute to the lacking parts when needed. Even without expertise, you can be a CEO and go to regular offices from time to time and ask for their troubles.
Lovely personal tribute to Iwata, I think this was the perfect topic for the penultimate episode.
(For those wondering about the symbol on young Sakurai’s shirt at 2:55, it’s a Shoshinsha mark, which is used in Japan for learner drivers, but is also commonly used to symbolise beginners in general)
I recently learned that they have a mark for experienced, elder drivers too
For the record, "penultimate" means next/second to last.
I think the Shoshinsha is also used on the tutorials of the Japanese version of Kirby Super Star instead of the 2 halves of Kirby the west got.
Penultimate is.. technically wrong but also right?
Based on his upload schedule, the next one will probably be his last regular episode, but there is a finale planned for sometime after
🔰
I knew this video would make me cry.
It's been 10 years and Mr. Iwata's passing still affects me today.
Me too, The credits song of splatoon 1 also still affects me to this day, because its one of the last games with iwata in the credits and at that time i heard about The passing. 🙏
next year will be 10 years due to his passing at 2015 not 14
Oh god same I just cried buckets, and finding out he really was that amazing 24/7 makes it even worse that he's gone ToT
I can't believe that come July of next year it'll have been a decade since Iwata's passing. Every time someone in the industry opens up about their experience working with him, they never have anything bad to say about him and always have a fun story of how he helped their game make release or something they learned from him. He was taken from us far too soon, but even in the short time he was given he changed the world around him for the better. Truly an outstanding person.
I'll never forget where I was when I heard Iwata passed away. I think it was the first "celebrity" death that really affected me. I can firmly remember the emotions, what I was playing at the time, and how it really made me consider how the days we spend with people we care about are in fact limited.
Unfortunately, I don't think I can ever return to the game I was playing at the time. I just think back to where I got to and the memories flood back. Maybe one day, but even still, it hurts a bit.
Thank you for sharing your memories, Sakurai. It's a lovely final Grab Bag!
As someone that grew up with games he participated in developing, I really admired him. I still do, I want to be a game developer and I wish I could get to know him... Perhaps, one day in the other side... Thank you Mr Iwata
Thats the thing. He's not a celebrity. He's a part of our childhood ❤
What was the game at the time?
@@cowserthekhelinace Digimon World Re: Digitize
The announcement really did hurt me when I heard about it. RIP
Mr. Iwata's been my role model for over a decade now.
I've looked up to his leadership style where he would help his employees grow and listened to them. And hope to apply it someday soon.
I've hoped to become as skilled at programming as he was; never saying No to any ideas that could enhance my software be it games or otherwise.
He always came across as genuine and from the way he spoke in Iwata Asks, Directs, and how people have spoken about him be it in Ask Iwata or Reggie's book and Mr. Sakurai's video, he always seemed so cheerful despite how tough any challenges that came his way were. That kind of attitude has helped me on my own tough times.
I'm starting my master's in programming next year to develop my skills further, and it's weird to have your friends tell you that you're growing and realizing you've slowly been becoming the man you've looked up to for so many years. But it's even more bittersweet to think I'll never be able to learn from him directly.
I never met the man himself, but I still miss him so much.
The Ask Iwata book is incredible insight into this man. Could’ve only dreamed to work with him.
Thanks for reminding me of this. I'd remember hearing the book was in the works at the time, but never caught that it had actually been released. Ordered a copy now.
@@MisterLindsay It's a really cool book. I started reading it this summer as well. Iwara-san is really a man to look up to!
Such a good book- I bought it immediately when I came across it at a convention and loved it.
Is it just me or can anyone else see Mr. Sakurai's eyes on the verge of tears as he speaks about his friend and mentor throughout the video? Mr. Iwata changed the industry for the better through his various contributions but especially his relationships both internal and external to Nintendo. Rest in peace.
I don't know about verge of tears but i can hear a sort of tremor in his voice when he was talking about Mr Iwata's deteriorating health.
Yeah, it really looked like that to me near the end. That part struck my heart.
Yeah i noticed that too...how sad.
Iwata and Sakurai are great inspirations
Yeahhh I saw he was holding back tears when he talked about their final moments. I was expecting to get emotional but to hear Iwata was Sakurai's best friend (at Nintendo). That just hurts, and again shows we lost him too soon!
Iwata was a CEO who actually cared about the products he was producing. We need more CEOs like him. Especially nowadays.
He cared about he product but even more importantly, he cared about his employees. Like, genuinely cared and didn't take every opportunity to cut on staff. He famously cut his own salary in half to keep them eployed.
@@BahuschBahusch Yes, of course. That's very important too.
That's because he came from the whole production line, starting the company and getting his hands dirty. Many CEOs are hired to be CEOs and have no experience outside management positions in their field.
Not just cared, but had deep involvement with every project.
Now, Nintendo is bland and corporate
Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Feels. Thank you for this tribute, what an amazing man to always emphasize on communication with colleagues at work and also outside of work. You can see how much he enjoyed doing the direct skits, sharing the fun to everyone worldwide
Welled up a little over this. The Wii U/3DS era is quite dear to me, and I'm very grateful for all the thought, energy and sacrifice Iwata put into it.
My eyes got a bit watery as well.
Such an abomination like Nintendo Switch Online and the lack of dedicated servers wouldn't happen if Iwata is still alive. Don't get me started on other Nintendo scams from recent years.
I can't believe the Wii U's godlike Virtual Console was replaced by watered down subscription BS.
@@saricubra2867sure it’s a subscription now and that sucks a little but is it really that watered down? I mean they couldn’t possibly get the ENTIRE library of a system on NSO because of legal stuff
@@saricubra2867 Yeah, the Wii U's VC was good. But the online servers wasn't that great either on there. Especially when I went back on there, one last day for when the servers were up. And it reminded me of how unstable it could be, even on the strongest most stable connection to my wi-fi, just for something to act up even for one little bit, which disconnects it as simple as that.
So with that, I cannot in great conscious, ever call NSO an abomination, especially in comparison to the Wii U/3DS online servers. It unfortunately is how their online servers are, and probably wouldn't change much even if Iwata was still here. I don't think he was ever involved or in charge of how the company went about making their online servers to begin with.
When he passed, I was too young to understand how important of a person he was to gaming.
I don't remember where, when or how, but somehow, I encountered his Mii on Streetpass Mii Plaza at some point with his *GOLDEN PANTS*. He was the only "Golden Pants Mii" I encountered.
I think we had to send my 3DS for repairs or something? I don't remember at this point, it was probably 10 years ago at this point.
He seems like he was a very fun, smart yet humble kind of guy and I'd absolutely have loved to just have a chat with him, maybe play a game of Mario Party on the side. Especially now, the gaming industry needs more people like him.
Thank you Iwata (and any other Nintendo employees reading this) for my childhood.
It feels surreal and still sad knowing we lost Iwata almost a decade ago.
He will always be missed. He brought so much joy to so many. I’m glad we can appreciate his work all these years later.
RIP Mr Iwata
That's when you know a good person died.
When almost a decade later you still kinda feel like he was still here and you still feel the effect he has given in whatever he was working for
Whenever I hear stories about Mr Iwata, I always think that he must’ve been such a wonderful guy
It’s hard to lose a good friend, but they never stop being your friend inside your heart.
I'll never forget coming home from school excited to watch Nintendo direct and I'll never forget the mini fighter announcement when Iwata and reggie had a fun anime style fight. It always genuinely brought a smile to my face to see them enjoying what they were making. And It genuinely affected me when iwata passed. We'll all miss him. Even just as a fan when could tell how cool he was and he inspired many to be like him. Rip iwata you will be missed.
Every person who knew him personally has fond memories of Iwata, RIP Legend.
R.I.P. Satoru Iwata. He was a real Nintendo hero. Thank you for sharing your experience with him, Mr. Sakurai
RIP Mr Iwata
Mr. Iwata shaped the future of the video game industry
In July 2025 will be 10 years after his death. 🕯
@@reinhardvonlohengramm6599yeah…
さみしいな。
I miss him so much.
Almost ten years later, and it's still sad to remember his departure.
He was such an amazing person. He listened to the people, he offered advice, and even took time out of his schedule to help others. That man truly cared about people. On top of that, he sacrificed his salary during the Wii U era so people wouldn't lose their jobs because of the poor sales.
Even with his poor health in his final year, he made the effort to appear on camera to lead the Nintendo directs. Loved his famous "directly" catchphrase and hand gesture. Loved the Star Fox Zero bit with the puppets.
I'll never forget you, Satoru Iwata. Everyone here misses you.
Iwata's Nintendo Directs will always be the best for how fun they used to be for his great sense of humour, he was very unique and I always loved to see him every time a new Nintendo Direct was scheduled, I still miss him a lot
Satoru Iwata truly was one of a kind, loved his dedication and passion. He'll always live on in our hearts and his legacy. Very happy to see him as executive producer in Splatoon (one of my all-time favorite games)
The world lost a great one when Mr. Iwata passed away. He looked like he embodied the joy and passion for videogames and proved it through is efforts, no matter the success or failure. I'm happy that you, in a way, carry on some of his legacy, conscious or not. With the efforts on games like Smash Bros., your character presentations and wanting to better the industry with your TH-cam series. Thank you for all you do, Mr. Sakurai.
That is exactly what he was the embodiment of, someone who had a fascination of programming and gaming and to think that he actually understood the 8 bit and 16 bit generation processor chip from the ground up and was able to manage some impressive feats that would soon be featured in many games, a prime example of that are the original Gen 2 Pokémon games. if it weren't for the compression methods used by Iwata-San himself, the Post gen 1 Kanto region and the national dex would not exist and would be purely Johto.
This video is amazing!
An outsider like me felt quickly that Mr. Iwata was a genius, his high IQ was obvious.
I could not believe Nintendo had such a genius at his head, despite the fact that Mr. Yamauchi chose someone outside of his family.
There is no wonder he was feeling so well around Mr. Sakurai, as geniuses quickly recognize people like themselves, and Mr. Sakurai is also obviously a genius.
These people are very skilled people that have overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect and know their proficiency.
I was devastated when I learned that Mr. Iwata passed away, even though he was a complete stranger to me. It’s one of the rare strangers that I felt very close to.
Sometimes I go back and watch old nintendo directs, its always lovely seeing Iwata again
E3 2014 was amazing. I remember how people were skeptic about Nintendo ditching live press conferences, but those Robot Chicken skits, the Reggie vs. Iwata fight and the seamless transition from one announcemt to the next without awkward fails or overenthusiastic hosts gave it a more centered presentation and shaped not only Nintendo Directs, but game-related announcements going forward.
It.such a tragedy that Iwata's last tweet was him apologizing for how badly received E3 2015, but at least Nintendo saw the fruits of his efforts when the Switch made it big, and his legacy wouldn't be tarnished because of the bumps along the way. He was a leader and an inspiration to many, many people; and my favorite example of how to be a leader. Kind, empathetic, sincere but at the same time smart, idealistic and hard-working. Iwata was one of a kind, and I hope he's never forgotten.
The last section during the car ride broke my heart to pieces. You never know when the last time you speak to someone will ever be... As casual as taking someone to a plane...
But on that plane........
A very touching tribute. Iwata is a huge inspiration and a treasure. His memory will linger with those touched by his joy and his passion.
Thank you for this peek behind the curtains on Mr. Iwata.
As a member of the general public, all of the news stories i hear about Mr. Iwata seem almost like a fairy tale, as if he was this all-knowing entity with an answer to everything, and so sometimes he doesn't even feel real.
But, when you describe your personal experiences with him, it helps shed light on what made him such a good leader: active involvement in the work at every level, and a mind unflinching in it's willingness to hear new ideas.
He was truly a wonderful man, thank you.
It feels like through his smile, his patience and his kindness he made everyone's lives happier. Those closest to him and even those that never even got the honor of meeting him in person.
Iwata is truly missed and the world sorely needs more people like him.
Sakurai did not only teach us about game mechanics. He teach us about the way to live our life... I will never forget these lessons. Thank you Masahio Sakurai, for all.
Iwata-san's impact on Nintendo cannot be denied and his presence is still being surely missed till this day for me. He was such a great CEO and person and just seeing him in a Nintendo Direct was extraordinary and Directs for me haven't been the same without him. I can never forget the greatness that is Iwata-san. R.I.P🙏🏾
I teared up watching this. Mr. Iwata is one of my few favorites. His passion and his genuine kindness is really inspiring. I have been aiming to be just as enthusiastic as he was about video games cuz I want people to have fun and enjoy them just like I have. Thank you for sharing, Sakurai. ❤
3:57
I love how Shigesato Itoi is somehow apart of all Nintendo history in some way if you look back far enough. 😂
Shigesato Itoi is like Nintendo's Forrest Gump.
Literally an Itoi jumpscare, he just shows up in random places in nintendo history its really funny.
he is always in random crucial parts like working on hal's logo lmao😂
Mr. Itoi was also very close to Mr. Iwata. He wrote a section in the book Ask Iwata about their relationship.
@@Jornker I'm glad I'm not the only person who sees is this way LMAO
Came out of this video both smiling and crying. Thank you Mr. Sakurai for sharing these personal stories with us. Hard to believe it’s been as long as it has since Mr. Iwata’s passing, he truly was a pillar of Nintendo that played a big part in shaping a lot of our younger years, whether many of us realized it or not. Even though it’s been 9 years, we all still remember how special he was, no introduction for him needed. I’ll never forget how excited I was seeing those early Nintendo directs and how watching them made me feel like I was living in the future seeing all the exciting new game announcements presented with Iwata in front of a white background. His smile truly was infectious, rest in peace Iwata-san 💜
In great honor of Satoru Iwata, the man who cut his own salary to keep nintendo on board and devote his life to creating video games
Anything can change! Aether!
Not just to keep Nintendo on board - but to avoid laying off any staff! That is a level of humane and responsible leadership that you just do not see. Not in the west, where shareholder and CEO salaries are valued more than the workers' job security, and not in Japan either, where seniority is often abused by leadership to kick down on younger staff. He was a legend.
Aether?
@@pkmntrainermark8881 the quote from Chrom(Fire Emblem Awakening) from Smash Bros. when he's using Aether(also Ike is said that, too).
I know Nintendo can be scumbags to its fanbase as well as be overprotective of its IPs sometimes. But Satoru Iwata is the only reason I STILL respect Nintendo more than other companies. MOST CEOs especially American ones would've not cared if a company went under. But Iwata cared so much that he put himself on the line. Which is why I never regret buying a Nintendo product.
@@niknik166 I do think Nintendo itself succumbs to what most corporations do in terms of restrictive practices and a lack of understanding of what people want, but it feels to me like they are still (somewhat clumsily) executing a practice that made them great under Iwata, in doing what they believe is right for themselves despite the consequences.
Maybe it is a bit of revisionism to look back on history that way prior to his passing - the Wii U sales are a testament to that - but in his time, he was at least a meaningful figure to count on to keep things afloat despite all else. A great idea can still be a bad market decision, after all, and I loved that he supported the quality of what they created above all else.
They should send this video to every CEO and product developer currently workinf in games. "Follow logic, not instinct" is the perfect summation of Iwata. The guy KNEW video games inside and out, from the top to the bottom and every level of corporate between. Nintendo may be different things to different people, but Iwata stands above it all. A truly excellent human being and an absolute laser of a manager.
Can't believe it's almost been 10 years since he left us
But his impact is still being felt, through his love for the art and the influence he had on so many high-profile developers
Once again: Thank you, Iwata-san
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 9 years now. He truly was a legend
This is a cute video, and while i appreciatte all the videos since im working in the game industry, this kind of videos of his personal experiences are the ones i appreciate the most. Wish he could told us more like these
Hostia, Eo nyto!
@@mariowiiluigi1919no caigo en quien eres, jugador de sm4sh mmmm con tu nickname seguramente te reconozca jajaja
Jugador de sm4sh por lo que veo, pero no caigo en quien eres xD que nickname tenías? Seguro que así te reconozco @@mariowiiluigi1919
I treasure the man Mr. Iwata was. Never stopping being human but never for once forgetting to be an beyond-duty professional. I'll make sure that I'll never forget him and tell the man he was to people around me somehow. Thank you Mr. Sakurai for this video.
Rest in Peace, Iwata-san.
Fitting last Grab Bag. One more to go.
Playing the Melee Rest Area music (which is a section of the Float Islands theme from Kirby’s Dream Land) was so perfect and heartwarming. It’s such a powerful song for an area so brief, and I’m glad it was used here to lament and remember the amazing Satoru Iwata. I haven’t watched these videos in a while, but I’ll probably go back and watch them (especially since I’m an aspiring game developer)
Iwata-san had most influence on my life, I grew up on things he made and his presence at E3 and GDC always filled me with joy, what a privilege was to witness this man implement his visions.
Mr. Iwata was and is a visionary; his contributions to the game industry are immeasurable, just from a public-facing perspective alone. Even the creation of Nintendo directs is not given enough attention in how much it has shaped the game industry, but Iwata has done far more than that... he always did more. Despite his tremendous responsibilities, he was always proactive in doing new things, and even more amazingly, he was always that warm, inviting person for everyone while doing it. He saw things differently and knew he could bring the fun and happiness of games to more people, always walking his own path, confident in the future. And a big part of that path was, unlike others, choosing to always be that kind and inviting person, putting others before himself. When I was 12 years old, I read the news that he took an extreme pay cut during a very rough period following the 3DS launch so that nobody would have to be fired.
Inspired by the world of games, I knew since I was 10 years old that I wanted to have my own business creating things people would love. As I grow older, still with that same dream, I continue to further understand and respect Mr. Iwata. I suppose these TH-cam comments are a bit like a personal diary with the way I go on and on as if what I have to say is so important, but I write it because people like Mr. Iwata deserve to be talked about.
Though it was always inevitable, Mr. Sakurai announcing that his channel would be ending stirred up many emotions within me. This video, coincidentally released just in time for my own Birthday, feels like catharsis. Both Mr. Iwata and Mr. Sakurai are very deep inspirations in my life, not only through their amazing works, but through the stories of how much they've sacrificed to create them. I hope I can meet Mr. Sakurai someday to tell him how deeply his work has touched me. I try to follow in your footsteps every day.
On special nights, the nights I just can't sleep, the nights I feel the best joy I could ever give others is to just end it all, a part of me reminds me of Mr. Iwata's words. "No part of my experience has turned out to be a waste of time."
(I know this is oddly personal for a TH-cam comment so you can call me a loser; that's okay. I just think that Mr. Iwata's impact on so many people deserves to be talked about)
Its honestly the best topic to end one for your Grab Bag videos.
I might have been as aware of him but I do feel like around the time the Nintendo Directs and later WiiU came around was when I truly became aware of him as well the odd story about him that made me want to see him more in the directs.
while he is no longer alive he still affects us and hearing stories/accounts about him inspires me to come around to his way of thinking, of solving a problem and most of all really valuing the the treasure of interacting WITH someone.
Thank you for for this video \*hug* and a warmth in my heart. would be cool to see him appear as a cameo in the next game of Super Smash Bros
Its insane the difference when the CEO of a company is actually a human instead of a corporate suit
I was too young back then to understand just how great of a person Mr. Iwata was. To me, he was the president of a company I just happened to love. Nowadays, whenever I see his name in a game's credits, I just automatically salute him. I don't do this to anyone else (except for maybe George Martin of the Beatles), but this is the least I can do to honor a man who has made me, and still makes me, so happy.
Mr. Iwata also helped with fixing coding problems with the first Pokemon games, and without him, they may never have seen a release outside of Japan. He truly was one of the all-time greats in the video game industry, and it warms the heart to see Sakurai's final video to be an homage to him.
This was beautiful along with the entire series you've put together. It's honestly wonderful seeing how many peoples lives were personally touched within the industry. Mr. Iwata was and forever will be a treasure.
Absolutely lovely tribute video, Sakurai-san! ❤
It sucks to lose a friend especially if you were really close. I lost one of my best friends earlier this year weeks before I got to visit him again on a planned vacation. The moment really hits when the funeral eventually arrives. Anyways, Mr. Iwata sounded like an amazing man who always put himself in moments where it helped the people he cared about, even if he had his own duties to focus on. He meant a lot to many, including fans. Hope you, his family, and friends are doing well. Never give up! Hope you have a wonderful day.
It's quite respectful of you to give a tribute to a great man.
Everytime I see Iwata's face
I hope he's in a better place.
Some of those memories must be bittersweet for you to tell us, thanks for ending this category explaining why he was legendary gaming dev/ceo from your perspective.
It was really nice seeing an insight we haven't seen yet about Iwata. I loved the fact that he had such an incredible typing speed.
Man, you can just feel the love Sakurai had for Mr Iwata, it made me shed a tear
Thank you Mr Samurai for sharing your memories of him and thank you Mr Iwata for giving every fan fond experience with Nintendo and it's games may you rest in peace 🕊️🕊️🕊️
you mean Mr. Sakurai
"Mr. Samurai" 😭
"Samurai?"
Get the name right.
Yer making a fool of yourself.
Guys, people online have been calling him Samurai for years, it's a joke.
@@KorriTimigan Got it. I know very little about the English game comｍunity, now I learned.
Mr. Iwata was one of the greatest examples of servant leadership this world has ever seen. A truly remarkable man that represented the best that humanity has to offer.
The Iwata Asks interviews were really great and insightful. I'm glad that it still sort of lives on today in the Ask the Developer articles(although I'm sad some specific games never got interviews).
The Kirby Rest Area music got me crying.
Thank you, Satoru Iwata. And thank YOU, Masahiro Sakurai. Thank you for creating and contributing to the games that shaped my childhood, and thank you for all that you continue to do for video games.
He always told us "Please Understand," and now we do understand. I have a copy of that book, "Ask Iwata," and learned of his past, including working on Balloon Fight, and even contributing to the NES Version of Millipede that HAL Labs made, back in their days of making games like the Eggerland series.
I'm sorry. I wish you could met him that time in June. I followed Nintendo News since late 2016 and missed Iwata. I heard only good things about him.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. He seems to deserve this video
Even after all these years, Mr. Iwata’s influence is still prevalent. He was without a doubt a legend of his time. May he Rest In Peace.
Man, this made me really emotional. I still remember the day I saw the news on his death. 😢
Thank you for this beautiful tribute! We truly lost a great one. RIP Iwata
When Iwata passed away, a piece of Nintendo also did that I don't think can be replaced
A one in a billion man and mentor, CEO, and gamer. A huge piece of the warmth and spark of Nintendo passed with him, and never came back. Probably the only corporate man's passing in history I've ever mourned and ever tear up about when hearing others' experiences with him. That says a lot.
Reggie comes close on the list for runner up candidates in my book.
I can't express how great this channel has been, it's full of advices I now use in my work. Thank you so much for this unique opportunity!
Also, thank you Iwata for everything he provided to the industry. Videogames wouldn't be the same at all without someone like him!
Thank you Sakurai, Thank you Iwata...
I'm tearing up a bit just hearing it all again. Of course I realise you can never truly know someone from just their appearances on a screen, so perhaps it's a reach to say this much... but still, in my view, Iwata always exuded so much joy and sincerity. It was always a pleasure whenever he appeared. It's truly tragic that he had to go the way he did. But as a player and enjoyer of the company's work and products, I'm always grateful.
An honest-to-goodness legendary figure of the industry, far as I'm concerned.
8:38 you can really hear the emotion in his voice, even if he doesn't show it outwardly.
Iwata was one of his best friends, and his death really impacted Sakurai...
Thank you Sakurai for making this video. Made me cry. I miss him so much.
if Iwata asks segment didnt exist i dont think i'll ever be in video game industry,
thankyou mr. Iwata
How fascinating on the Smash Bros. part. I always see the name and figure "well, it's just Super Mario Bros. but with a word replaced because it's a fighting game." But Mr. Iwata's insight on his coming up with the name was a lot deeper than I thought. I love Nintendo because of how personal and insightful the development process is -- I feel like Iwata's presence was a large reason that aspect of Nintendo still persists today.
Iwata knew Nintendo better than anyone and to this day, it's still true.
As an aspiring developer, Mr Iwata is an incredible role model to me, both in technical ability and generally being a good, helpful person. Rest in peace.
I look up to Iwata. His influence, his accomplishments, and his personality set him apart and made him into a genuinely good person.
I’d say the same about Sakurai as well.
I’m so happy Sakurai got to work alongside such a great person, we wouldn’t have some of the great games we have today otherwise.
Mr. Iwata won’t be forgotten.
Mr. Iwata sounded like the kind of man I’d want to work under. He will truly be missed by gamers the world over. 😢
I've never heard a single bad thing about Mr. Iwata. This was a wonderful tribute to an old friend.
Please understand - most of us may never have interacted with him directly, but his loss is still felt today.
Mr. Iwata has set the bar high like nobody I've ever seen, he wasn't just a CEO, he was a friend to many. Anytime I think of leadership he comes to mind first before anyone else, being able to not only directly talk to your employees but help them is something no one sees often nowadays.
Never I've felt such sadness for the passing of someone who I've never met in person, but I feel like that for Mr. Iwata. We truly lost one of the best, and sooner than later, when the newer generations hear of him, they'll know how great he was.
Thank you for this video ❤
Awesome video. Everything I've heard about Iwata makes him sound like a true legend in the industry, the Getting-It-Done guy of his time.