Nintendo Senior Managing Director Nobuo Nagai Passes Away
Posted by James Newton
Sad times
Nintendo senior managing director Nobuo Nagai has died aged 66 after a battle with stomach cancer.
Nagai joined Nintendo in 1967, becoming a director in 2000 before moving up to managing director, eventually becoming senior managing director and representative director in 2004.
Among Nintendo's board of directors, Nagai had worked at Nintendo the longest, with 44 years of service under his belt.
Nagai headed up Nintendo's Uji manufacturing plant, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata remarking in a 3DS Iwata Asks:
The first thing (Nobuo) Nagai-san, who's in charge at the Uji plant, said to me when he looked over the designs for Nintendo 3DS before mass production began was "This time it's fully packed right from the start."
A Nintendo statement says:
Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that Representative Director Nobuo Nagai (Senior Managing Director and General Manager, Manufacturing Division) passed away yesterday (January 22, 2012) and has retired as Director. Mr. Nagai's contribution to Nintendo was greatly appreciated and he will be deeply missed.
#1
jibberldd5 said:
No comments? Wow! This is vary sad news!
#2
WolfRamHeart said:
Very sad news indeed. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. Rest in peace Mr. Nobuo Nagai.
#3
Lunapplebloom said:
@3 Agree 100% But still sad news.
#4
nick_gc said:
This is sad, I wonder if he was ill. Trying to find out what he did at Nintendo, but there's not a lot to go on.
#5
NX01Trekkie1992 said:
sad news indeed, sorry to hear this
#6
Beechbone said:
That's pretty sad news.
#7
thedanman64 said:
Wow, he's been with nintendo since 1967. Wish we knew more about who he was. RIP Mr Nagal
#8
KeeperBvK said:
"passed away yesterday (January 22, 2012) and has retired as Director"
He's passed away and retired? Was that really necessary to express?
#9
C-195 said:
This is sad news indeed, my prayers are with his family.
#10
DNA said:
We know and believe that M r.Nobuo Nagai ist on his way home.Might God guide his family through the valley of shadow of death....
#11
kyuubikid213 said:
Rest in Peace Nagai-san. And may the Nagai household get through this time of hardship.
#12
Dev said:
I'll keep Sakai and his family in my prayers. His work for Nintendo will never go underappreciated.
#13
LittleFuryThing said:
Sad news. Sympathy wishes go out towards Mr. Nagai and his family.
#14
HanuKwanzMasBif said:
R.I.P.
#15
darkgamer001 said:
Wish we knew more about him, seeing as he's been with Nintendo before they were even thinking of launching the Game & Watch and the NES.
R.I.P =(
#16
motang said:
R.I.P.
#17
Sapo said:
Nagai-san, arigatougozaimasu.
#18
odd69 said:
R.I.P Mr nobuo
#19
misswliu81 said:
R.I.P
#20
Shworange said:
Wow, he was with Nintendo since 1967? I know Nintendo started out as a card game maker, so is that what they were doing at that point, or were they into some other form of game in 1967?
#21
Sakura_Moonlight2421 said:
Rest well Nagai-sama. You shall be missed deary.
#22
3Dash said:
sad
#23
mega said:
ah. too bad. who cares about that random lady with a fake smile that quit nintendo. this dude died!
#24
MattL said:
@Classicgamer
Couldn't agree more.
Sorry to hear this sad news.
#25
VincentV said:
Rest in peace
#26
Blaze said:
#27
Lobster said:
@Classicgamer You said it.
This is very sad news. My condolences to his family and friends. He was still young.
#28
ChaosTheChao said:
R.I.P Nagai
#29
bahooney said:
I hope he and Yokoi-san will see each other again, now. RIP, Nobuo Nagai.
#30
k8sMum said:
rest well, sir; you've earned it.
#31
WingedFish said:
R.I.P Nobuo Nagai. You may have passed on, but your legacy will never die!
#32
Knux said:
R.I.P. Nagai.
#33
MagicEmperor said:
=/ I'm very sad to hear this. RIP, Nagai.
#34
mizzy_helen said:
R.I.P my condolences to his family and friends. soo sad
#35
edhe said:
@Classicgamer I care about the story that "random" lady (why shouldn't you know who she is - she worked at Nintendo UK, and we don't have superstars like Cammie Dunaway and Reginald Fils-Aime working for us) "with fake smile" (you totally stole that from @Mok ) Dawn Paine left Nintendo UK's advertising department.
In fact, I care about her leaving Nintendo UK about as much as I do the passing of random Japanese Nintendo managing director Nobuo Nagai.
#36
swampertdude said:
Rest in peace, Nobuo Nagai, you will be missed by many around the world
#37
Thwiidscube said:
I feel deeply sorry for Mr. Nagai's family, and I hope that he may rest in peace.
#38
Knuckles said:
I hope more employees like him dont die, he had a great faith in nintendo, the last thing we need to see is more vets go.
#39
grimbldoo said:
R.I.P
#40
Ark_Sin said:
R.I.P
#41
sinalefa said:
Ain't it sad that I hear Nagai's name until the day he dies? Anyway, condolences.
@4. nick_gc
The news says he died from stomach cancer. Same thing that killed Osamu Tezuka.
#42
BlueAce127 said:
Condolence.
#43
NIN10DOXD said:
rip
#44
Ultra128 said:
#45
shinesprite said:
I heard about this last night, terribly upsetting news and I wish his family all the best.
#46
WiiWareWave said:
Your many accomplishments at Nintendo and the video game industry will never be forgotten. R.I.P. you will be missed.
#47
CreaterCurator said:
R.I.P
#48
Metal_Slugger said:
I hope everyone who knew him will find peace of mind over his passing. Rest in Peace.