http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=38483

Nintendo of America said:

NINTENDO CO., LTD. ANNOUNCES PROMOTION OF NOA CHAIRMAN TATSUMI KIMISHIMA TO NCL MANAGING DIRECTOR

Led Nintendo of America Since 2002

REDMOND, Wash., April 24, 2013 – Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) today announced a planned promotion for Tatsumi Kimishima, current chairman and CEO of Nintendo of America (NOA) and a director of its parent Nintendo Co., Ltd. Subject to shareholder approval, he will become NCL managing director, and transfer from NOA in Redmond, Wash., to NCL headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. In his new position, he will assume the roles of general manager of Corporate Analysis and Administration, and general manager of the General Affairs Division. These titles are currently held by Yoshihiro Mori and Masaharu Matsumoto respectively, both of whom are retiring. Kimishima will assume his new duties in Kyoto later this summer.

Kimishima was named to his current position at NOA in 2006. He first joined Nintendo in Japan in 2000, and was subsequently named president of Pokémon USA in 2001, before moving on to become president of the Nintendo of America subsidiary in 2002. Previously, he spent 27 years at Sanwa Bank of Japan, with multiple postings in North America and Central America.

Many of his current responsibilities, including the CEO title, will be assumed by Global President Satoru Iwata. The move will support the company’s unified global strategy, allow streamlined decision making and enhance Nintendo's organizational agility in the current competitive environment. Reggie Fils-Aime will continue in his role as president and COO of NOA, reporting to Iwata.

Other changes announced to Nintendo’s global board of directors can be found at http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/.

I dunno how big a deal this is but it is an interesting development.

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@Kal-El814

I would point to Operation Rainfall as titles that would have NEVER come over here as a great example. He was basically forced to cave in to fan demands at that point. You cannot state that these would have ever been greenlit by Reggie if there was no public pressure. You would be completely disingenuous if you did.

I would also point out the fully voiced and translated English version of Fatal Frame 2 that remains un-touched on NA shores. That REMAINS his call to this day. He wanted the Wii to be an Everybody machine, and that game just felt too "core" to him. Honestly, I believe he gives himself way too much credit for the Wii's success.

The optimist in me hopes this gross oversight is because its being re-made in HD for the Wii U, but the pessimist in me is pretty much laughing in his face.

Posted by

Deerock69

on: 04/25/13, 06:06

Edited:

04/25/13, 06:15

@Deerock69

Why do you think it was Reggie's decision, though? How do you know it wasn't NCL making that decision and Reggie was just the messenger?

Posted by

Jargon

on: 04/25/13, 06:09

I'm sorta with Kal, here. I'm not really sure what NoA does, other than localization, ads, talking to the press and holding JRPGs hostage.

I mean, just the fact that the CEO responsibilities can be taken over by the busiest guy in the entire company... I dunno, man. Anyone have some clarity about what this CEO guy was doing up till now? Managing the Mariners?

Posted by

kriswright

on: 04/25/13, 06:12

@Deerock69

There isn't anything to suggest that Op Rainfall influenced NOA generally or Reggie specifically. NOA is a marketing division. What reason do we have to assume they have any say over what NCL does at large?

Can I say that definitively? No, of course not. But you're just making shit up about the amount of influence Reggie has. He's the COO of Nintendo's American marketing department. There is absolutely no reason to assume NOA at large has the authority to greenlight localization or American publishing, let alone that Reggie specifically is the guy that gives the thumbs up, as you suggested. No reason at all.

Posted by

Kal-El814

on: 04/25/13, 06:16

Edited:

04/25/13, 06:18

@Jargon

Because Op. Rainfall games were already translated and released in Europe. DO YOU GUYS REALLY THINK REGGIE GETS PAID TO MAKE NO DECISIONS!? He's in charge of one of the biggest branches Nintendo has.

EDIT- He WAS in charge, as a CEO. He's been demoted to COO, now. NOW he might seem to have the kind of authority to make the big decisions you guys seem to think he could make before. Bottom line is I don't think you're giving Reggie ENOUGH credit for why Iwata seemed to think a more hands-on approach is needed in America.

We're all spit-balling how much we think Reggie was in charge. I think he had a little more say than you guys seem to think he did, and now I think a lot of decisions have been relieved from him to place him at the level most of you guys think he was at from the beginning. That's where we stand.

Posted by

Deerock69

on: 04/25/13, 06:18

Edited:

04/25/13, 06:27

@Deerock69

He can make decisions on how to market the products without making decisions on what products come over. Honestly, I don't know the answer, but Kal-El asked for evidence and you're not providing it.

Posted by

Jargon

on: 04/25/13, 06:21

@Deerock69

NOA is a marketing division. How are you not getting this? NOA has ZERO autonomy. It's CEO has ALWAYS been Japanese and until relatively recently, related to Yamauchi. You are pulling this shit about Reggie out of your ass, and we're talking tranverse colon deep to boot.

They don't pay him to do nothing and nobody suggested that. They pay him to be the COO of their American marketing division.

Posted by

Kal-El814

on: 04/25/13, 06:23

Edited:

04/25/13, 06:30

@Jargon

Nobody's really providing any concrete evidence here. I'm not asking for hard evidence because I really don't expect any. And I'm pretty sure I prefaced everything I've said as armchair analysis. I KNOW Reggie answers to Nintendo of Japan, and now I know he realizes it a little more. My best evidence, I guess, would be Op. Rainfall and Reggie's demotion, of sorts.

Posted by

Deerock69

on: 04/25/13, 06:34

@Deerock69

Ok, that's fine. The inner workings of the video game industry seem needlessly opaque to me in general.

Except for the part about him being demoted! "Reggie Fils-Aime will continue in his role as president and COO of NOA, reporting to Iwata." His boss was replaced with someone, but his role is exactly the same. That's not a demotion.

Posted by

Jargon

on: 04/25/13, 06:40

@Deerock69

Except Reggie wasn't demoted at all. His position hasn't changed in any way. What on earth are you talking about?

Posted by

Kal-El814

on: 04/25/13, 06:41

@Jargon

Well, I'm not looking it up (and I could well be wrong), but I could've swore he was a CEO before. :/

Posted by

Deerock69

on: 04/25/13, 06:43

@Deerock69

You don't have to look it up, you can read the very quote in the OP of this thread! Haha, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it IS right there.

Posted by

Jargon

on: 04/25/13, 06:44

@Jargon

Yeah, I just looked at it after I typed that. L. O. L.

Ugh. Actually, that kind of shoots a hole in my boat; there is a big difference between an executive officer and an operating officer. Damn. All this typing.

Guess I need to learn to read better.

Posted by

Deerock69

on: 04/25/13, 06:46

Edited:

04/25/13, 06:49