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[[File:Satoru Iwata.jpg|thumb]]
'''Satoru Iwata''' (Japanese: '''{{j|岩田聡}}''', December 6, 1959 — July 11, 2015) was the president and CEO of [[Nintendo]] and [[Nintendo of America]].

Iwata's involvement with Pokémon began with the development of the first {{jpn|Pokémon Stadium}} game. He was still the president of [[HAL Laboratory]] at the time, and helped Nintendo with various projects. Iwata's first task in Pokémon Stadium was to analyze {{game|Red and Green|s}}'s battle logic and recreate the program for the battle system on the home console.<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Pokemon-HeartGold-Version-SoulSilver-Version/Iwata-Asks-Pokemon-HeartGold-Version-SoulSilver-Version/3-Just-Being-President-Was-A-Waste-/3-Just-Being-President-Was-A-Waste--225951.html Just Being President Was A Waste! | Iwata Asks - Pokémon HeartGold Version & SoulSilver Version]</ref> He served as a producer for each of the Pokémon Stadium games, and as a director for the original [[Super Smash Bros.]]

In June 2000, Satoru Iwata was appointed as {{wp|Board of directors|director}} of Nintendo.<ref name="R.I.P.-J"/><ref name="R.I.P.-E"/> In May 2002, he was promoted to {{wp|President (corporate title)|president}} and {{wp|Kabushiki gaisha#Structure|Representative Director}} after the retirement of [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]].<ref name="R.I.P.-J"/><ref name="R.I.P.-E"/> He also became {{wp|Chief executive officer|CEO}} of Nintendo of America in June 2013.<ref name="R.I.P.-J"/><ref name="R.I.P.-E"/>

On January 8th, 2013, Iwata appeared on a [[Nintendo Direct]] broadcast to reveal {{g|X and Y}}.

It was announced on July 13, 2015 that Iwata had passed away two days prior due to growth of a {{wp|Cholangiocarcinoma|bile duct tumor}}. [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Genyo Takeda]] temporarily served as Representative Directors of Nintendo together.<ref name="R.I.P.-J">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150713.pdf Nintendo's Corporate Press Release] (Japanese)</ref><ref name="R.I.P.-E">[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150713e.pdf Nintendo's Corporate Press Release] (English)</ref> One of Iwata's last efforts prior to his death was giving feedback on [[Pokémon GO]] from his hospital bed.<ref>[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/08/satoru_iwata_offered_pokemon_go_feedback_from_his_hospital_bed Satoru Iwata Offered Pokémon GO Feedback From His Hospital Bed - Nintendo Life]</ref>

In September 2015, [[Tatsumi Kimishima]] took over as the fifth President of Nintendo. 

==Pokémon game credits==
===Producer===
* [[Pokémon Stadium (Japanese)]]
* [[Super Smash Bros.]]
* [[Pokémon Snap]]
* {{eng|Pokémon Stadium}}
* [[Pokémon Stadium 2]]
* [[Pokémon Crystal Version]]
* [[Pokémon Pinball mini]]
* [[Pokémon Puzzle Collection]]

===Special Thanks===
* [[Pokémon Red and Blue Versions]]
* [[Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions]]
* [[Pokémon Puzzle League]]
* [[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]

===Executive Producer===
<!--* [[Machop at Work]]
* [[Kingler's Day]]-->
* [[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions]]
* [[Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire]]
* [[Pokémon Channel]]
* [[Pokémon Colosseum]]
* [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions]]
* [[Pokémon Emerald Version]]
* [[Pokémon Dash]]
* [[Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness]]
* [[Pokémon Trozei!]]
* [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team]]
* {{vg|Pokémon Ranger}}
* [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions]]
* [[Pokémon Battle Revolution]]
* [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness]]
* [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky]]
* [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]
* [[Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia]]
* [[Pokémon Platinum Version]]
* [[Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions]]
* [[Pokémon Rumble]]
* [[Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs]]
* [[Pokémon Black and White Versions]]
* [[Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure]]
* [[Pokémon Black and White Versions 2]]
* [[Pokémon Dream Radar]]
* [[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U]]
* [[Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon]]

==Tribute in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon==
In [https://www.destructoid.com/pokemon-ultra-sun-moon-features-a-nice-salute-to-satoru-iwata-474242.phtml an article on Destructoid.com], it was discovered in {{g|Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon}} that if the player visits the [[Game Freak]] building in [[Heahea City]] with a Pokémon in their party from the [[Virtual Console]] release of [[Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions|Pokémon Silver]], one of the possible responses from [[Shigeki Morimoto|Morimoto]] is a tribute to Iwata and his contributions to the production of Pokémon Gold and Silver:

''When we were having trouble fitting all the data in for Gold and Silver, and we were really in a pinch, this amazing guy came along and made a program for us that solved all our problems. He went on to become the amazing president of a real big company soon after that, too.''

==Trivia==
* One of the default [[rival]] names in [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|Pokémon FireRed Version]] is '''Toru''' (Japanese: サトル ''Satoru''), an allusion to Iwata.
* According to [http://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20151225009/index_3.html an interview] with [[Tsunekazu Ishihara]], [[Max]] was created during a conversation with Satoru Iwata. His glasses are the same model Iwata wore then, and his overall design was based on Iwata's son.

==References==
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[[Category:People|Iwata, Satoru]]
[[Category:Nintendo|Iwata, Satoru]]
[[Category:Game staff|Iwata, Satoru]]
[[Category:Deceased staff members|Iwata, Satoru]]

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