Genyo Takeda is a likely candidate for the new Nintendo CEO and President, if analysts are to be believed.
Experienced analysts believe that senior marketing director and current co-representative director Genyo Takeda is a likely candidate to replace Satoru Iwata as Nintendo’s new CEO and president.
Takeda is currently co-running the company alongside senior managing director Shigeru Miyamoto until a successor is found.
It is unlikely that Nintendo will elect Shigeru Miyamoto for the position considering he is the “king of Nintendo’s first-party content” and could very well turn down the position anyway.
Speaking with GI.biz, analysts threw their respective cards on the table regarding Miyamoto and Takeda,
“Although it would be a romantic dream to have the company lead by the father of Mario, I think Takeda-san has more corporate experience and really understands hardware; it was he who argued for a new interface for the Wii rather than just a faster GameCube with better graphics,” said Nick Parker of Parker Consulting.
“The alternative would be a relative unknown from within, from which there is a deep pool of loyal, long serving (25 years+) candidates. [Nintendo] needs somebody who understands the company culture, can respond to global consumer expectations, and manage an enviable balance sheet.”
See also: Best Wii U Games 2015
EEDAR’s Mike Schramm believe that someone like Takeda who “had a hand in game development” in the past would the perfect candidate, as he has a consistent grasp on the software and hardware side of things.
Satoru Iwata was very much a “consumer-focused CEO,” who prioritised fan communication. The next Nintendo president may “instead focus on the hardware, selling the product directly rather than the community that comes with it.”
“Iwata called for accessibility with the Wii and the DS, and the next leader might push for exclusivity or certain audiences instead,” Schramm added. “A lot of the elements that Iwata championed like fun, imagination, innovation, and accessibility, are definitely part of Nintendo’s DNA no matter who’s in charge, but the next leader may approach those elements in a different way.”
Whoever is chosen to continue the legacy left by Iwata will no doubt push for the imagination and undeniable fun Nintendo is known for, but this individual will also shape the future of the company itself.
Genyo Takeda does seem like the ideal candidate in many ways, and with company like Shigeru Miyamoto by his side this could mean a very bright future for Nintendo.
We will just have to wait and see. Nintendo’s NX platform is set to be unveiled in 2016, although little is known about the next generation console so far.
Nintendo also revealed plans to develop mobile games based on existing properties in the future.
Satoru Iwata passed away last week at the age of 55, since then countless fan tributes have been created in memory of the late president.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
