Hiroshi Yamauchi, Man Who Built The Mario Dynasty And The Nintendo Empire, Passes Away


Yamauchi was born in the ancient capital of Kyoto into a family that operated a maker of Japanese and Western playing cards.

He was a 22-year-old student at Tokyo's Waseda University when he took over the family business in 1949.

Yamauchi started Japan's first mass production of plastic playing cards and took the company public.

After running Nintendo for 53 years, Yamauchi stepped aside in 2002 as he brought in current chief Satoru Iwata.

Yamauchi's death comes at a time of uncertainty for the company, which faces stiff competition from smartphone games.

"Mr Yamauchi has taught us that there is value in being different," said Iwata in a statement.

"We will continue to flexibly change the shape of Nintendo from one era to another, as Mr Yamauchi has done, and Nintendo, as a whole company, will keep his soul alive."

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