After six years as Nintendo of America’s president, Doug Bowser is stepping down. The now-former leader of Nintendo’s North American branch has followed through on his September announcement, with the torch now passing to Devon Pritchard.
On September 25th of last year, Bowser announced that he’d be leaving his post as president and Chief Operating Officer, which would become effective December 31st. That date has now passed, and Doug Bowser’s retirement has passed with it. Bowser capped off his time as president with a post on X, stating “Thank you, #Nintendo” with a picture of a crochet Bowser Koopa leaving the company’s offices.
The picture is, of course, in reference to Bowser sharing a name with Mario’s reptilian rival, something that immediately caught the internet’s eye when he took on the job in 2019. While Bowser never ended up being nearly as front-facing as his predecessor, the widely adored Reggie Fils-Aimé, he certainly oversaw the company during some incredibly successful years, including the Switch’s peak and the Switch 2’s launch.
In a statement released by Nintendo, Bowser reminisces on his time with the company and strongly advocated for his successor, Devon Pritchard, saying “She is an exceptional leader, and her promotion is a testament to her strong performance and strategic contributions to the company’s growth. I have full confidence that she will guide the company to even greater heights.”
So long-eh Bowser!
Bowser’s departure from the company comes at an interesting moment for Nintendo of America, which handles marketing, sales, distribution, customer support, and localization for the US and Canadian markets. While major product decisions come from Nintendo’s headquarters in Kyoto, NoA plays a crucial role in executing strategy for Nintendo’s largest market.
Bowser may have overseen the launch of the Switch 2, but it will be up to his successors to watch over its future, and to whether the console will have the staying power of the original Switch.
