Bowser takes over Nintendo: Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime to retire, Doug Bowser named as new President

It looks like Bowser is finally getting the keys to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime announced he will retire from the storied gaming company on April 15 of this year. Fils-Aime worked with Nintendo of America (NOA) for 15 years, 13 of which were served as its President and COO. Doug Bowser, NOA’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, has been named as the new president of the company.

Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo Co., Ltd. in Japan, said of Fils-Aime:

I really appreciate everything Reggie has done for Nintendo. Inside and outside our company, Reggie is known as an exceptional leader. We are grateful that he is leaving the business in good shape with strong momentum. While we will miss him and we wish him the very best in his retirement, we are also pleased to have such an able successor ready to step into that role. Doug Bowser and the rest of the team will ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum for Nintendo.

Fils-Aime began his career with NOA during the life cycles of the GameCube and Game Boy Advance back in late 2003. He was promoted to President and COO of the organization in 2006 and has served in that capacity since that time. Fils-Aime oversaw the massive success of the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch.

Fils-Aime is fondly regarded by many in the gaming community and games journalism. He is known for his friendly demeanor and vivacious personality and often took time to directly interact with gamers at various Nintendo events. His infamous “My body is ready” statement during the E3 2007 announcement of the Wii Fit has lived on as a popular meme for over a decade.

Doug Bowser, Fils-Aime’s replacement, joined NOA in May 2015 as a Vice President of Sales. Bowser was promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2016. He has managed the marketing of the wildly popular Nintendo Switch and has contributed to Nintendo’s remarkable success this console generation.