Without Satoru Iwata, the Pokémon phenomenon might never have left Japan.
The former Nintendo president, who sadly passed away earlier this year, played a huge part in bringing the hit role-playing series to the West back in the mid-’90s. Iwata’s personal role in localizing the the first Pokémon games isn’t well known, but a 4Gamer interview with The Pokémon Company president and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, translated by Siliconera, shows the gratitude Pokémon fans worldwide should have toward Iwata.

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