Beloved Nintendo leader and icon Satoru Iwata would’ve been 56 today

It’s December 6 in Japan, which means today is the birthday of former Nintendo president and chief executive officer Satoru Iwata, who passed away earlier this year due to a bile duct growth. He would have been 56 years old.

Iwata became president of Nintendo in May 2002 following the retirement of his predecessor, Hiroshi Yamauchi. During his tenure, he oversaw the launch of two of Nintendo’s most successful consoles, the Wii and the DS. He also helped create Nintendo Direct and Nintendo Treehouse, popular online events that allow the Japanese gaming giant to speak directly to its devoted fan base.