Nintendo Wii Fanboy

With George Harrison and Perrin Kaplan headed out the door, Nintendo have been stuck with the duty of replacing them. Turns out, they found themselves a couple of folks to fill in those shoes left behind. And, considering that Perrin was with Nintendo for 15 years and George was there for just as long, we're sure those shoes are quite old and smelly.

Replacing Perrin is Cammie Dunway, who took the job after parting ways with Yahoo!, where she served as chief marketing officer. Based on where Yahoo! is now, you can imagine how integral she was there. And, replacing George, is Shigeyuki Takahashi, who was promoted internally from a previous position he took up in 2006 as president of Nintendo Research Inc (although it looks like the position's responsibilities are expanded). His previous employment involved a position at Sanwa Bank, where he worked for thirty years.

Yesterday, Nintendo revealed that several of their key personnel had been granted prestigious promotions, the most grand one being that of Reggie Fils-Aime being shifted to the role of President (we have to write it like that at least once) of Nintendo of America. Sure, Tatsumi Kimishima (now CEO) and Mike Fukuda (now executive vice president of business development) play important roles in the magical inner workings of Nintendo, but we haven't come to associate them with name acquisitions and posterior ass-aults quite like we have with Reggie.

So, Reggie's the president. What does that mean for you, me and the creepy, unshaven guy reading over your shoulder? Well, apart from an increased desire to come up with a new and entirely daft nickname (The Preggie), not much. With the Wii's marketing plans already in full swing and a strong games lineup ready to be released and marketed to death, it's unlikely that a dramatic change in Nintendo's focus or image will manifest within the immediate future.

The long run, however, may reveal some changes. When Reggie first took the stage back at E3 2003, many were surprised by his determination and attitude, qualities that didn't quite seem to fit in with Nintendo's supposed "family" image. The man can spin things at uncanny speeds, that's for sure, but there does seem to be conviction and passion beneath all the marketing hooplah. In his new position, Reggie may be able to influence Nintendo of America even more forcefully than before, taking command of its direction as opposed to just explaining why they've chosen that particular path.

I'd like to know what you (creepy, unshaven guy included) think about all this. "Big deal!" or big deal?