Reggie-Fils-Amie and the Art of the Relatable Executive

 On February 21, 2019, Nintendo of America President Reggie-Fils-Aime announced that he would be stepping down and would be replaced by COO Doug Bowser (yes, Bowser, ya dig?). Reggie served Nintendo since 2003 and became President of NoA in 2006 and was not only the first American in the role but saw Nintendo through it's record high's with the Wii and record lows with the Wii U. His departure has hit many fans hard, which may be astounding, when an exec steps down in most other companies it's usually treated as a "same shit, new day" thing. So what makes Reggie special? What is it about his departure that makes it so heartbreaking compared to other execs? In one statement? Enthusiasm and relatability.

When Reggie stepped out for his first E3 in 2004 there was an energy about him, even in his first words "I'm Reggie, I'm about kicking ass, I'm about taking names, and we're about making games."  Reggie's following E3 was spent dunking Sony on the launch of the PSP, stating that Nintendo did what they said they would with the new DS and any problems Sony had with the PSP in Europe weren't his problem. Reggie was bold and brash, showing fire and energy that never really existed among gaming's upper echelon of executives. 

Even when Reggie became more of a figure in the company and softened himself he bought his A-game, from the cheesy skits he starred in during the Wii U era, the various quotes he's given that have become in-jokes for Nintendo fans, there was an enthusiasm, energy, and love for his job. Reggie was never above making fun of himself either, his various references to his past slip ups and quotes show that. Also he can melt people with his laser eyes and set people on fire, so there's that. 

 All said there is something special about executives who can be relatable as well. It's one thing to hire a PR person to come on stage and give off the stats and speeches; but there's something special about a executive who, through high and low, can still come out and give the big pitch. It feels more honest, more genuine, something companies like EA or Activision can never top. It's why Nintendo has never really had to worry about whether or not they hired the right presenter or PR rep for their conferences and events, the only major failing I can even think of is E3 2008. At worst these days the announcements may not come to snuff as to fan expectations, not really Reggie's fault.

But Reggie nor any gaming company were pioneer's on this front, Disney was with their Disneyland show from the 50's, it was a show Disney and ABC (before Disney bought ABC) putout just before the creation of, well Disneyland. The show was hosted by Walt Disney, showing behind the scenes of his studio, giving viewers a sneak peak of the Disneyland park, and even educating people on things like space travel. the show was a wild success and, in one form or another ran long past Walt's death. Reggie, whether he knew it or not, tapped into that same ability both Walt Disney and former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata had, to inspire confidence in the consumer through sheer presence alone. And that folks, is where trust begins.

I wish Reggie the best in whatever he does next, even if all he does is hide out at Nintendo's upcoming Universal attraction and steal popcorn like a pigeon. And to Doug Bowser, good luck with those pesky plumbers.