Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser is retiring

One of Nintendo’s most recognizable names is stepping down. Today the company announced that the aptly named Doug Bowser, who took over as president of Nintendo of America from Reggie Fils-Aimé in 2019, will be retiring. He’ll stay on until the end of the year — December 31st, to be precise — and will be replaced by Devon Pritchard, who currently serves as executive vice president of NoA.

Bowser, who was in charge of sales and marketing before taking over the top job at NoA, was in the role for six years and oversaw a dramatic expansion for Nintendo, which included forays into theme parks and feature films, as well as the recent launch of the Nintendo Switch 2.

“One of my earliest video game experiences was playing the arcade version of Donkey Kong,” Bowser said in a statement. “Since that time, all things Nintendo have continued to be a passion for both me and my family. Leading Nintendo of America has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am proud of what our team has accomplished in both business results and the experiences we’ve created for consumers.”

In addition to promoting Pritchard, who has been with the company since 2006, Nintendo’s American arm will be adding Satoru Shibata as CEO. Shibata currently serves as managing executive officer and corporate director at Nintendo’s headquarters in Kyoto, and will continue on in both roles moving forward. In a statement about the moves, Pritchard said that “Doug has been a fantastic mentor, and I look forward to building on the incredible foundation he has helped establish.”