Nintendo Of America Says Goodbye To Bowser And Hello To Its First Female President
Nintendo of America made a bombshell announcement that its current president, Doug Bowser, is stepping down in favor of his successor, Devon Pritchard. Doug Bowser has been President of Nintendo of America since April of 2019, following the end of Reggie Fils-Aime's 13-year tenure. With Bowser set to step down on December 31st of this year, his run as NoA's President will be ending at just under seven years, a time in Nintendo's history marked by the long life of Nintendo Switch, the successful launch of Nintendo Switch 2, and the extension of Nintendo's properties into successful theme park attractions and movies like The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Prior to his promotion, Doug Bowser served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing since 2015, and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2016, playing an instrumental part in the marketing for Nintendo Switch.
Speaking in a press release, Bowser stated "One of my earliest video game experiences was playing the arcade version of Donkey Kong. 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. Now, it's time for the next generation of leadership, and Devon's track record speaks for itself."
Speaking of his successor, he continues, "She is an exceptional leader, and her promotion is a testament to her strong performance and strategic contributions to the company's growth. I have full confidence she will guide the company to even greater heights."
Devon Pritchard, set to assume her position in 2026, has actually been working at Nintendo even longer than Doug Bowser, serving as Executive Vice President of Revenue, Marketing, and Consumer Experience since June 2006. That's twenty years under her belt at Nintendo before she takes up the position of President of Nintendo of America, and she seems excited to make the step up.
In her time at Nintendo, she's been included in the Special Thanks for three games: the long-awaited 2009 Punch-Out!! Wii sequel, the Metroid Prime Remastered trilogy released in 2023 on Switch, and the timed exclusive Disney Illusion Island also released for Switch in 2023.
Speaking to the press on this development, she said "I am humbled and excited to take on this new role. Doug has been a fantastic mentor, and I look forward to building on the incredible foundation he has helped establish. With characters and worlds that offer something for everyone, my focus will be continuing to build on Nintendo's legacy of surprising and delighting our longtime fans, while at the same time welcoming new players into the Nintendo family."
Considering her two decades of experience at Nintendo, it feels like the company could hardly have picked a more qualified successor for the position. Per the NCL President Shuntaro Furakawa in Nintendo's press release to Business Wire, "Devon, who will become the next president, has also made many contributions to Nintendo over the years. I am confident that, like Doug, Devon will continue to support Nintendo's important mission in creating smiles."
Image Credit: Nintendo
