Nintendo has announced that the President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America Doug Bowser will be retiring at the end of the year, on 31st December 2025.
His replacement has already been named — Devon Pritchard, who has been at NoA for 19 years and is currently the Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Communications. As part of the move, Pritchard will also be joining the NoA Board of Directors and will become a Nintendo Co., Ltd Executive Officer when she takes over.
Other changes are coming, too: Satoru Shibata will be taking over as Chief Executive Officer, in addition to maintaining his position as Managing Executive Officer and Corporate Director of NCL. Shibata has been the president of Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo of Australia previously.
Bowser’s departure is a bit of a surprise to us — he joined the company back in 2015 as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing, before taking over as President of NoA in April 2019 after Reggie Fils-Aimé stepped down.
Here is his statement:
“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. 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 that she will guide the company to even greater heights.”
President of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa, has thanked Bowser for his work with the company, saying that he brought “smiles to the faces of people connected to Nintendo.”
“I would like to express my gratitude for his strong efforts. Devon, who will become the next president, has also made many contributions to Nintendo over the years.” Furukawa continues, “I am confident that, like Doug, Devon will continue to support Nintendo’s important mission of creating smiles.”
Pritchard, who will be stepping into her new role on 1st January 2026, says that “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.”
Her history with the company has been varied, with roles across Business Affairs, Marketing, and Publisher Relations, and her aim is to put Nintendo fans first: “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.”
We wish Doug Bowser all the best for the future, and we’re excited to see Pritchard step into the role.