Doug Bowser ain’t gonna be the top dog at Nintendo of America no more, folks. He’s packing up his office after bossing the North American business unit for five long years. The dude has been chilling at the Mario factory for a decade, but he’s calling it quits right after the Switch 2 hit the scene. His retirement party is set for December 31, and guess who’s taking over? Devon Pritchard, a seasoned Nintendo exec, is stepping up to the plate. And get this, she’s gonna be the first female president in the history of Nintendo of America. That’s pretty cool, right?
In a press statement, Bowser got all nostalgic, reminiscing about his first encounter with Donkey Kong in the arcade. He’s been all about Nintendo ever since, and leading the American chapter has been the highlight of his career. He’s proud of all the business wins and the memories they’ve created for gamers. But hey, it’s time to pass the torch, and Devon is the one for the job. According to Bowser, she’s a rockstar leader, and her promotion is well-deserved. He’s confident she’ll steer the ship to even greater success.
Satoru Shibata, who used to run the show at Nintendo Australia and Europe, is sliding into the CEO seat at Nintendo of America. But don’t worry, he’s still gonna work his magic as a managing executive officer over in Japan. Pritchard is moving on up too, snagging a spot on the Nintendo of America Board of Directors and joining the executive officer crew in Japan. It’s a big shakeup, but Pritchard is ready to keep the Nintendo legacy alive and well. She’s all about keeping the fans happy while bringing in some fresh blood to the Nintendo fam.
Bowser took the reins at Nintendo of America back in 2019 when Reggie Fils-Aime called it quits after 15 years at the helm. Bowser wasn’t as front and center as Reggie, but he still popped up at Nintendo Direct events and major launches, like the recent opening of a new Nintendo store in San Francisco. His exit coincides with some changes in the customer service department at Nintendo of America, with rumors of more outsourcing to save some cash. Nintendo big boss Shuntaro Furukawa gave Bowser a shoutout for his hard work, thanking him for spreading joy to Nintendo fans everywhere.
Update on 9/26/2025 at 10:00 a.m. ET: Fellow gaming gurus like Reggie Fils-Aime are sending their best wishes to Bowser and cheering on Pritchard in her new gig. Reggie thinks Devon is a superstar in the making and can’t wait to see what she’s got in store for Nintendo of America. And Shawn Layden from PlayStation is also giving props to Pritchard, remembering the good times when she swung by the PlayStation headquarters to talk about #GirlsMakeGames. It’s all love and support in the gaming world, folks.
