Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser announces retirement

Nintendo of America’s President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Doug Bowser has announced that he will be retiring on December 31st, 2025.

Devon Pritchard will take his place as the new President on January 1st, 2026, becoming the first woman to hold this role.

Bowser said: “It has been an honour to contribute to this incredible company and bring our beloved characters and worlds to fans through our video games, theme parks, and movie experiences.

“I extend my best wishes to Devon Pritchard as she leads Nintendo of America forward, and I thank all of you for your passion and support of Nintendo, and you can count on me to remain a Nintendo fan!”

Bowser retires six years after first taking up the role in 2019, succeeding his predecessor, Reginald ‘Reggie‘ Fils-Aimé. He first made his appearance during E3 2019, introducing himself alongside the similarly named Mario villain. During his tenure, he oversaw the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, which became one of the company’s fastest-selling consoles to date.

What lies in store for the soon-to-be-retired COO remains to be seen, however, on LinkedIn he shared how it’s not ‘game over’ for him yet, but rather a chance to ‘level up.’

Devon Pritchard, currently the Executive Vice President of Revenue, Marketing, and Consumer Experience, will become the new President of Nintendo of America starting next year.

In a post on LinkedIn, Pritchard said: “Congratulations on an incredible career, Doug! You’ve been a fantastic leader, and it’s an honour to build on the foundation you’ve established here at Nintendo. On behalf of the entire Nintendo of America team, thank you for everything. Wishing you a well-deserved and happy retirement!”

Nintendo of America will also undergo a leadership change as Satoru Shibata joins as its Chief Executive Officer, effective November 16th, 2025. He will continue his roles as Nintendo’s Managing Executive Officer and Corporate Director, and remains a member of the board.