Nintendo of America Gets New Boss: Devon Pritchard Takes Over!

09/26/2025 Nintendo

Alright, folks, big news in the Nintendo world! After a pretty solid run, Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America (NOA), is handing over the reins. I know, the name is ironic, right? Anyway, he's set to retire at the end of 2025, wrapping up a decade of leadership roles. It's kind of the end of an era, considering he oversaw most of the Nintendo Switch's success and the launch of Switch 2. Pretty impressive, if you ask me.

But here's the really cool part: Devon Pritchard is stepping up as the new president! That's right, Nintendo of America will have its first female president. Having been in the industry for almost 20 years, it's a major move for Nintendo. She's already deeply embedded in the NOA leadership, currently holding the position of executive vice president of revenue. So, she knows the ropes.

And that's not all! Satoru Shibata, who used to be the president of Nintendo of Europe and has been with Nintendo for ages, is joining NOA as CEO. Think of it as bringing in some extra firepower and experience to the team. He's even got ties to The Pokémon Company, which is definitely a bonus.

Bowser said that leading Nintendo of America was a honor and now it's time for the next generation of leadership, with Devon’s track record that speaks for itself. According to him, she is an exceptional leader, and her promotion is a testament to her strong performance and strategic contributions to the company's growth and he has full confidence that she will guide the company to even greater heights.

According to Pritchard, Doug has been a fantastic mentor, and she will build on the incredible foundation he has helped establish. Her focus will be on continuing to build on Nintendo's legacy of surprising and delighting the fans, while at the same time welcoming new players into the Nintendo family.

I think it's a positive change overall. It's always good to see companies evolving and bringing in fresh perspectives. I'm curious to see where Devon Pritchard takes Nintendo of America in the coming years. What do you guys think? Are you excited about the change in leadership? Let me know in the comments!