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Key Nintendo of America executives to leave during big move? photo

A couple of weeks ago, Niero speculated on whether Nintendo's sale of some of their land in Redmond indicated that a big relocation was imminent. At the time, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Perrin Kaplan denied that the whole company was moving, but admitted that the Sales and Marketing division was heading to San Francisco, while the company's Online department was on its way to New York.

It now appears that not only are those moves on, but that they may also bring about some very big changes to the company's corporate line-up.

Early last month, Game Informer recieved a leak detailing that the move was planned, but also stating that things had progressed to the stage of NOA giving employees a June 1st deadline to confirm whether they wished to relocate or accept a severence package from the company.

That report was followed up today with new information, which if Game Informer's source is accurate, bodes for some major changes within Nintendo's American operation. It seems that around 90% of the company's Sales and Marketing division may have opted not to move, instead taking the severence pay; and while that figure might seem dramatic in itself, some of the names reportedly within that 90% make the situation even more so. 

According to Game Informer's source, Senior Director of Public Relations Beth Llewelyn; Senior Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications George Harrison; and Kaplan herself are all jumping ship, leaving only Tatsumi Kimishima as Chairman and CEO, and Reggie as President and COO, in terms of major NOA executives. Obviously no official statement has been released yet, and given the timing, its unlikely that any will until after E3, provided that all of this is as true as the site believes. 

It has to be said though, while of this is still a rumor, it's not implausible. Game Informer's original story of the move turned out to be founded in truth, and in a more recent interview with them, Kaplan expressed definite ambivalence over whether or not she'd want to leave Redmond. If it is happening, this turn of events will be big news indeed, as the executives named have been well-known and synonymous with Nintendo for years, both within the business world and the fan community.

More details as they emerge.








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22 comments | showing # 1 to 22
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imbeta's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:11
imbeta
I'm hoping that as a result... we get more M rated games for the Wii. Is CASTLEVANIA too much to ask for???
Ignignokt01's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:14
Ignignokt01
meh...

who cares? honestly, its not like we know these people personally?

i remember her interviews and she barely knows anything about the Wii anyway

I remember her saying it was a "ferarri under the hood" lol
thats even more ridiculous than the Sony PR
Tempus's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:17
Tempus
This thread makes me think of Cliff Richard's Summer Holiday :D

Who gives a monkeys, unless they make the games I'm not impressed. Top level management like that come and go, Miyamoto's are one in a billion.
CaptainN's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:18
CaptainN
They better replace Perrin with someone of equal or greater hotness. Oh shut up, you'd hit it!
Namelessted's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:24
Namelessted
This is HUGE news. seriously, these people have been at Nintendo for quite a while. George Harrison is BIG at Nintendo. What else is going on at Nintendo? I can't believe that wanting to live in Washington over SanFran is the only reason for these people to leave. There has to be something else going on at nintendo for these people to choose to leave the company.


@imbeta, are you retarded. These are marketing people you fuckhead, not devleopers. marketing has nothing to do with whether a company makes an M game or not.
bhive01's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:29
bhive01
They were just talking about this on EG. They were saying how George Harrison was moving on and that it would be a mistake on the part of Nintendo to let him go somewhere else, like MS or Sony. I don't think this will be a problem for Nintendo whatsoever as most of these executives are overpaid IMO. Many CEOs will make more money in a year than I will in my life and yet what do they really do other than organize and delegate. Yes it's a big and important job, but is it 1000x more important than the programmer who actually codes the game or artists or even the janitor? I think not.
TheBrain's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:35
TheBrain
I like Kaplan, even if she did make me think the Wii would be region free :(
SLiFE's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:42
SLiFE
@CaptainN: Damn skippy I would.
Toneman's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 19:58
Toneman
Everyone would hit that.
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 20:14
ArrestedDeveloper
Hmm, they don't want to move from Redmond Washington... What other company could they work for in Redmond that might want someone experience in videogame marketing?

P.S. she looks really old there.
savagesaladin's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 20:20
savagesaladin
@CaptainN

What are you joking? She's hideous. Her face looks like a football blasted with a makeup cannon. I mean, I'd let her blow me, but she's not hot. I thought somebody put that picture up as a joke. Well, you got me!!
CaptainN's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 20:59
CaptainN
Football head?
mehehe
savagesaladin's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 21:05
savagesaladin
Yeah, that, but more... vertical.
BlackDove's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 21:09
BlackDove
Ehhhhh what is so strange about this?

Sony called it a "layoff" and Nintendo called it a "relocation". Both companies offered severance packages, and the people took them.

Tis the season and all that.
Gameboi's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 21:24
Gameboi
Interesting. Leaving while Nintendo is doing so well? I'd hate to see what happens during the not so good times.
MaxVest's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 22:08
MaxVest
Since Reggie seems to be staying as President, maybe some senior staff thought that they might like to be in charge of a company. People like Harrison probably get headhunting calls daily. And coming from Nintendo these days carries the Midas touch to hiring committees looking for the next big thing.
BluDesign's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2007 22:12
BluDesign
@CaptainN

If your mom is busy on a particular night, yes I would hit it.
With her in a mask in the guise of your mom's face.

@namelessted

That's not what the focus groups decided.

@Blackdove

G4 called it "G4TechTV".

CaptainN's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2007 01:37
CaptainN
@dvddesign

there you go bro. Now you can make your mask.

(Now you're saying to yourself..."did he really just post a picture of his mom? Yes. Yes I did. There isn't much I won't do for a decent come back :-P)
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2007 04:26
Aaron Mxy Yost
Maybe they're tired of Reggie making them wear gimp masks and calling him "Papa Spank".
Johnny Blaze's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2007 07:45
Johnny Blaze
I saw this one a mile away, well only for Kaplan. She looked disgruntled one day when they had a presentation in some building and it looked like a loft. I think it was in seattle or something...

I agree with nameless Ted that there is more that meets the eye of the whole thing.

I bet it has something to do with changing the Image and Reggie is probably pushing more for mature titles.

The whole manhunt fiasco that is about to begin probably pushed some over the edge.
JonDarkwood's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2007 01:03
JonDarkwood
@ Captain N: Yeah, i'd hit it. With a shoe, or something.
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