Don James, govt vp of Nintendo of America, acquired the Lifetime Achievement Award on the Cube Awards on Thursday night time for his contributions to the video games trade.
He joined Nintendo in 1981 because the fifth worker of Nintendo of America. He principally did all the pieces that needed to be finished, and he mentioned, “Every single day was a brand new journey” in our unique interview. And but James, who spent 43 years at Nintendo and is now retiring, is hardly recognized in a public means. I by no means interviewed him till this week, and most players don’t know what James did in his profession.
However the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) honored James as a sport trade chief and cornerstone of Nintendo of America’s legacy. As govt vp of operations, he oversaw quite a few departments together with shopper companies, design, experiential advertising and marketing, actual property & services, manufacturing engineering, high quality management, provide chain operations, buying, product testing, technical companies, and technical translation. He was concerned in each console/handheld launch from the Nintendo Leisure System (1983) to the Nintendo Swap (2017).
Within the video about James, Charles Martinet, Mario Ambassador and the voice of Mario, mentioned he was employed by Don James to do the voice of Mario in Mario 64. Now it’s 168 video games later, and Martinet retired in 2023.
“There was by no means a uninteresting second,” James mentioned in his acceptance speech on Thursday night. But he mentioned the actual magic was created by individuals who supported him.
“I received’t lie. Retirement is fairly nice. However I’ll miss the challenges, and I’ll miss all of you,” he mentioned.
“One factor we’ve all the time mentioned at Nintendo is to our mission is to place smiles on individuals’s faces. It’s the individuals on this trade who frequently put one on mine,” James mentioned. “One of the best a part of this trade is that nobody is aware of the place we are going to go subsequent. Preserve enjoying. Preserve creating. Preserve shocking. And hold inspiring all of the generations to return. Thanks a lot for this nice honor.”
He received a standing ovation.
Throughout his tenure, James was instrumental within the creation of the online game trade’s present Leisure Software program Scores Board (ESRB) ranking system and the creation of the Interactive Digital Software program Affiliation (IDSA), at the moment referred to as the Leisure Software program Affiliation (ESA). On the ESA, James served on the board. Within the early Nineteen Nineties, he was key to the creation of the world-renowned Digital Leisure Expo (E3). And James was additionally an integral a part of the AIAS — serving as a board member since 1991 — which oversees the Cube Summit.
James was additionally the important thing steward of Nintendo of America’s relationship with Starlight Kids’s Basis. Over 30 years, the muse has delivered greater than 8,400 gaming techniques to kids in hospitals. Adam Garone, CEO of the muse, introduced the award to James, who co-created one of many first packages for sick kids in 1992. James’ program has touched tens of millions of lives, Garone mentioned.
He co-designed the Nintendo GameCube Starlight Enjoyable Middle in 2002 and led Nintendo of America’s assist of Starlight to carry video games and films to noticeably unwell kids in hospitals. He’s additionally an lively supporter of philanthropic organizations, together with the Fred Hutchinson Most cancers Analysis Middle and the Pratt Wonderful Arts Middle.
Doug Lowenstein, former head of the IDSA, mentioned within the intro video that James was a “sales space design Michelangelo.” James mentioned of all of his E3 cubicles, he was most pleased with the sales space he created for E3 2016. It was completely primarily based on one sport, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it made you are feeling like a personality inside the sport — not not like the Tremendous Nintendo World theme parks the world over.
“I’m really honored to obtain this award from the Academy,” mentioned James in a press release. “This trade is filled with so many gifted and artistic individuals, and it’s been an absolute privilege attending to know and work with so a lot of them over the a long time. My profession has really been a wild and enjoyable experience, and I’m pleased with all of the alternatives I used to be lucky sufficient to obtain.”
I requested him why he didn’t stick round for the Nintendo Swap 2 launch this yr. He mentioned, ” I felt that 43 years was sufficient. And in addition I developed a coronary heart downside. I didn’t wish to die at my desk.”
Right here’s an edited transcript of our interview.
GamesBeat: You’ve been there so lengthy and we’ve by no means finished an interview.
Don James: I used to be all the time underneath the radar. I most popular it that means.
GamesBeat: When did you come to Nintendo? What was your first activity?
James: I graduated from school and went to work for Nintendo straight away. The very first thing we did, we have been receiving Radar Scopes that have been shipped again from New York and changing them into Donkey Kongs. This was in Tukwila, Washington.
GamesBeat: This was when it was Minoru Arakawa’s operation?
James: Proper. After I began with the corporate there have been 5 individuals in it. Arakawa was president.
GamesBeat: What did you consider it on the time? Did they’ve any type of popularity?
James: No, no person knew of Nintendo in any respect. My considering was that they supplied me a job. I used to be simply out of faculty. Coin-op was nonetheless fairly widespread. I assumed, “It’s a job. I’ll take it. If it doesn’t work out I can do one thing else.”
GamesBeat: Did your love of gaming come from that, or have been you already a gamer?
James: Oh, I used to be already a gamer. I performed video video games all via school. Asteroids, Pac-Man. Robotron was my favourite. You had to hang around on the arcades if you happen to have been a university pupil.
GamesBeat: Did you might have a house machine sooner or later?
James: No, the primary machine I received at residence was the NES.
GamesBeat: What did you study from being at Nintendo that early?
James: I can let you know that I used to be studying continuously. We modified so quick. I used to be the kind of particular person the place each alternative that got here up, I volunteered for it. If I didn’t actually know the right way to do it, I’d learn to do it shortly. The alternatives that have been supplied as a result of I received in so early have been many and far-reaching. They went on for years and years. That’s why it was so enjoyable to work there.
GamesBeat: Had been you really fixing the machines?
James: No, I didn’t try this. The technical guys did that. I ran manufacturing, after which moved on to being in command of buying, being in command of transport. Actually all the pieces that administration didn’t wish to do.
GamesBeat: There are such essential issues that need to get finished, and so they fall underneath the enterprise guys, however it will get delegated far down.
James: Form of? There wasn’t too far to delegate down. It was principally Arakawa after which me. However there have been a number of insurance policies, a number of procedures that needed to be developed as the corporate expanded and grew. Once more, I simply volunteered to do all that stuff.
GamesBeat: How briskly did it develop in these first few years?
James: We began with 5. Once we have been in manufacturing with Donkey Kong we employed an extra 25 to 30. That then moved to about 60 individuals. Then we moved the entire firm from Tukwila to Redmond and constructed our personal constructing. We have been utilizing corporations that may provide us with labor. They weren’t working immediately for us. They have been working for the opposite firm. However that means we might flex up and down.
At one level we had about 100 individuals constructing Vs. DualSystems, which could not be one thing you understand. We solely constructed it for about three weeks. Then we stopped, as a result of the coin-op market was crashing. It was two screens facet by facet. You may play tennis in opposition to one another in a coin-op setting.
GamesBeat: Was that the Nintendo campus that was sooner or later surrounded by Microsoft?
James: Yeah, we have been fully surrounded. It began with one constructing, after which went to 2 after which three, which is the place it’s at proper now.
GamesBeat: I assumed it was a humorous coincidence after I went in to speak to the Xbox crew, after which at lunch time noticed Perrin Kaplan consuming lunch in Microsoft’s cafeteria. What stands out for you, then? You had an extended profession. What are a few of your most fond reminiscences?
James: General, one of the best reminiscence I’ve is the individuals. The truth that Nintendo was by no means stagnant. It was continuously altering. That was very thrilling, since you needed to continuously study. That stored it fascinating. Every single day was a brand new journey. However my fondest reminiscence is actually simply the those who we labored with. It was a terrific firm. Hiroshi Yamauchi was an fascinating man.
GamesBeat: At what level did you get to satisfy him?
James: I met him the primary time on the CES present, once we launched Recreation and Watch. Yoko, Mr. Arakawa’s spouse, who was Mr. Yamauchi’s daughter, got here up and requested me to show the lights off within the workplace so he might take a nap. I used to be in command of the sales space. He solely got here to the U.S. twice. In any other case, the one time you interacted with him was whenever you went to Japan.
It’s fascinating. I realized one thing from each single individual I ever reported to, and a complete bunch of people that reported to me taught me issues too. What Yamauchi taught me was that–he was a very good decision-maker. Many of the selections he made have been the precise choice. When he made them, all people ran in that path, no matter means he pointed. I realized to be very decisive by watching him.
GamesBeat: When did you begin to expand selections in your position?
James: It relies on the way you body it. Once you work in an organization of 5 you are likely to make all the large selections concerning the firm and the way it capabilities. I simply grew, and continued to do this. From day one, right through my profession, I used to be making essential selections.
GamesBeat: Are you able to give some examples? Lots of people at this level may be considering, “Who was Don James?” You weren’t within the press very a lot.
James: I tended to all the time be within the shadows. I labored in mysterious methods. Primarily as a result of I don’t like being within the highlight. I used to be very happy to let guys like Charlie Scibetta try this. However most likely E3 and the creation of the Interactive Digital Software program Affiliation, which is now the ESA. I had an enormous position in that. I had an enormous position within the ESRB. I had an enormous position in each commerce present sales space that Nintendo ever did. I designed all of them. I used to say that you just type of wager your job whenever you try this, as a result of if it’s a failure–fortunately, I by no means had a failure.
Once we launched the NES into New York, that was main. They mentioned, “Don, would you prefer to go on the market and lead the crew? We’d like you to do the purpose of buy shows and Macy’s home windows and all that stuff.” I’ve a design background. I mentioned, “Positive.” That was a reasonably large choice. If I’d screwed that up, this entire trade would most likely really feel completely different proper now.
I did the Zelda immersive sales space. That was a humorous one. I went to Japan, and I’d by no means seen the sport. I knew it existed, however I’d by no means really seen it. I received pulled into a gathering and so they informed me we might have one sport that may present at E3. “We’ll present you the video of the sport now.” That was the primary time I noticed it. Afterward, Mr. Iwata requested me, “How are you going to do it? How are you going to point out this sport?” It took me some time to give you the idea of that immersion. It was a number of work, too. Fortunately, working with NCL, they have been very supportive.
GamesBeat: The IDSA and the ESRB, these have been fascinating days. The trade was all the time criticized. It was seen as nonetheless a toy trade.
James: We used to go to Toy Honest, earlier than we have been going to CES.
GamesBeat: How onerous was it to get the trade to someway agree that everybody was stronger collectively?
James: Plenty of that needed to do with the creation of the ranking system. The IDSA was created to assist the ESRB. Everybody purchased into that. It occurred naturally. We didn’t need to exit and persuade the opposite corporations to hitch, and there weren’t many corporations at that time anyway. We have been all behind the identical objective, which was to offer that ranking system.
GamesBeat: Was E3 an expression of that very same–to point out the world what the sport trade was actually about?
James: Proper. And in addition to take the earnings from that present and put them again into the IDSA and the ESRB.
GamesBeat: That wouldn’t have labored if you happen to didn’t have this suggestions cycle. Cash comes into the present, you expand exhibits, you get an even bigger message out.
James: Nicely, an even bigger present didn’t essentially imply greater earnings.
GamesBeat: As we realized later. DICE appears to satisfy a really completely different mission than a present like E3. What was the considering there?
James: I used to be round for the creation of this group, the Academy, as properly. I used to be one of many founders. Once more, if you happen to’re working a corporation it is advisable to have some type of revenue to assist the group. One of many ex-presidents of the Academy, he got here up with the idea of DICE. It became a reasonably distinctive occasion, as a result of it was restricted to a small group of builders solely. It wasn’t like E3. It’s nonetheless like that right now. However DICE serves an essential operate. It brings the event group collectively. Nevertheless it additionally generates funds to assist the Academy.
GamesBeat: I feel the primary E3 I went to was when Larry Probst was there as a speaker on a panel with Nintendo and Microsoft. I interviewed Larry afterward. He says, “You understand these guys all hate one another?” It was humorous how everybody might come collectively and be on the identical panel and do these items in such a collegial means throughout trade organizations, and but they have been the fiercest of opponents.
James: It was type of like residing via the competitors between Nintendo and Sega within the day. I keep in mind–I don’t know the precise phrases, however I keep in mind that Sega had all their staff sporting shirts saying “Crush Nintendo” or one thing to that impact.
GamesBeat: Do you look again on that as one thing like the nice previous days?
James: I don’t assume there was ever any actual hate. There was a number of banter. However a number of it was in jest. Now you get a fairly fascinating combine of people within the trade that come to one thing like this. It’s not as broad because the group of individuals you’ll get for an E3 present, simply because the quantity of individuals at E3 was means greater. However there’s a camaraderie being within the trade now that’s fairly pronounced. You’ll be able to see it. All it’s a must to do is stroll on the market and see how many individuals are speaking. They see somebody and run over and say, “Hey, how are you doing?” It’s developed, I feel.
GamesBeat: Do you might have a view on the state of the trade now? The place it’s, the place you’d prefer it to be?
James: Nicely, now that I’m retired I can reply that fairly actually. No. I’ve stopped worrying about the place the trade goes. I’ll go that torch on to other people.
GamesBeat: I used to be speaking to Ted Value yesterday and Shuhei Yoshida right now. Ted particularly mentioned that he was completely happy to create alternatives for individuals coming behind him. However he’s vacating his position, and now they need to step up.
James: That’s what I did, for about 5 years. I gave away items of my group to different individuals. I made room for different individuals to get promoted into positions. I suggested them and mentored them whereas I used to be there. That was a plan. It wasn’t simply accidentally. There was a plan for me to gracefully exit the corporate.
GamesBeat: Did you ever really feel like Nintendo–was it understood properly, or do you assume the corporate was misunderstood in some methods by individuals exterior Nintendo? The media, customers, builders.
James: Nicely, it modified. Once we first began, each time you had a dialog on the cellphone, you needed to spell “Nintendo.” No person knew who we have been. That ultimately modified, slowly however absolutely, to the purpose the place now everybody is aware of what Nintendo is and what we do. It occurred over an extended time period. However I’d say that we’re most likely one of the well-known corporations on the earth now. By the best way, I need you to take be aware. I mentioned “we” as a result of nobody ever actually leaves Nintendo. That’s the unusual factor. The loyalty we’ve for the corporate, we simply by no means actually depart.
GamesBeat: Do you assume what’s extensively recognized about Nintendo is the best way it truly is? Does it function on suggestions from the trade, or would you say it’s extra inner, extra secretive?
James: I feel it’s all the above. We’re a humble firm. We don’t exit and search recognition fairly often. We’re a really sensible firm. We attempt to make one of the best selections. Typically it takes some time to make these selections, however they’re normally proper.
GamesBeat: When Nintendo stumbled–there have been some public stumbles there. The corporate bounced again. Are you able to describe a few of that? Among the consoles have been profitable and a few faltered.
James: Any firm can have stumbles. We’re not resistant to that. The factor that all the time impressed me was that we have been in a position to get better. For those who take a look at a number of the product cycles within the shopper trade, you’ll see it’s cyclical. It’ll go up actual excessive, drop again down, and up actual excessive once more relying on the product. I keep in mind when Zune got here out. They picked brown because the launch coloration. They may have picked any coloration, however they picked that coloration as a result of, based on the colour information gods, it was the colour for that yr. It didn’t do very properly. I don’t know if that was due to the best way the product labored or the colour or anything, however they found that, identical to we found Wii U.
GamesBeat: We’re in an upward swing with the Swap now. Swap 2 is coming alongside. What made you determine to not stick round for the Swap 2, to let different individuals take over?
James: It’s twofold. I felt that 43 years was sufficient. And in addition I developed a coronary heart downside. I didn’t wish to die at my desk. I made a decision to have sufficient time to spend with my spouse and my youngsters and revel in what I’d earned over time. It’s been enjoyable, however I can do with out the stress.
GamesBeat: These console launches take quite a bit out of you, I’m positive.
James: Yeah, it’s all palms on deck. Normally it’s time compressed. There’s a number of stuff to do towards the very finish, proper earlier than launch. Everyone seems to be scurrying round, taking good care of their explicit piece of the pie. It’s undoubtedly tense.
GamesBeat: Remembering a few of these instances, what additionally makes you smile? Launching the Swap, or launching earlier consoles.
James: I’ve one million tales about each single {hardware} launch. In all probability the funniest one was the Wii, due to the motion-based controller. On the final minute, Japan’s engineers came to visit and mentioned, “Right here. Put these wrist straps on the controllers.” None of us knew why. However as you most likely keep in mind, the newscasters confirmed footage of individuals throwing Wiimotes via their TV. We did that, and we continued to evolve the wrist strap to make it higher as we went alongside. None of us had considered that. On the final minute, they found that might be an issue. We have been all shaking our heads. “Why are we doing this?” Then it grew to become very clear after the product launched.
I did a product known as the Nintendo Fan Community, which allowed you to take a DS into the baseball stadium. You may order meals to your seat and see the scores of different video games and all that stuff. Sadly it was too late within the product cycle. Smartphones got here alongside two years after we launched that. Telephones took over that position. I want we’d created it about 4 years earlier.
GamesBeat: In hindsight, do you assume something might have saved E3? Or did it simply run its course?
James: I feel it ran its course. The 2 years that we had in Santa Monica, within the resort–I keep in mind once we shut that down. That was proper after Wii, that commerce present. That didn’t work very properly, and so we introduced E3 again. However ultimately the trade developed previous the associated fee to go to an E3. Plenty of corporations simply didn’t wish to spend the cash to be there. It withered. It wasn’t a crash. It simply drifted away.
GamesBeat: Was there a favourite present for you, and a favourite DICE as properly? Probably the most memorable occasion?
James: So far as E3 goes, I feel my favourite one was the Zelda sales space. Simply because it was a lot enjoyable to work on that. Perhaps the second-favorite was once we launched Episode I Racer. I constructed a full-size podracer. Spielberg got here into the sales space. I’ve this nice image of him, me, and Miyamoto. These two have been enjoyable for me as a result of I received to go play in some cool outlets and construct some actually cool stuff.
GamesBeat: I feel again to a number of moments with Mr. Iwata. There was one present the place Kaz Hirai received up at his press convention and mentioned, “The console wars are over.” I went over to interview Mr. Iwata and he mentioned, “That was so boastful.”
James: I’ve to let you know, I labored for–let’s see. One, two, three, 4, 5 completely different presidents or CEOs. They have been all distinctive. I liked working with each one in every of them, as a result of they have been all in a position to educate me one thing fully completely different than the final individual I’d labored for. Once more, it’s one of many causes I stayed with the corporate so lengthy. The administration of the corporate was nice to work with. They have been all actually sensible individuals. The love of my life was working at Nintendo and dealing on this trade. It was simply a lot enjoyable.
