Nintendo of America President and CEO Doug Bowser is officially stepping down from his position at the top of the game, with December 31st being his last day as president. Nintendo has seen a banner year throughout 2025, launching its latest home console to monumental success alongside a wide range of major first-party releases. The debut of the Switch 2 sold more than 3.5 million units within just four days of the console's debut, setting the record as Nintendo's fastest-selling home console of all time. Now Nintendo says goodbye to the man at the top of the American branch.
Doug Bowser took over as Nintendo of America president in 2019, after beloved Nintendo boss Reggie Fils-Aime left. Bowser had been with Nintendo for four years when he took over the presidency, first coming to Nintendo of America as its vice president of sales and marketing in 2015. Doug Bowser was also seen as a particularly entertaining choice for the presidency among fans, with a flurry of jokes about the new president sharing his last name with the iconic one. Mario villain. Now Doug Bowser is leaving Nintendo of America with his next in line already in place.
December 31st is Doug Bowser's last day at Nintendo
December 31st is Doug Bowser's last day as President and CEO of Nintendo of America, confirming that he will retire from the position. In an official statement from Bowser about his planned retirement, he calls leading NoA “the honor of a lifetime” and recalls his roots as a gamer who played the arcade version of Donkey Kong. Bowser cited “next generation leadership” as a major factor in his departure, and felt he is ready to hand over the reins of the company to President-elect Devon Pritchard. Satoru Shibata will also move into one of Bowser's senior positions, with the former Nintendo of Europe president taking over as CEO.
Doug Bowser's replacement is someone who already has years of experience as a Nintendo executive. Devon Pritchard first joined Nintendo of America through the company's legal department in 2006, working in multiple roles for the developer's US branch. Pritchard currently serves as Nintendo of America's Executive Vice President of Revenue, Marketing, and Consumer Experience, before assuming the role of President on January 1. Pritchard follows an ongoing trend with Nintendo of America looking to its sales and marketing departments for its presidents, with both Reggie Fils-Aime and Doug Bowser entering sales.
Devon Pritchard takes over at an exciting time for Nintendo
Devon Pritchard will take on the role of president as Nintendo looks to maintain its strong momentum from 2025. The Switch 2's hugely successful debut came with similar popularity to the console's flagship launch title, with Mario Kart World already selling over 9 million copies. Nintendo followed up Mario Kart World with several big name releases during the year, incl Donkey Kong Banana, Kirby Air Ridersand Pokemon Legends: ZAinter alia. The launch of the console has also already seen a plethora of high-profile ports, with games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Street Fighter 6and No Man's Sky pressing Switch 2.
Nintendo and the Switch 2 should also have an exciting year ahead, with plenty in store for fans in the early parts of 2026. The Switch 2 already has some notable releases lined up for January, rolling out the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. Nintendo has also confirmed a new Tomodachi life the game will launch in 2026, along with a cozy Pokémon spinoff with Pokemon Pokopia premiere in March. Devon Pritchard will take over Nintendo at a developer summit, with many fans excited about what's in store for Nintendo Switch 2.
