Hiroshi Yamauchi, the Japanese
businessman credited with
transforming Nintendo into a world-
leading video games company, has
died aged 85.
Mr Yamauchi ran the firm for 53
years, and was its second-largest
shareholder at the time of his death.
The company confirmed the news in
an emailed statement.
A spokesman said the firm was in
mourning over the "loss of the former
Nintendo president Mr Hiroshi
Yamauchi, who sadly passed away
this morning."
He died of pneumonia at a hospital in
central Japan, the company said,
adding that a funeral will take place
on Sunday.
Mr Yamauchi ran the company from
1949 until 2002.
In that time, he took what was a
small-time collectable trading card
company and built it into one of the
most recognisable - and successful -
video games brands today.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24160150