This year’s GDC Awards ceremony was full of surprises. Some were jovial in nature, and some were rather somber. For a brief period, and with heavy hearts, a room full of developers, press, and industry leaders remembered Satoru Iwata as they watched this touching tribute video. It’s short but sweet, animated in a style that almost reminds me of Braid.
The video rather creatively covers the breadth of what turned out to be a tragically short, but overwhelmingly innovative career. I rather like how it ends on a positive note, showing how one man’s creativity and hard work changed many lives for the better. It concludes powerfully with Iwata’s now-famous quote that he made on stage at GDC 2005: “…in my heart, I am a gamer.” If you’d like to watch the tribute for yourself you can do so below: