Nintendo visionary Hiroshi Yamauchi dies aged 85

Nintendo pioneer Hiroshi Yamauchi, who ran the games company for more than 50 years and turned it into an iconic brand, has died. Yamauchi was just 22 when he took over the family business from his ailing grandfather and he went on to head the firm for over half a century. As president through the SNES, Nintendo 64, and GameCube eras Yamauchi saw Nintendo through all its highs and lows, until he stepped down from his role as president in 2002. All though stepping down Yamuchi is still credited as the brains behind the concept to the Nintendo DS - the most popular handheld gaming device of all time. Yamuchi remained Nintendo’s largest shareholder and was one of Japan’s richest men, with a net worth of approximately £1.6 billion. Details of Yamauchi’s death have not been revealed, but Nintendo has released this short statement: "Nintendo is in mourning today from the sad loss of the former Nintendo president Mr Hiroshi Yamauchi, who sadly passed away this morning".