Nintendo’s Devon Pritchard has made her first industry appearance since she was promoted to the role of Nintendo of America president on January 1.
Pritchard took over from Doug Bowser, who became NOA president in April 2019, overseeing most of the Switch‘s run before stepping down from the roles of president and COO on December 31, 2025.
Pritchard, who is the first woman to become NOA president, made an appearance via a video message at the 15th Annual New York Game Awards on Sunday night, where she addressed members of the industry in attendance.
Pritchard’s video was introduced by awards co-host Reggie Fils-Aimé, who had just become Nintendo of America president in 2006 when Pritchard joined Nintendo as head of its legal department.
“It’s a new year and this year there’s a new president at Nintendo of America, and I think Devon Pritchard is going to be excellent at the helm of Nintendo,” Fils-Aimé said while introducing the video.
Pritchard then appeared on the video screen in a pre-recorded video, introducing herself and sharing a message with those in attendance.
“Hi everyone. It is great to be here,” he said. “My name is Devon, and before anything else, I want to celebrate the New York Game Awards. 15 years of supporting the games industry and in doing so lifting up the voices, stories, and dreams of so many.
“This show connects people who are united by a shared belief that every dream matters and that everyone deserves a chance to do meaningful and creative work in games and storytelling.
“The Playing with Purpose program supports the creators, the coders, the writers, and anyone else dreaming big to join this community and bring all that makes them unique. I’m excited to meet you, to hear those stories, and to learn from your journeys.
“And remember, like any good video game character, you’re on an adventure, and every step you take matters. There are some gnarly bosses, sure, but also many good friends along the way who will support you and powerful rewards for those who persevere. So, keep believing, keep playing, and know that you truly belong in this game.”
After the video ended, Fils-Aimé joked: “You know, when she’s talking about gnarly bosses, she wasn’t talking about me.”
Pritchard’s video message can be seen at 59:07 in the below livestream of the awards:
Pritchard, who was previously Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of revenue, marketing and consumer experience, joined Nintendo 20 years ago and is described by the company as “a long-standing member of the NOA leadership team”. As well as her new role as NOA president she also joins the NOA board of directors and becomes an NCL executive officer.
Along with Pritchard’s promotion, Satoru Shibata – the former Nintendo of Europe president and current managing executive officer, corporate director and member of the board at NCL (Nintendo’s Japanese arm) – joins Nintendo of America as its CEO, while still continuing his roles at NCL.
Announcing back in September that he was stepping down from the role of NOA president after six and a half years, Doug Bowser said: “Now, it’s time for the next generation of leadership and Devon’s track record speaks for itself.
“She is an exceptional leader, and her promotion is a testament to her strong performance and strategic contributions to the company’s growth. I have full confidence that she will guide the company to even greater heights.”
Pritchard added at the time: “I am humbled and excited to take on this new role. Doug has been a fantastic mentor, and I look forward to building on the incredible foundation he has helped establish.
“With characters and worlds that offer something for everyone, my focus will be continuing to build on Nintendo’s legacy of surprising and delighting our longtime fans, while at the same time welcoming new players into the Nintendo family.”
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa added: “During his tenure, Doug made numerous contributions to bring smiles to the faces of people connected to Nintendo. I would like to express my gratitude for his strong efforts.
“Devon, who will become the next president, has also made many contributions to Nintendo over the years. I am confident that, like Doug, Devon will continue to support Nintendo’s important mission of creating smiles.”
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