Satoru Iwata's lifetime of accomplishments

To a close approximation, everyone liked Satoru Iwata. That's not something you can say about many CEOs of multi-billion dollar corporations.

The Nintendo president passed away this weekend at 55. Iwata's death is reminiscent of Steve Jobs' 2011 passing. Both men led companies that achieved enormous success under their leadership. Both deaths were surprises, tragic ends for successful men gone before their 60th birthdays.

The following timeline chronicles Satoru Iwata’s life, from birth though his decade-plus leadership of Nintendo. For more on the well-respected former Nintendo president, be sure to read our growing collection of tributes from industry veterans, including Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida, Doom and Quake designer John Romero and head of Xbox Phil Spencer.