Hiroshi Yamauchi was the third President of Nintendo joining in 1949 to 2002.
After being succeeded by President Satoru Iwata, he stayed on as adviser, but his role decreased throughout the years.
Yamauchi is credited with transforming Nintendo from a small card-making company in Japan to a successful multi-billion dollar video game company, including developing the early Family Computer consoles and Game Boy.
Sources tell us Yamauchi died Thursday September 19, 2013 of pneumonia at a hospital in central Japan. A funeral is scheduled for Sunday.