Names rarely end up defining the people who carry them, but in Reggie Fils-Aimé’s case, there’s a fitting and prophetic connection. A Haitian surname derived from French, Fils-Aimé translates to “beloved son” — a title that feels incredibly apt for a man who spent years winning over Nintendo fans around the world.
Reggie became Nintendo of America’s president 20 years ago this week on May 25th, 2006, and the “Reggielution” that followed helped reshape the company’s public image. At a time when the GameCube had been struggling against its competitors, Reggie played a major role in giving Nintendo renewed momentum, helping the company connect more effectively with Western audiences.
Reggie’s tenure at Nintendo – and his influence on the company – goes back even further than this, however. Starting as the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2003, he wasted absolutely no time entering the spotlight, introducing himself to Nintendo fans a year later at E3 2004. He opened the event with a line that is still remembered to this day: “My name is Reggie. I’m about kickin’ ass, I’m about takin’ names, and we’re about makin’ games.”
“My body is ready”
It was a striking departure from the more reserved image Nintendo had cultivated over the years, and was the first of many immortal quotes to come. Just one year into his presidency, Reggie had already started generating internet memes. While demonstrating Wii Fit with Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto at E3 2007, he uttered the bizarre phrase, “My body is ready,” a quote that would become inseparable from Reggie himself.
In his appearance on the Present Value podcast, Reggie explained that he came up with the line during rehearsals for the presentation.
“It got to be a little monotonous. And every time I would go to step on the Balance Board, I would be making some sort of wisecrack or another,” he said.
“And late in the rehearsals, I said: ‘My body is ready.’ And it was the first time that I actually got Mr. Miyamoto to laugh – he actually thought that statement was pretty funny. So it was, ‘Hey, I got a winner here.’”
The Regginator
Reggie unleashed another winner during the following E3 2008, when Nintendo unveiled Wii Sports Resorts before its live audience. Demonstrating the new Wii Motion Plus technology utilized by the game, Reggie destroyed colleague Cammie Dunaway in a Swordplay duel before confidently proclaiming, “That’s why they call me the Regginator.” Whether or not people actually called him that prior to that moment may be up for debate, but they certainly did afterwards.
It’s fitting that another major Nintendo milestone is also turning 20 in 2026. Mother 3 launched in Japan during Reggie’s first year as president, and over time the game would become unexpectedly tied to his legacy. The game’s lack of an official Western release over the past two decades has long been met with ire from EarthBound fans. Despite the fact that the decision not to launch the quirky RPG in the West was made before Reggie even joined Nintendo, he frequently found himself on the receiving end of the Mother fanbase’s wrath online. Instead of responding with corporate statements, Reggie hilariously embraced the controversy, playfully teasing Mother fans throughout the years.
Mother 3 English version. Every time I think it’s time to play it, I get trolled and decide to put it off. Maybe I will fire it up this weekend. https://t.co/ocIKHaxUiK pic.twitter.com/zgUHomN5im
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 16, 2021
In the summer of 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge became a viral social media phenomenon, with participants from around the world raising millions for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). After being nominated by former Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, Reggie not only accepted, but declared he would “one-up the challenge.” He delivered on his promise with a video of himself and members of the Nintendo management (including current president Devon Pritchard) getting doused in icy water.
A true icon
It wasn’t the first time Reggie played a role in major charitable efforts. During his time at VH1, he helped develop the marketing strategy behind The Concert for New York City, a benefit event held in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks that ultimately raised more than $35 million for disaster relief.
What made Reggie so lovable is that he was never above making fun of himself. He appeared in numerous comedy sketches to promote Nintendo products and events, starring in a series of bizarre Yo-Kai Watch commercials and undergoing an intense training regimen to prepare for the Nintendo World Championships 2015. He was transformed into a Robot Chicken clay-mation figure, a Jim Henson puppet, and the unforgettable “Reggie Fils-A-Mech” in Nintendo’s collaboration with comedy troupe Mega64.
Yet behind the endless charisma, larger-than-life persona, and iconic one-liners was a more personal side to Reggie. After the tragic passing of Nintendo of Japan President Satoru Iwata in 2015, Reggie gave a speech at that year’s Game Awards, honoring his mentor and friend. Over a decade on, his words – and the emotion carrying them – are still incredibly moving.
Back when Reggie was going through the recruitment process at Nintendo, he asked if he could arrange a meeting with Iwata. This was considered highly unusual, but despite disrupting the process, Reggie’s request was granted. It was this that cemented a deep friendship between the two, and demonstrated just how seriously Reggie would take his role.
“It was set up to be a half-hour conversation and it ended up running much longer than that,” Reggie told GameDaily.biz.
“And it really sets the stage for the type of business and personal relationship we would have. We would talk all the time. He was gracious in sharing his perspective. He was tremendously accommodating in hearing a unique point of view from me, a person who had no history in the video game business other than as a player.
“But [he valued] my perspective because I brought a consumer sensibility. I brought a Western business sensibility. And the relationship that he and I had for almost 11 years, it was truly special and just, his openness with me and the things that we were able to do truly together, were just magical.”
Retirement from Nintendo
Iwata’s passing was so impactful for Reggie that it forced him to think deeply about his career and his legacy. Once he was assured that Nintendo was thriving with the Switch’s successful launch, he retired from his position as Nintendo of America’s president in 2019.
Nintendo fans, Reggie has a message for all of you. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/EAhaEl5oEJ
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 21, 2019
Retirement hardly slowed him down. In recent years, Reggie has taken positions at Cornell University, the New York Videogame Critics Circle, Brentwood Growth Partners, GameStop, Spin Master, and more. In 2022, he published a memoir, Disrupting the Game, to pass on his leadership skills to the next generation.
Few executives in gaming history have earned the same level of affection from fans as Reggie Fils-Aimé. He was much more than another executive in a suit – for many of us, he became the face of Nintendo’s American branch, and one of the company’s most cherished personalities.
He heralded a new era for Nintendo, but his legacy was never defined by sales figures, corporate strategy, or executive titles. It was defined by personality, humor, and a sincerity that made him feel approachable. 20 years later, Reggie remains one of gaming’s most celebrated figures, and “beloved son” still feels like the perfect name.
Check out more Nintendo content
Nintendo is looking to increase Switch 2 production by 20% through to March 2027
Rumor – Nintendo Switch 1 set to launch in India in early 2027
Leave a Comment
Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
