Nintendo's Mario Namesake Mario Segale Dies at 84

The Super Mario franchise is an iconic part of gaming history and the name behind our favorite plumber has been an intricate part of it. With heavy hearts, we report that the name behind the icon, Mario Segale, has passed away on October 27.

According to reports, Segale was surrounded by family in his home in Tukwila, Washigton where he passed at the age of 84.

He was a key part in the development of Super Mario when development was going strong. In 1981, Segale was renting one of his warehouses to Nintendo of America. When Mario was first introduced in Donkey Kong, Shigeru Miyamoto simply called him "Jumpman." When Nintendo decided they wanted to give a proper name to Jumpman, they decided to pay homage to their landlord in the most epic way possible.

Super Mario continues to grow and show that it's a powerhouse in gaming. Though Segale initially rejected his ties to the Nintendo character in fear of it tarnishing his business as a whole, he was still a art of the Nintendo character we know and love.