It’s no secret that GameStop isn’t in the best place, at the moment. The company is coming off a very bad year, and with interest in PlayStation 4 and Xbox One dwindling before the release of Sony and Microsoft’s next consoles, the future doesn’t look bright, at the moment. However, the company has announced a new member of its board of directors, and it just so happens to be a man that helped another gaming company that wasn’t in the best place when he came onboard: Reggie Fils-Aime. The former president of Nintendo of America retired in February of 2019, but has kept a close eye on the industry since his departure, and it looks like he’ll continue to do so.
It will be interesting to see if Fils-Aime’s hiring can positively impact the company. While Nintendo was not in the best place when Fils-Aime was hired, the company’s financial status was fairly secure, given Nintendo’s infamous “war chest” of funds. GameStop is a much different animal, and public perception isn’t helping. It’s a bold move for the former president of Nintendo of America, but bold moves are very much to be expected from Fils-Aime.
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In his years with Nintendo, Fils-Aime became a highly-regarded figure among fans. Fils-Aime’s bombastic approach was a stark contrast to Nintendo’s other corporate figures, and it had a significant impact on the way the company marketed its products.
Fils-Aime will officially join the board in April. Two other new members of the board are former CEO of Walmart William “Bill” Simon and former PetSmart CEO James “J.K.” Symancyk. In a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter, GameStop CEO George Sherman discussed the new hires.
“The Board refreshment and governance enhancements announced today represent an important milestone in GameStop’s transformation as we continue to evolve the Company’s business strategy for long-term success,” Sherman said to The Hollywood Reporter. “We are pleased to welcome Reggie, Bill and J.K. to the Board… We look forward to immediately benefitting (sic) from their expertise and perspectives as we navigate the evolving gaming and retail environments, execute on our strategic initiatives and prepare the Company to maximize value-creation associated with the next generation of console launches later this year.”
It will be interesting to see if Reggie Fils-Aime will find the same level of success with GameStop as he did with Nintendo. It might seem unlikely, but if anyone is known for helping a longshot, it’s him.
What do you think of GameStop’s hiring of Reggie Fils-Aime? Do you think he can help right the ship? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
