Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata dies aged 55

Satoru Iwata, who led iconic Japanese video game company Nintendo through years of growth, has died of a bile duct tumour at the age of 55.

Mr Iwata - who had been president since 2002 - died in a Kyoto University hospital on 11th July, an statement from the company said.

He had not been seen recently at computer game events, such as E3 in Los Angeles, where he was usually an active participant.

Mr Iwata led Nintendo's development into a global powerhouse, with its hit Wii home console and DS handheld devices. He also steered the organisation through its recent woes caused by the rising popularity of smartphones.

His replacement was not immediately announced, but the company said star game designer Shigeru Miyamaoto will remain in the leadership team along with Genyo Takeda.