Top Nintendo PR positions vacant

In early June, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed that most public relations personnel at the Mario Factory's US arm were clocking out. However, he would not clarify the status of such high-level personnel as vice president of corporate communications Perrin Kaplan and senior director of corporate communications Beth Llewellyn.

This week, though, the company's HR department apparently did the job for him, courtesy of a passel of job listings via the online recruitment site Taleo. Nearly 40 slots are now open at NOA's New York City and Redwood City, California, offices. Nearly three quarters of the openings are at the latter, where such prominent positions as vice president of corporate communications, senior director of corporate communications, and director of corporate communications will be located.

Interestingly, Nintendo's external executive headhunting firm is taking applications for all three positions, indicating that they currently are--or will shortly be--vacant. That, in turn, suggests Kaplan and Llewellyn--both of whom have spent years with NOA--have left their positions. [UPDATE] Late this afternoon, Nintendo's external PR agency told GameSpot Kaplan was still in Nintendo's employ, but did not say for how long or in what capacity.

One position Nintendo is not publicly hiring for is senior vice president of marketing and communications--a slot currently held by George Harrison. The status of that executive--who, along with NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime, was the company's most public face--remains unclear.