George Harrison leaving Nintendo

NOA marketing chief confirms his departure as the company relocates its US publicity operations.

Back in May, Nintendo of America announced it would be moving its sales and marketing departments from Redmond, Washington, to San Francisco and New York.

George Harrison.

By June, it was confirmed that around 60 percent of the company's sales and marketing staff had elected to not make the move, and would instead be leaving the company.

However, the fate of senior staff--including vice president of marketing Perrin Kaplan, senior director of public relations Beth Llewellyn, and senior vice president of marketing George Harrison--was unclear.

Now, Harrison has confirmed that he will not be relocating. He told Reuters in a telephone interview, "I have confirmed to all employees that I will be leaving at the end of December and not making the move to California." The industry veteran has not revealed his future plans.

240 Comments

  • johnny_mcsponge

    Posted Nov 29, 2007 2:02 am PT

    no you look like an ass because you've failed to notice "Nintendo moves 1M systems in 1 week "

  • hesse

    Posted Nov 28, 2007 11:47 pm PT

    hordaak
    "The wii is sooo awesome. I love how the graphics are just like the gamecube and how it only outputs in 480p. Graphics just dont matter at all!!! the gamecube graphics are all I need!!!"

    well...last time i checked, your console didnt sell 350,000 units in a week. so your comment only makes you look like an ass.

  • amin915

    Posted Sep 21, 2007 2:31 pm PT

    I wonder why nintendo decided to move i mean everything is going great for them.

  • hordaak

    Posted Sep 21, 2007 1:01 pm PT

    The wii is sooo awesome. I love how the graphics are just like the gamecube and how it only outputs in 480p. Graphics just dont matter at all!!! the gamecube graphics are all I need!!!

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Sep 20, 2007 3:36 pm PT

    lost many people because of the move

  • jaredcrazy3232

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 8:28 am PT

    so where did ringo go then....

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 7:41 pm PT

    that's too bad but good luck to him and hopefully everything works out for all

  • snakenamedjoe

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 3:03 pm PT

    This seems like a strange move to me. Nintendo's marketing has been incredible, now they're losing all these great people. I feel bad for all the people who's lives are being upset by this move after they have been such great contributors for Nintendo.

    Hope they know what they're doing.

  • U1

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 2:53 pm PT

    Life goes on. Grah! Obla di.

  • marioman50

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 1:53 pm PT

    I bet he hates having that name

  • muffhunter0123

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 1:45 pm PT

    what thts clearly nt true considering they have the biggest selling load of crap in the computer game industry, obviously their is something very right goin on at the nintendo marketing camp...

  • monty_4256

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 12:33 pm PT

    George harrison has been alright at best... nintendo's marketing sucks...

  • Aizou

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 11:30 am PT

    "their leaving thier jobs cuz their too lazy to move... wow, stupid"

    Not at all. If anyone's being stupid it's Nintendo for making a move like that even though it will cost them a large number of experienced people, and shame on Nintendo for expecting everyone to have no problem with moving across the country like that.
    These people probably have friends and family in Washington that they don't want to move that far away from. Besides, not like Nintendo's the only major game maker in the area, and I'm sure Microsoft would love to have someone who has an idea as to how some aspect of Nintendo works.
    I don't blame anyone who decides not to follow Nintendo down to San Fransisco or over to New York. It's really more Nintendo's loss than anyone else's.

  • slimezombie

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 10:53 am PT

    I don't know what you all think, but this news got more attention because of 'GEORGE HARRISON'S NAME' rather because he left Nintendo, and the Beatles Harrison we had in mind made most of us (i'm not saying all of the commentators) take a look at the note, that is why this note was added with a picture after it was released. People come and go in companies- and most of the time we don't care or we don't even notice, but you never see an EX-BEATLE coming out of the grave and saying goodbye to Nintendo. RIP. Lucky you EX-NINTENDO George Harrison, now you will be famous and you can always tell the anecdote in your future job interviews!!

  • Konfusion

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 10:38 am PT

    What a bunch of lame-os. They're getting paid lots of money, are working for one of the best companies in the world and are part of a on-going great adventure that is called the Wii, and they stop it all just because the office is moving.

    Way too professional.

  • Jeimseu

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 9:36 am PT

    "their leaving thier jobs cuz their too lazy to move... wow, stupid" >:O
    They are not lazy, people don't move just because their job is. Family and loved ones come way before your job. (To those who have a heart!) If your family doesn't want to move, you don't abandon them and move with the company!

  • smarb001 posted Sep 17, 2007 8:58 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    smarb001

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 8:58 am PT (hide)

    their leaving thier jobs cuz their too lazy to move... wow, stupid

  • BlueFlameBat

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 8:33 am PT

    If he's responsible for Nintendo's advertisements, I'm not really that sad to see him go. What worries me is that he'll walk across the street and sell Nintendo's best secrets to MicroSoft.

  • gbrading Site moderator

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 5:35 am PT

    What a blow for them... Maybe he'll team up with McCartney again... Although I thought he was dead...

  • Supernova_86

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 12:22 am PT

    I have no idea why Nintendo is moving their sales team to a different location. I mean, Redmond is a cheaper place to own property than the new locatons they are going to. I know Nintendo has tons of money, but I wonder what benefits Nintendo sees in this move?

  • kajtrooper

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 12:00 am PT

    okay cool who is this guy?

  • TheMudora

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 11:40 pm PT

    He is only the Senior Vice President of Marketing...what's the big deal? They didn't lose developers, so there should be no problem replacing them.

  • Striker_Zero

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 10:21 pm PT

    nintendo is unfair to there employees

  • Unholyone123

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 10:16 pm PT

    Oh that sucks!! Who's George Harrison again?

  • KOSMOSEngineer

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 8:49 pm PT

    I agree, all Yoko's fault.

  • imortiferus

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 5:27 pm PT

    hmmmm I wonder if a certain redmond game company, cough... Microsoft... cough will offer him a gig?

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    One thing is for sure, with such a resume, he won't have much trouble find a new position somewhere else.

  • SephirothSyZtem

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 2:59 pm PT

    In all honesty How cold you blame him? The guys got his priority's in order.

  • Absolutezerr

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 2:38 pm PT

    gamist
    "Whats with all these Game Companies losing their top guys??? First Sony, then MS, then Nintendo. I see a conspiracy going on. Something bad is happening and its happening soon. Could 09 be the fall of video games??? Just a thought."

    Yeah, next generation is going to have a new uber-console created by all these guys who are quitting.

  • Sikzak

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 1:40 pm PT

    aw...

  • useful_idiot

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 1:32 pm PT

    but he was the quiet one...

  • Simonly posted Sep 16, 2007 12:19 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Simonly

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 12:19 pm PT (hide)

    Should i feel bad because i never heard of thid guy?

  • glhx2112

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 11:09 am PT

    Rats, so much for Helter Skelter Easter Egg Monster hunt on the Wii......this is all Yoko's fault, gah.......

  • cherrybomb257

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 8:51 am PT

    *insert Beetles joke here*

  • master_spoon

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 8:24 am PT

    This story equals yaaawwwwnnnn
    Although most of the comments are funny

  • jazilla

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 8:22 am PT

    the difference in living costs is crazy. They are moving to two of the most expensive places. Nintendo doesn't have a problem with money right now or ever it would seem.

  • boobush

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 8:03 am PT

    I'm sorry dipster, but your comment plainly sucks, even more than mine.

  • dipster

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 6:06 am PT

    Average cost of 2,000 sq ft home in Redmond area - 320k
    Average cost of 2,000 sq ft home in San Francisco Bay area - 850k

    Average salary of Nintendo employee - ... Not enought to move to hot Cali.

  • egger7577

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 6:02 am PT

    This is bad news; rumors have it that John Lennon is considering leaving as well. If this is true things could go down hill really fast for Nintendo.

  • glimpus

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 12:48 am PT

    Oh yeah it's the fall of video games. It's just a lucrative as ever and every company is going to stop making games because they're sick of raking in billions of dollars.

    Are you kidding me?

  • gamist

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 11:47 pm PT

    Whats with all these Game Companies losing their top guys??? First Sony, then MS, then Nintendo. I see a conspiracy going on. Something bad is happening and its happening soon. Could 09 be the fall of video games??? Just a thought.

  • glimpus posted Sep 15, 2007 11:09 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    glimpus

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 11:09 pm PT (hide)

    I thought George Harrison died a few years back from some form of cancer?

    BUDUM-BOOM-CHING!

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 11:07 pm PT

    Nintendo is rich by now.

  • nazraq

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 9:36 pm PT

    nintendo doesn't need much marketing. its like the ipod. everybody talks about it, so the marketing is free. all nintendo has to do is put out ads for the new stuff and people will buy it.

  • gamer4250

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 8:43 pm PT

    I find it strange that he would leave when Nintendo's success is skyrocketing.
    I'm kinda thinking the same thing...but if he doesn't want to move then I kinda don't blame him.

  • dontcare5454 posted Sep 15, 2007 8:28 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    dontcare5454

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 8:28 pm PT (hide)

    Go work for Microsoft!

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 8:26 pm PT

    I find it strange that he would leave when Nintendo's success is skyrocketing.

  • MasterAsh42

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 8:11 pm PT

    He will be missed. . .Nintendo will manage, but he will be missed.

  • liljfreestyle posted Sep 15, 2007 8:04 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    liljfreestyle

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 8:04 pm PT (hide)

    Guess He Know Playstation making the take over in 08 guess he want to get gone for all hell break loose

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