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How a shipping warehouse employee became the face of Nintendo

In 1981 Howard Phillips got a job at a Nintendo arcade game shipping warehouse in Seattle. One the the perks of the job was being able to play the games without spending quarters. As a result, Phillips became an expert at the games, and Nintendo management soon realized the enthusiast warehouse worker could become its gateway into the zeitgeist of US market. They hired him as a “gamemaster” and solicited his advice on which games to introduce into the US. He was presented to the media as Mr. Nintendo and became a famous face to gamers all over the country. Here’s a six-minute profile of Phillips, in which he reflects on his period of fame.

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