There are few that have had an impact on the gaming world in the same way as that of David Rosen, as he is credited as not just one of the co-founders of the legendary Sega, but also as the founding father of the Japanese arcade gaming scene. Upon developing a career in Japan in the 1950s, Rosen became famous for importing arcade amusements from the US into Japan, eventually including arcade machines, which led to a surge of interest in the machines and then a massive boost of development from creators to create titles for these systems too. Why are we bringing this up? Unfortunately, Rosen has sadly passed away.
At the age of 95 years old, it has been reported that Rosen passed away on Christmas Day while surrounded by his family and loved ones. This information comes from spokesperson Brad Callaway (as per RePlay Magazine), where it was revealed that Rosen was at his Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles at the time. Rosen's funeral was held at the end of last week on January 2 at Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Over his career, Rosen co-founded Sega and launched Sega of America, helped kickstart the company's video games business, brought many of its Japanese creations and consoles to the international market, and helped make Japan the arcade gaming titan it is.