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The 25 Games Industry Influentials of 2006
Next Generation has up a list of the people it considers the game industry's top 25 people of 2006. Headlining the list are the veterans of this round of the console wars, with the rest of the folks notables from individual game companies. Plus two guys who make a comic. From the article: "6. Todd Howard, Bethesda - On Xbox 360, Oblivion has sold over 800,000 copies in the U.S., generating $50 million in revenues. Todd Howard, the game's executive producer, has spent four years on an RPG that captured many gamers who did not see themselves as the types to lope around grassy fields, collecting mushrooms and perhaps doing the odd bit of combat. The game's goal was to allow players to 'live another life' and it certainly succeeded. This is what makes Oblivion one of the most important games of the decade, as well as one of the best games."
Did you even read the blurb next to his picture??
"Peter Moore has delivered. That's why he's number one. Xbox 360 has sold as close as needs be to five million consoles in North America in the past 12 months. The best next generation games, currently, are Xbox 360 games. Xbox Live is the most advanced and user-friendly online service."
He's the man primarily responsible for bringing Microsoft successfully into the console industry.
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I'd give Satoru Iwata a bit more credit than that. He's not really your typical executive. He's a bit more of a geek than that. He got his start making games in high school, moved on to be a full time developer, and even these days he is still heavily involved in the creative process.
Overall, though, I can't say I disagree with your summary.
Oh yeah....people leveraging the synergy are always going to be influential. You've got to leverage the synergy these days.