Gustavo Rodríguez

Gustavo "Gus" Rodríguez (May 27, 1958 – April 11, 2020) was a Mexican screenwriter, television producer, video game journalist, and voice actor. He co-founded the video game magazine Club Nintendo in 1991 and the television program Nintendomanía (1995–2000), both of which became influential in Latin American gaming culture. Scholars have noted that Club Nintendo helped consolidate Nintendo’s success in Mexico during the 1990s and later circulated regionally with a standardized Latin American edition, reaching readers in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and beyond. As a screenwriter and comedian, he was known for his long-term collaboration with comedian Eugenio Derbez, contributing to television shows including Al Derecho y Al Derbez, XHDRbZ, and La familia P. Luche. He also worked as a voice actor for the Latin American Spanish dubbing of several films and video games. Rodríguez died on April 11, 2020, from complications related to mesothelioma.

Early life and education Gustavo Rodríguez was born on May 27, 1958, in Mexico City. According to Rodríguez, his interest in video games began in 1976 when he acquired a NESA PONG, a home version of Pong. He later purchased an Intellivision console and became interested in games such as Burgertime and Night Stalker, exchanging games with José Sierra, who would later become his business partner. The magazine published more than 200 issues before ceasing operations in February 2019. The publication is frequently cited as a primary driver of Nintendo’s popularity in Mexico during the 1990s and later became a regional magazine distributed across Latin America, standardizing content by 1999.

The concept was adapted into a television program, Nintendomanía, which aired from 1995 to 2000. Despite its popularity, the show was canceled due to rising production costs associated with the growth of internet-based gaming content.

Rodríguez continued hosting gaming-related television programs throughout his career. From 2014 to 2015, he hosted Power Up Gamers on FOROtv. In 2015, he began hosting Zero Control on TeleHit, which later moved to Televisa Deportes Network in 2016 as E-Sports de Zero Control, focusing on esports. In 2019, he joined Televisa Networks to host Retro Game and Game-Volution, both broadcast on BitMe. In XHDRBZ, he also appeared as an actor, playing the character Simón Paz in the segment "Las 5 herencias."

From 2005 to 2010, Rodríguez served as director of Vecinos, a sitcom produced by Derbez that was an adaptation of the Spanish series Aquí no hay quien viva.

Voice acting and dubbing Rodríguez worked on script adaptation and dubbing for Latin American Spanish versions of several films, including Wreck-It Ralph, Shrek 2, Ghostbusters, Pixels, and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Rodríguez left instructions for his family, including requests to scatter his ashes at a firefly sanctuary in Tlaxcala and to donate video games from his collection to friends. Following his death, colleagues and institutions publicly paid tribute: actors and crew from La familia P. Luche and related programs shared remembrances of his mentorship and creativity, and Nintendo’s official account for Mexico expressed condolences to his family and fans. Media and events also honored him: Televisa dedicated an episode card in the sitcom Renta Congelada, where he had served as associate producer, and the inaugural Gaming Week Mexico scheduled a memorial talk about his career and influence in the region. In review pieces, columnists have described him as “the most notable promoter of video games” in Mexico.

Selected works Television (host) Nintendomanía (1995–2000) — Host/creator. Retro Game (2019) and Game-Volution (2019), BitMe — Host.

Television (writer/producer/director) Al Derecho y Al Derbez (1992–1995) — Head writer. Derbez en cuando (1998–1999) — Writer. XHDRbZ (2002–2004) — Writer/performer (Simón Paz). La familia P. Luche (2007–2012) — Writer. Vecinos (2005–2010) — Director.

Dubbing and script adaptation (selected) Shrek 2 (2004) — adaptation (Latin American Spanish). Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) — adaptation. Wreck-It Ralph (2012) — adaptation. Pixels (2015) — adaptation. Ghostbusters (2016) — adaptation. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015) — voice of George Westinghouse.