While attending the school, he worked part-time as a programmer for HAL Laboratory, Inc. HAL became the first company to make a license with Namco for developing games. He joined the company full-time after graduating in 1982. Iwata was its fifth employee and only programmer. Around the same time, Iwata's father was elected mayor of Muroran. Iwata's family did not agree with Iwata's career choice. His father did not talk to him for six months after Iwata joined HAL.