A Pioneer of the Industry: Shigeru Miyamoto
There are few powerhouses in gaming as iconic as Nintendo has been. Mario, Link, Bowser, and countless other characters tend to jump to the forefront of staple video game characters. Of course, Nintendo has done an incredible job of designing their games and, by extension, their characters, to be recognizable. Importantly, these iconic and world-altering designs can be attributed to one man: Shigeru Miyamoto. As lead designer of Nintendo, Miyamoto has served the video game industry since 1977. Yet, with this long and legendary career behind him, Miyamoto still has no intentions of stopping. In an interview with the Guardian’s Keza MacDonald, Miyamoto explains that he has no plans for retirement.
With over 47 years with Nintendo, Miyamoto has contributed a list of creations to the gaming world. From the first pixelated Mario to the Legend of Zelda, and even every single console Nintendo has released, Miyamoto has been involved with them all. Of course, one would think with such a legendary history behind him, the lead designer, now 71 years old, would be considering slowing down. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, Miyamoto has no intentions of stopping until he leaves the world, and his legacy, behind him.
“More so than retiring, I’m thinking about the day I fall over,” says Miyamoto in the interview, “In this day and age you have to think about things in a five-year timespan, so I do think about who I can pass things on to, in case something does happen.”
With over 3 billion people worldwide playing video games in 2023, it goes without saying the Miyamoto’s creations are still lauded and recognized. Games like Legend of Zelda continue to reach the top of Game of the Year lists and nominations. It is without a doubt, obvious how much love the world holds for Shigeru Miyamoto’s creations.