Update: Nintendo has issued a clarifying statement that says Miyamoto has not left his position:
Video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto's role at Nintendo is not changing. He will continue to be a driving force in Nintendo's development efforts. In discussing his priorities at Nintendo in a media interview, Mr. Miyamoto explained how he is encouraging the younger developers at the company to take more initiative and responsibility for developing software. He attempted to convey his priorities moving forward, inclusive of overseeing all video game development and ensuring the quality of all products. Mr. Miyamoto also discussed his desire to pursue fresh ideas and experiences of the kind that sparked his initial interest in video games.
Original story continues below:
Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary Nintendo game designer who brought the world Super Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin, has announced that he will be retiring from his current position at Nintendo in order to take on a smaller role with the company.
Speaking to Wired, 59-year-old Miyamoto stated that he will be stepping down from his role of supervising huge development projects like the recent The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Super Mario 3D Land to work on projects smaller in scope.
Miyamoto said that now is the time to move on as he is very happy with how the latest Mario and Link joints turned out and has great faith in Nintendo's internal developers, whom he helped nurture.
While massive projects may not be in the cards for him anymore, that doesn't mean that he is retiring from game development altogether. In fact, Wired reported that he expressed great interest in his future work with younger blood.
What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself. Probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers. Or I might be interested in making something that I can make myself, by myself. Something really small.
Miyamoto hopes to begin work on and publicly show his next project sometime in 2012. Now free from extended development cycles, it will be very interesting to see what a leaner and more agile Miyamoto dreams up.
[source wired.com]
Comments 56
You guys are really fast at that.
Nice to see him sticking with game development, even if it is on smaller projects. Could produce some very interesting experiences.
It would be interesting to see the titles he will develop in these situations and helping out younger/newer devs would be good for the company's future. Although, I hope this doesn't mean that Super Mario 3D land is an indication of what future 3D Mario platformers will be like. Its a great game but its not in the same league as any of the other 3D Mario platformers.
As long as he sticks with Nintendo, I'm happy.
sooooooo... Pikmin 3, y/y?
First with Harry Potter and now with this. It truly is The End.
Can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Even if it's something smaller, I'm sure it'll be brilliant.
If it means newer, more interesting games, I'm happy with this.
Best news ever, I was starting to feel like Miyamoto was holding the Zelda and Mario teams back, and at the same time I was dissapointed that he hasn't really created anything new.
It might feel strange at first knowing he won't be supervising the newer Zelda or Mario games like he use to, but as long as he's still developing games we can't be sad.
This might mean we can get some really great and unique 3dsware completely from miyamoto on the eShop.
Good, the last zelda and mario games were horrible we need something better and fresh and new and
Wow, 59 years old, huh? He looks practically the same in every picture I see of him.
Noooooo! SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER
@PhoenixCake
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Before, we knew for sure we could expect greatness each and every game. But, with all due respect to others at Nintendo, it remains to be seen what will happen without Miyamoto at the helm. Just when things were looking up with 3DS, this looks like it brings a new period of uncertainty.
I Nintendo was smart, this is where they would start flourishing in the digital space.
Putting Miyamoto in charge of original IPs on their eshops.
Around March we'll get the name of his new studio. (like project sora). That or the studio has been already been ready. That or the Pikmin 3 studio is his new team.
Least he isn't leaving Nintendo.
I hope he finishes with Pikmin 3 first though.
Well good for him.
We'll see what's in store for him in 2012
@shingi_70
He isn't leaving Nintendo. He's just stepping down from his "General Producer" of all the big Nintendo games to focus on smaller projects. He will still be at Nintendo, he's just going back to actual game development.
I feel a disturbance. The trolls shall soon come out of the woodwork.
This is great. I hope he makes awesome creative stuff for the eShop. I think his creative talent has been on a leash for the past few years, unfortunately.
I am taking this as a good thing for now. Good things can come from the smallest of places... not sure how that fits with this, but you should get my point.
No!!!
I'm scared. Zelda and Mario without Miyamoto?
Madness!
...Seesh, now everyone doesn't want him to create games? wtf? xD
Does anyone think he stepped down because he didn't like them adding costomization to the karts on MK7 so he decided to work on games by himself so he could have them his way. I remember hearing somewhere he said he didn't like costomization on MK7. Maybe thats why he decided to move down. Who knows though
I bet all his new games will be awesome then
this is good. there will be new games from him like once a year now. sounds great to me!
@Bubbab55 I highy doubt it. He was just expressing his view.
I think however, its a cool idea. I'm waiting for my copy of MK7 to arrive in the mail to check out the feature Miyamoto disliked.
wait... his list of titles at the top... there's no Animal Crossing... @JAMES HELP US
@Bubba
LOL Yeah right.
And by smaller, he means Pikmin.
HAHA YOU GET IT BECAUSE PIKMIN ARE--shot
Finally, we'll have some great DSiWare!
When I first read "miyamoto stepping down" my heart skipped a beat. But now this seems okay
As long as we still get great, imaginative ideas out of Miyamoto, I don't care what position he's in.
still sad news
@Lan iam with you i was like dead for a momant and cry then i read more and then was like yay
Though I support him and his decision, I can't help but feel a little saddened. But, hey, he seems very excited about this, and I just know he'll turn out something really cool in his new position!
This is actually some pretty good news when taken into context.
Miyamoto is a mastermind at heart. He can be just as great as a leader as anybody and already made living proof of that. But that only slowed him down from being the artist and the inventive person that he is. Literally, going back to the drawing board is exactly what he needs, imo. Perhaps he can spawn more ideas this way. What starts out little, turns into something big.
Well he is still at Nintendo, so its not the end of the world.
If anybody deserves a little time off, it's Miyamoto!
I cannot wait to see the mad scientist's new creations! Miyamoto is a master... the father of epic, magical gaming. I eagerly await his next project!
@shredmeister: I don't know who you are, but very eloquently written. I agree completely.
If Miyamoto ever left Nintendo to go work for someone else he'd just end up like Dudley Moore's character did in Santa Clause The Movie.
@shredmeister thats true after all thats exactly how mario and so forth came about
Woot woot! MID LIFE CRISIS
Perhaps... some bit-style games?
This is where small projects, turn into big projects. Competing with the likes of Mario and Zelda.
oh nooooo already?? I was hoping he would do that not for another 10 yrs.....
@James , i have read on an other site that this isnt what he said he only said he will be joining younger teams not that he is only focussing on small projects
I think this is a ll just a big misunderstanding.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/08/us-nintendo-idUSTRE7B70C520111208
Nintendo has denied the reports from Wired though confirmed his wish to work with smaller developers. I think the word "retire" has been mistranslated or misused by either Miyamoto or Wired.
Without a question one of the very best game designers of all time. It will be interesting to see how some of the biggest Nintendo franchises go on without him.
Yep, Nintendo has clarified this misunderstanding. We can all sleep tonight
NOOO... oh wait it's not true :3
Even if this was true, I would almost be happy. I would love to see what he would do if he was working on his own games instead of Mario and Zelda. Sometimes, I dislike what he's done with the 3D Mario series recently. I'm happy to see him stay but as long as he isn't retiring yet all together, I'm fine. It isn't true though.
It will be an interesting day when he retires completely. How the video game industry, especially Nintendo fans, shall mourn. But on the upside, it will lead to hopefully fresh new undertakings and ideas from Nintendo as a whole.
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