Miyamoto: I Am No Genius

As a long-time admirer and avid player of Nintendo games, I can’t help but feel awe when reflecting on Shigeru Miyamoto‘s illustrious career. Despite his humble claims of being just “ordinary,” there is no denying that the impact he has made on the gaming industry is anything but.


Legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto from Nintendo is widely recognized as one of the most innovative and influential figures in entertainment. However, Miyamoto himself doesn’t consider himself a genius, instead downplaying the notion that his consistent success in creating hit games over the years is due to exceptional talent alone. This perspective was expressed during Nintendo’s recent financial briefing.

“You referred to me as a ‘genius,’ but I consider myself quite ordinary,” he said.

Each year, Miyamoto shares his thoughts with Nintendo’s fresh recruits, and they often find him “unexpectedly average” in their responses.

Miyamoto stated that since creating excellent games makes his job more enjoyable, he’s constantly brainstorming ways to streamline and optimize his work. He added that if he has to work, he wants to make the most impact by ensuring each project is successful, as a hit game makes future projects less challenging.

Miyamoto shared additional insights about his guidance for new hires at Nintendo. He mentioned that many individuals join Nintendo with the aim of creating improved versions of games they’ve previously enjoyed. However, Miyamoto counters this notion and instead promotes a unique approach to thinking.

[Game design] involves studying the world around us and figuring out how to combine those aspects into a captivating video game,” he explained. “In simpler terms, game design is all about strategizing. This includes deciding on the right tools for development, considering if the intended game can be made given its processing capabilities, and experimenting through trial and error to make it a reality.

As a gamer, I’ve always admired Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary game creator who’s been with Nintendo since 1977. This man is responsible for iconic games like Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda. Even at 71 years old, he continues to be a driving force at Nintendo, holding a “Creative Fellow” position that influences various Nintendo game series. He’s not just limited to video games though; he’s an executive producer for the upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie in 2023 and will produce the live-action Zelda film too. And guess what? He’s also deeply involved with Nintendo’s theme parks. Truly a gaming icon!

Miyamoto is not considering retirement, but he’s pondered over potential successors that might take on his role in the future.

Regarding Nintendo’s hardware division, the Switch has been available for eight years, and it has already surpassed sales of over 146 million units globally. The anticipation is building as many are eagerly waiting for Nintendo to unveil the successor, tentatively named the Switch 2, by April 2025.

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2024-11-08 20:09