*UPDATED* Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto looking to retire
Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of gaming classics like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, has announced his intentions to step down as head of game design at Nintendo.
The 59-year-old said in an interview with Wired that: “Inside our office, I’ve been recently declaring, ‘I’m going to retire, I’m going to retire. What I mean by retiring is, retiring from my current position.
“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 however is keeping the specifics of any such project close to his chest. “I’m interested in doing a variety of many other things.”
However, Nintendo have been quick to talk down the significance of Miyamoto’s statements.
“There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned,” said a Nintendo spokesperson to Reuters.
It’s been a busy year for Miyamoto, leading the Nintendo charge with AAA titles like Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii.
Miyamoto was awarded a BAFTA fellowship last year.
Via: Wired
UPDATE: 10:50 am – 08/12/2011
We’ve just received this statment from Nintendo:
“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.”
