Keza MacDonald: Nintendo’s Design Guru Shigeru Miyamoto: ‘I Wanted to Make Something Weird’

Miyamoto is often called the Spielberg of games and Nintendo dubbed gaming’s Pixar, but he doesn’t like those comparisons. “Miyamoto is Miyamoto and Nintendo is Nintendo,” was how he put it in an interview in February 2023.

I strongly believe that Shigeru Miyamoto should be uttered in the same breath as any other creative genius in the past 50 years. He’s an unfathomable talent, and by all accounts a thoughtful, kind human being.

Given the way he is talked about by other Nintendo creatives I’ve interviewed over the years, you get the impression of him as a revered creative elder, ready to pass judgment or rare praise – rather more intimidating than the smiling image we see on stage. In person, though, Miyamoto is welcoming and enthusiastic, though more reserved than you might expect from the world’s most famous game designer.

In a world where cruelty and cold heartedness is so often celebrated in leadership, be more like Miyamoto.