I hope this update is "wrong" and it's just nintendo execs scrambling. Let the man do what he wants and if he wants to work on a small personal project, and not oversee a million projects that he really probably does not have a major hand in anymore, let it go.

As long as he gets to do other stuff like he wants to I don't really care what Nintendo says to the public.

I bet this is because most sites were going with Hit Friendly, and misleading, headlines for this, like 'Creator of Mario, Zelda Says "I'm Retiring"'.

Well that update is disappointing. Hope the man still gets to work on what he wants.

@DazzHardy said:

I bet this is because most sites were going with Hit Friendly, and misleading, headlines for this, like 'Creator of Mario, Zelda Says "I'm Retiring"'.

I agree, these "OMGWTF"-headlines are what I hate about gaming press (or any press but I don't read those others)

About Miyamoto taking a less active role in Nintendo, who's to say that he hasn't already been doing this for years? I would like to think he has an ounce or originality left in his marrow, but you wouldn't know it much from the last decade of games he put out. He could easily just be saying to the true creators, directors, and developers who come to him with THEIR ideas "yeah, that's fun" keep that" or "not very fun, try again" while cashing checks that Nintendo would happily endorse to keep stocks from tanking. Just do a couple of interviews and appearances at events like E3, easy money.

I'm not surprised, neither am I concerned. Miyamoto is only human for games sake! So if he goes, he goes! If he works on smaller projects or whatever, let him! No big deal.

PA may never be funny, but they do make a good point from time to time

I still don't think it's a bad thing, even with the update. He wasn't in charge of Skyward Sword and that's actually turning out pretty awesome. My favorite Zelda game, Majora's Mask, is also not a Miyamoto project. I'm interested to see what people can do without his shadow looming over them.

Also, everyone wants Miyamoto to come out with new characters. Hopefully he'll do that next while other people make the next Mario and Zelda titles.

@CanItRunBF3 said:

Whats wrong with Kotaku? Did you just say that because Patrick works for a competing site, and you think he might be friends with you if you trash it?

Nothing's wrong with Kotaku! I go there for all my Cosplay news. And I especially love their reviews written for mongoloids. Hey Patrick call me sometime!

@Vortextk said:

I hope this update is "wrong" and it's just nintendo execs scrambling. Let the man do what he wants and if he wants to work on a small personal project, and not oversee a million projects that he really probably does not have a major hand in anymore, let it go.

Seriously, this.

Can we just let go of the illusion that Miyamoto is the leading force behind modern Nintendo games? I would so rather him go do something original with a smaller team of fresh talent rather than being a slave to the masses who cry out for the same mario and zelda games every generation. Nintendo is in need of some new IP and I bet Miyamoto is dying to try something new.

Man, could you imagine the incredible things (and incredible money) that could be made if Miyamoto jumped into a XBLA/PSN style environment of development.

@Hailinel said:

@patrickklepek said:

The odds of this being a gigantic mistranslation during the interview don't seem great, when you consider that Miyamoto is rarely interviewed without several Nintendo reps flanking him. It's certainly possible that his role shift is not something that's happening in the immediate, and that his talk with Wired simply jumped the gun in making it known. Or maybe his translator really is just that bad. I don't know.

You'd be surprised, Patrick. Sites like Kotaku have badly misquoted Japanese developers, including staff from Nintendo. (Not that that site is particularly concerned with anything considered quality.) Miyamoto's translators could have been crystal clear in their meaning and a writer could still screw it up because hey, internet clicks.

I agree. The Japanese translator in me personally thinks that the only way to be really certain what Miyamoto said is for Wired or somebody directly involved in the translation to provide a transcription of what Miyamoto originally said in Japanese. I don't expect that to happen at all, but it would at least give the chance for third parties to look at the actual content of Miyamoto's remarks and determine for themselves what actual was and wasn't said.

As it is, what I suspect happened is that since the quote currently only exists in translated English, when it was re-translated back into Japanese in subsequent news posts around the Internet, the specific vocabulary that Miyamoto was said to have used changed and, with it, the implied undertones. I can certainly think of some very specific words in Japanese that would lead to this exact confusion over whether he was simply changing roles or retiring for real, as business vocabulary in Japanese is used extremely differently compared to English in that sort of context. Basically, it's probably a semantic slip of some sort on the Japanese side after the article was published, since, as we all might have noticed, nobody was scurrying around on English speaking channels thinking he was really retiring completely from the company. It's all just speculation, but knowing how Nintendo and Wired both handle translation work, I'm pretty sure neither one is to blame in this situation.

I love how fickle and reactionary the stock market is. Personally I want him to get back into development as opposed to the more General Manager style role he has had for the last decade.

As a developer myself I can say that I have very little intrest to go into any kind of management role even if that is where the money is, its just not why I got into game development and I'm sure he feels similarly.

Its why I've always admired Sid Meier, because he still locks himself away for a month and builds a working prototype of his next project.

First project: bring me some goddamn Pikmin!

Well after these updates and such I don't really know where this is going, but all I hope is for the man to continue to play some sort of part in the industry. Preferably by the way it seems like he himself would like to go, as a mentor to skilled younger developers.

He understands what a video game is more than most people today, and his creativity and ideas have defined not only his company, but the entire industry. The more of his magic and fun he can spread before his inevitable departure from video games, the better the industry will be for it I say.

But one thing's for sure, a mind like his should never be limited.

What, not remaking games anymore? Coo- Oh, nope, that's still gunna happen.

If he wants a smaller role in the company, or to develop and direct games again, let him do it, he's more than earned it, Wii Music not withholding. When I saw this last night, based on the reaction, you would've thought he dived from the Nintendo offices riding on Yoshi's back flipping off the company as he left.

Hopefully the news of him not stepping down is just an attempt to calm the media, while he does step down and do what he wants. Again, as long as that is not Wii U Music.

Stop sucking Nintendo!

@CanItRunBF3 said:

PA may never be funny, but they do make a good point from time to time

Pretty sure they're consistently funny

Guess what, panic mongers... he can't stay there forever. Times can change, and people do move on.

@TinyGallon said:

@CanItRunBF3 said:

Whats wrong with Kotaku? Did you just say that because Patrick works for a competing site, and you think he might be friends with you if you trash it?

Nothing's wrong with Kotaku! I go there for all my Cosplay news. And I especially love their reviews written for mongoloids. Hey Patrick call me sometime!

I wish Giant Bomb had a like button somtimes. Misquotes, sensationalism, oddly sexual cosplay and stories about "totally rad video game swag!!" ... Kotaku sucks. I'd hate for Giant Bomb to go down this path, starting with unsubstantiated/unresearched news.

The last thing Miyamoto poured his soul into was Wii Music, and I'm literally the only person I know of who appreciated that game. Maybe he thinks he's getting old and his passions do not relate to younger generations, when it is the other way, he has advanced so far in his simple design philosophy it will be decades after his death that people realize the extent of the first and greatest artist in gaming. Wii Music is possibly the most impressive video game I have ever experienced in my life, and if it was Miyamoto's last game, I would be fine with that.

I hope he develops for iOS

That's sad....

I kind of hate the internet backlash and market reactions here. Dudes, like, chill. It'll be ok. I mean Mario.

@amigocesar said:

I hope he develops for iOS

No!

Anyway, is he really still that important? I mean, almost every major Nintendo game has different people helming it, right? The last game he did in a position where he was involved in the design process was probably before the Wii came out.

I know they are always trotting Miyamoto out and tell people that he has his hands in every single project.. but guess what: That´s not how it works. At this point he´s probably just nodding of design docs from people all over the company without being actively involved in the design process. If he DID become involved and properly helmed a game, Nintendo would market the shit out that.

I wish Nintendo would retire from resting on its laurels and cashing in on rose tinted nostalgia glasses..

This news made me happy. The smaller game is the new frontier, and Miyamoto wants to get in it. Oh god, I love it!

I think it makes sense for him to try and work on some small experimental projects, especially with a new console on the way. I think Wired just misinterpreted his words. He probably meant he want to change type of projects he oversees. I don't think he meant that someone else would be working on Nintendo's larger projects, but that Nintendo would be working on more 1-2 year projects.

After all is said and done people must see that NOBODY can do anything while Shigeru Miyamoto is there.

It seems to me that given Japanese business culture, given Nintendo culture, and given who Shigeru Miyamoto is - it is impossible for younger people to step-up with him there. The people under him will always defer to him. He could quirk an eyebrow at a presentation and an entire project could go another direction with underlings second-guessing themselves. He props them up, while he holds them back. The ONLY solution is for Miyamoto to be take out of the chain of command quickly and methodically.

The only way for new bright starts to arise is for him to not see their projects and for those new projects to rise or fall on the merits of the market place just as when Shigeru Miyamoto created Mario while developing Donkey Kong.

This is exactly the time he should step down. For sure he should step down slowly as part of a process that could take two or three years, but this needs to happen soon so that other new producers, managers, and decision makers can rise. The stock price dip was not an indicator that he shoudl stay, but a harbinger that Nintendo is in trouble.

@Superfriend: I hope he develops for iOS

@amigocesar said:

@Superfriend: I hope he develops for iOS

Yeah Nintendo should really do that, right you guys? Having a new handheld gaming device out and at the same time producing content for the biggest competition. That would be the smartest thing ever. Like, you know back when the USA developed the nuclear bomb and then proceded to gift it to the Russians. What, that didn´t happen you say? Well neither will Nintendo publish games for a competitor/let Miyamoto work on anything other than the same old cashcow franchises. Reality. Deal with it.

I would like to see what a talented game designer could do on the iOS platforms. Like maybe, develop games that are fun for longer than 5-10 minutes. I bet Miyamoto could do that. But he wont since Nintendo owns his ass.

no one should develope for ios that thing sucks no buttons get out of gaming ,

like i said, before nintendo will always be better then the rest,

microsoft may have the online and my lovley music playing in the background but i swear if next gen dont change as far as them not putting split screen in games that should have it ,

putting 90 percent more fpses then any other genre out then sony and nintendo do , i will not buy a 720 , until its the sum of 200 dollars, thats right ill wait ,

aint rushing to get the next graphic hording machine to play 200 more fpses,

that is not going to work with me any more, im sick of that dying genre,

its like every time they claim thsi games gonna be better it turns to be the same ol situation ,

and activision screwed up goldeneye there is no time trial mode

like on the wii version and they claimed there was 4 new maps when all they were was maps taken from

quantum of solace sorry i already have that game dont try to play the new maps gig cause i did not see a single new map at all

, the least they could have done was fix the facility ,, but nope, sorry ms and sony have alot to learn from nintendo sti

sony is good but in terms of handhelds they need to quit while their at it look at the vita , it still only is able to nab 3 hours of battery life on max using game cards,

plus the fact i have to pay 30 the first day i own a vita just to boot a single game,

lazy is what i see- i thought umds were taking the battery life but whats the excuse now! dont give me buy the external battery pack -- i dont want no tumor hanging off my vita, much less pay extra for some thing they should give us for free, if they cant at

least give us a memory stick they should give us that external power source/battery

cause with 1-3 hours of battery life i wont even make it to the mall and back without running out!

and the fact only 3 launch games stand out for me 2 of which are games i got on 3ds,

leaving me uncharted, not looking so promising! itll probably be the same ol psp again just in a new skin ,

my 3ds has seen some great games already and its not a yr old, i have 15 titles, plus all the vc games /dl games i bought, and all my ds games,

so saying i didnt get my bang for the buck on the 3ds would be a blatent lie!

it was more worth the 250 then the vita is worth at a wopping 280 $

(added 4 gig mem stick to the price since thats exactly what people will need! unlike 3ds which its not manditory at all , only for those who download loads of shit and take pictures)

but wait 3ds came with 2 gig memory card!!! and 2 games for free well 1s a game the other is augumented reality, but still, plus they gave me so far 12 free games ---- for paying 250

these games are so far

excite bike 3d classics , zelda four swards zelda 1 zelda 2 super mario bros yoshi nes open golf, metroid balloon fight , dk jr there was 2 more, plus their giving the ambasadors. me included -- mariokart super circuit yoshis island , -gba version w mario bros the original so technically, 11 gba games 1 just a bundle though, and some other good ones,

compare to what sonys offering for 279.99 (29.99 memcard a mandatory purchase)

what are they offering ---hmmm a vita that wont play psp games unless you pay for the games you already paid for , have fun with that

a vita with only a few good launch games -asphalt ridge racer and uncharted , the rest can burn in hell c ause they all seam to be uknown franchises or ones i could care less about

a vita that dont last any more then a psp did but that played movies as well this vita thingy will not!

quite a step backwards id say, umd movies was cool now sony dont have the luxury instead 3ds gots net flix in 3d some of the movies,

and can shoot 3d video ,

*takes a huge fanboy shit in the thread*

I really want to see Miyamoto back on the creative front. I feel like that is where he belongs. Knowing Nintendo, we won't get to see what he does (here in the US), but hopefully it makes waves and even reinvigorates the Japanese developers. I used to adore the games that came from over there, but lately...*shivers*

@Superfriend: "Like maybe, develop games that are fun for longer than 5-10 minutes."

Try Sword&SworceryEP for iOS. That game is off the chain.

It's scary to think how easily unclear stories can fluctuate stocks. I have a feeling this whole misunderstanding has to do with how ambiguous japanese can be, not that it can't be totally crystal clear.

Anyway, I'm happy that Miyamoto still wants to be creative. If this is the only way he'll feel creatively free, then so be it. I'm looking forward to his future creations.