Analysts say Nintendo will be fine if Miyamoto moves to new position
"Mickey Mouse didn't disappear when Walt Disney died, people are still buying the iPhone 4S months after the passing of Steve Jobs, and Mario will prevail without his creator. If you read the interview, Miyamoto says he believes he has created a team at Nintendo that no longer needs his help in making quality games with their already existing IP. This man loves games, and he wants to get back to making them." - Asif Khan, CEO of Panoptic Management Consultants
"Shigeru Miyamoto’s contribution to Nintendo’s historical success and influence can’t be discounted, given his involvement in nearly every major franchise and system that have helped the company rise to the position it enjoys today. He’s also every bit the smiling, jovial face of the company as much as Mario, the iconic mascot he helped create. But as much as Miyamoto’s influenced the company’s culture and continually challenged it to explore new gameplay concepts and ideals over the decades, his retirement has long been a possibility, and he’s actively worked to train a generation of new talent and leadership to follow in his footsteps. Likewise, he’s formally stated his intention to remain a part of the company, and work on smaller projects, which means he’ll still be available to provide counsel and advice to current leadership.
He’s simply stepping back to focus on more of a design-oriented role, where his historical passions lie. After decades of bar-raising service, it’s only natural that such an accomplished designer might wish to step back and take on a less demanding role, and allow others to step up and enjoy the spotlight. The added benefit being that, by returning to his roots in day-to-day design, he can expand his own repertoire by working with up and coming talent, and today’s more nimble, social, digital, connected and agile titles. Miyamoto’s long been an advocate for continued education, and the need to explore new concepts and horizons – I suspect his ‘retirement’ will simply give the talented creator more time to tinker and experiment, and perhaps gain added perspective on the shape of today’s industry." - Scott Steinberg of TechSavvy Global
Full interview here
"Shigeru Miyamoto’s contribution to Nintendo’s historical success and influence can’t be discounted, given his involvement in nearly every major franchise and system that have helped the company rise to the position it enjoys today. He’s also every bit the smiling, jovial face of the company as much as Mario, the iconic mascot he helped create. But as much as Miyamoto’s influenced the company’s culture and continually challenged it to explore new gameplay concepts and ideals over the decades, his retirement has long been a possibility, and he’s actively worked to train a generation of new talent and leadership to follow in his footsteps. Likewise, he’s formally stated his intention to remain a part of the company, and work on smaller projects, which means he’ll still be available to provide counsel and advice to current leadership.
He’s simply stepping back to focus on more of a design-oriented role, where his historical passions lie. After decades of bar-raising service, it’s only natural that such an accomplished designer might wish to step back and take on a less demanding role, and allow others to step up and enjoy the spotlight. The added benefit being that, by returning to his roots in day-to-day design, he can expand his own repertoire by working with up and coming talent, and today’s more nimble, social, digital, connected and agile titles. Miyamoto’s long been an advocate for continued education, and the need to explore new concepts and horizons – I suspect his ‘retirement’ will simply give the talented creator more time to tinker and experiment, and perhaps gain added perspective on the shape of today’s industry." - Scott Steinberg of TechSavvy Global
Full interview here
