Shigeru Miyamoto Probably Won't Work On Next Mario Game

[Steven Bogos]

Shigeru Miyamoto Probably Won't Work On Next Mario Game

The man who created Mario says he would like to focus more on smaller titles.

Super Mario 3D World producer Shigeru Miyamoto is also the man who created Mario in the first place, and has been pretty closely involved with every major Mario title to date. However, it looks like he's ready to take a break from being at the helm, telling Gamekult [http://www.gamekult.com/actu/super-mario-3d-world-linterview-en-trio-A112458.html] that there is 'little chance' of him working on the next series installment. He says that he would rather instead turn his focus to smaller titles.

"Creating a game of the caliber of Super Mario 3D World takes a lot of energy, and there is little chance that I could take the time to work on the next Mario," Miyamoto said. "However, I want to get involved again and more deeply in the development of smaller projects, but that doesn't mean it will be a modest download-only title or something like that."

He went on to assure fans that the red-hatted plumber was in good hands, saying "It is not impossible for me to work on a new game as the main producer in the future, but even when I'm not directly in charge of a project, I always look at what the teams does in terms of gameplay, and I trust them. Don't worry about Mario!"

We all know that some fantastic (and some... not so fantastic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_Music]) things can happen when Miyamoto is allowed to let his imagination run wild with smaller projects, so here's hoping that this leads to the fresh, new IP that the Wii U desperately needs.

Source: VG24/7 [http://www.gamekult.com/actu/super-mario-3d-world-linterview-en-trio-A112458.html]

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[Mr.Mattress]

So this will be the last Mario Game Miyamoto has any involvement in at all? Will he still be producing them or is he permanently out of Mario? If he is, then I'll be upset...

 

[AidoZonkey]

I would like to see Miyamoto work on more then the big Nintendo games. The man is great and I would like his input on more games. Mario is going to be fine, it is at a point now were the games practically sell them selves, and there are more people other than Miyamoto that im sure will still due the series justice.

Who knows, this could be a good move

 

[MysticSlayer]

So this will be the last Mario Game Miyamoto has any involvement in at all? Will he still be producing them or is he permanently out of Mario? If he is, then I'll be upset...

I doubt he'll be able to keep himself from Mario for good. Still, this had to happen eventually. Miyamoto isn't immortal after all. Though, that still doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to be happy to see him leave the franchise if even temporarily.

 

[Covarr]

Capable hands indeed. We've all seen how inspired and creative the New Super Mario Bros. games have been without his influence.

P.S. Thanks

 

[keniakittykat]

Capable hands indeed. We've all seen how inspired and creative the New Super Mario Bros. games have been without his influence.

P.S. Thanks

It's come to a point where I can't even tell if that was sarcastic or not...

 

[Covarr]

Capable hands indeed. We've all seen how inspired and creative the New Super Mario Bros. games have been without his influence.

P.S. Thanks

It's come to a point where I can't even tell if that was sarcastic or not...

It was. The NSMB games have been quite competent platformers gameplay-wise, but soulless and creatively void.

P.S. Thanks

 

[l3o2828]

I laugh at people who think the Mario games haven't been soulless for a while, but oh well.

I hope this makes the games a little more interesting.

 

[Lightknight]

And thus Nintendo finally has less of a bottleneck in the production of some IPs. The less that has to pass through one man, the more efficient the system becomes.

 

[Ishal]

And thus Nintendo finally has less of a bottleneck in the production of some IPs. The less that has to pass through one man, the more efficient the system becomes.

But- but... BUT MIYAMOTO!!!! He is Nintendo!!!! What kind of Nintendo fan are you?

Kidding. But seriously this is surprising to hear, Miyamoto might as well be a rock star. It's refreshing to hear this sort of take on it. I'm of the opinion that Mario has been stale for quite some time. If it's not the gameplay than it's the aesthetics. The Galaxy games were game changers and shook things up, no question. But the NSMB games seemed like they came right off the assembly line.

Who has he trained to take his place. I hope it's not just a clone of him. Some new vision might be nice.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

You have to take into account the situation.

They made New Super Mario Bros for 3DS and Wii U in hopes to boost sales which they were really in need for. No other franchise can get the same sales as NSMB except Mario Kart, which they made too, 7 for 3DS, and later MK 8 will come.

The entire reasons NSMB was made was because we hadn't had 2D Mario platformers in awhile. And, just like their other franchises, you won't see more than one per generation (excluding NSMBU's New Super Luigi U expansion). I really don't get why people get their briefs in a bunch over NSMB.

 

[Lightknight]

And thus Nintendo finally has less of a bottleneck in the production of some IPs. The less that has to pass through one man, the more efficient the system becomes.

But- but... BUT MIYAMOTO!!!! He is Nintendo!!!! What kind of Nintendo fan are you?

Kidding. But seriously this is surprising to hear, Miyamoto might as well be a rock star. It's refreshing to hear this sort of take on it. I'm of the opinion that Mario has been stale for quite some time. If it's not the gameplay than it's the aesthetics. The Galaxy games were game changers and shook things up, no question. But the NSMB games seemed like they came right off the assembly line.

Who has he trained to take his place. I hope it's not just a clone of him. Some new vision might be nice.

Miyamoto, brilliant and beloved as he is, is but one man. His real skill is in developing new IPs, not beating old horses to death.

So yeah, I'm happy he's being put into innovative forefront of development while others continue to develop firmly established IPs.

Whenever you have such a large corporation, tethering all the biggest titles to just one man slows down production. It also prevents new angles from being taken. Nintendo is also having a lot of trouble generating new IPs because of their dependence on Miyamoto who already has his hands full with existing IPs. This frees him up and gives a 5,000+ employee organization more freedom to produce without having pass everything in front of one set of eyes.

Hopefully, this will eventually evolve into the various Nintendo departments also being "allowed" to generate their own IPs without having to stamp Mario or whomever into it. Frankly, I grew up with Mario. It's time for someone else to show up on the Nintendo-front that breaths new excitment into them. I don't mean Mario needs to die. He just needs to have more competition for the spotlight in the company.

I mean, seriously, who thinks, "Hey, this guy is great at innovating new IPs, let's have him make a million sequels to IPs he created decades ago!" There's basic wasted talent and then there's making a cordon bleu trained chef work in a burger joint.

 

[Dark Knifer]

So the main franchise will be going the ways of the 'new' super mario series. Fantastic -.-

Hopefully this means their other stuff gets more interesting.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Yes it is odd, if not a tad scary to have Miyamoto not working on a Mario game, but I trust Nintendo EAD to make good games my now. He is the face of the development team, but I have faith in them.

I'm actually a bit more curious about his roles in future Zelda games. He's been more hands off in recent Zelda games in place of Eiji Aonuma being the main director and what not. He still has sway over Zelda, but I would like to know how much, if any he contributes to the series nowadays. General producer is(no pun intended) a general title, I'm still not sure what it entails.

Either way, before his retirement, I would love to see a new IP come from him. He has an excellent mind when it comes to making something new, let's just see one more before he leaves.

 

[Nazulu]

Capable hands indeed. We've all seen how inspired and creative the New Super Mario Bros. games have been without his influence.

P.S. Thanks

It's come to a point where I can't even tell if that was sarcastic or not...

It was. The NSMB games have been quite competent platformers gameplay-wise, but soulless and creatively void.

P.S. Thanks

Yeah, it's funny. I thought I just played Mario games because I just like it as a platformer, but then I look at the new games and I'm not interested in them one bit. I looked back to the classics and I see they are a lot more... sharp. In design, style, and probably something else. I find them really superior. I just can't explain why.

 

[Dragonbums]

Can't say I didn't see this coming.

I'm pretty sure he had some ideas milling about that he just couldn't do due to the other big studios. He stated last year that he had trained producers under his guidance to meet up to his standards. In recent games he' stated he's needed to over look them less and less. So I'm not too worried about where Mario is going.

 

[Dragonbums]

I'm actually a bit more curious about his roles in future Zelda games. He's been more hands off in recent Zelda games in place of Eiji Aonuma being the main director and what not. He still has sway over Zelda, but I would like to know how much, if any he contributes to the series nowadays.

From what I've gathered he mainly oversees the quality and finesse of the Zelda games. And even then, in the recent Skyward Sword game, Miyamoto said he isn't even really needed for that any more.

In fact, Skyward Sword was more of Aonuma's game than Miyamoto's in the sense that Miyamoto didn't really do much with the title outside of final approval.

So it wouldn't surprise me if Miyamoto stated that he's stepping away completely from the Zelda series. Seeing as how he hasn't really been hands deep in them lately.

 

[Ryokai]

Is that even legal? I'm pretty sure by law Miyamoto is required to work on anything Mario related, on pain of having his knee caps vaporized by angry fanboys.

 

[Hero of Lime]

I'm actually a bit more curious about his roles in future Zelda games. He's been more hands off in recent Zelda games in place of Eiji Aonuma being the main director and what not. He still has sway over Zelda, but I would like to know how much, if any he contributes to the series nowadays.

From what I've gathered he mainly oversees the quality and finesse of the Zelda games. And even then, in the recent Skyward Sword game, Miyamoto said he isn't even really needed for that any more.

In fact, Skyward Sword was more of Aonuma's game than Miyamoto's in the sense that Miyamoto didn't really do much with the title outside of final approval.

So it wouldn't surprise me if Miyamoto stated that he's stepping away completely from the Zelda series. Seeing as how he hasn't really been hands deep in them lately.

Just by interviews and promotional events alone, Aonuma has taken the reins doing all the things Miyamoto used to do. I can't even remember Miyamoto talking about A Link Between Worlds at any point, it's all been Aonuma. Personally, Aonuma has handled Zelda well enough for me not worry about the games whether Miyamoto still gives lots of input or not.