Quantcast


Miyamoto officially one of the 100 People That Shape Our World photo

I don’t know what the fine people of Los Angeles are waiting for. I have been staring out the window all morning waiting for the giant parade celebrating the greatness that is Miyamoto, but, alas, nothing. All I’ve seen are a homeless man and a couple of tranny prostitutes. Oh, and Stephen Baldwin. No worries. I guess I can just throw my own parade later. I do need to make use of that “I <3 Nintendo” sandwich board I made at some point ...

A couple of weeks ago we posted information that Shigeru Miyamoto, the messiah of the video game industry, was nominated for TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (now changed to the much more dramatic ‘100 People That Shape Our World’). Not only was it his first time nominated, it was also the only time anyone in the video game industry had ever been considered for the annual list.

Well, good news, the admired game designer made the final cut! Falling at #92 on the magazine’s list, Miyamoto stands proud amid the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and Oprah Winfrey. Nice job, Shiggy, the honor is well deserved.

While I try fitting this oddly shaped board over my head, hit the jump for TIME’s full write-up on the man who is the reason most of us are who we are today. Now, if only I knew how to twirl a baton ...

Shigeru Miyamoto

By Johnathan (Fatal1ty) Wendel

I vividly recall playing on my Nintendo from the age of 4, and to say the least, it changed my life forever. Video games became my life when, at 18, I set out to become a full-time professional video gamer. In the past seven years I have won 12 major championships playing five different games.

While I won my championships on ultra-performance PCs, I still go to Nintendo for fun and relaxation, playing with the same passion and sense of joy I remember as a kid on that original Nintendo console. This year I've become addicted to Wii, which lets me replicate the challenge of the physical sports I've played my entire life, such as tennis, bowling and golf. I bought all my business partners Wiis for Christmas. I even play Wii with my grandma. (Her favorite is Wii bowling.)

By making video gaming accessible and fun for people like my grandma, Shigeru Miyamoto, 54, head of the Wii design team, has opened the world I live in every day to people who never even wanted to visit it before. He showed us that video games are for everyone, something social and active that brings people together. I'm hopeful that competitive video gaming will rightfully be considered a pro sport like any other, and I will spend the rest of my life championing video gaming as an equal to pro football or basketball. That job is a little easier thanks to Miyamoto-san and his ingenious team at Nintendo. They didn't just start me on a career that I love. They have also given me a mind-set to give back to gaming and do my part to empower millions of gamers worldwide. If I can contribute just a fraction of what Miyamoto has to video gaming, I'll be honored.








More gaming stories around the web. Got news? Submit yours to tips@destructoid.com

Chad Concelmo is Destructoid's features editor. He loves hanging out with awesome people. That's why Destructoid makes him so happy, since it is full of THE MOST AWESOME PEOPLE OF ALL TIME! Also, dolphins. Likes Chad enjoys punching old ladies in the face, Super Metroid, Zelda: A Link to the Past on the SNES (best system ever!), Final Fantasy VI, Day of the Tentacle, Shadow of the Colossus, Mother 3, Beyond Good & Evil, Contra III, Valkyria Chronicles, Punch-Out!!, Half-Life 2, and Super Mario Galaxy 2. Meet the rest of the team



Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

22 comments | showing # 1 to 22
prev next

Crunshii's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 17:51
Crunshii
thats a seriously scary look of a man who makes kids happy...
bara's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 17:51
bara
Only 92? I thought he was number two for a while. It's a conspiricy to keep the games man down!
Lynx's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 18:03
Lynx
Like bara said, #92? Wtf, he was in the 2nd slot for as long as I've known. How did he fall so drastically?
*looks at Summa* :)
Gameboi's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 18:04
Gameboi
Miyamoto is neck and neck with Jesus, in terms of popularity in some parts. He's not to be underestimated.
Chad Concelmo's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 18:09
Chad Concelmo
@bara & Lynx,
I shared your frustration with his standing ... until I realized that the final 100 are ranked by category and not order. That makes things okay. I can now call off the attack dogs. :)
Joseph Leray's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 18:17
Joseph Leray
Kind of a cop-out that they got Wendel to do the write up? If he's so important (and I do believe he is, don't get me wrong), why can't someone outside the industry realize that?
AndyCat's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 18:52
AndyCat
O V E R R A T E D
Chad Concelmo's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 19:05
Chad Concelmo
... says AndyCat on a Web site based on an industry that most likely would not exist now had Miyamoto not been around. :)
AndyCat's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 19:21
AndyCat
I'm not saying hes not great, 'cause he obviously is, just that hes overrated
OutrageousToob's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 19:21
OutrageousToob
That's a really unflattering picture... but yeah... bravo!
AndyCat's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 19:39
AndyCat
Picasso is overrated, Elvis is overrated, that doesn't mean they aren't great in their own right.

btw the video game industry would still exist, even if Miyamoto never did. (albeit, it would be a little different)
brad drac's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 19:43
brad drac
Miyamoto > picasso + elvis + your mother. Good to see him on this list. Well deserved.
Roryzilla's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 20:04
Roryzilla
AndyCat, Id like to puncture your uterus with a broadsword.
AndyCat's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 20:12
AndyCat

Just because you want to have Miyamoto's baby doesn't make him better than God. give me a break

vgfreak30's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 21:12
vgfreak30
yes it does, god gave us the world, miyamoto made that world have purpose. Besides his franchises have sold more than many other franchises combined, like 3 or 4 out of the top ten selling franchises in the history of games were influenced by miyamoto
maxx77's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 21:31
maxx77
He was in the top 10 when I voted just a few days ago, now he's down to 92? Something's really fishy about that. I'm afraid to even look where they put that Sanjaya kid. If he didn't get bumped down to 1000 then this list is a total fucking crock.
ran24's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2007 21:43
ran24
Jeez, that is one freaky picture.
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2007 00:16
Aaron Mxy Yost
Who's this God person you keep talking about? What games has he made?
j0e's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2007 01:38
j0e
i'm not a fanboy but seriously... mario AND zelda?? if they were created by different people those two people would STILL be amazing... but one guy came up with several of the most popular games of all time. it's hard to "overrate" that.
generaldane's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2007 02:08
generaldane
@Mxyzptlk
thats the funniest thing i have seen in a while
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!