Shigeru Miyamoto Thinks About Dying More Than He Does Retiring

Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pikmin, thinks about the day that he "falls over" more than he does about retiring from the gaming industry.

With so many big Nintendo series under his belt like Star Fox, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and a whole lot more, Shigeru Miyamoto is, without a doubt, one of the most influential creators in gaming history. However, at 71 years old, you might think that he's on the brink of retiring from development and leaving his works in the hands of other creators.

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That doesn't seem to be something that's on Miyamoto's mind, though. While speaking to The Guardian about his impact on the industry, Miyamoto is asked about whether he he any plans to retire soon. Miyamoto replied by making it clear that he's not interested in moving on from gaming just yet and still loves what he does.

In fact, Miyamoto actually has a more pressing thought on his mind than retiring, and admits that he thinks more about dying and leaving his legacy behind. In a surprising bit of brutal honesty, Miyamoto said that he thinks about the day he "falls over" more often than he does giving up development, and that he thinks of things in a "five-year timespan" just in case.

"More so than retiring, I’m thinking about the day I fall over. In this day and age you have to think about things in a five-year timespan, so I do think about who I can pass things on to, in case something does happen."

Although that seems a little bleak, Miyamoto does follow it up by saying that he's thankful for how much love and energy there is for the games and series that he's created and overseen in his career. He also notes that he doesn't feel as much ownership over things like Mario, Pikmin, and Zelda, as they've been "cultivated by others" and because "other people have been raising them" and helping them grow.

You probably didn't want to start 2024 by thinking about the possibility of Miyamoto passing away but, beyond being shockingly honest about the whole thing, at least the iconic father of Nintendo still has just as much energy and excitement for the industry as he always has.

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