Shigeru Miyamoto Admits He Can Be A Picky Boss

Video games have been around for years and while there are countless video game IPs, there are a few that everyone is familiar with. Nintendo for instance is an iconic video game company that has brought out family-friendly hardware and software for decades. It’s provided gamers with some rather influential video game titles as well. 

One of the developers that really helped put Nintendo on the map in terms of video game software is Shigeru Miyamoto. This legendary developer has put out some massively popular video game titles into the marketplace and no doubt in my mind you’re familiar with them. In the past, Shigeru Miyamoto is responsible for Donkey Kong, Super Mario, Star Fox, and The Legend of Zelda, just to name a few. While in his late sixties, this developer is still very much a big part of the Nintendo company and he recently spoke with The New Yorker. 

“When people look at me, I think they probably imagine that I’m very nice. But if you asked the people on the front lines, those who actually work with me, they might say that I’m very picky, or that I always comment on their work. I’ve had the pleasure of growing up in an environment where people praised me. But I’m aware that there is a feeling, among people who work with me, that they do not receive adequate praise, that I’m always fastidious about their work.”

During their conversation, the topic of being a boss at Nintendo came up. Shigeru Miyamoto noted that most people look at him as being very nice, but if you were to ask people that directly work under him, you might get a few answers such as being picky. Miyamoto went on to say that he’s very determined to bring out details for the various video game titles he works on. As a result, his time looking at other people’s work at the offices could lead to him having a bit of a negative connotation. 

“In this job, we have to create a product, which requires a certain amount of planning. But it’s also important to talk about those plans in a different register, not just as a product, but as if it were a dream or vision. I think my strength is that I’m able to paint a compelling picture of what a project can be, while also being concerned with the details of actually realizing that dream. As such, I get the somewhat confused experience of people seeing me as a negative person when I’m dealing with the details, and as a very positive person when I’m talking in terms of a broader vision.”

The amount of hard work and attention to detail seems to translate well in terms of units sold. Nintendo has been doing wonders lately with their Nintendo Switch and the line of first-party video game titles. Likewise, Nintendo has really made a name for themselves in terms of being a family-friendly company with a long line of video game titles that are popular with any age group.

Source: The New Yorker