Miyamoto Gives GDC Keynote
Nintendo's legendary designer and general manager will talk about his creative vision. Will new software be unveiled?
by Matt Casamassina
January 22, 2007 - The Games Developers Conference revealed this morning that its major keynote speaker for 2007 will be Nintendo's famous general manager, Shigeru Miyamoto. The creator of Mario and Zelda will hold a keynote entitled "A Creative Vision. The official description of the talk, quoted verbatim, below:
In his keynote address at the 2007 Game Developers Conference, Shigeru Miyamoto will reveal how a singular creative vision drives his work, not only in terms of his world-renown software, but also in generating key technologies, including the current global phenomena, Nintendo DS and Wii. And he will challenge the audience to apply his approach in their own distinctive styles.
Miyamoto last gave a GDC keynote in 1999, at which time he received a standing ovation by everyone present.
"The Game Developers Conference is a place for developers to learn from one another, and I think it is safe to say that every member of the community has at one time or another fantasized about having Shigeru Miyamoto as a mentor and teacher," said Jamil Moledina, Executive Director of the GDC. "By guiding us through his creative vision with a keynote at this year's GDC, Miyamoto is allowing all attendees this incomparable privilege."
Nintendo has sometimes used the event to introduce new software to the public. It is therefore possible that Miyamoto may complement his speech with new Wii or DS software.
IGN Wii wll be on hand at the event, which takes place Thursday, March 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
GDC has secured an unprecedented lineup of industry luminaries. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the coming weeks!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
10:30 - 11:30 AM
Shigeru Miyamoto
Senior Managing Director, Nintendo
General Manager, Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
"A Creative Vision"
Shigeru Miyamoto is perhaps the world’s most recognized video game developer, creator of industry icons like Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong and Nintendogs. In addition, he is the behind-the-scenes engine of innovation for many other notable Nintendo breakthroughs.
In his keynote address at the 2007 Game Developers Conference, Shigeru Miyamoto will reveal how a singular creative vision drives his work, not only in terms of his world-renown software, but also in generating key technologies, including the current global phenomena, Nintendo DS and Wii. And he will challenge the audience to apply his approach in their own distinctive styles.
Biography
Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese electronic game designer. He is the creator of the Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Wave Race, and Pikmin video game series for Nintendo game systems.
He is one of the world's most celebrated game designers, and is often called one of the fathers of modern video gaming. His titles are characterized by refined control-mechanics and imaginative worlds in which the players are encouraged to discover things for themselves, as well as basic storylines, which had been almost unheard of before he introduced one of the first, featuring Mario.
Employed by Nintendo (then a Hanafuda manufacturer) as an artist, in 1980 he was given the task of designing one of their first coin-op arcade games. The resulting title Donkey Kong was a huge success and the game's lead character, Jump Man — later renamed Mario — has become Nintendo's mascot. Miyamoto quickly became Nintendo's star producer designing many franchises for the company, most of which are still active and very well-regarded.
In 1998, Miyamoto became the first person to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame.
