Nintendo has released its Q&A transcription for the recent financial briefing, and it contains a rather humorous interaction between an investor and legendary creator Shigeru Miyamoto in which the former calls Miyamoto a "genius". To his face.
Naturally, given Miyamoto's tendency to view his accomplishments with a humble attitude, he was quick to dispute such a lofty label. Before diving into what he talks about during his annual lecture for new and existing employees, he notes how those who listen to his lecture are surprised at how "ordinary" he really is.
Here's the official excerpt from Nintendo:
Q: I read in an a rticle about Nintendo Museum that Mr. Miyamoto gives a talk to new employees every year. What do you talk about? Also, I'd like to hear about your succession plans, from a creative standpoint. My impression from the outside is that you continue to produce hits because you are a genius. I imagine it is difficult to convey the fundamentals of game creation, so what kinds of efforts are you making? Do you think that the essence of your creative thinking is successfully passed on within the company?
Miyamoto: You referred to me as a "genius," but I consider myself quite ordinary. Each year, I give a talk to about 100 to 200 new graduates and mid career hires, and afterward people often say that they were wondering what kind of person I was and were relieved to see that I was surprisingly ordinary.
I often think it would be fun if I didn't have to work, so I'm always thinking about things like, well, if I have to work, how can I do it more efficiently. And if I am going to do the same work, how can I make it more of a hit, because when a project is a hit it makes future work easier. In the talk I give every year, I touch on those challenges that come with creative work.
Yeah, that last paragraph is a touch all over the place, but we kind of see what he's getting at. Either way, it seems Miyamoto isn't quite comfortable with being called a genius, and we can definitely imagine him pulling a rather sheepish grin in response to the question.
Although he's taken more of a backseat in recent years with game creation, MIyamoto is still a significant driving force for Nintendo, lending a hand in the creation of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Super Nintendo World theme parks.