Shigeru Miyamoto says Nintendo’s growing staff makes preserving originality harder

The famed designer warned that a workforce of up to 10,000 worldwide complicates the task of keeping Nintendo’s creative spark alive.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 23 Oct 2026 05:37:16 GMT

Shigeru Miyamoto, the first game developer to receive Japan’s Order of Culture, told reporters that Nintendo’s expanding employee base is making it increasingly difficult to instill the company’s “spirit of originality.”

What happened

During a Q&A after accepting the Order of Culture from the Emperor, Miyamoto explained that Nintendo now employs between 3,000 and 4,000 developers, and about 10,000 staff worldwide when all roles are counted. He said the sheer size of the organisation creates challenges for maintaining the culture of originality that has defined Nintendo’s most celebrated titles.

What the reports add

Gonintendo.com’s three separate pieces each highlight a different aspect of Miyamoto’s comments. The first article focuses on the difficulty of preserving originality as staff numbers rise. The second article records Miyamoto naming influences such as former president Hiroshi Yamauchi and Game Boy inventor Gunpei Yokoi, linking his emphasis on originality to Yamauchi’s philosophy. The third article notes that Miyamoto is currently involved in several undisclosed projects, is experimenting with filmmaking, and may return to game development with a title that “Nintendo doesn’t usually do.”

What was said

“We have no choice but to communicate through our daily work, so we're steadily working on it,” Miyamoto told the press, according to the first Gonintendo report.
He added, “Nintendo has 3,000 to 4,000 developers alone, and if you include everyone, it's about 10,000 people worldwide, so it's becoming difficult to instill the spirit of ‘originality’ that was at the be…,” the same outlet quoted him as saying.
When asked about his influences, Miyamoto said, “Mr. Yamauchi (Hiroshi Yamauchi) and Mr. Yokoi (Gunpei Yokoi) are absolutely indispensable… My proactive emphasis on ‘originality’ is probably due to Mr. Yamauchi's influence,” as reported in the second article.
Regarding future work, he laughed, “I don’t know what the future holds… Right now I'm engrossed in filmmaking, working with professionals, but I also want to see how far I can go on my own. And in the process, I might try making something like a game again,” the third piece recorded.

How it came about

Miyamoto’s remarks follow Nintendo’s recent push to expand its global footprint, including a new localisation effort in Brazil announced on Oct. 11. The company also promoted the Switch 2 console and a Zelda remake on Oct. 29, underscoring a period of rapid growth and product diversification that aligns with the staffing increase Miyamoto described.

Key facts

Miyamoto became the first game developer to receive Japan’s Order of Culture. (gonintendo.com)
Nintendo employs roughly 3,000‑4,000 developers and about 10,000 staff worldwide. (gonintendo.com)
Miyamoto cited Hiroshi Yamauchi and Gunpei Yokoi as key influences on his focus on originality. (gonintendo.com)
He is currently working on several undisclosed projects and may return to game development. (gonintendo.com)