Nintendo denies Shigeru Miyamoto moving down from top spot
updated 01:15 pm EST, Thu December 8, 2011
Shigeru Miyamoto not stepping down: Nintendo
Nintendo is vehemently denying reports that its main game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, is stepping down to a lesser role at the company, said a Thursday report. Miyamoto is responsible for popular franchises like Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda, and his stepping down would not be good news for the company. In an interview with Wired, Miyamoto said he will retire from his current position and work on something small by himself.
"This is absolutely not true. There seems to have been a misunderstanding," said a Nintendo spokesperson. "He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned."
Nintendo has been struggling lately, specifically due to the poor sales of the handheld 3DS console that prompted a near 40 percent price cut and a strong yen that reduces overseas profits. It has mostly recovered, helped in part by Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Wii, but its sales still trail significantly behind the Xbox 360.
