Shigeru Miyamoto has been selected as a recipient of Japan’s prestigious Order of Culture, becoming the first person from the video game industry to receive the honour.
Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto has become the first video game developer to receive Japan’s Order of Culture, with the formal presentation by the Emperor scheduled for Culture Day on November 3, 2026. The announcement came on October 23, 2026, and detailed comments from the subsequent press conference circulated widely through October 24–25, 2026.
Miyamoto, 73, described feeling honoured while accepting the award on behalf of the many collaborators across his career. He emphasised that games are collaborative efforts and expressed satisfaction that the honour recognises games as culture. In remarks addressing generative AI (reported via Japanese outlets including Denfaminicogamer and covered in English on October 24), he distinguished between establishing an overarching creative framework and the work of filling in details. He noted that the satisfaction of execution can sometimes lead creators to overvalue incomplete results, but also observed that AI handling more tasks creates opportunities to reflect more deeply on what true creation means. He was not dismissive of the technology.
“The more AI becomes capable of handling various tasks, the more opportunities it will give everyone to seriously consider what it truly means to ‘create.’ I think that’s a very good thing. I don’t know how far AI will evolve, or if the day will come when it can do everything, including ‘creating,’ but at this point, I think there is still plenty we can do.”
He stated he is involved in multiple projects and that filmmaking currently holds significant attention, while adding that he “might try making something like a game again.” He also referenced considering approaches Nintendo does not usually take, aimed at surprising employees, without specifying details. His recent work has included producing the Super Mario films and the upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie (set for April 30, 2027), plus involvement with Super Nintendo World theme park expansions.
The recognition builds on his 2019 Person of Cultural Merit award. The comments reinforce Miyamoto’s long-standing focus on collaboration and the living-room role of games while offering a measured perspective on AI amid industry debates.
Shigeru Miyamoto | Mario Creator Becomes First Game Developer to Receive Japan’s Order of Culture
Source: Denfaminicogamer
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