Shigeru Miyamoto Becomes First Game Developer to Win Japan’s Order of Culture

Shigeru Miyamoto, the Nintendo designer behind Super Mario and a foundational figure in the global video game industry, has been selected to receive Japan’s Order of Culture, making him the first person from gaming to earn the prestigious government recognition, according to Dexerto.

A First for the Games Industry

The Order of Culture is a Japanese government honor awarded to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the arts and sciences. Miyamoto’s selection marks the first time the award has gone to someone from the video game sector, a recognition that carries significant weight for an industry that has long sought acknowledgment as a legitimate cultural force. Miyamoto joined Nintendo in 1977 and has spent decades shaping not only the company but the medium itself.

Miyamoto Shares the Honor with Colleagues

Speaking at Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters on October 22, Miyamoto made clear he does not view the award as a personal achievement. “I feel self-conscious, but I’m honored to have been selected for such a prestigious award. As I always say, I don’t make games by myself. This award is the result of making them together with many people, so I intend to accept it as their representative,” he said, via quotes provided by Denfaminicogamer and reported by Dexerto. He also acknowledged collaborators outside the game industry, pointing to projects like Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Nintendo’s film ventures as examples of the expanded creative community he works within.

Three Generations of Players

Miyamoto reflected on how dramatically gaming’s audience has shifted since he began his career. He noted that when he first started making games at around age 26, people his own age largely did not play them. Over time, fathers entered the scene as part of a generation that had grown up with games, and eventually so did grandfathers. “Having three generations of a family who know games is an enormous thing. I think it shows how deeply games have become part of our lives,” he said, per Dexerto.

Looking Ahead

Rather than treating the award as a capstone, Miyamoto framed it as motivation to keep creating. He expressed appreciation for the growing cultural recognition of games and said his goal remains producing work that stays at the center of family life. “I’m very grateful that people are saying, ‘Let’s recognize games as culture too.’ I hope we can keep making things that are always there at the center of the living room,” he added. The recognition arrives at a moment when Nintendo continues to expand its IP beyond traditional gaming into theme parks and film, underlining the broader cultural footprint Miyamoto and his team have built over nearly five decades.

Sources: Dexerto