Celebrated Japanese Video Game Auteur Shigero Myamoto was awarded Spain's Prince of Asturias Prize for Communication and Humanities in Madrid on Wednesday for "revolutionizing" the industry.
In a press release, the jury stated in their awarding of Miyamoto that the auteur "is the principal artisan of the educational, formative and constructive video game revolution." They added that Miyamoto is "a designer of personalities and games known around the world, and is characterized by excluding violence from his creations and for innovating with programs and formats that help exercise the mind in its multiple facets, a very valuable result from an educational point of view."
Miyamoto is largely considered one of the pioneers of the video game industry. His first major title was "Donkey Kong" in which a plumber must climb up numerous platforms and puzzles to save his princess from the massive gorilla. His next hit "Mario Bros" is the most sold video game in history with sales of 275 million copies worldwide. He also helped usher in the 3D era in video games with Super Mario 64 and helped introduce the concept of a console with two separate screens, the Nintendo DS. Miyamoto is also recognized for his Legend of Zelda series, which is one of the most recognized and celebrated video game franchises in the world.
In a released statement, Miyamoto, who does not speak English, stated that he was "honored" and "humbled" to win the award alone, considering the team of people involved in a video game's creation. He stated that he accepted the award "behalf of all of my friends and colleagues with whom I have been creating video games over the years."
Miyamoto has won a major awards over the years. In 1998, Miyamoto was honored as the first person inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame. In 2006, Miyamoto was made a Chevalier of the FrenchN Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In Novemeber 2006, Miyamoto was featured in TIME Asia's "60 Years of Asian Heroes," alongside Hayao Miyazaki, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Bruce Lee, and the Dalai Lama. He was later chosen as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of the Year in both 2007 and also in 2008. In 2008, he topped the list's total votes with 1,766,424. At the Game Developers Choice Awards in 2007, Miyamoto received the Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2010, he was awarded a Bafta Fellowship.
The Prince of Asturias prize carries a cash award of 50,000 euros (about $63,040), a sculpture by Joan Miro that represents and symbolizes the awards, a diploma and an insignia bearing the foundation's coat of arms.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
