Miyamoto: Nintendo Is a Talent Agency of Characters

In May 2015, Nintendo announced a groundbreaking partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts to develop theme parks inspired by its beloved games and characters. This strategic move signaled Nintendo's ambitious expansion into the global entertainment landscape. A decade later, that vision materialized as Super Nintendo World—an immersive theme park featuring dynamic attractions, interactive experiences, souvenir shops, and character-themed restaurants across locations in Japan, Los Angeles, Florida, and soon, Singapore.

Prior to the grand opening of Universal's new Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Florida—which will also debut the Donkey Kong Country expansion for the first time in the United States—we spoke with Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary game designer behind iconic franchises like Super Mario and Donkey Kong. We discussed the collaborative effort behind bringing these parks to life, his role in mentoring Nintendo's next generation of developers, and his enthusiasm for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console.