FromSoftware’s president and the man credited with creating the Soulsborne genre, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has been selected as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2023.
Over the past decade or so, one genre of games has been more influential than any other - the Soulsborne genre. Games likeDemon’s Souls,Dark Souls,Bloodborne, and most recentlyElden Ring, have all made an undeniably massive impact on the gaming landscape and have all been critically and commercially adored.
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Hidetaka Miyazaki, FromSoftware’s president, is a big reason for the studio’s success and it looks like he’s about to get some of the recognition he deserves, as Time has named him one of the most influential people of 2023. Over on the Time website,Hidetaka Miyazaki is listed under the “Innovators” category next to names like Bob Iger, Nathan Fielder, and Natasha Lyonne.
Miyazaki’s entry on Time’s websitefeatures a foreword by Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, who talks about his first experience with Miyazaki’s games and finding how challenging they are, before going on to speak about Elden Ring and how it was a “great ambassador for video games” that shows what they can do that other mediums can’t. A little strange considering Druckmann was recently involved in a TV adaptation ofThe Last of Us, but it’s a nice sentiment.
Druckmann said, “The first time I played one of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s games, I was miserable. Iâ¯kept dying on the first enemy over and over again. But when I slowed down my approach, paying attention to the details, it all of a sudden clicked. I managed to defeat the enemy and advance further into the game. I earned my progress and felt a sort of rush! And as I moved forward in the game, I was much more deliberate, careful in how I explored this world. And in return the world rewarded me with tension, beauty, and surprises.”
Not only is this a big moment for FromSoftware and Miyazaki, but it’s a big moment for gaming too. The last person within the gaming space to be nominated for the award was Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto back in 2007, which means that it’s been 16 years since Time recognised someone within the gaming industry.
At least Miyazaki’s nomination is a lot more respectfulthan what Time wrote for Miyamoto in 2007. Back then, they had pros and cons for each person to see if they were “worthy”, and Miyamoto’s con asked if he could “reverse gravity for all the obese, video game–playing kids out there” with Wii Fit.
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