Miyamoto: Nintendo Acts Like Talent Agency

In 2015, Nintendo revealed an ambitious collaboration with Universal Parks & Resorts to develop immersive theme parks featuring beloved Nintendo franchises—a strategic move expanding the company's influence beyond gaming into experiential entertainment. Now reaching its tenth anniversary, this vision has materialized as Super Nintendo World: interactive theme park destinations packed with attractions, gaming-inspired activities, merchandise shops, and character-themed dining across Japan, Los Angeles, Florida—with Singapore joining soon. As Universal prepares to debut its Epic Universe theme park in Orlando—featuring America's first Donkey Kong Country expansion—I spoke with gaming pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto. The legendary creator behind Mario, Donkey Kong, and other iconic characters shared insights on bringing these parks to life, mentoring Nintendo's next-gen developers, and his enthusiasm for the upcoming Nintendo Switch successor.