Shigeru Miyamoto, the genius of the XXI Century
As the greatest influence in video game history, the games designer and producer Miyamoto is a candidate for the Prince of Asturias Awards in the category of Communications & Humanities.
Born in Kyoto, Japan in 1952, Miyamoto has revolutionized the world of video games on consecutive occasions, by surpassing over and over any technical and creative limits currently in force. He was chosen as one of the most influential figures in the world by Time Magazine, and was awarded both the French Legion of Honor as well as the British BAFTA for his outstanding creative talent.
The nomination has been presented by Gamelab, the International Video Game & Interactive Entertainment Fair, which is held every year in Gijón, Spain (www.gamelab.es). Gamelab´s director, Iván Fernández-Lobo, highlights the fact that Miyamoto is “the greatest figure from a brilliant generation of interactive creative talent, who conceives of video games as a new medium, one that is able to join people around a shared experience, regardless of their age, sex, social group or culture”.
The Prince of Asturias Awards is the prize which carries the greatest prestige in the Spanish-speaking world. It was created in 1981 to honor with distinction “a person, group of people or institution whose creative work or research represents a relevant contribution to humanity and to mankind´s universal heritage.” Those who have been awarded the prize in the various categories include luminaries such as the film producer Woody Allen, the musician Bob Dylan, the political leaders Nelson Mandela and Mijail Gorvachov, the architect Norman Foster, the authors Paul Auster and Gunter Grass, the philanthropists Bill & Melinda Gates, the musician Paco de Lucía, the sportsmen Michael Scumacher and Lance Armstrong, the television network CNN, and the internet search engine Google (more information at http://www.fpa.es/en/ ). The awards are presented in Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias at a grand ceremony presided by the Prince and the Queen of Spain. A sculpture expressly created by Spanish sculptor Joan Miró is presented to the yearly recipients.
The people behind the initiative to present Miyamoto as a nominee emphasize that “in recent decades, Miyamoto has been behind all of the technological and creative revolutions which have led to the global expansion of interactive entertainment; he has stimulated ways of playing which clearly state the power of video games as mental, physical and social activators.” The proposal also highlights that “this genius of the game design has also achieved significant participation of women and the elderly in the world of interactive entertainment”.
Miyamoto´s nomination to the Prince of Asturias Awards is obtaining unanimous support not only from the games industry, but also from political figures, celebrities and famous names in the media and art world.
Join now the cause and leave a message for the Prince of Asturias Foundation at this page.
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