FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2023 following the release of the smash hit open world action RPG Elden Ring in February 2022.
Time publishes a list honouring the 100 most influential people each year who, in the opinions of the magazine editors, were most responsible for shaping the year.
As noted by VGC, Miyazaki is only the second video game developer to be selected for the prestigious list, following in the wake of Time’s 2007 selection of Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto.
The 2023 list included big names, such as American Gods author Neil Gaiman, Disney CEO Bob Iger, U.S. President Joe Biden, footballer Lionel Messi, Elon Musk, and MrBeast. Accompanying each entry is a written tribute, often penned by a well regarded contemporary in the influencer’s field.
Miyazaki’s entry was authored by Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, who lauded the developer’s masochistic yet rewarding approach to game design.
“That’s why Elden Ring — [Miyazaki’s] massively popular 2022 hit — is a great ambassador for video games, and the unique feelings they can effect in the player, feelings that a passive medium like TV can never re-create,” explained Druckmann.
“Miyazaki’s games make the player feel accomplished and smart — and it’s all thanks to his and his team’s uncompromising approach. He refuses to over explain the mechanics or the lore, but rather puts his trust in the player to figure it out on their own.”
Miyazaki is also the creative force behind the Dark Souls franchise, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but it was the launch of Elden Ring that saw the developer and studio rise to new heights as they received a cornucopia of accolades including multiple game of the year awards.
In February, it was revealed that Elden Ring had sold over 20 million copies, and last month saw the reveal of the first piece of story DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. IGN gave Elden Ring a 10/10 in our review, describing it as FromSoftware’s “largest and most ambitious game yet”.
Image credit: Daniel Boczarski / Contributor at Getty Images
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
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