As Nintendo released its latest financial results filled with numbers, one of the more significant announcements packed into it is the retirement of Takashi Tezuka, one of the company’s most significant designers — a key creator who has helped shape the likes of Mario and The Legend of Zelda for decades.
Coming via a notice of personnel changes of company officers, Tezuka is set to retire on June 26, 2026.
Tezuka, 65, has been with Nintendo since 1984, when he worked closely with Shigeru Miyamoto on the original Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. But since then, he slowly took on more of a role at the company.
Tezuka directed 1988’s Super Mario Bros. 3, and even helped co-create the beloved Yoshi. He then directed three of the most beloved Nintendo games of all time: A Link to the Past, Link’s Awakening, and Yoshi’s Island.
From there, Tezuka moved into more supervisory and producer roles, helping on Animal Crossing, Pikmin, Mario Party, Zelda, and more. But perhaps his most crucial role was as lead producer on Mario, helping decide the shape and direction of the franchise over the last two decades — no small feat considering the near universal success and praise Mario has continued to enjoy. This includes even the most recent games in the franchise, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Mario & Luigi: Brothership. It’s almost fitting that Tezuka’s retirement comes just after the Switch 2’s one-year anniversary, considering he’s been such an influential voice in defining the Switch era of Nintendo.
Alongside Tezuka’s retirement, Nintendo’s financial results also revealed some impressive sales numbers, including Pokémon Pokopia and Fire Red/Leaf Green both hitting a whopping 4 million, and Tomodachi Life even reaching 3.8 million sales. The Nintendo Switch 2 will also be getting a $50 price increase starting this September, in order to accommodate the rising costs of RAM and other materials.
