For those who haven't heard the news, one of the most iconic and influential names in videogames, Shigeru Miyamoto, is retiring. Well, he's not actually retiring, not in a literal sense. Nintendo was quick to clear that point up after its stock dropped two percent. Miyamoto will still work for Nintendo and develop games, but he may be taking a step back from the supervisor and production role that he has held for over a decade. It sounds frightening, especially for Nintendo's investors, but in the long run, it could be the best move for the company's future.

Since "retirement" doesn't accurately describe what Miyamoto is doing at Nintendo, it's important to look at the context in which it was said. What struck me most in Miyamoto's Wired interview wasn't the fact that he was stepping back, but the reason behind it. There is a certain sense of passing the torch to a new generation of developers in what he said:

"The reason why I'm stressing that is that unless I say that I'm retiring, I cannot nurture the young developers. After all, if I'm there in my position as it is, then there's always kind of a relationship. And the young guys are always kind of in a situation where they have to listen to my ideas. But I need some people who are growing up much more than today."

This sentiment was mirrored by Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma in a recent Game Informer interview:

"As time has passed—particularly in the last few years—I've started to think a lot more about how I can take the series and really make it my own Zelda and evolve it further. As Mr. Miyamoto has allowed me to take the reins on the Zelda series, ultimately that's what I need to do. Perhaps some people will think it's a little bit late for me to start thinking about that, but as time goes by, that's becoming more of a theme in how I'm approaching the series."

Are we noticing a trend here? Over the past decade, Miyamoto has not just been taking on more of a supervisor role over Nintendo's franchises, but over Nintendo's staff of developers so those key franchises can continue faithfully even without his input. We already witnessed earlier this year what happens when a franchise figurehead does not take such precautions, as Keiji Inafune's departure from Capcom has left the Mega Man series in uncertain status.

But that is not what Nintendo has done. Starting with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, where Aonuma was first given reigns of the series, Miyamoto has been trying to step back from the monumental franchises he helped to shape and create. That isn't to say he wanted to distance himself from Nintendo's staple cast of characters, but he wasn't quite finished creating yet. This is the time when Capcom started developing handheld Zelda games, Retro Studios took over Metroid Prime and eventually Donkey Kong Country, NAMCO developed Star Fox Assault, and SEGA made arguably the best F-Zero game in the series. And while Miyamoto was trusting his creations to others, he dabbled in Pikmin, Eternal Darkness, Pac-Man vs., Metal Gear Solid, Geist, Chibi Robo, and Nintendogs.

Of course, that trust in others hasn't always been warranted. With talk of a fully voiced Zelda game rising as a possibility, it's hard not to think of the late 80's animated series and its grating "Excuuuuuuuuse me, princess," or the cringe-inducing CD-i entries. And the less that is said of Hotel Mario, Mario is Missing, and Mario Teaches Typing the better. While those can mostly be written off as mistakes of the past, as recently as last year Nintendo partnered with Team Ninja to bring Metroid: Other M screaming and kicking into this world.

Which leads us to now, with Miyamoto once again expressing his desire to pursue smaller, more personal games for Nintendo; games which he hopes can be completed the same year they begin. If Nintendo allows it, this could be a brilliant move. Those smaller games that Miyamoto wants to pursue are exactly what the Nintendo 3DS needs to help it remain competitive with the rapidly moving iPhone game marketplace. Which isn't to say there isn't a place for larger games on handhelds, as some have suggested, but there also needs to be a constant stream of smaller games to supplement and fill in the gaps between larger releases. That is the area where Nintendo has consistently faltered in the past, and will only become more of a liability if some change isn't made.

It could also mean that we would see the birth of several new franchises from Nintendo. Miyamoto would likely stray from his iconic cast, instead creating a new focus for his personal projects like he did with Pikmin and Nintendogs. Meanwhile, with Miyamoto no longer in a leading role, new rising developers could emerge to both impart their own touch on existing characters and even create new ones.

It would take time for Nintendo to adjust; any large transition isn't likely to be a smooth one. But Miyamoto's move out of the spotlight could be just the shakeup Nintendo needs as the 3DS is joined on shelves by Vita and the Wii U looms not too far in the distance; a new direction for the company's new hardware.

Now, if only one of those rising new developers in Miyamoto's wake could understand how digital distribution works.

By Scott Nichols
CCC Contributing Writer

*The views expressed within this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not express the views held by Cheat Code Central.*