Time has released its annual 100 Most Influential People of the year list, and for 2023, video games are being represented for their second time ever. And this is because following Shigeru Miyamoto making the list back in 2007, FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki has made the cut.
Known for being the creator and game director on award-winning and acclaimed titles such as Elden Ring and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the famed developer has joined the likes of Michael B. Jordan, Ke Huy Quan, Pedro Pascal, Doja Cat, Angela Bassett, Lionel Messi, Patrick Mahomes II, Elon Musk, Natasha Lyonne, and more.
As part of his accreditation on the list, Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann has written a small excerpt about Miyazaki, concluding with:
"That's why Elden Ring—his 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. 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 overexplain the mechanics or the lore, but rather puts his trust in the player to figure it out on their own."
Do you think more game developers should make Time's annual list?