Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, has shot down reports that he is retiring. Over recent days there have been quite a few rumours that he is looking at leaving Nintendo, but he categorically denied that today.
However, he admitted that the company must have a plan for the day that he does eventually leave.
“We have to construct the structure so that the organisation... can make it without me,” he said. "I should also admit that it might be better without me; I mean that a different approach and different talent might emerge, though I shouldn't dwell on this because then the article might indeed say 'Mr. Miyamoto is thinking about retiring,' because that is not the case."