Will Wright makes "Digital 50" Top 5, beats out Google & YouTube founders
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Oct 23rd 2006 at 4:55PM }
The Producers' Guild of America has recognized the achievements of Will Wright (The Sims), Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid), and Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Rez & Lumines), naming the three luminaries to the Guild's current list of 50 most innovative producers in the field of Digital Entertainment. Wright even landed in the number 5 position, besting big-name contributors like Google's Larry Page and Sergei Brin (#9), and YouTube's Chad Hurley and Chris Chen (#23). Kojima and Mizuguchi made the list at numbers 38 and 50 respectively.Brain Age's Dr. Ryuta Kawashima also made the list, popping up -- surprisingly -- at number 16. Anyways, a round of applause for the 'three gaming gods' and the talking head. Congrats, gentlemen.
Who should the PGA elect next year?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sub @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:02PM
Will Wright is a God. He's on a completely different level than almost all other designers / developers out there.
crono141 @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:11PM
Or human beings for that matter.
the term "Super Genius" applies.
spork @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:12PM
will wright is cool and all, but damn, he's nerdy. tomonobu itagaki on the other hand is a badass.
bkirst90 @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:16PM
Where's miyamoto?
ONOZ @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:18PM
WHERE IS SHIGERU MIYAMOTO!!! How is the designer of Donkey Kong, Mario, Star Fox, and Legend of Zelda not on the flippin' list. You can't be serious. Come on, even Barbie is on the list. List, you die now.
FSK405K @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:18PM
How do "Rez & Lumines" get put into the same sentence with "SimCity," "The Sims," and "Spore?"
FSK405K @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:21PM
From reading the names and projects awarded, it seems the criteria are more about making games popular with people who wouldn't normally play games (Brain Age), rather than with making monumental achievements to gaming (Zelda).
Limey @ Oct 24th 2006 7:28AM
Not sure if Will Wright is so innovative and great now... But the original sims was pretty huge.
I'm glad Kojima made it, he is fucking awesome.
And I
Erik Novak @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:27PM
FSK405K has a good point. Miyamoto might be a god in the field of video games, but not so much in expanding the market.
Designerbradr @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:29PM
@ FSK405K:
Well, wasn't Miyamoto involved with Nintendogs? And didn't he help produce Brain Age?
Ah well. He'll be on the list come next year or so.
Evan @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:29PM
So, how long until games are advertised based on who wrote and directed it, like movies?
bm @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:36PM
@FSK405K:
That wouldn't explain Hideo Kojima. Who, while being a great game designer, should not be above Miyamoto on the list, to be very honest.
Neither should any of the others btw, but that's just me.
SaxyGator @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:36PM
@ FSK405K:
But what about Kojima? He doesn't really make "anyone can play 'em" games.
Sub @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:36PM
Evan, it's already happening for some games. For example, The Sims had directly in the middle of the box "FROM THE CREATOR OF SIM CITY!!!!!!"
Not a great pic of it, but it's the only one I could find: http://www.smartkidssoftware.com/cdeat50.jpg
As for Miyamoto not being on there, it is pretty odd. He deserves it.
Mike @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:41PM
I thought the same thing. And how do you figure that he didnt expand the market?
Brian @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:43PM
6,
Rez especially (and Lumines to a lesser extent) are achievements in simulated synaethesia(sp?). They are one of the few gaming experiences trully unavailable on any other medium. It like if Oskar Fischinger had made a video game.
T-Man @ Oct 23rd 2006 10:28PM
Miyamoto is number 0. He is assumed.
Falk0n @ Oct 23rd 2006 10:42PM
Will Wright r0xx h4rdc0r3-styl3, but I agree that Miyamoto must be assumed at number 0. He made mario and zelda....mario and zelda!!!! And no real gamer wants to admit it, but pokemon was a really well-made series, and sold like crazy.
nintendo fan @ Oct 24th 2006 3:53PM
@ Erik Novak
Shigeru Miyamoto saved the market and expanded it several times.