Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Zelda, has gradually reduced his active involvement in game development over the years. However, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom might signify a significant milestone in this transition, as it is the first Zelda game not to feature his name in the credits. As reported by Go Nintendo, Miyamoto is nowhere to be found in the credits of Echoes of Wisdom, marking a first in the series' history, which spans 19 mainline games from 1986 to last year's Tears of the Kingdom.
Miyamoto has been an integral part of the Zelda franchise since its inception. However, at 71 years old, he has progressively stepped back from development to focus on Nintendo's non-game-related projects. As early as 2011, Miyamoto expressed his preference to distance himself from development slightly, allowing younger developers to take on more responsibilities. Earlier this year, Miyamoto reiterated that he has no plans to retire but is actively planning for succession within Nintendo "in case something does happen." His current role at Nintendo is Representative Director and Fellow, and he continues to serve as a spokesperson for the company and its upcoming projects.
Despite his reduced involvement, Miyamoto's absence from the Echoes of Wisdom credits is noteworthy, given his foundational role in creating the Legend of Zelda series, its setting, and many of its iconic characters. Additionally, Takashi Tezuka, another long-standing Nintendo figure, is also missing from the credits, having been credited on all Zelda titles except Zelda 2 and Tears of the Kingdom.
