This marks yet another veteran developer transitioning to a different role at Nintendo, meaning he won’t be leaving the Japanese company for good.

Takashi Tezuka, a veteran Nintendo designer, said he will remain involved with the company in some capacity, even though he will no longer be a member of the board of directors. In May, Nintendo announced that Tezuka would step down from his position as executive director on June 26. However, during a Q&A session at Nintendo’s 2026 shareholders’ meeting, Tezuka reportedly stated that he will continue to be involved in the company’s work as a production producer.

In Japan, the term “production producer” is often used in the anime industry to describe a role similar to a development lead. This person works between the creative and financial teams, overseeing the day-to-day production of content. Twitter user NStyles, who attended the shareholders’ meeting and has covered other Q&A sessions, reported that one shareholder asked Tezuka to say a few words about his resignation. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa reportedly replied that Tezuka joined the company during the NES/Famicom era and will continue to be involved in development. Tezuka subsequently appeared to confirm this as well.

回答17
古川：手塚はファミコンソフトから関わってきた。今後も開発に関わっていく。あとは本人から。

手塚：この度、任期満了で退任します。
42年間をふりかえってみて「楽しい仕事だったな」と感じました。
自分たちでおもちゃ屋にない遊びを手作りしていた。…

— あれっくす (@NStyles) June 26, 2026

“This time, I will step down when my term expires. Looking back on 42 years, I feel that it was such enjoyable work. We used to create our own games from scratch—things you couldn’t find in toy stores. Now, the company has grown significantly, and I enjoy creating with many people. With new technologies like 3D, stereoscopic imagery, and motion controls, it was a joy to be an engineer. At Nintendo, we develop and deliver products that bring joy to people around the world. The entire company thinks about this and creates with flexibility. I truly feel that working for this company was the right choice. Going forward, I will continue to be involved as a production producer. Thank you for providing me with this opportunity to say a few words,” Tezuka said.

According to reports, Tezuka was then greeted with loud applause from the shareholders. He is one of Nintendo’s most experienced game designers and has directed classic games such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Yoshi’s Island. Most recently, he served as producer on Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Tezuka has reached Nintendo’s standard retirement age of 65, though his longtime colleague, Shigeru Miyamoto (73), remains active at the company as a senior advisor.

Source: VGC