Longtime Nintendo Producer Leaves After Nearly 40 Years
A longtime producer at Nintendo has reportedly retired from the legendary gaming juggernaut after nearly 40 years, with Hideki Konno famed for his work on Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Island. Nintendo has played host to some of the gaming industry’s most well-known and beloved creators of all-time, boasting a litany of recognizable producers and developers. Creators like Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata have helped to shape the modern gaming industry with their work, while many others, like Masahiro Sakurai, have become intrinsically intertwined with the studio. Now, one of Nintendo’s most beloved producers has said goodbye.
Hideki Konno was a veteran of Nintendo, with the producer and game designer working for the company for nearly four decades. Konno got his start at Nintendo in 1986, serving as an assistant director on both the second and third Super Mario Bros. games. Konno was instrumental in the creation of some of the Mario franchise’s biggest spin-offs, serving as a director and producer on nearly every main Mario Kart game and directing games like Yoshi’s Island and Luigi’s Mansion. A new report now reveals that Hideki Konno has officially parted ways with Nintendo.
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Longtime Nintendo Producer Hideki Konno Has Retired
Users EAD Ninja and LeoSukaze on the Famiboards forum recently shared the discovery that Hideki Konno left Nintendo last year. The change was discovered on Konno’s personal Facebook page, which confirmed that he had left Nintendo as of July 2025. Hideki Konno’s quiet departure from the company he spent nearly 40 years with caught many fans by surprise, seeing neither the director nor Nintendo making an official announcement. The post does not reveal a reason for the producer leaving Nintendo, though many have assumed Konno simply retired from his position. Nintendo fans have pointed out that Konno was nearing retirement age, with the director turning 60 in May 2025.
Hideki Konno’s retirement from Nintendo comes just days after another major figurehead at the developer confirmed their own departure. Metroid franchise producer Kensuke Tanabe officially announced his retirement from Nintendo, revealing that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was the last game the director would work on with the company. Tanabe had been with Nintendo for nearly as long as Hideki Konno, joining one year later in 1987 and similarly getting his start by working on Super Mario Bros. 2. Tanabe was credited as working on more than 150 projects during his time at Nintendo, with everything from Pokemon to Super Smash Bros. in his repertoire.
Nintendo Could Be Entering A New Era
The departure of both Hideki Konno and Kensuke Tanabe will mark a major shift at Nintendo, likely leaning on its younger talents. Tanabe personally recommended Metroid Prime 4: Beyond assistant producer Risa Tabata as his successor, should Nintendo decide to make another Metroid Prime game. Hideki Konno had largely stepped away from the Mario Kart franchise ahead of his retirement, only referenced in the “Special Thanks” section of Mario Kart World. Nintendo of America also saw a significant change of its own to start 2026, with president Doug Bowser stepping down six years after he took the reins of the American branch.
Hideki Konno will leave a lasting legacy with Nintendo that has helped to build some of the studio’s biggest franchises. The Mario Kart series has been a Nintendo mainstay since Super Mario Kart on the SNES, with Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ranking among the best-selling games of all-time. The Luigi’s Mansion games have also become a cult classic among Nintendo fans, with the Luigi-focused horror franchise receiving three main-series games across multiple platforms. Nintendo fans will say goodbye to one of the company’s most beloved producers, with Hideki Konno’s work creating precious memories for gamers worldwide.