Takashi Tezuka, one of Nintendo’s most experienced game designers and the man behind some of the company’s biggest classics, is stepping down from his role at the company. Nintendo confirmed the news alongside its latest financial results, stating that Tezuka will officially retire as an executive officer on June 26, 2026.

Tezuka’s career at Nintendo spans decades, with credits that include directing the original The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Yoshi’s Island. His most recent major project was serving as producer on Super Mario Bros. Wonder, released in 2023. At 65, Tezuka has reached Nintendo’s typical retirement age. His longtime collaborator Shigeru Miyamoto, who is 73, continues to work at the company as an executive fellow.

Tezuka’s departure is part of a broader shift happening at Nintendo right now. Several well-known creators from the Famicom and Super Famicom era have recently left or are nearing retirement age. Earlier this year, it came out that Hideki Konno, known for his work on Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Island, and Kensuke Tanabe, who contributed to Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3 as well as the Metroid Prime series, had both retired. Konno is 60 and Tanabe is 62.

Others from that same generation are still active at Nintendo for now, including Super Metroid director Yoshio Sakamoto (65), legendary composer Koji Kondo (64), Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma (63), and Super Mario Kart designer Tadashi Sugiyama (66). Tezuka helped shape some of the most important games in Nintendo’s history, and his work continues to influence the games the company makes today.