Takashi Tezuka is retiring from his role as Nintendo Executive Officer, effective June 26, 2026. Nintendo confirmed the transition alongside several other executive-level changes taking effect this month. Speaking at the company’s latest shareholder Q&A, Tezuka said he will remain at Nintendo as a Production Producer. That announcement comes after a career spanning four decades at the company.
Tezuka’s career at Nintendo covers 42 years and some of the most important games the company has released. He worked as a designer on the original Super Mario Bros., then directed Super Mario Bros. 3 and The Legend of Zelda. A Link to the Past and Super Mario World followed. After moving into production, he worked across a wide range of Nintendo’s first-party titles over multiple hardware generations. His most recent credit is Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup In Bellabel Park.
Takashi Tezuka on retiring after 42 years
At the shareholder Q&A, Tezuka spoke about joining the company when games were still a young medium. “Looking back on 42 years, I felt, ‘That was such enjoyable work.’ We used to make our own handmade playthings that weren’t available in toy stores. Now it’s on a large scale, and there’s the joy of creating with many people.”
He also addressed his plans: “The work at Nintendo is about developing and delivering products that bring joy to people around the world…I truly feel that working for this company was the right choice. Going forward, I will continue to be involved as a production producer.”
The Production Producer title puts Tezuka outside Nintendo’s executive structure while keeping him inside the development process. Nintendo has not detailed which specific projects he will work on. The title suggests a continued creative function rather than a clean break from game development.
Other executive departures and new nominations
Tezuka is one of four executives departing in June 2026. Takuya Yoshimura, Katsuhiro Umeyama, and Keiko Akashi are also stepping back from their positions at the same time. Subject to shareholder approval, Nintendo has nominated Yutaka Takenaga, senior director of the Auditing Department, as a director candidate. Chika Saka is a candidate for Outside Director.
Tezuka joined Nintendo in the early 1980s and worked through every era of the company’s hardware history. He spent time as a designer, director, and producer before reaching the executive level, with credits that span the company’s most recognizable franchises. His four-decade run ended with a role overseeing production on some of Nintendo’s most recent releases. His transition to Production Producer means he will stay close to Nintendo’s development work. Nintendo has not detailed the exact scope of his new role.