Hidetaka Miyazaki is one of the most reputed names in the video game industry. Todd Howard is another such personality who has gained acclaim for his creative endeavors.
Like Miyazaki’s revolutionary work with action RPGs, Howard is best known for his work with fantasy RPGs. While there are loads of incredibly talented industry veterans, these are our eight gems who have been revolutionary with their work.
#8 Hidetaka Miyazaki
At this point, Hidetaka Miyazaki is a man who needs no introduction. A legend in the video game space, he has worked on several chart-buster titles. The list includes Sekiro, Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and the Dark Souls trilogy.
Every product of Miyazaki’s vision and imagination oozes excellence. He is responsible for making FromSoftware a video game studio with such prosperous brand value. The video game veteran’s unique perspective on failure, perseverance, and death in video games sets him apart from most.
#7 Todd Howard
The face of Bethesda, Todd Howard, is best known for creating, perhaps, the most acclaimed fantasy RPG series of all time, The Elder Scrolls. The fifth game in the series, Skyrim, is hailed as Howard’s magnum opus. Howard has contributed immensely to the popularity of RPG titles in general, too.
Many fans have expressed dislike towards his recent projects like Fallout 4 and Starfield. Despite all the flak, Howard’s portfolio speaks for itself and has cemented him as one of the finest minds in the industry.
#6 David Cage
David Cage is the man behind Quantic Dream, the video game studio known for making video games with rich narratives. Titles like Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, and most recently, Detroit: Become Human.
Quantic Dream’s games are a lot more accessible to people who aren’t hardcore gamers. That is because they are more like interactive movies where every choice, big or small, matters and shapes a character’s destiny. They also cover varied themes, have incredible writing, and leave a lasting impact on the player.
#5 Ed Boon
Ed Boon is a name tied to one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic, fighting video game series of all time, Mortal Kombat. The series began in 1992; its latest entry was in 2023, and it has been flying high ever since.
Boon also created the Injustice: Gods Among Us IP during his time at NetherRealm Studios. He is a visionary who isn’t afraid to unlearn and reinvent, as visible from his approach with Mortal Kombat. Boon has rebooted the series two times already.
#4 Jason Rubin
Jason Rubin is one of the two co-founders of Naughty Dog, a first-party PlayStation studio. Naughty Dog has been in the industry for over forty years. It has released gems like Crash Bandicoot, Uncharted, and The Last of Us.
Games from Jason Rubin’s studio have always been the perfect blend of fantastic gameplay with gripping narratives. Naughty Dog’s Uncharted was adapted into a movie, and The Last of Us video games were adapted into a hit television series broadcast on HBO.
#3 Sam Lake
There aren’t many people in the industry who are as passionate about their craft as Sam Lake. Remedy Interactive is the studio’s creative director who has impressed generations of gamers with his work.
All video games developed by Remedy are works of art executed with passion and finesse, from vast, incredibly detailed worlds to eye-catching art styles and signature background scores. Much of the work done by the studio is the product of Lake’s mind and his grasp on filmmaking and video game direction. It suffices to say that his excellence is second to none.
#2 Hideo Kojima
When one thinks about eccentric works of art and distinctive writing that is mind-bending at multiple levels, Hideo Kojima‘s works instantly come to mind. The creative genius of Kojima is responsible for blessing the industry with titles like Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding, and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.
Kojima’s games will make one go, ‘Umm, what is going on?’ to ‘Oh, no, that didn’t just happen!’ in minutes. Kojima has stated multiple times that cinema has been one of the biggest inspirations behind his work. That is precisely why he is a virtuoso in the truest sense, creating games that blur the line between cinema and video games.
#1 Gabe Newell
Gabe Newell has to be one of the biggest names in the industry. The president and co-founder of Valve Cooperation is the one who brought some of the greatest games of all time to the industry, including the likes of Half-Life, Portal, and Counter-Strike.
Not just that, he and Valve Cooperation managed to singlehandedly revolutionize the PC gaming industry, establishing the one true king of PC marketplaces, Steam. Had it not been for him and Valve, not only would PC gaming be a lot less polished than it is right now, but it would have never reached its potential.
While it is tough to imagine the industry without any of these legendary trailblazers, which one of these do you respect and admire the most? Which one of them had the most significant impact on your gaming journey? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
