Who is the Biggest Genius in Gaming?

Quote:
"The term genius gets thrown around a lot these days. It seems like everyone gets called a genius if someone wants to kiss their ass a little bit. We here at the The Exploding Barrel think that the term genius needs to be reserved for the few that rightly deserve the title. Making one great game doesn't make you a gaming god. These select few have proven their genius over decades of work, and they all have shaped the industry in their own way. Without a doubt, all of these men are gaming geniuses in their own right. Find out who they are and cast your vote for the man that you believe truly deserves to be called the biggest genius in gaming."

[NO_PUDding]

Fumito Ueda.

[riqued]

For those who don't know: Creator of ICO and Shadow of the Colossus.

Only for these two he should be already considered a genius.

[Fox01]

Miyamoto hands down.

[morganfell]

Not even a contest. Was and still is the most influential programmer in the history of gaming - The Man - John Carmack. Idtech5 owns everything out there.

The greatest day in gaming history was the day John Carmack walked by his first computer, looked at the screen and said, "Cool. How's it work?"

[StephanieBBB]

Hands down geniuses are...

Kojima - Director/creator of MGS series.
David Cage - Director of Heavy rain.
Will Wright - Director/creator of Spore.

[Tomdc]

Chuck Norris?

I actually hate myself for typing that =(

[Cenobia]

I totally agree with you. His two games are my favorites of all time. Wright and Molyneux don't interest me (not my genres), Miyamoto has some great ideas that revolutionized gaming (Ocarina of Time was my favorite game before Ueda), and Kojima makes MGS (which is an awesome series), but none of them match Ueda in my opinion.

Team ICO makes games as art, and I have never had such great experiences with a game as in SotC and ICO. I can't wait for his next game.

[morganfell]

Notes on Carmack:

# In 1999, Carmack appeared as number 10 in TIME's list of the 50 most influential people in technology.

# On March 22, 2001, Carmack became the fourth person to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed upon those who have made revolutionary and innovative achievements in the video and computer game industry.

# In 2003, Carmack was one of the subjects of the book Masters of Doom, a chronicle of id Software and its founders.

# In 2005, the film Doom featured a character named Dr. Carmack, in recognition of Carmack who co-created the original game.

# In March 2006, Carmack was added to the Walk of Game, an event that recognizes the developers and games with the most impact on the industry.

# In January of 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada, John Carmack and id software were awarded with two Emmy Awards. The Science, Engineering & Technology for Broadcast Television, which includes broadcast, cable and satellite distribution, and secondly, Science, Engineering and Technology for Broadband and Personal Television, encompassing interactive television, gaming technology, and for the first time, the Internet, cell phones, private networks, and personal media players. id Software is the very first independent game developer to be awarded an Emmy since the Academy began honoring technology innovation in 1948.

# In September 2007, Carmack appeared on Discovery Channel Canada Daily Planet, featuring his rocket designs along with the Armadillo Aerospace team.

# In 2008 Carmack was honored at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for Quake's pioneering role of user modifiability. He is the only game designer ever honored twice by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, having been given an Emmy Award in 2007 for his creation of the 3D technology that underlies modern shooter video games. Along with Don Daglow and Mike Morhaime, Carmack is one of only three game developers to accept awards at both the Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards and at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Interactive Achievement Awards.

[Bnet343]

Miyamoto

[sumfood4u]

Thanks to them they created Electronic Crack & RMT with a Side Effects of No Life & Divorce Court Entertainment! Good Job Guys & Gals!

[morganfell]

I am laughing because that last paragraph I posted about Carmack trumps everyone else. Instead of posting someone I am a fan of, though I do like Carmack, or picking someone that is the flavor of the moment - Ken Levine - I picked a genius that has truly impacted the industry.

[Chuck Norris]

Dennis Dyack. Oh, wait..

[Boldy]

What about Sid Meier?

[johnnywit]

"San Francisco, CA - May 29, 2008 - Sid Meier, creator of the Sid Meier’s Civilization® franchise and Director of Creative Development at 2K’s world-renowned Firaxis Games development studio, has officially won more game awards than any other video game creator according to the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2008."

I don't know if I would say he is the biggest geinus but that ought to put him high on the list.

[SolidSnake93]

Kojima for the win.

[eagles1990]

I voted for Kojima but the real genius is Miyamoto because video games would probably be dead if it wasn't for him

[riqued]

While I agree that Miyamoto is a genius, I don't thing games would be dead without him...

[fafoon]

A PS3

[Fernando Rocker]

You just need to play Super Mario Galaxy to see how genius is Miyamoto.

[TheHater]

been done in Ratchet and Clank before.

[Fernando Rocker]

You mean spherical worlds?

Like Yoshi's Island in the SNES in 1995 or like Sonic 3?

[ChickeyCantor]

@rocker,
I tried using that evidence too but people keep whining its not the "same".
But its true,
Boss 5 SMW:2

There could be games before that but i dont know them

[poopsack]

SMG=win but I wish it was classic controller compatible

[BrotherNick]

LOL, I love that I don't have to keep my hands in front of me to play...I keep my hands to my sides during that game. I don't care about the gems too much unless I am forced to collect.

[ChickeyCantor]

Exactly same with Zelda.
To me it was way easier to hold the controllers that way.

[Lord_Ash]

The problem is Mayamoto didn’t do as much as you think in Super Mario Galaxy the director made most of the idea, Mayamoto over saw the project and they go to him when they have a problem or can’t figure how to implement something.

He is still a genius but he’s more in project management than in actual development.

[Mr PS3]

.

[juuken]

Kojima dammit.

[thebudgetgamer]

mr bushnell

[Solid_Snake666]

Bill gates ..lol...jk

[slave2Dcontroller]

SHANE KIM? ;D

[BrotherNick]

You know the poll is going to be rigged if n4g members get to it lol.

[SPECTER]

Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto FTW

[slave2Dcontroller]

I concur.

[fafoon]

The RROD

Now that guy is a god damm Genius

[fafoon]

The RROD

[Common Sense]

.

[zo6_lover27]

Bill Gates: We need to get this thing out, the ps3 is coming in a little over a year

Other MS guy: But its not finished

Bill Gates: Don't care we need the fanbase

Other MS guy: But it will have a horrible failure rate

Bill Gates: We can trick them into thinking we have better exclusives by being out early

Other MS guy: What will they do when waiting for a new console when theirs breaks?

Bill Gates: Ummm? Lets put some fancy flashing red lights to entertain them while its dead, yeah, that will do it.

The End

[ChickeyCantor]

DR.Light =D

[JEDI WOLVERINE]

Miyamoto and Yu Suzuki - check out the games Yu Suzuki has been involved with - a true legend

[games4fun]

yu made shenmue right? because i remember the manual having a big gian signature of his on it

Shenmue one of the greatest(and innovative) games ever made too bad it was first on the dreamcast or it would have been wildly popular instead of a cult following (i'm in the cult lol)

[poopsack]

Me!

[Common Sense]

You beat me to it.
After Little Big Planet comes out. It's going to be me. After playing my ingenious levels. You'll keep coming back for more.

[incogneato]

The guy from Heavy Rain, followed by Kojima, followed by Fumito Ueda from ICO, followed by Ted Price from Insomniac, followed by Miyamoto.

[staub91]

Ted Price FTW...Jk, but he is a rising star IMO.

I vote Kojima.

[Deathbringer]

i voted for hideo kojima

[name]

Kojima.

[moses]

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Acid Mobile
Metal Gear Solid Mobile
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus
Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel 2
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Metal Gear Acid 2
Metal Gear Acid
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear"

Only thought there were four o_o.

[DarkArcani]

There are only 4 (true) Metal Gear Solids, there are also the Metal Gear 1&2 games, those were the only ones Kojima did. The Substance and Subsistence ones were also his but they are pretty much the same as 2&3.

[SmokingMonkey]

1 and 2

and hopefully 3!

Kojima

WHoever came up with the idea for LBP

[vashivihang]

and peolpe complain that nintedo is sequel and spin off whore.

[ThatCanadianGuy]

But MG/MGS is one giant story.

Nitendo's games were all just random stories.

[zo6_lover27]

Yes, only a genius could think of a story that amazing

Did any of Nintendo's games have any real "stories" at all?

[riqued]

At least MGS introduces something new while you get to save the princess for the thousandth time...

[bleachrulez]

(*__*)

[Ludwig]

The only "actual" known genious in the industry is Will Wright, genious doesn't mean "I like his games."..

Oh yeah, and John Carmack too.. he's even a rocket scientist.

[Tony240ZT]

I vote John Carmack

[Bladestar]

The guy who came up with the unique idea of trophies on the PS3.

[Closing]

Kojima!

[Ice2ms]

yes completely agree that guy who made Halo 3 and the other guy who made gears of war cliffy B th-

what their not in it? oh well prob because the games are always over hyped and fail to deliver. Actually are any games from these devs out on an xbox 360 i know fable 2 will be out this year but any out right now ? Metal gear is that on 360 :P

[Ali_The_Brit]

hideo

[zo6_lover27]

Amen

Everybody vote Hideo!

[RoyBoys]

HE IS THE GREATEST! I AM SUCH A FAN! All bow before his mighty presence!

[Harry190]

are many. Michel Ancel is one of them.

[Lord_Ash]

I think the list of games are way off, creating the original game doesn’t mean that every sequel/spin-off should be credited to him, I mean Kojima didn’t work on MGS: Portable Ops and Mayamoto didn’t work on most of the new games of old Nintendo franchises it’s not fair for the people who put so much time and effort in the games.

[thomasvdp]

Tim schafer, the guy worked on a lot of highly acclaimed games.
grim fandango, the secret of monkey island, psychonauts,...

he is a true genius.

[poopsack]

Dr. Eggman

[FwanK]

David Jaffe

Why?

Twisted Metal

[BiggDaddy311]

David Jaffe is the man, but needs a few more titles, same for Ted Price and I know I will get smacked for saying it...Gulp.. Cliffy B. Sorry Gears is just a fantastic game/now franchise, plus I think he is behind the Unreal series as well.

But my fanboy stuff aside as much as he sucks at playing Wii Music, Miyamoto (however it is spelled) is number one. I mean come on DK, Mario, zelda, metroid. I mean the only thing that is missing is frickin Pac-Man from that list. I know Kojima is great but he created basically one great series, sorry never played zone of enders.

[Peow]

Howard Scott Warshaw

Creator of the ET game. Yes, the ultimate gaming experience.

[mcgrawgamer]

Will Wright. This guy has a game coming in spore where you go from a single cell organism and evolve into a acutal species. Talk about taking god gaming to next level.

Last but not least John Carmack. This guy is to smart for me to even put in words.

[Greedy Genius]

that guy who made gran turismo, yamauchi isn't he a genius also

[dktxx2]

To say that their is a best genius out there is kind silly but I'd vote for Kojima. Metal Gear is just a remarkable franchise that is in the top five of video game series. Miyamoto would be number one, but he hasn't come up with something new in forever. Ya Mario, Zelda, and Metroid Prime are all great, but I'd love for him to do something new. Peter M. is good, but he promises thing he can't achieve, and it hurts his overall products. Will Wright is also good, but most of his games are boring. If he made more games like the sims and spore then he'd be number #1 easily, but games like sim ant put him down a few notches.

[Z501]

Cliffy B

roflroflroflmao

[Adamalicious]

To go in another direction: I think Ted Price is probably the most impressive studio head out there. Insomniac kicks out quality games every single year while winning best small business awards - that's something else.

[Shankle]

Cliffy B

[RadientFlux]

Tim Schafer
Peter Molyneux
Richard Garriott
Warren Spector

[zer0man1]

Denis Dyack..... hahahahah no no just kidding, its Kojima,

[kingme71]

Should be retitled genius game designers. Carmack trumps all these in sheer brain power. Tim Sweeney is another genius in the game industry.

Designers get alot of credit, but there are tons of very smart people in other facets of the game industry, many of which you never hear about.

[LightofDarkness]

Certainly NOT Kojima. He's not a genius, merely pretentious. Yes, MGS4 is the best game this gen so far, but it doesn't make him a genius. Whomsoever is to be accredited for the masterpiece that is Portal deserves genius status. Its about being quite original and inventive.

One thing people seem to forget is that games are not created by ONE SINGLE PERSON. It's a team effort. At it's core, game dev is simply software dev, where the customer is the publishing company. It's not like Kojima, or Inafune, or even Ueda invented every aspect of the game and told everyone else what to do. It was developed by a number of creative minds working in tandem. The Japanese like to characterise game devs as superstars because that's cultural, but they're are project leads. They are the guy who comes up with a concept, the others fill in the blanks (which is a whole lot in reality). All they do is run their ideas by the lead beofre a baseline is reached.

[TwissT]

Miyamoto deserves this he made so many franchises that defined the gaming industry.

[antoinetm]

miyamoto...

even tho MGS is awsomeness in itself, u just have to look at the list of games made by miyamoto it doesnt even compare.

if it all comes down to MGS4 vs Zelda64 it might be tight but add the mario series, starfox, mario kart, etc... and my vote goes to miyamoto.

[TheColbertinator]

Kojima,Yu Suzuki,Sid Meier,and Tetsuya Nomura

[yog-sothot]

I would personnally add Warren Spector for the unmatched emergent gameplay and mix shooter-RPG in Deus Ex

On the poll, I voted Kojima even if I'm not sure that cut-scenes are the way videogames should tell stories (I love MGS though). And even if I think that Miyamoto was one of the most influent man in videogames history

[Shankle]

Clive Barker

[DFresh]

I can't decide between Ted Price and Hideo Kojima.
Those are my idols when I become a video game designer.