According to foreign media reports and social media...Latest discoveryHideki Konno, the veteran developer who created the Mario Kart series and served as the hardware producer for the Nintendo 3DS, is rumored to have officially retired from Nintendo as early as July 2025.
The reason this news only attracted attention six months later is that Hideki Konno did not announce it in a big way, but only updated his career status on his personal Facebook page. It was only recently discovered by overseas fans and media, causing a stir in the gaming community.
A 40-year career from DreamWorks to Mario Kart
Hideki Konno joined Nintendo in 1986, and his career began with the development of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was later adapted overseas into the well-known Super Mario Bros. 2 (Super Mario USA).
Hideki Konno's greatest contribution to Nintendo is undoubtedly the creation of the invaluable Mario Kart IP. Starting with the original Super Mario Kart in 1992, he participated in the development of almost every game in the series, serving as both Director and Producer for a long period. It's almost fair to say that Konno played a crucial role in establishing the core gameplay and enjoyment of this racing game that has caused countless friendships to be broken.
In addition to software development, he also ventured into hardware design, serving as the hardware producer for the Nintendo 3DS. In recent years, he has shifted his focus to Nintendo's mobile game business, overseeing titles such as Super Mario Run and Mario Kart Tour.
Old comrade-in-arms Takaya Imamura confirmed the news.
After the news of this belated retirement broke, Takaya Imamura, a former Nintendo employee who was in charge of art design for "F-ZERO" and "Star Fox", also shared the news and responded on the social media platform X, indirectly confirming the departure of his old comrade.
As of now, Nintendo has not issued an official statement regarding Hideki Konno's retirement, which is consistent with the company's usual low-key approach to personnel changes.
The topic of Konno's resignation is the beginning of the topic
The era is made by the people who create it. https://t.co/5YMnx5w5vv— Takaya Imamura (@ima_1966) January 24, 2026
