Mario Kart, Smash Bros, And Splatoon Composer Leaves Nintendo After 17 Years
Ryo Nagamatsu has left Nintendo. The famed composer who gave us the soundtracks for Splatoon 2 and 3, Wii Sports Resort, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and both The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and A Link Between Worlds, as well as others, departs from the company after 17 years.
“I have made a decision to leave the company of April 30, 2023,” wrote Nagamatsu in both English and Japanese in a statement on Twitter. “I will work a little wider and more directly to help those who need my help and to help the industry. Thank you all for your kind support! I look forward to [serving] you in the future!”
Nagamatsu added that his departure was “an amicable settlement,” so it sounds like he just wanted to spread his wings and leave the Nintendo nest. It also sounds like he’ll be able to offer his services as a freelancer to other game studios, but this doesn’t mean he can’t still provide Nintendo with another soundtrack here and there.
window.arrayOfEmbeds[“1652991363515047936”] = {‘twitter’ : ‘"n<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I have made a decision to leave the company of April 30, 2023. I will work a little wider and more directly to help those who need my help and to help the industry. Thank you all for your kind support! I look forward to serve you in the future!(an amicable settlement) <a href="https://t.co/L5P7PgF7JG">pic.twitter.com/L5P7PgF7JG</a>n— u6c38u677eu4eae(Nagamatsu Ryo) (@NagamatsuRyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NagamatsuRyo/status/1652991363515047936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote>n"’}; window.arrayOfEmbedScripts[“twitter”] = “null”;
Although Nagamatsu is just 40 years old, he has 17 years of experience working as a composer at Nintendo. Perhaps realizing that his youthful appearance doesn’t properly convey this experience, Nagamatsu offered a second photograph that has been lightly doctored to appear as old as his resume suggests.
window.arrayOfEmbeds[“1653036057196392448”] = {‘twitter’ : ‘"n<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">u4f5cu66f2u5bb6u3068u3057u3066u306eu516cu5f0fu753bu50cfu306bu3059u308bu306bu306f17u5e74u9593u306eu6e0bu307fu304cu8db3u308au306au3044u6c17u304cu3059u308bu306eu3067u3001u591au5c11u52a0u5de5u304cu5165u3063u3066u307eu3059u304cu3053u3063u3061u3092u4f7fu3063u3066u304fu3060u3055u3063u3066u3082u3044u3044u3067u3059u3088u3000As a composer, I don't think I have enough 17 years of austerity to make it an official image, so you can use this one, although it has some processing. <a href="https://t.co/jgmG9eoghS">pic.twitter.com/jgmG9eoghS</a>n— u6c38u677eu4eae(Nagamatsu Ryo) (@NagamatsuRyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NagamatsuRyo/status/1653036057196392448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote>nn"’}; window.arrayOfEmbedScripts[“twitter”] = “"<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>"”;
Fans responded to Nagamatsu’s announcement with thanks and well wishes on his future endeavors, while some fans lament his departure from Nintendo.
“Wow. He was a fantastic arranger,” remarked one ResetEra user. “His work on A Link Between Worlds and Link’s Awakening was superb. Just perfectly tasteful interpretations of the source materials.” Another agreed: “Splat music is so unique and distinct, sad for Nintendo. Sounds like he’s going to move around though which is cool.”
In other Nintendo news, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has officially become the highest-grossing video game adaptation to ever hit the big screen, with over $1 billion in worldwide box office sales. The Mario Movie hit the $1 billion milestone on Sunday, cementing its position as the best-selling video game film of all time.
Source: www.thegamer.com
