Here's How Much The Creator Of Mario Is Really Worth

Some of gaming's biggest icons — Super Mario, Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda — all came from one mind. Shigeru Miyamoto is a legend in the video game industry, and he has made his mark by giving the world several of the most successful and fun franchises. His name is instantly recognizable, and he seems to have the Midas touch whenever he's involved with a project. Some may even be inclined to compare Miyamoto to Walt Disney.

Miyamoto had humble beginnings as an artistically-inclined son of a teacher. In 1975, he graduated from Kanazawa College of Art, and in 1977, found himself a job as a staff artist for Nintendo. Few could have predicted what he would accomplish from there.

It goes without saying Shigeru Miyamoto is a wealthy man, but just how much is he actually worth? What's he been raking in while working at Nintendo these past few decades? Here's the scoop.

While an exact amount hasn't been verified, you can be sure that Shigeru Miyamoto is worth a lot of money. That's no surprise, considering how much success he's brought to Nintendo for over three decades. What is surprising, however, is that his earnings may not be as high as some other executives in the industry.

An article on GamesIndustry.biz compared Miyamoto's salary to a couple of other leaders in the video game industry. Annually, he brings home $1.79 million, and while that is higher than Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's base salary, the latter has totaled $30 million with equity awards. The CEO of EA, Andrew Wilson, makes almost $36 million after equity awards. Whether or not Miyamoto brings home equity awards is unclear, as such an item is not mentioned in Nintendo's Annual Report. 

Miyamoto is one of the highest-paid employees at Nintendo, second only to the company's president. Considering how much of an impact he has had on the video game industry, it may be shocking to learn how much more other executives in the field might be bringing home per year.