Wired reports that Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda and driving force behind scores of Nintendo games, will be retiring from top-tier game production after decades in the business. "Inside our office, I've been recently declaring, I'm going to retire, I'm going to retire," Miyamoto told the publication. He's not retiring in most senses of the word, though. Rather, he's looking to shake off the producer shackles and do more game development himself. "What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself," he said, "probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers," teaching them the ropes, or else plugging away at a small project by himself. His first breakaway endeavor should begin development in 2012.

With many previous Miyamoto productions springing from the man's personal hobbies, like Pikmin (gardening), Nintendogs (pets) and the less commercially successful Wii Music, we truly wonder what Miyamoto-san is up to right this very moment. 

Update: Nintendo is denying Wired's report that game designer Shigeru Miyamoto would retire from his current position. Here's the statement from a Nintendo spokeswoman speaking to Reuters:

"This is absolutely not true. There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned."

Miuyamoto spoke to Wired through an interpreter.