um, list one Sony exec that has done anything even close to what Miyamoto has done for the videogame industry.  Seriously...wake up.  You don't have to like Nintendo, but if you think Miyamoto isn't one of the best game developers in history, you deserve a slap.

Also since he's the only guy in video games on there, and videogames are much more influencial than people admit. Just look at how many damn tv and movie people are on there...

Also, the Thai seem to be voting in huge amounts for their king and he shouldn't be on the list cause has he effected anything outside of Thailand at all? It's really bothering me.... 

Voted 100%!!!

He's already at position 3, go Shigi!

@Benkenobi88, start slapping

If you go to the street and ask for a random person to name a vigeo game character, the answer is very likely to be Super Mario. If you look at the list of top selling games of all time, you'll see Miyamoto's games there. If you ask about the best game of all time from a gaming journalist, he'll probably say Ocarina of Time. If you look at the gaming phenomenons of this year, they're Nintendo's: Wii Sports, Nintendogs and Big Brain Academy are the top 3 imo. How many games have been featured in TV shows before Wii Sports? The game's been at least in Colbert Report, Late Night with COB and Dr. Phil.

Miyamoto is influential because he brings gaming to the masses. Gaming is now becoming more of a truly mass media/popular culture like books and films because Wii and DS are so easy to approach. Wouldn't it be absurd if you asked your parents if they've ever seen a film or read a book and they replied 'no'? My father has never played a video game and my mother has only tried. When people understand what games are all about through experience, pricks like Thompson aren't able to feed off of their ignorance. The Wii's social aspect is also important to clear preconceptions about a typical gamer being loner twitching his thumbs in front of a huge screen in a dark room. Playing in the internet just isn't the same as playing with people in the same room. Microsoft and Sony do the exact opposite: they concentrate on online gaming and small group of people.

On the top of all things, Miyamoto basically revived console gaming industry with SMB. That was of course important, because mass penetration is a lot more feasible in living rooms than in working rooms.

Miyamoto gave me a wonderful hobby which I still love and gave me a wonderful console which I love to play with everyday and also a handheld which I adore, Zelda is my all time favorite game together with Mario so for that Miyamoto deserves a 100% vote from me, he's basically my hero! Always been always will be.

Whatever that 14 year old kid (I think 14) That made Chopper Command2 is what got me into gameing. I dont Think Miyamoto deserves to be in the top 25. Why? In america, there are less than 50million consoles sold. That is less than 50% of people. Unless he donates his billions of profits to a non-profit orginization, I dont think he deserves to be above #25.

EDIT: he is influencial to the video game market. Not the world. This is about the world, not the video game market. He is not very influcencial in the world.

EDIT2: He is now #2. 

Well Steven Colbert isn't that important either in my opinion...he's just amazing, like Miyamoto.

@yourmother

Katuragi did a hell of alot more, his creation revolutionized the idustry.  Took gaming beyond the kiddy world into the lives of adults, took it mainstream.  Made it acceptable by the general public and grew the industry beyong nintendos bs control, if Ken did not make the PS1 we would still be playing games of cartridges.

 Sowhat exacly has Miyamoto done thats so influential ? simple nuff question.