Top 10 Video Game Auteurs

We are all familiar with the concept of the auteur... of an artist with a larger-than-life or over-the-top personality that takes their craft super-seriously. With this video, I wanted to celebrate the people who embody the auteur concept best in the world of video games.
TWO EXTRA HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Warren Spector - Primarily for what he did with Ultima and Deus Ex. What he did with Ultima is raise the bar for storytelling, permitting more in-depth narratives in gaming. This reached its apotheosis in Deus Ex 1, which I think has not only one of the best stories in gaming, but is just one of the best games ever made.
Tim Schaefer - His inclusion is motivated for his idiosyncratic style and his ability to shift between a variety of different types of projects.
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[@Aserbic]

Anger still boils within me when I remember a corporation chose a patchinko game over one of the greatest game series.

[@deadlyninja112]

?

[@Mirage475]

Companies only desire to make money at the end of the day. MGSV was a huge money sink cause Kojima fucked around for more years than was necessary. Both sides have reason to be criticized not just Konami.

[@solidbhatt]

No. They chose money

[@bruhtholemew]

@@solidbhatt Yes, a pachinko game. A gambling machine. Money.

[@solidbhatt]

@@bruhtholemew lots of money

[@JustZhekai]

Just based off of Fallout New Vegas in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2, I can agree with you about Chris Avalon

[@stanners1714]

He wrote planescape: Torment too

[@zlodrim9284]

@@stanners1714 And NWN 2's Mask of the Betrayer.

[@h0laPlaneta]

Chris Avellone

[@JustZhekai]

You know what I meant

[@packrunnernes]

The creative lead and writer of the main story for New Vegas was John Gonzalez, not Avellone

[@willn4667]

As a massive Xeno fan, that segment on Takahashi is 100% accurate. Also, while he might not be the best, I think Shigeru Miyamoto deserves a shout-out for the impact he's had on the industry. Creating two of the most important franchises ever is no small feat.

[@tsp1999]

Don't forget he did it with Tezuka, the Green Miyamoto as I like to call him. Or the Bill Finger/Steve Wozniak kinda guy

[@Dominicn123]

hes one of the most important developers absolutely, but hes no auteur, hes got the book smarts, but not the street smarts, basically when it comes to making the mechanics in an entertaining game and establishing the proper standards in what games should have, but when it comes to presentation, story, narratives, he lacks in that category entirely lol, hes always made his team remove elements of lore and story on his games, zelda already has a weak storyline, but it wouldve been a whole lot weaker had he got his way, there are many famous stories of devs having to hide story elements in popular games from him until the end of development when it was too late for him to have them removed LOL

[@agroed]

Here's some of my own honorable mentions that you should keep an eye on: Eric Chahi, Jenova Chen, Jonathan Blow, Lorne Lanning, Katsura Hashino, Toby Fox, Josef Fares, Lucas Pope, and Arnt Jensen.

[@icespicefan4771]

Nobody knows who those people are, except for Toby Fox

[@agroed]

@@icespicefan4771 Well then perhaps they should learn. XD

[@OhMyShad]

Lucas Pope is a freaking genius

[@LOEKASH]

Fumito Ueda is not just one of my favorite game designers, he's one of my favorite ARTISTS in the history of any medium.

[@KitsGravity]

Finally someone who loves Ueda as much as me ❤

[@mesutozil33]

Same

[@solaris4019]

Ueda is genius, and the best thing is that in all these years he made only 3 games... but how beautiful they are. I'm slowly losing hope that he'll live to see his fourth game... xd

[@LOEKASH]

​@@solaris4019 My favorite movie director is Satoshi Kon, so seeing legends go before the end of their heyday is nothing new to me

[@aaronatkinson177]

I just got into his work I enjoyed shadow of the colossus but the last guardian made me emotional I just couldn't escape being pulled into the game with it's theme of friendship and not being alone helped with it's music the music is what really sells it for me this made me cry and made me want to experience ico his first game to the trilogy of his works ❤😁

[@NiceB4dge]

I would honestly have included Will Wright, near the very top. His games are some of the most unique and original games ever made, in every single aspect of them, while still being insanely influential to this day. Edit: And I guess Peter Molyneux could be in that list too, even though he's infamous for overhyping his (albeit unique) games in an even worse way than Todd Howard ever did lmao

[@maxderrat]

Oh shit... that's a good call.

[@otterdonnelly9959]

I kinda would figure Will would be in the category of Architect. Along with Miyamoto and Richard Garriott

[@makeshift_battlefield_music]

​@otterdonnelly9959 that's what I was thinking.

[@Nevir202]

Wonder what it is about that name? Because a different Will Wright is also the author of the fantastic series, "Cradle".

[@tonts5329]

@@maxderrat You can always do a followup video

[@richardellis8193]

Everything you said in the beginning especially applies to one man in particular, who ironically, is grounded enough to spread the credit to his colleagues and co-workers; humble despite being massively disruptive, influential and revolutionary is Warren Spector. His legacy is not just Deus Ex, System Shock, Ultima Underworld, Epic Micky, but his design philosophy is studied today. It invented a whole genre - immersive sims. He believes games are art and that they should stop trying to be poor imitations of films. He talks about this and things like the feature creep in graphics and Hollywood-esq set pieces. A giant amoung men in a childish industry.

[@MabansAllDay]

The most ironic thing about Kojima being #1, he himself has said he doesn't video games as "art". Kojima said at the time, "Art is what you find in a museum, whether it's a painting or a statue. What I do, what video game developers do, is run a museum - how do we light things up, where do we place them, how do we sell tickets? "What I do, Hideo Kojima and myself, for better or worse, is to run the museum and also create the art that is displayed in the museum."

[@FoxMulder-FBI]

... and also create the art that is displayed in the museum

[@Yamartim]

Here's a really underated one: Yoshiaki Koizumi, he's the one Nintendo developer that when put in a director or producer role makes the games he works on really stand out and have that emotional spark that makes the most impactful Nintendo games He directed Majora's Mask and made the most unique and emotionally powerful Zelda game He sneaked in the Rosalina storybook in Mario Galaxy against Miyamoto's wish, one of that game's most beautiful segments He produced Mario Odyssey and made the main Mario franchise go back to being creative and really playful with its ideas again after a long period where it was growing very stale in the Wii u era

[@King-wl6zj]

Facts, SUPER deserving of a placement here, him and Sakurai for creating Kirby, Kid Icarus and the modern platformer fighter not to mention his huge presence in the online community due to the smash bros announcements.

[@PseudoWounds]

"He directed Majora's Mask" sold me there. One of the best games ever made.

[@houragents5490]

Derrat is deathly allergic to Nintendo games. He made a whole video about gnostic themes in video games and went out of his way to avoid Xenoblade.

[@Pyrashusband]

@@houragents5490lol can you blame him for that

[@AleSlevin]

Keiichiro Toyama (Silent Hill, Siren, Gravity Rush, Slitterhead), a master of horror and environmental storytelling that doesn't require to reduce gameplay to walking simulators.

[@fernandoharada508]

Gravity Rush is such an unique and fun experience! There is nothing like Gravity Rush! I can just imagine what a Gravity Rush 3 on the PS5 could play like!

[@akabancopop]

Ueda, Takahashi, Taro, and Kojima are the Mt. Rushmore If you consider these last two Zelda games to be the pinnacle of game design that their metascores suggest, you have to have those four on ANY list, because their influence is EVERYWHERE in the game if you're looking hard enough.

[@gavinferguson2938]

You know, I actually agree with this quite a bit. Everything that has made Zelda botw and totk as universally celebrated as they are. Is due to the developers looking back at not only their own works, but the works of the collective industry over the past two to three generations of gaming. While neither are in my opinion my best experiences with video games, I have to applaud the Zelda team for crafting what I truly believe are games that have somehow come as close as possible to being "perfect". Not perfect in that they are without flaws, but perfect in that they appeal to everybody due to excelling in such a broad variety of different ways while somehow remaining both accesable and consistant. Accesable because the controls are simple, fluid, fun and easy to use despite the dynamism of the world and its variety of activities in which those controls can be used. Consistant in that the game preforms well, is without bugs (for the most part) and provides challange that is neither too easy nor too hard. Best way to summarize what im trying to get at is... If someones wanted to get into gaming. The first game id always reccomend is a recent Zelda title. Not because they are without flaws but because they are the most quintessential gamiest games that suceed at being just that.

[@dio2076]

Short response to your bonus honorable mentions: Warren Spector also created the first System Shock as well......

[@maxderrat]

OH YES! Duh. My bad.

[@solaris4019]

And System shock 3 was canceled because of him, right?

[@zaramoth042]

What about Tim Schafer? He made Psychonauts, Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, Brütal Legend and many more titles. I think he is a brilliant mind of the video game industry to be mentioned.

[@maxderrat]

I put Tim Schaefer in my honorable mentions list in the description.

[@h0laPlaneta]

@@maxderrat Tim Schafer

[@D3sdinova]

The original psychonauts is the best 3D platformer ever made if you ask me. Every level is so unique and has unique gameplay. But its super cult, all thier games are cult. Definitely one of the best.

[@salmark9080]

lucky to be able to play Kojima's games from as a small child to an adult

[@noctsickversus9632]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2SQkKVmrJysoas

[@panthekirb7561]

Goated childhood

[@jameswebb966]

Hideo Kojima also did PT which single handedly spawned a new genre of horror... And it wasn't even a finished game!

[@packrunnernes]

Wasn't amnesia released before PT? Don't think it spawned anything buddy, and I'm saying this as a pretty big fan of Kojima's games And IF it did spawn said genre, it's the worst horror subgenre in gaming, it's just first person jumpscare KZbinr react horror

[@solaris4019]

Penumbra was first, and many, many years earlier, kid.

[@yoavbartov2147]

Tobi Fox at least deserves an honorable mention... but very interesting video.

[@maxderrat]

What he was able to accomplish with Undertale is astonishing, and Deltarune is an interesting continuation of his style and approach to world-building, but I still need to see more from him before I can make him a serious contender.

[@dmaa88]

A promising up and comer for sure, I'm sure we'll see more of him in the future.

[@brya9681]

​@@maxderrat he would literally be the only person worthy of this title since he made the game all by himself. No one else is the sole reason any of the games are good. "Great man" and "auture" is a bullshit idea that omly lessens the work the dozens of people that helped make it put it just to suck the dick of one guy who was only a piece of why the work is good

[@QuacksterThegraet]

He needs to drop 2/3 more games to qualify

[@VoiceOfTheEmperor]

I'm more into David Szymanski . He makes great creepy indie games. He made Dusk, Squirrel Stapler but above all, IRON LUNG.

[@shitfacejohnson4085]

dont forget Dusk 82' and Chop Goblins :)

[@mahrze]

I figured Yasumi Matsuno would make the list. Guy has inspired so many in the square Enix universe and RPGs in general with his ivalice games and Tactics Ogre

[@maxderrat]

Oh SHOOT. Good call, dude. I might need to re-examine my list.

[@melonusk6120]

@@maxderrat easy, just make part 2 :D

[@YudaHnK]

Matsuno was way ahead with his style. Imagine SE making him director of a new project

[@VergieOfDeath]

@YudaHnk his last work with SE is for a raid in FFXIV Stormblood named Return to Ivalice. I want him back for an RPG game again. Heck so long as he is the director, any game would suffice

[@sionsonorism]

suda51 has got to be my favourite in the gaming industry. killer7 and the 25th ward are on another level

[@Epigz418]

based

[@packrunnernes]

Weeb

[@solaris4019]

@@packrunnernes IDIOT WITH LOW IQ

[@Eyes-Scream0213]

I think Shinji Mikami and Hideaki Itsuno should be included too but still a great list. I already know Kojima will be on the top spot. He is a god indeed 😁

[@jerm5466]

Glad Kamiya got a mention but imo he should be rated much higher. Virtually created the character action genre, evolved it twice to incredible effect (Bayonetta and Wonderful 101), made one of the best beat ‘em ups ever (Viewtiful Joe), directed Resident Evil 2 and Okami like you mentioned. He’s had a massive influence in every genre he’s touched.

[@nerostark4320]

Dont forget Devil May Cry

[@VergieOfDeath]

@@nerostark4320 that's what he's referring to created the Character Action Genre.

[@badskiddy2037]

I also believe Keita Takahashi should've at least gotten a shoutout for works like Katamari. and for no less accidentally creating the first "strand" game with Noby Noby Boy

[@CandyChaos7]

Thank you Max for the Honorable mentions of the video games I used to play and some I continued to play to this day...

[@maxwelldavidson4157]

Max just MENTIONING Lost Odyssey had me cheering lol. Such an amazing experience and hardly anyone seems to mention it

[@stanleyurivosich7007]

I really like this video. It feels like a fun aside from the heavy analysis. Funny edits too.

[@DjimonMoz]

I think this video idea warrants an encore but with indie auteurs only. Guys like Lucas Pope, Jonathan Blow and Alex Beachum certainly deserve some reverence for their contributions.

[@Callsign_Neuro]

SoulsBorne Formula is top tier. When people ask me why I don’t replay games a lot, I reply, “I can only experience a fantastic, lore-packed game once. I can only be blown away and experience the mindfuck once the first time.

[@jwnj9716]

But what about the geniuses who gave us Cheetahmen?

[@himwhoisnottobenamed5427]

Those brave unsung heroes. 🫡

[@liammcnicholas918]

Imagine if Hideo Kojima, Yoko Taro, and David Lynch all made a game together. That would be the most insane thing ever made.

[@davidmayer4374]

Lets be serious the people who think that videogames are not art, are the same people that consider a banna with a nail in it art. Videogames are the highest form of art because they are a combination a 3D Modells, Music, Story Telling writing, Cinematagraphy in cutsceenes, creative gameplay and docen other art forms. And yet there are people that will pay 10 million dollars for some cheep, fast made pictures that are just coullars random spread on a paint wall in 5 minits. And than say that a videogame that 300 peopel worked to gether on for 10.000 working hours is not art. Those fans of old classic art that dont except this new art. Are like stone age people making fun of our time for having space ships and saying that grafity is a joke and planets dont exist.

[@adahnliegl740]

Cool video. I frankly didn't realize that a lot of my favourites were actually designed/authored by the same people. If you ever decide to expand the list I'd gladly watch again. I would however cherish if you'd specify what exactly is "progressing" video games. Is it sheer size and detail; is it degree of freedom; is it a formula that goes against common wisdom; is it breaking ground on new topics and themes; is it unique and memorable art direction; is it crossover into other media etc. (?) What I would be most interested would be a list of autheurs from the last ~10 years that brought new and interesting features to video games. Simply to be able to appreciate that gaming is still moving forward despite a general feeling of same-ish-ness.

[@Noodle1423]

Thanks for giving Suda51 the spotlight he deserves. You are truly an autere of good taste.

[@colinies]

Sick idea for a video Max, you could def use the Top 10 format like this more often if you wanna

[@memyselfishness]

I think one of the greatest Video Game Auteurs is Eric Barone aka ConcernedApe. Stardew Valley is entirely developed by him (or at least originally started that way) with him as designer, artist, composer, and writer. Stardew has a very specific philosophical viewpoint in it and Barone explores it in a variety of ways and variety of perspectives. Perhaps he's not as groundbreaking or progressive for video games as an artform, but he definitely has more control over his ideas and games than any of the others you listed here. In my mind, that fits the auteur definition more than yours including progressing the artform. In fact, I would say your definition of auteur is incorrect. I think your ranking being based on that progressing the artform makes sense, but not the definition of auteur. That's not how it's used in regards to filmmaking. I was also extremely surprised that you did not include Jonathan Blow on your list. His entire thing is video games as art imo. Plus he's extremely an auteur. As others have mentioned as well, Will Wright. He and Sid Meyer were more so one of those gaming architects that you mentioned, but Will Wright continued to innovate while Sid just kinda... slapped his name on things. Then there's the other auteur duos to consider. For instance, Amir Rao and Greg Kasavin of Supergiant games feel very much like auteurs to me, where Amir is focused on gameplay and Greg is focused on story and theming.

[@lckfan3696]

I wouldnt call elden ring combat "state of the art"

[@maxderrat]

Fair enough! I'm curious to hear what game with melee combat you'd consider state of the art?

[@why_so_serious]

​@@maxderratSekiro!!

[@error404idnotfound3]

Thoughts on Monster Hunter’s combat?

[@lckfan3696]

@@maxderrat monster hunter, xenoblade games, tales series, even the newer ff16 and 7r have better combat

[@maxderrat]

From what I have seen of Xenoblade's combat, I would say it's fine. I tend to agree with you in regards to Monster Hunter and the Tales' series, actually. Their combat is wonderful. Not sure I'd agree about FF16 and 7R having BETTER combat then Elden Ring though, even though I loved FF16's combat and appreciated what 7R was going for.

[@Lesandira]

See that comment section? You can climb it! The list is really good, but I feel like you are missing some important figures from the early days of computer games like Richard Garriot and Roberta Williams.

[@maxderrat]

No doubt their contributions were important. As I said in the video, I did try to steer away from the early days because I view people like Garriot and Williams as architects rather than auteurs. Plus an unspoken category that I took into account when defining auteur was their notoriety. Unfortunately, I don't know if people like Garriot and Williams are as well-known for their auteurism as other people on this list.

[@mattthekiller9129]

Man, i can't believe Tim Schafer is not on this list, he should have been a honorable mention 🤟🤟

[@WalterGirao]

I agree with you... that i think Miyazaki should be MUCH higher on this list. Chasing novelty in detriment of refining a special creation is a trap that has plagued too many good artists to count. There are a few examples of that trap in this very list

[@maxderrat]

But isn't the point of being an artist, to some degree, demonstrating your expertise with your craft and breaking new ground? Yes it is about honing and refining your signature style, but aren't the truly great artists people who have a signature style that can be seen in a variety of forms? Like Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese?

[@WalterGirao]

@@maxderrat the "breaking new ground" part is not mandatory. It has to make sense and serve the end goal, not be the end goal itself. Miyazaki understands that and whenever he introduces new elements to his formula (which he actually does to an impressive degree) he takes great care not to let the novelty overtake the spirit of his work. If we're making analogies to other art forms (which I'm all for), this novelty chasing would be the reason for so many of my favorite prog bands from the 70s becoming crappy synth pop generic bands in the 80s. (They had defined their style as "progressive" so they had to keep innovating. Let's say they innovated themselves past good music.)

[@ethanhernandez9889]

@@maxderratI think accessibility goes a long way in the enjoyment of something, more people are more likely to be touched by something like Red Dead than Something like Sekiro simply because even my grandma can see Arthur’s story through to its conclusion, but only a select few can truly finish the Wolf’s Journey. That being said I think both games are works of art, that inspire you to be better.

[@bl00by_]

I highly dissagree. Forcing yourself to make something different instead of sticking with your own artstyle isn't a good thing. Take popular artists like van gogh or davinci for example. Do you think their work would've been as special if they forced themself to create art pieces without their own artstyle just to have something different? I personally think that forcing yourself to do something else ruins your art. The piece you create should be natural and not artficial

[@WalterGirao]

@@bl00by_ the way Miyazaki himself puts it (in game by the way) is something like "you have to find the dark soul to paint the new world with. Only then you can burn it all down"

[@UnseelieFaelass]

What about Déraciné? Nothing Soulsborne about that game. Granted I dunno if Hidetaka Miyazaki was involved in Déraciné's development per say, but it does have references to Bloodborne within. Including a plush version of the Doll that even does one of Bloodborne's most beloved emotes when interacted with. Déraciné is a VR game where-in you play as a Fae that was just born. You learn about your powers and the world around you by interacting with humans living in an orphanage. Let's just say if you like Legacy of Kain, or other games revolving around fate and time, you'll like this little game. I daresay it can be completed in one sitting, but boy is it well worth it. I only haven't played it myself because I don't have the money for VR, let alone any space for it.

[@UnseelieFaelass]

Not to mention From Software's only true horror game that I know of, Kuon. I'd hesitate to say that one was a Soulsborne formula game. Granted it did come out before Demon Souls, but regardless. There's other works From Software has to their name beyond the Soulsborne series. They're just on the niche side of things from what I've noticed. Kuon is EXTREMELY expensive online if you seek the English translation of it, and Déraciné just didn't really draw many people in for one reason or another. In my case it was a lack of space and funds for VR, for others the VR may have been a turnoff for different reasons, and I'm sure many others probably wanted a Soulsborne style title. Which is unfortunately the norm for From Software now. Anything else from them rarely gets attention because fans want what they want really. Please note I am no way discrediting the Soulsborne series, nor anyone that plays them. I just noticed a pattern some few years ago and am voicing my opinion on it. I'm also sure Kuon fans and Déraciné fans, few though they may be, would love to see those games become something bigger with series of their own. Or at the very least more stand alone titles from that formula the fans know them best for.

[@TheC3lso]

Great video! It's funny see that game designers are becoming the new rockstars

[@18gShop]

Thank you for all of your videos!

[@badskiddy2037]

What about Armoured Core 4 and For Answer? Why does everybody forget that Miyazaki directed those games as well?

[@AmeshaSpentaArmaiti]

They'll remember when fires of Rubicon reminds everyone where from's talent really came from.

[@franjaff6919]

He stated "famous works", not "every work"

[@benfrancois7856]

I allso like David De Gruttola[1] (born June 9, 1969), known by his pseudonym David Cage,[1] is a French video game designer, writer and musician. He is the founder of the game development studio Quantic Dream. Cage both wrote and directed the video games Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls for the PlayStation 3, and Detroit: Become Human for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows.

[@S_Hyde]

The image of Yoko Taro rolling on the floor screaming "SHIT SQUARE ENIX NIER AUTOMATA T SHIRT" has kept me alive through crappy days.

[@hammurabi_suman7152]

Miyazaki's Armored Core run is pretty underrated. It's quite an interesting series and somewhat of a divergance from mechanic and themes from the souls series. Just goes unmentioned. That's understandable though when Soulsborne is his magnum opus. So I get the ranking.

[@putyograsseson]

I thought he only worked on 6, no?

[@hammurabi_suman7152]

@@putyograsseson Somewhat certain he was involved with a couple others like Last Raven, 4, and For Answer. He didn't do all of them, but was pivotal in at least those three. At the very least involved I believe. Just some directorial range I think he has.

[@putyograsseson]

@@hammurabi_suman7152 You're totally right, I just looked it up and he joined FromSoftware already back in 2004, wow!

[@griffon2-6]

There's no such thing as Fallout series, there is Fallout and Fallout 2. Todd doesn't even know they exist.

[@jackmcglion8337]

I believe the creator was Tim Cain.

[@Enharmony1625]

Yasumi Matsuno should really be on this list!! He is largely responsible for refining the tactical/strategy RPG genre, with intricate game design, incredibly realized worlds and stories. There are no other games like Matsuno games. His notable works include: - Ogre Battle - Tactics Ogre (still considered by many to be the crown jewel of strategy RPGs) - Final Fantasy Tactics - Vagrant Story - Final Fantasy XII He has also had a huge influence on other creators, most notably Naoki Yoshida who became a game developer because of Tactics Ogre and joined Square so he could work with Matsuno. Other developers who joined Square (e.g. Tabata of FFXV) did so because of Vagrant Story. Speaking of Vagrant Story, Kojima was so impressed with the game that he expressed some jealousy (there is an interview from years ago between Kojima and Matsuno). Vagrant Story also shares a lot of similar elements to the Souls games, and came out almost 10 years before Demon's Souls! This game was so ridiculously far ahead of its time, I can think of few other games in the same league. It's a masterpiece! The unfortunate thing about Matsuno is that since the troubled development of FFXII and him leaving that project, he hasn't done too much since (although he did do a small game on 3DS called Crimson Shroud). He contributed some great content to FFXIV and was involved in Tactics Ogre: Reborn, and supposedly he is working on another story (as said by Sakaguchi himself a couple of years ago). And speaking of Sakaguchi, he has praised Matsuno for his incredible attention to detail in storytelling and character development, and inventive ideas.

[@CryingFreeman91]

Max: At some point I would love to see Miyazaki do something that didn't use the soulsborne formula. Me: Uhh.. hello? Armored Core? Déraciné?

[@curiousdave]

I was planning to do a similiar video but you beat me to it! Glad you did though because this was really good and interesting to watch

[@Davlavi]

Informative thanks.

[@LucasDimoveo]

Didn’t Fromsoft make Deracine? That is the only Miasaki game that broke from the Souls formula that I know of

[@HiCZoK]

Deeath Stranding is so incredible, I can't believe it was made

[@shaifs5072]

I hoped but didn’t expect Takahashi. He’s the goat for me.

[@raivin7172]

Ah yes Todd "we made Morrowind again, but bad" Howard It's a joke that you put him over countless inspirational game designers

[@KidAmnesiac00]

A Top 10 videogame auteurs without Shinji Mikami or Warren Spector ????.................. Seriously, What the F. Without these masters, there would be no Ken Levine, nor Suda51 or Hideki Kamiya.

[@alextill1301]

Max, have you come across Kotaru Uchikoshi yet? I haven't seen you talk about his games before but in my mind he is on of the most profound and interesting auteurs in video games and seems completely in your wheelhouse. He is the lead creator behind the Zero Escape series and the principle writer of the AI: The Somnium Files games. He weaves philosophical and psychological concepts such as the Prisoners Dilemna, Schrodingers cat, simulation theory and morphogenesis into his story and gameplay in truly amazing ways. Honestly I feel you could get so much mileage out of The Nirvana Iniative alone. Hope you see this and look into his works.

[@IDoubleJ]

Happy to see Tetsuya Takashi make the list. Xeno as a franchise I love each part Gears Saga Blade for different reasons

[@roihu3m]

Couple more names I'd love to mention are Toshihiro Nagoshi (Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza series), and, as a shmup player, Tsuneki Ikeda (nearly every game by CAVE and is literally the father of bullet hell genre)

[@dmaa88]

Yakuza is truly in a category of its own. Honestly? It's the ONLY game that doesn't make me groan at side quests.

[@ahatsquiddy]

Armoured core 4A should have been included for Miyazaki, but I understand his place in the list.

[@wordofmouth7679]

Max, another great video with some high- level insights. As much as I adored the earlier entries in the final fantasy franchise (1-10) and have developed more affinity to franchises with darker and arguably deeper subject matter, sakaguchi’s high placement is undoubtedly well-deserved. Completely surprised that with Kojima, considering your love for the Silent Hill games, you didn’t mention those among his oeuvre. On a side note, I’m going through the ZoE games here again since those developed my love for mech games as I mentally prepare for Armored Core 6. Keep up the great work. Cheers!

[@otterdonnelly9959]

Warren Spector came to my mind before Ken Levine. But I guess he takes that spot. Also Shigesato Itoi, Kenji Eno, Hideaki Itsuno. Was gonna say something about no Keita Takahashi but Molyneux is missing too so I’m good with that.

[@packrunnernes]

Even with that in mind there's no excuse for Warren Spector not to be here Every RPG ever can be traced back to ultima underworld, elder scrolls for example exists because of ultima underworld He was involved in system shock and Deus Ex which invented the best genre in gaming I really can't contemplate Todd fucking Howard being here and not Warren Spector

[@otterdonnelly9959]

@@packrunnernes again that space can be occupied by Garriott, Spector or Levine. They all grabbed from the predecessor Garriott. But Garriott should be architect. The recency of bioshock is still heavy for a lot of people although I think Spector made larger contributions.

[@MaLcH10R]

Surprised Gabe Newell didn't make the list, but I mostly agree with the list. Also, I really need to play Lost Odyssey.

[@marcribault165]

Surprising too, but he may on the architects' side

[@ArcticB4Desert]

Gotta say that SUDA is one of my classic favorites and is heavily underrated in the medium. Shadows of the Damned is one of my hot take favorite games of all time and would love another try at a fun, over the top over the shoulder shooter in the wake of the RE remakes. I'm with you on number 1 btw

[@asgads]

actually active ones: kojima, toddhoward, suda, yokotaro, swery, corybarlog, sam lake, miyazaki, ken levine, neil druckmann, yoshida, anouma, sakurai, david cage, kitase. more than 10, but these are the guys I can think of who actually control a game with large budgets. I hope amy henning will also get a new game out. not really active: spector, wright, molyneux, mikami, suzuki, romero. and looking at the indie space this gets crazy long. my favourite is mcmillen

[@joeabernathy5402]

Todd Howard is the video game equivalent to a used car salesman and has no business being on this list.

[@JiriJustra]

As I understand it, he wasn't even involved in Fallout until its 3rd entry.

[@joeabernathy5402]

@JiriJustra He was not and his team's take on that IP is a joke. Fallout was originally conceived by Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarski. Chris Avellone (who's in the honorable mentions) worked on Fallout 2 and is referenced in Fallout 1 as an npc in Fallout 1. Bethesda bought the IP from interplay because they wanted an existing IP to dump into their garbage engine. Their take on Fallout is some of the most corporately cynical garbage I've ever had the misfortune of playing. The original Fallout was incredibly important to me as an adolescent. It showed me RPGs could be more than their traditional fantasy settings and could really have something to say.

[@brya9681]

The list is bullshit in general. None of these men did anything alone, they owe their success to dozens of hard working talented people. Just like a director isn't the reason a movie is good on his own so true is it for games

[@thomasnielsen5580]

I agree, and when is saw him in the thumbnail, I expected a guy like David Cage to join as well (luckily not). While he is an auteur, he is not a good one. To be considered great, you have to show consistency above all, and that is already lacking with a game like Fallout 76. His other games, I don't really have much to say on that matter. Fallout 4 is impressive in that its able to be a downgraded version of Fallout 3, even though it was released 7 years later. I also blame games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls for their contribution to the current gaming landscape, which is generalised, impersonal, repetitive, dry, quantity over quality approach. All traits I see in his games, and I do not consider them work of art. I disregard his output before F3, as i haven't played it however, these reasons are enough to not consider him a great/good auteur.

[@thomasnielsen5580]

@@brya9681 It's not bullshit as the term exist, not just here, but in the movie industry as well. You can think it in many ways. Try to remove Tarantino from Pulp Fiction and no one else. Would Pulp Fiction exist in the hands of everybody else in the production? No. For further explanation, wikipedia is an option.

[@abyssjaywalk2955]

Miyazaki also directed Déraciné and the best mech games AC4 and AC4Answer .

[@douglasj5490]

Always perfect, always perfect Mr Derrat. Never stop, please

[@WingZeroSymphonics]

Great video, Kojima rocks

[@dio2076]

I would also include composer Martin O Donnell and Dark Lord 80's nerd programmer John Carmack.

[@MachTurtle]

John is at the top of my list for sure. And I know Notch only made the one game but probably deserves a mention.

[@seanchan4478]

I've never played his games, but I do watch videos on them, yoko Toro is amazing, I also love miyazaki, Kojima, and ed boon

[@NoxCaelum122]

“Top” needs to be qualified, because Todd Howard does not deserve to be in the seventh spot, if at all, on this list. You cite his work on Morrowind as a point in his favor, ignorant of the fact that almost everything that made that game unique and special came from the mind of Michael Kirkbride. Also, Skyrim, while popular, and the later Fallout games that emulate it, are the video game equivalent of junk food with the notable exception of New Vegas - but that’s not his baby. It’s odd how you’re so forgiving of his missteps, considering the (almost) flawless works mentioned earlier in the video. Again, how you define “Top” is my issue here. Are we discussing the impact, quality, and/or profundity of their work, or their fame amongst gamers?

[@maxderrat]

All of those things plus their personality. Howard is higher on this list for his personality, not so much for the quality of his games or his contribution. I agree with you about the quality of the works of 10-8. I'd rather play those games. That said, I don't think Morrowind and Skyrim are devoid of Howard's influence. It takes talent to select and organize and retain talent, which Howard has done.

[@PseudoWounds]

Fantastic video as always

[@oneiros458]

Death Stranding is my personal favorite video game of all time. After 30 years of gaming, this one really hit.

[@emanuel81111]

Miyazaki created a new genre , influenced at the very least 1000 games and influenced at every single action/action rpg/even FPS , most game has a feature that was inspired by the souls games, the bonfire system, the checkpoint system, the challenging design , 3rd person locked camera, big monster vs rolling little player

[@ibleminen]

Somehow it seems as if you’re describing prior games. Ico had checkpoints and Shadow of the Colossus definitely has the big monster vs little player, you can maybe even argue it has a lock on system as well. But yes the souls games have inspired a lot of games.

[@ibleminen]

Also a lot of games had checkpoints pretty sure mgs2 had it as well with terminals.

[@King-wl6zj]

Dark souls didn’t create a new genre. It’s a subgenre of metroidvania the bonfire system is basically a residing of metroids save stations as is the level design. The grandiosity of soulsborne is also heavily inspired by Team Ico and Zelda.

[@user-cy9kb9cq1q]

Chris Avalon should be Top-3 at least, not just "hOnOrAbLe MeNtIoN", bruh.

[@piroshk1968]

glad to see Suda51 here. hes one of my main inspirations for making art, such a genius

[@AroldoReiss]

Look, I know this channel is story/philosophy oriented and Miyamoto is the biggest anti-video game storytelling advocate out there but that doesn't change the fact that he still continued on to be innovative and influential way after SMB1, the N64 first party catalogue is proof enough.

[@Suzakuux]

It's interesting that some people say auteurs in video games are bad, that it's such a team based production, when films are very much the same yet I don't think I've heard complaints about film auteurs. Films take hundreds and hundreds of people to make happen, just like games. The thing is with both: the auteur is the one that has the initial vision that the rest of the team helps bring to life.

[@akiinmoonlight79]

Glad to see Sakaguchi getting some well deserves respect ❤

[@ocelotsrevolver]

Been looking forward to the vid since we met in line at MGSCON. It's on my playlist now 👍

[@error404idnotfound3]

Honorable mention not to a person, but to a franchise: Monster Hunter. Without its boss design that primarily focuses on visual cues and learning the creature behind the fight, we probably would have a very different dark souls and SOTC.

[@King-wl6zj]

Again this isn’t about quality of games

[@garchomowner]

I think you should point out that todd Howard didnt invent fallout or the elder scrolls. He does take the reins and helped popularize IP, but you should put credit where credit's due.

[@emilholst9789]

Great video idea. Nice with a positive big picture view of the industry!

[@thetrueyuiop]

Bless you so much for regularly giving Xenogears the attention you do.

[@brandonthomas6602]

So glad Druckman didn’t make the list

[@33gbm]

Amazing list, man! You should create a list with your rank or just the road map you used to prepare this video just to keep the notes. :) Also, Ken Levine is the most amazing storyteller of any media, what he did with bioshock infinite is mind-blowing. Some indie authors have inspired on him and did some great titles.

[@DexysTakumi]

I think you should have embraced more the top 10 list youtuber energy

[@Mankey619]

I’ll always think of Japanese devs to be the top auteurs in gaming history. They create the best in storytelling, lore and philosophical stories in video games.

[@whenisdinner2137]

I disagree. I just think Japanese eccentricity is more celebrated because we aren't Japanese. People look at a person like Todd Howard and think he just makes a bog standard Western RPG but meanwhile 1/5th of the list are just people making JRPGs that at least in terms of gameplay are far more conventional than Todd Howard's games. 😂

[@progamerhennessey9483]

I have to entirely disagree with how far Todd fucking Howard is on this list, the “it just works” guy. The, at most funny, engine that’s been used since morrowwind or oblivion. How many releases of Skyrim are we gonna do before we actually innovate anything guy? Seriously, with how controversial you were thinking Miyazaki was that you had to make a point about it. Entirely baffles me when you present me TODD HOWARDS MAGNUM OPUS. I respect your opinions when it comes to philosophy but this is not a good take.

[@crozraven]

What about Shinji Mikami? It could be argued that he is the grandfather of survival horror. his works continue to evolved & influenced the horror genre too...

[@adolfovillafuerte3196]

My favorites are Daniel Mullins (Pony Island, the tremendously underrated The Hex, and Inscryption), and Cosmo D (Off-Peak universe, The Norwood Suite)

[@beansnrice321]

I'd swap Miyazaki with Howard. I'd argue that a lot of Howard's credit comes form Morrowind and Morrowind alone and a lot of Morrowind's quality came form you tripped out writers. Also, I don't feel like you're giving Miyazaki enough credit for the art history he references and depth of his musical ambitions. For instance, the sound design of Demons Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne , especially Bloodborne, are master classes.

[@Reakt00r]

I agree, especially since the main reason he stated for Miyazaki being #10 is that he ''only'' made games using the same formula even though Todd Howard is actually the bigger offender!

[@King-wl6zj]

@@Reakt00rSkyrim and fallout have much bigger differences in genre and tone than Miyazakis games

[@King-wl6zj]

Also this list isn’t about quality of games and more about eccentric personalities and innovation in the medium

[@beansnrice321]

@@King-wl6zj I felt like Skyrim and Fallout 3 felt like the exact same game but with VATS awkwardly bolted on top of Fallout. New Vegas was amazing explicitly because it wasn't made by Howard.

[@thomasnielsen5580]

@@King-wl6zj Not really. One is in a nuked wasteland, another is in a fantasy world. One you shoot with guns releasing bullets another you shoot with your arm releasing orbs. One you slay dragons, another you slay mutants. One you hack doors, another you lockpick doors. One you talk to kings, another you talk to your father. They are identical games, but the foundation is dfifferent. Add starfield, and we replace these things with space, lasers, aliens and astronauts

[@RANDOM-wb8sm]

Chainsaw man: Darkness devil's Panel: The nature of unkown

[@brobber05]

what a wonderful celebration of gaming this video is

[@CycloneFox]

I would also like to mention YoshiP, Swery65 or Shigeru Miyamoto. But I absolutely agree with the ten people on the list and if the list begins with Hidetaka Miyazaki, that should tell everyone the level of great minds that are on this list. All of these people have had a great impact on my life and stand for the thing I try to chase in videogames. Great video!

[@emilholst9789]

Laughed at the Todd Howard thumbnail. Tought it was click bait! 😂

[@THE_FANG_YUAN]

I read quite a lot of comments and no one even mentioned Gabe Newell. Also underestimated are Tomonobu Itagaki (Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden), Akira Toriyama (Dragon Warrior, Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon), Katsuhiro Harada (Tekken), David Jaffe (Twisted Metal, GoW), Yu Suzuki (Virtua Fighter), Koji Igarashi (Castlevania) and Yoshio Sakamoto (Metroid). Todd Howard is overrated, they slams him.

[@mesmorrow]

Miyazaki did work on the latest Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon which is not a souls like game.

[@RoyalGun-9mm]

and thank you for making this video, max.

[@renanlima1118]

important figures for me: Fumito Ueda (Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian), Neil Druckmann (The Last of Us), Masahiro Sakurai and Keiichiro Toyama (Gravity Rush)