Eiji Aonuma, known for his long-running work on Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series, is to be awarded a knighthood in France.
The Nintendo exec has been named a ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the French Minister of Culture. As reported by NewsinFrance, a date for the presentation of this distinction has not yet been set.
However, when the time does come for this presentation, Aonuma will join fellow Nintendo creator Shigeru Miyamoto as one of the few in the video game industry to be bestowed with the honour.
Others in the industry to have also received this knighthood include Michel Ancel (known as the designer behind Rayman and Beyond Good and Evil), Alone in the Dark creator Frederick Raynal and Fable’s Peter Molyneux.
Unlike British knighthoods, the French knighthoods do not allow the holder to add “Sir” in front of their names. However, this really shouldn’t have to stop us from using it, I feel.
This truly has been a bumper year for Nintendo. Along with news that one of its own is receiving a knighthood, it has also seen record sales following its most recent Legend of Zelda release.
Tears of the Kingdom became the fastest-selling game in the series, shifting 10m units worldwide in just three days. Then, in August, it was announced that over 18m units had been shifted since its debut in May, with that figure likely even higher now.
Meanwhile, following its release last month, Super Mario Bros. Wonder became Europe’s fastest-selling Super Mario game ever.
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