New York

BIG video games, like movies, are usually created by squadrons of people, including dozens or hundreds of artists and developers.

And yet it is an individual who often stands out for creative contributions to the most successful games. For the Mario franchise and other Nintendo hits, it is Shigeru Miyamoto. For the Grand Theft Auto series, it is Sam Houser. Within the games industry and among die-hard players, they are admired in the way Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are revered in Hollywood.