Kensuke Tanabe
Kensuke Tanabe | |
|---|---|
田邊 賢輔 | |
Tanabe at E3 2013 | |
| Born | January 26, 1963 Ikeda, Osaka, Japan |
| Alma mater | Osaka University of Arts |
| Occupations | Video game producer, designer |
| Employer | Nintendo (1986–present) |
| Notable work | Super Mario The Legend of Zelda Metroid Prime Chibi-Robo! |
| Title | Manager at Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 3 (2004–2015) Manager at Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 6 (2015–2019) Senior Officer at Nintendo EPD (2019–present) |
Kensuke Tanabe (田邊 賢輔, Tanabe Kensuke; born January 26, 1963) is a Japanese former video game producer and designer who has worked for Nintendo since 1986.
After he had graduated from the Visual Concept Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts, he decided to enter the video game industry, and joined Nintendo in April 1986.
At first, Tanabe was part of the Entertainment Analysis and Development division. He directed the platform games Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2, and worked on the scripts for the action-adventures The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. In 2003, Tanabe moved to the Software Planning and Development division, where he became the manager of Production Group No. 3. Since then, he has become a producer, and has managed and overseen the development of externally developed first party Nintendo video games, such as Metroid Prime, Donkey Kong Country, Paper Mario, Chibi-Robo and other series.
In January 2026, Tanabe announced that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was the last Nintendo game he would be working on, with a concurrent announcement confirming fellow producer Risa Tabata to be his successor.