Yeah, that's right: I said auteur. Deal with it.
Entertainment Weekly recently posted an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto where topics ranged from social issues in video gaming (most Japanese kids are evidently dicks), Miyamoto's stance on game design ("I could make Halo...it's just that I choose not to."), and the disappointing Japanese sales of Twlight Princess (kids would rather buy Wii Play).
The interview is tragically short considering EW had the chance to pick the brain of the greatest living video game developer, but that doesn't make it any less revealing: though Miyamoto dodges the question of whether he'll ever make a "serious" game, he doesn't buy into the financially-driven crap that seems to flood the western game market. At this point in his career, it's obvious that Miyamoto does whatever the hell he wants:
"You need to create what you want to create! In that sense, I would really like to see people develop games like I do. When I show a game to people I don't ask their opinion or give them a survey. I just watch their eyes and their face while they play. Do they smile? Do they look frustrated? So I guess I do test my games — but it isn't very scientific."
Hit the jump for the full interview.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You obviously know a lot about videogames. But do you watch any other forms of entertainment? How about movies?
SHIGERU MIYAMOTO: I just saw both Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our Fathers. They were very good and thought-provoking films. Although I wanted them to superimpose a little picture-in-picture on the screen so you could see what was happening in the other movie at the same time!
Those films deal with some serious themes: war, sacrifice, and the notion of heroism. Your games are mostly upbeat and sunny. Do you ever think about challenging yourself to design a game that addresses a real-world topic or carries a deeper social message?
Maybe if I were to come across a problem in my life that affected me I would think about that. A game like that would be very interesting to make. At the Independent Games Festival at the last GDC [the Game Developer's Conference] I saw a game, Defcon, which is about thermonuclear war — the whole world is destroyed. That's a very powerful message to put in a game.
What are some real-world issues that would you consider putting into a game?
I have some ideas. One is that in Japan, there are a lot of trains that have sections reserved for the elderly or pregnant women. Young people in Japan sometimes sit in them, but if people come up and need them, you are supposed to get up. But most of the kids don't! It really upsets me. If I could build a game that somehow made the young people respect their elders... And there is another issue bugging me. In Japan there are a lot of people who freelance or work under the table — people who don't pay any taxes. I look at places in the world where people understand that paying taxes to the government helps society. In Japan there's not that understanding. So [social responsibility] is yet another issue I might address in a game. But I probably sound like an old man when I bring these things up.
Do you feel like an old man?
Well, I'm getting older and I have to pay more attention to my weight now. [Rubs his tummy] So that's sort of a hobby of mine. I try to swim at least twice a week. People say I should play the Wii to work out, but whenever I do that it feels like I'm at work!
You mentioned social issues in Japan. But games are a global business — and the youth of America have a host of unique issues in front of them. The reason I mention this is that one criticism of Nintendo's games is that they are very Japanese-centric. American gamers have bought more copies of Halo than they did of Metroid, for instance. Do you ever worry that you're losing touch with what young American players might want to play?
I could make Halo. It's not that I couldn't design that game. It's just that I choose not to. One thing about my game design is that I never try to look for what people want and then try to make that game design. I always try to create new experiences that are fun to play.
Some game companies in America don't think like that. They are mostly risk- averse, producing sequels and franchise extensions, rather than exploring new ideas. There is a lot of emphasis on market research and focus groups. Does that hurt the games business?
With rising budgets, I understand why game companies have a great deal of concern if they don't design games in this way. But you need to create what you want to create! In that sense, I would really like to see people develop games like I do. When I show a game to people I don't ask their opinion or give them a survey. I just watch their eyes and their face while they play. Do they smile? Do they look frustrated? So I guess I do test my games — but it isn't very scientific.
You've had great success in your ability to predict what players will find fun to play. Have there been games that you thought would be fun but didn't turn out that way?
Yes, that has definitely happened. In the past we've worked with some outside development houses on titles like F-Zero and Starfox — and let me just say that we were disappointed with the results. Consumers got very excited about the idea of those games, but the games themselves did not deliver. And, well, to be honest with you, Zelda: Twilight Princess is not doing very well at all in Japan. It is very disappointing. But it is doing okay here in America.
Why do you think Zelda isn't doing well in Japan?
Well, I think a lot of people who bought the Wii are not necessarily the types of people who are interested in playing that kind of game. And a lot of the people who would want to play it [due to chronic shortages of the console] can't find a Wii! But mostly, I think it's that there are fewer and fewer people who are interested in playing a big role-playing game like Zelda.
I know your son is graduating from college this summer. Has he expressed any interest in following in your footsteps and designing a game?
He wants to get into event planning. It makes me kind of happy because it's somewhat similar to the task I do, which is coordinating things between members of a team and coming up with a vision. But no, he hasn't expressed any interest in doing a videogame. He is quite creative though. The other day, for instance, he had to put together a promotional video for one of his college clubs about skiing. So over the weekend we drove around town and captured footage of a bunch of skiing advertisements. Then we went back home to edit the footage. It was fun to work on a creative project with him.
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So, to summarize: Shigamoto does whatever the hell he wants, despite the fact that Twilight Princess isn't doing so hot in Nippon. Miyamoto may be the only living developer who can say that attempting to make another boring-ass Halo-esque game is literally beneath him.
Complain all you want about the Wii's technical shortcomings, but it's pretty obvious that Miyamoto has a hell of a lot more vision and personal ambition than most of the figures working in the industry today.
Here's to hoping he actually attempts to tackle those social problems he mentioned -- can you imagine the possibilities of Miyamoto ever decided to make a "serious" game?
Contest:
1:23 PM on 05.07.2007
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"I think it's that there are fewer and fewer people who are interested in playing a big role-playing game like Zelda."
That scares me to death. For some reason it's felt like for awhile there has been a shift away from large rpgs. But for him to sorta echo it.. I really hope he's wrong. Cause i personally love big rpgs.
doesn't halo 3 look like halo 2?
Wait...I know that recent Star Fox games have sucked, but F-Zero? F-Zero GX was amazing! Keep working with Sega on that one! Unless he's talking about the GBA version based off the anime.
It's really not shitty to look at that -- it's a valid point to think about. Aaron (who pointed me toward this article) and I were talking about it: Japan is moving away from the games Westerners tend to eat up, which means we may very well have to get used to a lot more non sequiteur Wii games coming out from Japan, like Wii Play, Wii Sports, etc. Whether that's a good thing or not is anybody's guess, but it's a definite possibility for the Wii's future.
B-Radicate:
Point.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_games_created_by_Shigeru_Miyamoto
I believe if he did make one it would be something of a classic. Think it over Shiggy
Your point isn't completed unfounded, but to conceptually design a game from the ground up must take quite a lot of time. I'm still impressed with Pikmin and I'm patient enough that if he can do something like that this generation, I'll argue that he's not just shitting out the same game with a different name.
And just to be sure I REALLY look like a fanboy, game to game the Super Mario games are dramatically different from their predecessor, while Halo two is really just different shaped guns and levels running around in the same generic shell.
He has production credits on countless games, but his contributions weren't full-tilt the way they were with, say, Pikmin or the Mario and Zelda games.
I don't like how Shiggy is implying that companies such as bungie only develop games because some marketing guy told him to.
And Twilligt Princess isn't bad because it is an RPG more likely because it isn't an RPG enough IMO.
or swords. or jumping on bad guys untill they're flattened into a pancake, wait....DAMN YOU MIYAMOTO!!!
If he doesn't want to make Halo type games, I'm okay with it. To each his own.
Let's walk into any game shop, pick up any so called next gen machine and see if it has a substantial library of new games, and I man original games, games that don't include shooting, hitting or driving something. Most game are still at a caveman level of interaction - you can't interact with anything in a sophisticated way so you end up resorting to clubbing them over the head.
But other than that, I think its a great interview, and to whoever said Super Mario Galaxy looks exactly like Super Mario 64... in what way?
I don't think he mean "I could make halo" in a condescending way. He just meant, he could also make a largely formulaic FPS style game, but he just doesn't want to. Like he says himself, people should make games they want to make. But in fairness, halo is pretty overrated. Best console FPS != best FPS.
I also don't think he meant it in a condescending way when he said that he decided not to make a Halo-esque game. He didn't say Halo and its ilk were necessarily bad, just said it's not his bag, which I can totally respect. And since when was it so criminal to like Halo? I don't think it's the greatest game ever (I personally reserve that honor for the masterpiece known as Deus Ex), but it sets out to be fun and in my opinion accomplishes that goal magnificently. We gamers play games to have fun, right? And isn't that what Miyamoto sets out to do in the first place - make fun games?
http://www.gametrailers.com/umwatcher.php?id=57998
also, either the translation in this piece sucks or he's one cocky motherfucker.
don't get me wrong, i love mario as much as the next guy, but everything he's done is a far fucking cry from halo.
And Halo is SERIOUSLY overrated. It's a good game, but the people who idolize it as the greatest title ever created have some major blinders on.
halo isn't overrated... anyone who tries to convince us all that any one title (be it halo or something else) is the GREATEST THING EVER is seriously overestimating the value of their own opinion. but on the same token, so are all of those who constantly mouth-shit thier opinion that the game is boring, bad, or whatever, yet somehow can't stop discussing it.
fact of the matter is that halo was a fine (as far as design or whatever goes. if you're an rpg fan who hates fps's then obviously it's not gonna be your cup of tea.) game and DID innovate the fps genre. if you don't recognize those two facts then you're an idiot.
and, please. this thread is total fanboy bait. hardcore ninty and shiggy fans are nuttier than poison koolaid drinking cultists. yea, what would've happened had bungie come out and said,"yea, we could easily do a mario, we could do zelda, but, PFFT, fuck that?" FANBOY SHITSTORM OF THE MILLENNIUM.
also, as far as a game being the greatest title ever, well, that just depends who you ask... it's all subjective. so all we're doing is engaging in some futile circular bullshit that never goes anywhere.
-> hallowed: Funny you calling us nutty, yourself being the one who started their first comment "fuck you reverend anthony and fuck you guys. halo is the shit." How well balanced halo fans are... Miyamoto has contributed to the spawning of many genres, bungie have done little beyond FPSes(even if they are rather good ones). In terms of creativity, there is no contest here.
you caught me. i was instigating. it was for fun.
and i don't know exactly how many genres he's spawned... was mario the first platformer? zelda the first rpg? not to detract from his status; i know the guy's a goddamned legend. but he's got a whole company at his command and has for many years now. he helps create colorful, kid friendly titles that are as much about their distinct charm as their gameplay mechanics. okay. bungie started out as an independent developer. they have, for the most part, a set team and only recently have they expanded. there's no one key member who's responsible for every major breakthrough. it's like comparing apples to oranges.
my issue here was that the way the article presents his quote, he comes off as very very arrogant. but i will say i think that was due more to the translation more than anything else.
and as for japanese developers being responsible for more innovation than western developers: really? i don't believe i've seen the chart graphs that illustrate that trend... and hasn't thier been a gaming decline in japan, so much so that it sparked a trend of japanese developers actively looking towards the west to continue innovation? i know i've read a few articles on it...