Miyamoto: We're Trying to Create a Better Environment for Games

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Miyamoto: We're Trying to Create a Better Environment for Games
While Wii Fit is one of those titles that causes a great deal of gnashing of teeth from gamers, Shigeru Miyamoto explains that it's for the good of all, and besides, the Zelda team is forming again.
Posted by David Radd on Thursday, April 17, 2008


In an interview with 1UP, Shigeru Miyamoto talked at length about the upcoming Wii Fit. He comments that his role in helping to create the fitness title was not only due to his personal interest in the subject but also because the younger developers were unwilling to take the lead with this new and different console. He also had a response for those that contend that Wii Fit signals the doom of hardcore gaming.

"I think it's safe to say that Nintendo is continuing to make enhanced versions of the kinds of games that core gamers want," said Miyamoto. "What I want core gamers to understand is that these new types of games are giving them a chance to experience something new, too. Obviously, something like Wii Fit is great for the mass market, but for the core gamer as well."

"As the people around you who haven't been playing video games start to try them, that's going to change people's impressions of what video gaming means," he continued. "Rather than the core gamer being concerned that we're abandoning them, I hope they'll realize that really what we're trying to do is to create a better environment for their hobby."

One of the more common criticisms, especially in online forums, is that Nintendo's main franchises see little change or innovation from incarnation to incarnation. Miyamoto responded by saying that's why the company has been lancing out in new directions for the Wii.

"I think it's easy to take an existing game or style, make it more fun, and sell it," Miyamoto said. "But I think it's better to think of new ideas, new styles of games that people aren't expecting, and find a way to bring that to them. Rather than focusing on the fact that there's one audience or another, I simply want to make games that everyone can enjoy. I don't really look at it in [terms of casual versus hardcore] when we're creating software. I think we'd gotten to a point where video games were something that everyone could no longer enjoy. As a designer, I'm always focusing on what is fun -- ideas that people can enjoy. For me, I'm trying to entertain as many people as I can, creating games that the widest number of people can enjoy."

"Of course, that being said, we do have the existing teams at Nintendo working on the kinds of products we've always made over the years. The Zelda team is forming again to work on new games! But to me, it's about finding these new interactive experiences and bringing them to people."