14 DAY TRIAL // Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, Zelda and other such iconic kids' entertainment franchises worth billions, believes that the gaming industry still has a long way to go until reaching its peak, and assures gamers that Nintendo will continue pursuing new avenues.
During Nintendo's shareholders meeting in July, the legendary designer shared his mind regarding the games put on display during the E3 trade show.
"This year, the majority of what the other developers exhibited was bloody shooter software that was mainly set in violent surroundings or, in a different sense, realistic and cool worlds. Because so many software developers are competing in that category, it seemed like most of the titles at the show were of that kind," Miyamoto said.
Uniformity
In an interview with EDGE, the designer further expands on his past statement, explaining that he doesn't feel satisfied with the fact that oftentimes the industry trends are emphasized over the game creator's individual touch, and that results in the industry feeling overall uninspired and lacking.
"My comment was based upon the fact that I have not been fully satisfied with the inspirations that I have or that other people in the industry have in general. I feel that industry tends, rather than the creator's individuality and uniqueness, tend to be prioritized."
"When the people who manage the development budget take the lead in making a game, creators tend to make games that are already popular in the marketplace," Miyamoto explains.
Even when content creators have a lot of inspiration and attempt to create more unique products, or try to push the creative envelope, there is a widespread pressure to mold it into something that resembles already existing products that have proven their worth and pose little to no financial risks.
"Even when there is opportunity for young developers to make something freely, they tend to make similar proposals. I can't help but feel that the industry has a long way to go," he states.
A new hope
However, he strongly believes that Nintendo is one of the companies that will always present something new and offer an alternative to popular trends, for people willing to try out unconventional experiences focused on exploring new ways to have fun, traveling off the beaten track instead of being content to repackage the same product over and over.
"I hope Nintendo will always be a company that aggressively invests in something new – something born from each creator's individual characteristics," Miyamoto concludes.