Miyamoto pledges Nintendo will return focus to passionate gamers, not widest market

[Zaqwert]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-for-the-core/

Nintendo has reenergised its ambition to entertain its most passionate fans, as opposed to catering for the widest possible market, according to new statements made by one of its senior executives.

Speaking in the latest issue of Edge magazine, which goes on sale on Thursday, Shigeru Miyamoto said his team does not want to focus on making content for people who "passively" enjoy games.

Miyamoto says his team doesn't want to cater for those who have a "passive" interest in games

"[These are] the sort of people who, for example, might want to watch a movie. They might want to go to Disneyland," he said.

"Their attitude is, 'okay, I am the customer. You are supposed to entertain me.' It's kind of a passive attitude they're taking, and to me it's kind of a pathetic thing. They do not know how interesting it is if you move one step further and try to challenge yourself [with more advanced games]."

I'm starting to hear a lot more of this in the gaming market. Do you think this will be a real phenomenon? Or is it just PR speak?

The pendulum really has swung dramatically over the past 10 or so years, the average games have become interactive movies you mash buttons to get to the next cut scene, your hand is held every step of the way, there are arrows on the screen pointing you where to go and text telling you what to do at all times, death is meaningless, lives are infinite, checkpoints are every 30 seconds, etc.

Maybe it's time for the pendulum to swing back a little?

[Lysah]

Probably just big PR talk, PC gaming companies keep claiming the same thing and then catering to casuals when they see their death on the horizon.

[Jester Joe]

Why not both?

Seriously.

Also I doubt to see this anytime soon. It's not like all their games have been just casual galore really.

[Rucati]

If that is Nintendo's plan they'll need a new console sometime soon. You can't have hardcore games on the Wii U, too many gimmicks involved just like the Wii had. And since there's no new consoles coming anytime soon, I'm inclined to believe this simply isn't true. Unless he meant handheld games, in which case sure that might be possible. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Bladeface]

If that is Nintendo's plan they'll need a new console sometime soon. You can't have hardcore games on the Wii U, too many gimmicks involved just like the Wii had. And since there's no new consoles coming anytime soon, I'm inclined to believe this simply isn't true. Unless he meant handheld games, in which case sure that might be possible. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

"can't have hardcore games on the wii u" okay I guess Super Smash Bros doesn't exist now.

[Edge-]

Probably just big PR talk, PC gaming companies keep claiming the same thing and then catering to casuals when they see their death on the horizon.

Nintendo, to my recollection, is actually not quite as prone to this. And honestly, I have no real reasons to doubt Miyamoto. He's always been a pretty straight shooting, honest guy.

- - - Updated - - -

If that is Nintendo's plan they'll need a new console sometime soon. You can't have hardcore games on the Wii U, too many gimmicks involved just like the Wii had. And since there's no new consoles coming anytime soon, I'm inclined to believe this simply isn't true. Unless he meant handheld games, in which case sure that might be possible. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

You can use the classic controller on the Wii U, no need to use the tablet controller if the game doesn't require it.

[Jester Joe]

"can't have hardcore games on the wii u" okay I guess Super Smash Bros doesn't exist now.

Filthy party game.

I kid. But yeah, most Nintendo games can lean towards being more hardcore, I heard the new Donkey Kong Country game is pretty hard, and I know the later stages in Super Mario 3D World can get a bit hard to get all the stars and whatnot (The secret world stuff I mean)

[Socialhealer]

The pendulum really has swung dramatically over the past 10 or so years, the average games have become interactive movies you mash buttons to get to the next cut scene, your hand is held every step of the way, there are arrows on the screen pointing you where to go and text telling you what to do at all times, death is meaningless, lives are infinite, checkpoints are every 30 seconds, etc.

Maybe it's time for the pendulum to swing back a little?

true dat, kids of today playing games are instant scrubs compared to the days of old.

link to the past vs a link between worlds, essentially the same world and game, except a link between worlds would be done with under 5 deaths by 95% of new players, and link to the past would give almost everyone many many deaths and im certain it did back in the day.

you can see this in effect in warcraft, games of today = LFR, games of old = heroic/mythic (before vp upgrades or nerfs)

[Lysah]

Nintendo, to my recollection, is actually not quite as prone to this. And honestly, I have no real reasons to doubt Miyamoto. He's always been a pretty straight shooting, honest guy.

I like him, I think he's trying his best in the face of a slow couple of years and an entire flock of shareholders demanding he "retire." Doesn't mean I'm getting my hopes up.

[Belize]

Soooooooo... Does that mean we'll get another Metroid game that ISN'T Other M? Like... One made by Retro Studios?

[Daralii]

"can't have hardcore games on the wii u" okay I guess Super Smash Bros doesn't exist now.

Sakurai considers Smash a party game for casuals, which most of the fighting game community agrees with.

Casuals were the primary market of the Wii and WiiU, so it's an interesting change of direction. I'm all for letting Miyamoto flex his muscles some more.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Probably just big PR talk, PC gaming companies keep claiming the same thing and then catering to casuals when they see their death on the horizon.

Or they could do both. This post really reeks of Anti casual.

[Edge-]

I like him, I think he's trying his best in the face of a slow couple of years and an entire flock of shareholders demanding he "retire." Doesn't mean I'm getting my hopes up.

As far as I'm concerned, my rule of thumb is that if you're pissing off shareholders/investors, then you're probably doing something right : P

[Crissi]

true dat, kids of today playing games are instant scrubs compared to the days of old.

link to the past vs a link between worlds, essentially the same world and game, except a link between worlds would be done with under 5 deaths by 95% of new players, and link to the past would give almost everyone many many deaths and im certain it did back in the day.

you can see this in effect in warcraft, games of today = LFR, games of old = heroic/mythic (before vp upgrades or nerfs)

As much fun as I had playing games like Contra, I think going completely back to that kind of playstyle wouldnt be great for them either. Theres a middle ground somewhere. i personally like being able to save so I can get up and do something, then come back and continue where I left off. Frustration doesnt always equal fun, and i think thats what a lot of people forget about actually playing those kinds of games.

[Jester Joe]

true dat, kids of today playing games are instant scrubs compared to the days of old.

link to the past vs a link between worlds, essentially the same world and game, except a link between worlds would be done with under 5 deaths by 95% of new players, and link to the past would give almost everyone many many deaths and im certain it did back in the day.

you can see this in effect in warcraft, games of today = LFR, games of old = heroic/mythic (before vp upgrades or nerfs)

Go try Hero Mode on Link Between Worlds. You'll get stomped by almost everything, you literally need to avoid every single move. Then again, I only got to Lorule on it before stopping for other games, so granted the armor upgrades/health might make it easier, but the start is no joke. It's frustrating dying trying to walk across the overworld lol

[Lysah]

Or they could do both. This post really reeks of Anti casual.

Can't do both, two crowds want specifically different things from games. One group of people wants games to be challenging and have long learning curves (see: depth) the other group wants games they can pick up and put down for an hour a week and don't have to remember anything or learn anything. Those are extremely conflicting wants and can't really exist in the same game, people have tried and failed.

As far as I'm concerned, my rule of thumb is that if you're pissing off shareholders/investors, then you're probably doing something right : P

N might have enough yen saved up to buy a small planet but they will run out eventually if they don't start making profit.

[Edge-]

N might have enough yen saved up to buy a small planet but they will run out eventually if they don't start making profit.

At the rate they're losing ($97M last year) they've got at least a few decades before they start running into any possible financial problems : P

[A Chozo]

Go try Hero Mode on Link Between Worlds. You'll get stomped by almost everything, you literally need to avoid every single move. Then again, I only got to Lorule on it before stopping for other games, so granted the armor upgrades/health might make it easier, but the start is no joke. It's frustrating dying trying to walk across the overworld lol

I'd like to see more of this on today's games. Easy, normal and Hard mode. Simple as that. And make Hard really Hard - the developers must put enphasis on the word's meaning. HARD. NOT NORMAL. Not "this guy has more hp on hard!". Make it like "this guy has more hp, runs a little faster, and will jump obstacles". If someone can't beat the game on Hard, they can defeat it on Normal, and so on. I like Link Between Worlds model, but as you predicted: Once I got the upgrades, it turned a little easy. On the beggining was hard, sure, but the endgame became "normal-hard".

One of the best models I saw was on Super Smash Bros Brawl. Still can't beat the final boss of boss rush on Intense D:
Damn you Off Waves!

[Socialhealer]

Go try Hero Mode on Link Between Worlds. You'll get stomped by almost everything, you literally need to avoid every single move. Then again, I only got to Lorule on it before stopping for other games, so granted the armor upgrades/health might make it easier, but the start is no joke. It's frustrating dying trying to walk across the overworld lol

i have completed it on hero mode, 2 deaths one on the first dungeon only 3 hearts = no room for error and i hadn't played it in months was clumsy, second was taking an 8 heart hit before getting the blue mail in lorule lol. sure it gives more of a challenge but it's really nothing compared to, link to the past.

[Jester Joe]

I'd like to see more of this on today's games. Easy, normal and Hard mode. Simple as that. And make Hard really Hard - the developers must put enphasis on the word's meaning. HARD. NOT NORMAL. Not "this guy has more hp on hard!". Make it like "this guy has more hp, runs a little faster, and will jump obstacles". If someone can't beat the game on Hard, they can defeat it on Normal, and so on. I like Link Between Worlds model, but as you predicted: Once I got the upgrades, it turned a little easy. On the beggining was hard, sure, but the endgame became "normal-hard".

One of the best models I saw was on Super Smash Bros Brawl. Still can't beat the final boss of boss rush on Intense D:
Damn you Off Waves!

Yeah, it does feel a bit cheesy when it's just a straight upgrade with numbers, rather than new mechanics and what not.

i have completed it on hero mode, 2 deaths one on the first dungeon only 3 hearts = no room for error and i hadn't played it in months was clumsy, second was taking an 8 heart hit before getting the blue mail in lorule lol. sure it gives more of a challenge but it's really nothing compared to, link to the past.

Really? I find it a heck of a lot harder than Link to the Past.

Actually, I don't even consider Link to the Past that hard at all. If anything, the original Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Bros Lost Levels were pretty hard