Nintendo fellow Shigeru Miyamoto allegedly has a controversial view on video games, but one that may actually be the company’s secret to success. Having joined the company in 1977, the developer is best known for creating several highly acclaimed franchises, such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pikmin, Star Fox, and many others. It would be an understatement to say that Nintendo would not be the company it is today without the contributions of Miyamoto. Even outside his own series, Miyamoto’s criticism of Splatoon helped mold the game into the popular franchise it became.
Miyamoto’s legacy is long and, outside of Nintendo, helped develop the entire state of the industry. Zelda: Ocarina of Time, in which Miyamoto worked as a producer, was responsible for the creation of Z-targeting, a mechanic that allows you to lock onto your enemies in various types of games to this very day. His status is so legendary that there are even fake quotes attributed to Miyamoto. His knowledge of games and the industry is remarkable, but he does have one controversial view on video games.
Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto Views Games As Products, Not Works Of Art
Usually, Viewing Games As Products Is Perceived As Something Negative
According to a statement made by the game designer Takaya Imamura, who worked at Nintendo between 1989 and 2021, the Nintendo boss has a different perspective on games. As seen in a post on Imamura’s account on X, which was reported on by Automaton, “Miyamoto studied industrial design at an art university” and views games as products instead of works of art. According to his post, Imamura believes that this view is what leads to games that fulfill what players desire.
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There is an ongoing debate about whether or not games are art, and it’s likely that it will never end because of how different games are developed by different companies with different intentions. Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano believes games are art, for example. Others debate that these cultural products are nothing but a means of revenue for companies. All these opinions are valid, but I do believe that Imamura is correct about how Miyamoto’s vision that games are products is beneficial, while this type of perspective would normally be seen as something negative.
Miyamoto’s Unique View On Games May Be What Makes Nintendo’s Games So Good
Viewing Them As Products, Nintendo May Be Crafting Games With The Highest Possible Quality
Normally, when you establish the perception of video games as products, it’s easy to reach the conclusion that games are being made with the sole intention of generating revenue, regardless of their quality, which is an afterthought; a tool to increase their popularity and, therefore, sales. However, Imamura believes that Miyamoto’s perception that games are products is slightly different. As implied by his statement, Miyamoto crafts games as products that are tailored for their consumers and, therefore, ensures the highest possible quality – and in video games, quality means both technical performance and entertainment.
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Not all Nintendo games are perfect, but there’s a trend of high-rated first-party games in the company’s catalog that shows how much effort is being put into making good games rather than, necessarily, profitable games. It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if Miyamoto’s unique view on games is the foundation of Nintendo’s success with its titles over the years, even if there are occasional flaws.
Source: X/ima_1966, Automaton
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