Miyamoto's promise: Nintendo working on 'many' core games

by Randy Nelson { Oct 28th 2008 at 2:55PM }

Hoping to make the rounds this week and get the word out about the casual concoction that is Wii Music, Shigeru Miyamoto just couldn't escape questions about where all the "real" games are. Speaking to GameDaily, the legendary game designer replied (and we're paraphrasing here – maybe even a little too much): "They're coming, so can you please stop asking?"

Okay, okay. What he specifically and actually said was that, "...for 30 years now I've been making games and for the vast majority of time I've been making the type of games that the loyal Nintendo fans enjoy." Yes, we're aware. Please continue. Where's the fanbait? Oh, here it is: "Those are the types of games that my career is based on and we're going to continue to make those types of games. In fact, we have many of those types of games in development right now."

Don't let our glib take on this ... core crisis color your opinion of Mr. Miyamoto. He's an outstanding person and incredibly nice. Sure, he's a little exasperated about the situation, but, like all loyal Nintendo fans, that's to be expected at this point.

Tags: core-gamer, nintendo, shigeru-miyamoto

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:01PM

Everyone media outlet asks this question, does each one think it will be the lucky one to get a Nintendo rep to break down and say, "Fine! This is what we have planned! X, Y, Z, and sequels to A, B, and C"

Nintendo's not going to give you a straight answer

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:04PM

woops, changed my sentence subject halfway through. Should be Everyone or Every Media outlet

Courtney @ Oct 28th 2008 3:24PM

I hate it when grammar writes posts like that.

:P

But seriously, what usually gets me is when I revise a sentence before submitting a post and forget to make sure that the revisions make sense.

someshow @ Oct 28th 2008 3:04PM

Great I'm tired of companies and their blue ocean strategies.

Why can't they appeal to their hardcore loyal base and casual consumers at the same time.

Apple is the same way too catering to the casual iPod crowd while ignoring their Creative Professional base.

OMGOMG @ Oct 28th 2008 3:09PM

Because whatever money they lose from the hardcore base they're more than doubling in the casual market.

Face it people. Nintendo is a business. They make cold, calculated decisions that alienate their fans just like Microsoft and Sony do.

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:14PM

Yes, but to abandon their core makes no sense, since most of their core games are hits anyway, and pretty much all of them are profitable (even the very niche Fire Emblem)

Nintendo's a growing company. They can easily afford to work both sides of the street.

ExMcCloud @ Oct 28th 2008 3:22PM

When has Sony and Microsoft Gaming divisions abandoned their CORE gamers the way Nintendo has?

TwEE @ Oct 28th 2008 3:35PM

Sony did by charging over half a grand for a console, people might like their games, but not that much, and the sales of the console prove it.

And Microsoft dose not have any core gamers lots of hardcore gamers though..

Markez @ Oct 28th 2008 3:37PM

I agree entirely, Khan, thay can afford to work both sides of the street. So why AREN'T they?

I'm certainly not going to be a whiny bitch and act like some big company has burned me or anything, that's just pathetic. Frankly anybody who acts like Nintendo OWES them something is just being a whiny twit in my opinion if they shun a company (fer godssakes) because of it.

But, company that they are, they should be more then able to rally the resources to spit out more new, and exceptional IPs. Personally, I think they're flushing a lot of money out there straight down the toilet in not doing so. Gives kids time to save more scratch for another console. Don't get me wrong, big fan of my Wii (har har) and I've got plenty of good games to finish off, but thank the lawd I'm a fortunate enough fella to have been able to afford my 360 awhile back.

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:45PM

As to why they aren't doing more with their development resources, i'm not entirely sure.

They outsourced the new Punch-Out!! to Next Level Games, though, so they must be using their in-house teams for something. Intelligent Systems just got off the Fire Emblem DS game, HAL Labs just got off Kirby Super Star Ultra, the EAD teams are hard back at work, as evidenced here, doing whatever they will. Retro Studios is now an utter mystery, nothing that can be found anywhere. Monolith just got off Disaster, and that's apparently doing poorly at retail. Nintendo Software Technology has also been in a strange way, since their last project was Project HAMMER, which was canned a long time ago. Game Freak finished Pokemon Platinum, and i doubt they'd be put on anything else.

samfish @ Oct 28th 2008 3:55PM

"I agree entirely, Khan, thay can afford to work both sides of the street. So why AREN'T they? "

I'd say they are. Captain Rainbow, Disaster, Fatal Frame, Punch Out and S&P2 all spring to mind. Of course, if NOA refuses to release them...

Also, we don't know what most of the big Nintendo studios are up to. All the EAD teams are now radio silent (although EAD3 is obviously working on Zelda)...Retro has gone dark and so has HAL.
I do echo the sentiment, though, that it would be awesome if Nintendo would make a new franchise with a character that could stand alongside Mario, Link and Samus (and Pit?).

Markez @ Oct 28th 2008 4:08PM

I thought they put the kibosh on Capt Rainbow? :*(

PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Oct 28th 2008 4:36PM

@Twee

It (PS3) actually cost more than they charged to manufacture the console at launch. Most would agree that what cost Sony early on was the lack of compelling exclusive content. Now that some of their top tier IP's have dropped we have seen a boost in sales. Not in all regions mind you but overall things are looking better.

@Samfish

Honestly I loved the direction of Wario Shake It. It had the total package for a 2-D platformer from nintendo. Thats a game I would consider core but at the same time has broader appeal. Obviously not to the same tune as Galaxy but appealing to a wide variety of gamers. I am curious to know how it is selling.

I don't think we need to look to Nintendo to deliver most of the core experiences. They will give us the ususal franchises and take some moderate chances on new IPs. However, it seems the more core games are coming from 3rd parties. The Conduit, onechabura (?) and Madworld come to mind as very specific titles aimed at the core demographic.

The biggest thing that has hurt Nintendo in terms of the core gamer has been the amount of scaled down 3rd party games. Not so much the last gen ports but the current gen ones that have to be scaled down like say The Force Unleased and Brothers In Arms. The Wii versions don't resemble the other multipaltform releases.

I think if Nintendo learned one thing from this gen its to make the next console powerful enough to handle all of the multiplatform titles as the same quality as the other consoles can. If the Wii could play Fallout 3, Dead Space & Far Cry 2 just as good as the PS3 & 360 with no sacrafice in quality there would not be a need for Nintendo to cater to the core as they have to now. They still would appeal to the base and the core by default of their strong franchises like Brawl, Mario Kart, Mario:XXX, Zelda, Batallion Wars & Metroid to name the most popular ones. But, if 3rd party multiplatforms were viable on the Wii the problem would be solved. The network infrastructure would need to be improved but thats do-able.

I think the biggest problem with core & hardcore gamers in terms of the Wii (myself included) is that sometimes we want a Nintendo console to be something it's not. It wouldn't be as big of a deal if they had more frequent releases and the ability to have all of the multiplatforms.

Kevin @ Oct 28th 2008 3:13PM

Too late - my Wii is going on eBay next week. I'm happy with my PS3 right now.

Blazur @ Oct 28th 2008 4:44PM

Mine went up on ebay last night, and doing so gave me a certain satisfaction that I'm finally doing the right thing. Time to cash in on holiday profit!

naxe @ Oct 28th 2008 3:06PM

::::IF YOU CRY THEY WILL COME::::

samfish @ Oct 28th 2008 3:07PM

He has more restraint than me. If I were him, I'd have started hitting journalists who keep asking that same stupid question over and over and over a long time ago. Go all Moe on their asses.

Also, contrary to what most folks thought, it looks like Sega, not Nintendo, is publishing The Conduit. Go Sega!

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:11PM

SEGA is the one 3rd party that understands the Wii as well as Nintendo does, since they were always in a similar boat building consoles that relied on their own titles to succeed, thus, they know balance.

Blank-Mage @ Oct 28th 2008 3:16PM

I wish Nintendo would hurry up and just buy Sega. Everyone wins. Especially Sonic fans. (Obviously, Sega can no longer be trusted with their mascot.) I'd love to see the team that made Super Mario Sunshine on the latest Sonic title.

Giroro @ Oct 28th 2008 3:18PM

Sega hasn't made a good game since 16-bit.

...

Actually, I don't think they've ever made a game worth playing, I don't like 2d sonic either.

samfish @ Oct 28th 2008 3:25PM

Uh oh! – I know SOMEONE who never played Space Channel 5!

Blank-Mage @ Oct 28th 2008 3:32PM

That was harsh, man. I saw the Dreamcast for the glorious machine that it was, and Sonic Adventure was a staple of my childhood.

WhatIsThatThing @ Oct 28th 2008 3:42PM

I see your SEGA and raise you a Capcom.

Superstar90 @ Oct 28th 2008 3:51PM

Nintendo might as well buy Sega, all the good Sega games recently have been for Nintendo systems. Then maybe Nintendo would make them do a new JSR game for Wii.

Sarge @ Oct 29th 2008 2:15PM

Someone just dissed on Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star 2 and 4, Shining Force 1, 2, and 3, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Skies of Arcadia, Vectorman, and Ristar. Don't make me come find you.

Agreed that their quality has dropped substantially after the 16/32-bit era, though.

Dirty @ Oct 28th 2008 3:10PM

Really when I think about it... Nintendo didn't move a direction that made me not like it... its more that I grew out of Nintendo.

Jakka @ Oct 28th 2008 3:14PM

Can't we just all let it go already? Especially since the idea of a "hardcore game" for 95% of the N fanboys is a new Mario or Zelda.

Blank-Mage @ Oct 28th 2008 3:17PM

Or Metroid. Don't forget Metroid.

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:17PM

News like this generates hits, either from naive nintendo fans who think that interviews like this will actually yield something substantial, or more mainstream core gamers looking for a bone to pick. Equally, since Nintendo's new strategy is basically about keeping as mum about the future as possible, journalists don't really have anything better to ask

TwEE @ Oct 28th 2008 3:44PM

Mario or Zelda may not be HARDCORE but they are CORE nintendo Ips.

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 4:07PM

I don't understand why people claim Mario and Zelda aren't hardcore. Zelda isn't exactly difficult, but its size and scope isn't really debatable

Equally with Mario: go play the Trial Galaxies in Galaxy. Haven't seen anything harder in a while

TwEE @ Oct 28th 2008 4:55PM

"Hardcore" just seems like a term created by new gamers, who in the past would have stayed on their pc, but now that most pc games are being made for the HD consoles, these "pc light" players are everywhere and like to shit on traditional console games.

Under their definition is there anything on the SNES that is hardcore? Probably not.

The Fatass of Kickassness @ Oct 28th 2008 5:34PM

I define 'hardcore' as anything that would absolutely put off anyone who doesn't feel like getting into the complexities of the title.

Mario and Zelda aren't hardcore, but don't yell at me, because I'm not one of those fools who equates 'not hardcore' to 'bad' - in fact, SMG is still one of my favorite Wii games, and the Wind Waker is my absolute favorite Gamecube game (well, after Ikaruga. Wasn't fortunate enough to have the DC version).

Hardcore games? Games like the earlier Civilization games, or the Fallout series, or God Hand, etc.

Ethan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:14PM

I'm just wondering what core means to them. I'm hoping it doesn't mean sequels are games with characters in, or following a particular genre tradition. I want them to keep pushing for new and surprising experiences, I just don't want them to be shallow.

Giroro @ Oct 28th 2008 3:15PM

"I've been making the type of games that the loyal Nintendo fans enjoy...Those are the types of games that my career is based on and we're going to continue to make those types of games.

He didn't say core games. If he thinks that loyal Nintendo fans enjoy games like Wii music and Wii play, Then we're completely screwed.

"I've been MAKING" present tense, which to me implies these all recent 'games' are included in his statement.

samfish @ Oct 28th 2008 3:17PM

The only other option would be to say, "I MADE these games for 30 years".

You're reading too much into it, methinks.

Blank-Mage @ Oct 28th 2008 3:18PM

Oh damn. I hope for our sakes that well made point is completely inaccurate.

TwEE @ Oct 28th 2008 3:52PM

I was under the impression that Nintendo's Core gamers are into more "casual" games.. Mario 3, Duck Hunt.. Nintendo made its name with games like that, not new "Hardcore" games..

The Fatass of Kickassness @ Oct 28th 2008 5:49PM

Did you seriously call the only hard Mario game in the entire series 'casual'? You crazy.

I do agree that most of Nintendo's games aren't 'hardcore', but there's a huge distance you'd have to cross from hardcore to get to casual. Most of Nintendo's games are simply 'core', games that can be enjoyed by casuals but can be truly appreciated by those who are into gaming.

bm @ Oct 29th 2008 3:03AM

Yeah Twee, that's bullshit. If any game was "hardcore" at the time, it would be SMB3.

Anni @ Oct 28th 2008 3:16PM

I wonder what Japanese phrase translates to "No fuck duh."

ryan @ Oct 28th 2008 6:14PM

No Fukdesu?

&rew @ Oct 28th 2008 3:18PM

Yay, a new Mario!

Kye - Capcom DF @ Oct 28th 2008 3:18PM

It's not that they don't have core games. It's that there's so much shovelware that the good stuff gets overlooked.

Kye - Capcom DF @ Oct 28th 2008 3:21PM

Also, rush-releasing a potentially good game with dodgy gameplay, glitches *coughredsteelcough* or graphics that were mediocre on last gen's consoles is a bad idea.

Im looking forward to day of crisis but the graphics are a turn off. yes, yes I said it.

samfish @ Oct 28th 2008 3:24PM

But Nintendo didn't make Red Steel.

Mr Khan @ Oct 28th 2008 3:33PM

The idea that shovelware overshadows the good games somehow is completely absurd.

T @ Oct 28th 2008 3:36PM

No, it's very true that shovelware outstrips the quality games.

The myth is that it's somehow an exclusive problem for Nintendo.

samfish @ Oct 28th 2008 3:39PM

I wouldn't say it's completely absurd. I know I've gone to the store before with the intent to buy a game and given up because I didn't feel like pawing past however many crummy games Popcorn Arcade has managed to get on the racks.
It can make impulse buying a bit frustrating sometimes, I guess you could say.