Miyamoto Interviews> March 17 2003, Metro Newspaper

Metro: You've been involved in games for three decades now. Why has it taken you so long to come to Europe?

Miyamoto: I should have come much earlier, but for years I have been barely able to leave the Nintendo buildings let alone come to Europe. But I'm here now.

Metro: Have Nintendo kept you locked up all this time?

Miyamoto: I like to be in the centre of the game-making process, so it's not the company, it's me.

Metro: At 50, aren't you getting a bit old for computer games?

Miyamoto: I don't feel like I'm too old to come up with new ideas. I'm often working with young creators but I don't get the feeling I'm much older than they are. I'm a Dracula-like person. Just like he was always trying to get his energy from the blood of young ladies, so I get energy by working with younger people. As to playing computer games, I must be one of the best 50-year-old game players around, and I really don't have any concerns about it because I enjoy it.

Metro: Universal accused you of ripping off King Kong with Donkey Kong. Was there any truth behind that?

Miyamoto: It surprised me that a big company like Universal ever accused Nintendo but it just showed how important a role video games now play in society. I didn't feel I'd violated anyone's copyright: Donkey Kong is completely different from King Kong. It was interesting that they claimed for more damages than the Donkey sales would ever generate.

Metro: You've been called the Spielberg of computer games. Have you ever thought of making a movie?

Miyamoto: No I haven't. What I make is interactive entertainment. This type of entertainment is the area where I can show the unique aspects of myself. If I tried to make movies it would be an insult to movie directors with the experience, skills and talent.

Metro: If I made a game about a Greek mustachioed electrician called George, would you sue me?


Miyamoto: As long as the game system is not identical, I won't!

Metro: How do you feel about the GameCube's first year?

Miyamoto: The current sales figures are not satisfactory. There is a lot of room for us to improve. But in terms of gameplay and the reception of those who own one, we are very pleased. That's something we can be proud of.

Metro: With Sony being dominant and Microsoft joining the competition, can Nintendo continue to compete in the console market?

Miyamoto: In recent years, what all three companies have been doing looks similar, at least to the eyes of the general public. But it's now becoming clear that we are doing things differently. Nintendo have created a family entertainment gaming machine with the GameCube, whereas the others seem to be using theirs to sell further gadgets as peripherals. For this reason, I think we can compete.

Metro: As a creative mind, do you find the confrontational nature of the games market - and talk of a console war - tiresome?

Miyamoto: It's not all about competition. We should be looking at who is offering a unique experience and who can create a new user base for the video game market. We all need to encourage people who are currently non-gamers to start playing. If all we do is talk about a battle between the three consoles, and which one is doing better, that will do nothing for the games industry as a whole.

Metro: Games are still developing rapidly as an experience. When will this level of improvement reach a plateau?

Miyamoto: In terms of the technology, we are already experiencing certain limitations. It is now going to be difficult to greatly improve the visual experience on a TV monitor. Also, whenever you make a technological advancement it increases development costs. So that's not the direction we should all be taking. In terms of creative and unique experiences involved with interactive entertainment there is still enormous room for improvement. That's the arena creators have to focus on. We are starting to realise that many games have become too complicated for ordinary people to even go near. In the beginning games were much easier so we are now trying to offer create games that are simple while being content-rich.

<< Back to Miyamoto Interviews

Missed an Update? Click here!     Bored? Hit the Forums!