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Miyamoto Could Have Made Halo

May 07, 2007 in News comments 11

Miyamoto discusses how he makes games people don't even know that they want yet, and how he "tests" his games.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the famed Nintendo game designer who was recently picked as one of Time's 100 most-influential people, says he could have made Halo, had he wanted to. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Miyamoto reveals that he is not interested in making the games people want -- he's trying to make the games people don't even know they want, yet.

"I could make Halo," Miyamoto says. "It's not that I couldn't design that game. It's just that I choose not to. One thing about my game design is that I never try to look for what people want and then try to make that game design. I always try to create new experiences that are fun to play."

The designer also shares his unique approach to market research. Instead of focus groups and demographic analysis, he watches the expression on a gamer's face while his game is being played. "When I show a game to people I don't ask their opinion or give them a survey. I just watch their eyes and their face while they play. Do they smile? Do they look frustrated? So I guess I do test my games -- but it isn't very scientific."

Sometimes his sense of what gamers want to play isn't 100% accurate, as the disappointing sales of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in Japan show. Miyamoto believes the audience for an epic, hardcore adventure game is shrinking, which could mean we can expect more casual games from Nintendo. The designer says Twilight Princess is selling "okay" in the U.S.
Warsun via wii.ign.com »
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Most recently commented on by on May 8, 2007

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  • -3
    Final Blade May 8, 07
    LOL. the only real point he makes is he could make halo. And thats true anyone could really. Halo just took what other FPS did b4 and combined then and used 1 or 2 creative methods of play. But not a sense of originality.
    Anyway, his version of what ppl want is very dumb. This whole world is filled with wants and its up to the gaming industry to make games that they know we would like. Not make games that ppl doesnt know we want now. Its a bad method and those sales for nintendo wii legend of Zelda is very accurate. There doing horrible here and bad in japan. Just shows you how nintendo is losing the wars currently, you may not notice it but i do.
    • 0
      Gary May 8, 07
      How can you say they are "losing" when the DS is basically a license for nintendo to print money at the moment being the best selling games console by far in Japan with the Wii the 2nd best seller.

      It does sound like a bit of an ego trip from Shiggy, but if anyone deserves to have one he sure does.
  • 0
    gdog2011 May 8, 07
    The Wii is doing many times better now than anyone even suggested that it would before it's release, so I'd not say it's "losing". I'm personally a fan of Miyamoto's way of thinking, but maybe it's because I am one of the gamers looking for something new or something epic, rather than the cheap play value and lack of new content I've come to expect from consoles anymore.
  • 0
    Warsun May 8, 07
    Wait, wasn't the top 10 selling games in Japan the past month half DS and half Wii?


  • 0
    Dudeguy May 8, 07
    That's odd, because Twilight Princess surely wasn't something new or creative.

    Seems to me like Shiggy just wanted to take shots at Microsoft.
  • 0
    Rinkydink May 8, 07
    I can see what Shiggy means, but saying that he could make Halo just like that seems a bit big-headed.
  • 1
    Ninmecu May 8, 07
    Everyone has their Ego trips, But as for TP sales, the game was awesome, really hard, super challenging, brought memories of the old Zelda games. Could be why its selling so poorly, video gamers are used to easier games. As for the halo thing, Never liked halo in all honesty, its too boring :/
  • 0
    Storm* May 8, 07
    From what I've read on the TP forums though, ninmecu, TP was too easy, and claimed to be disappointing. I don't agree with it one bit, because most of those that said that bought the strategy guide with the game, or used one some way or the other over the internet. That kills the fun of the game if you ask me.

    I'm used to the series, myself, and catch-on to the puzzle-solving sooner or later. It's the beginning of the game that takes the longest, just to get the feel of playing a Zelda game again.
  • 0
    oOhennersOo May 8, 07
    I see exactly where he's coming from.

    Fair enough, Halo 2 is fantastic (I still play it every other day with 5 mates), but one thing it isn't is original. Besides the long running franchises Miyamota has done (Mario, Zelda, etc. Which, be honest, you would cry for if they stopped) Miyamota is as orignal as you can get. Pikmin, anyone? Halo is a brilliantly designed game, but Miyamota is a brilliant designer. I have no doubt that he could produce a stunning FPS to match halo's quality if he set his mind to it.

    But he loves his Banjo way too much for that.
  • 0
    Gotenks May 8, 07
    I got to admit I'm one that didn't get hooked on Legend of Zelda for the Wii. I've owned it since launch and still on the second temple because I just got bored with it. But also I believe Twilight princess has sold over 6 million copies to. So I think it's doing well.
  • 0
    Sayyed May 8, 07
    I love his philosophy on how to make a game.

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