Miyamoto Says Personal-Interest Games Win Global Fans, Not Trend-Chasing Designs
Updated
Updated · Video Games Chronicle · Jul 22
Miyamoto Says Personal-Interest Games Win Global Fans, Not Trend-Chasing Designs
3 articles · Updated · Video Games Chronicle · Jul 22
Summary
Shigeru Miyamoto said Nintendo’s worldwide hits come from developers building around ideas they personally find fun, rather than designing games to maximize global appeal.
In a Famitsu interview, he argued trend-chasing produces “soulless” games and said creators should start from a unique gameplay principle or personal experience, then shape the product around it.
He pointed to Splatoon’s territory-painting concept, Mario’s universally readable physical movement, and Pokémon Red and Green’s roots in Satoshi Tajiri’s insect-collecting hobby as examples.
Nintendo, he said, prioritizes making the best version of a fun idea over quick recoupment or short-term profit, because distinctive games leave deeper impressions and travel better across cultures.