Interviews// Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto
Everything you wanted to know, but were too scared to ask. Part 2
Q: Do you have a favourite recipe you can share with our hungry readers?
SM: Well, I do have to watch my weight a little. I don’t want to get too heavy or anything. But I do really love carbohydrates! Pastas and udon noodles especially! I don’t really have a precise recipe as I cooked when I was a student, though not really anymore. Sorry!
Q: [i]What’s a typical Sunday in the Miyamoto household?
[/i]
SM: At the weekends I try to spend as much time with my family as possible. I’ll probably start out with a swim, then take the dog for a walk. I have a Sheltie that needs a lot of exercise. Perhaps head up with the dog and the family into the mountains where we’ll spend hours at a time. Perhaps I’ll come back and practice some music after that. I like to play the guitar and banjo. Then perhaps I’ll head out into the garden for some gardening so I have a pretty busy day though very relaxing. Oh, and I started playing the mandolin recently too. I’m looking into the roots of bluegrass which leads me to Irish music so I’m getting to grips with that right now.
Q: So what would be a typical day at work for you these days?
SM: Well these days, I don’t really stick to the company timeframe. I kind of wander in when I want. But going home, I’m always one of the last people. Always one of the stragglers. There are a lot of projects I’m involved in so I’ll wander around and check on the progress of those. I’ll read reports, sit down in meeting to find out how games are progressing. And if there’s one project I’m really focussed on, maybe that’ll be the one that takes up the majority of my day. I’ll also spend a lot of time in our testing department to see how actual gameplay is progressing. And of course, perhaps a third of the day is taken up with emails. I like email because within the company I can send mail to perhaps ten guys at once on a project and then look at their responses.
Q: [i]How do you feel the pre-E3 press conference went this year for Nintendo? There wasn’t a great deal revealed…[/i]
SM: I think that the things we did announced were things people wanted, so I’m happy with what we were able to give them. And right now, with many games we’re working on, such as Nintendogs, really have broad appeal. So we are reaching out to people who perhaps don’t play games so much. And the Game Boy Micro which you have seen on the floor and here around my neck, is a lot more impactful when examined properly. Perhaps holding it up on stage didn’t show it off so well as when you get to have a close look for yourself.
Q: The Revolution back-catalogue program that was announced. Will there be a charge for this service? And what games can we expect?
SM: As far as titles are concerned, we’ll have to choose what to make available. But I should underline that we can offer whatever we want to from the back-catalogue. It's simply a matter of selecting them and picking them out! As far as a fee is concerned, that hasn’t been announced or decided yet. Though if there is a fee, I can tell you that it will be minimal!
SPOnG would like to thank Miyamoto-san and all at Nintendo who made this interview possible. We also hope that our readers appreciate this brief insight into the life of a very private man who after over 20 years, is still atop of his game. And more importantly, still smiling. A lot.
Shigeru Miyamoto’s next game, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Nintendo GameCube is released across the globe later this year.
SM: Well, I do have to watch my weight a little. I don’t want to get too heavy or anything. But I do really love carbohydrates! Pastas and udon noodles especially! I don’t really have a precise recipe as I cooked when I was a student, though not really anymore. Sorry!
Q: [i]What’s a typical Sunday in the Miyamoto household?
[/i]
SM: At the weekends I try to spend as much time with my family as possible. I’ll probably start out with a swim, then take the dog for a walk. I have a Sheltie that needs a lot of exercise. Perhaps head up with the dog and the family into the mountains where we’ll spend hours at a time. Perhaps I’ll come back and practice some music after that. I like to play the guitar and banjo. Then perhaps I’ll head out into the garden for some gardening so I have a pretty busy day though very relaxing. Oh, and I started playing the mandolin recently too. I’m looking into the roots of bluegrass which leads me to Irish music so I’m getting to grips with that right now.
Q: So what would be a typical day at work for you these days?
SM: Well these days, I don’t really stick to the company timeframe. I kind of wander in when I want. But going home, I’m always one of the last people. Always one of the stragglers. There are a lot of projects I’m involved in so I’ll wander around and check on the progress of those. I’ll read reports, sit down in meeting to find out how games are progressing. And if there’s one project I’m really focussed on, maybe that’ll be the one that takes up the majority of my day. I’ll also spend a lot of time in our testing department to see how actual gameplay is progressing. And of course, perhaps a third of the day is taken up with emails. I like email because within the company I can send mail to perhaps ten guys at once on a project and then look at their responses.
Q: [i]How do you feel the pre-E3 press conference went this year for Nintendo? There wasn’t a great deal revealed…[/i]
SM: I think that the things we did announced were things people wanted, so I’m happy with what we were able to give them. And right now, with many games we’re working on, such as Nintendogs, really have broad appeal. So we are reaching out to people who perhaps don’t play games so much. And the Game Boy Micro which you have seen on the floor and here around my neck, is a lot more impactful when examined properly. Perhaps holding it up on stage didn’t show it off so well as when you get to have a close look for yourself.
Q: The Revolution back-catalogue program that was announced. Will there be a charge for this service? And what games can we expect?
SM: As far as titles are concerned, we’ll have to choose what to make available. But I should underline that we can offer whatever we want to from the back-catalogue. It's simply a matter of selecting them and picking them out! As far as a fee is concerned, that hasn’t been announced or decided yet. Though if there is a fee, I can tell you that it will be minimal!
SPOnG would like to thank Miyamoto-san and all at Nintendo who made this interview possible. We also hope that our readers appreciate this brief insight into the life of a very private man who after over 20 years, is still atop of his game. And more importantly, still smiling. A lot.
Shigeru Miyamoto’s next game, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Nintendo GameCube is released across the globe later this year.
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Comments
LUPOS 25 May 2005 21:59
1/8
damn NDA's... my roomate requested a lock of his hair, but i was unable to get within range :(
(i imagine if anyone pulled out a sharp object anywhere near the man, some sort of weird nintendo secret service would take them down with cleverley positioned snipers!)
Still, a very pleasant and ingenious god amoung men, may he live long enough to see full body cloning for transplants so nintendo can survive.
__________
(i imagine if anyone pulled out a sharp object anywhere near the man, some sort of weird nintendo secret service would take them down with cleverley positioned snipers!)
Still, a very pleasant and ingenious god amoung men, may he live long enough to see full body cloning for transplants so nintendo can survive.
__________
Ditto 26 May 2005 11:30
2/8
I think Mr Miyamoto could be holding Nintendo back. Don't get me wrong, he's a genius. Eventually however, Nintendo will need to produce adult-style games and apply it's innovation to that.
Mr Miyamoto tends to produce very similar games, and Nintendo needs some variety. As a member of Free Radical put it: it's unhealthy for a company to focus it's vision on the style of one individual (not in those words, but).
Mr Miyamoto tends to produce very similar games, and Nintendo needs some variety. As a member of Free Radical put it: it's unhealthy for a company to focus it's vision on the style of one individual (not in those words, but).
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TigerUppercut 26 May 2005 12:21
3/8
I think you have the wrong end of the stick. Miyamoto-san oversees all development but doesn't really control Nintendo's verall development strategy. That's controlled by Satoru Iwata.
tyrion 26 May 2005 12:23
4/8
TigerUppercut wrote:
I think you have the wrong end of the stick. Miyamoto-san oversees all development but doesn't really control Nintendo's verall development strategy. That's controlled by Satoru Iwata.
Yeah, but given a choice between a Miyamoto-produced game and any other, which would you give funding to?
Joji 26 May 2005 17:25
5/8
I agree with Adam.....some more mature content is badly needed. It's best Nintendo do something that's their own than rely on 2nd & 3rd parties for these kinds of product. If you use the GC as an example a amachine can sometimes starve of 2nd/3rd part product til the end. This is what is slowly killing the GC, more titles ending up on Xbox and PS2. (RE4 anyone)
Come on Nintendo, I know you can do it. Legend of Zelda is about the darkest game they have done. We want something set in the real world sometimes not Hyrule or Mario Land all the time. Plese put some new games on REV please. Perhaps when Nintendo decide to act other developers might stick around.
Come on Nintendo, I know you can do it. Legend of Zelda is about the darkest game they have done. We want something set in the real world sometimes not Hyrule or Mario Land all the time. Plese put some new games on REV please. Perhaps when Nintendo decide to act other developers might stick around.
OptimusP 26 May 2005 20:43
6/8
I don't think Nintendo is centered around mister Miyamoto. As he says himself, he's more of a supervisor, if the gameplay or gameworld stinks, he's the guy that takes note and tells the team, gives a few suggestions and moves on. May it be a mature or not-so-mature game (and i hate using the term mature).
I don't think we have to expect EAD pumping a 16+ game out any day. Probably Nintendo would talk with a lot of small developers and talented gameartists (Nintendo, here's a hint, go talk with Yuji Naka, quick!) and see what kind of game they have in production and go like "hey that's promising, let's make a deal, we'll publish your game, give you some extra starting capital and send some guys of EAD to help you out a bit and if you have some questions or problems, call us"
Rare, Retro, Silicon Knights, Camelot, NCSoft, Kuju, and so on, are good examples of Nintendo helping (not only with some cash but with some expercienced people too) out smaller teams in making their games, and most of the time those are quite the mature games.
And personally i believe Shigsy is on crack all the time...someone that smiles and laughs that much must be.
I don't think we have to expect EAD pumping a 16+ game out any day. Probably Nintendo would talk with a lot of small developers and talented gameartists (Nintendo, here's a hint, go talk with Yuji Naka, quick!) and see what kind of game they have in production and go like "hey that's promising, let's make a deal, we'll publish your game, give you some extra starting capital and send some guys of EAD to help you out a bit and if you have some questions or problems, call us"
Rare, Retro, Silicon Knights, Camelot, NCSoft, Kuju, and so on, are good examples of Nintendo helping (not only with some cash but with some expercienced people too) out smaller teams in making their games, and most of the time those are quite the mature games.
And personally i believe Shigsy is on crack all the time...someone that smiles and laughs that much must be.
TigerUppercut 27 May 2005 00:57
7/8
But this misses the whole point of Nintendo.
If you want a lot of killing and violence and swearing, buy an Xbox and/or a PlayStation. If you want new games, buy a Nintendo.
If you want a lot of killing and violence and swearing, buy an Xbox and/or a PlayStation. If you want new games, buy a Nintendo.
LUPOS 27 May 2005 01:05
8/8
TigerUppercut wrote:
But this misses the whole point of Nintendo.
If you want a lot of killing and violence and swearing, buy an Xbox and/or a PlayStation. If you want new games, buy a Nintendo.
If you want a lot of killing and violence and swearing, buy an Xbox and/or a PlayStation. If you want new games, buy a Nintendo.
this is percisely why i own an xbox and a cube... all the mario (random activity) i could ever want, and all the glitz and shiny of your standard xbox, and i get all the best multiplatform games on the xbox.
of course now im hooked on xbox games and ps3 looks to be the shiniest so i may just have to give in and get all three. oh the fun of waiting.
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