Miyamoto: Games based on developers’ personal interests resonate around the world, not those aiming for global appeal

Shigeru Miyamoto says the games that resonate most with players all around the world aren’t those deliberately designed for global appeal, but those based on a developer’s personal interests.

In an interview in the new issue of Famitsu, Miyamoto was asked why Nintendo‘s IPs are enjoyed around the world.

Miyamoto replied that the key to a successful game isn’t looking at what’s trending and trying to capitalise on that, but starting with ideas that the developers personally find fun and working around them.

“People have long asked me, ‘why does a mustachioed middle-aged guy like Mario sell so well?’ and I always think, ‘that’s a bit rude, isn’t it?'” Miyamoto joked (via machine translation). “Well, I wonder the same thing myself – why did an older guy like this become a hit? But if you look at it simply, it’s because he was introduced alongside incredibly fun games.

“When we come up with new games, we start from the fundamentals. We don’t begin by looking at existing games on the market and thinking, ‘if we tweak this part or combine that element it would be fun’. Instead, we ask ourselves, ‘why do people play games in the first place?’

“From there, we might consider things like ‘what is the core appeal of the games trending right now?’ or ‘isn’t this essentially the same as that old game from back then?’ or ‘if so, couldn’t we do something more with this?’ We start by asking: ‘What does it actually mean for something to be fun to play?’

“Splatoon is a classic example of this – the core concept was simply, ‘what would happen if we had a game about painting an area and competing for territory?’ Turning that into a proper game is difficult, of course, but if the core concept had been different, the result wouldn’t have turned out the way it did.

“Even with RPGs – if the ‘starting point’ differs – if you start with a fundamental concept then shape it into an RPG – you end up with something completely different. That’s exactly why Pokémon Red and Green turned out so differently from the RPGs that came before them. They were created based on Mr. Tajiri’s own passionate experiences with insect collecting – the desire to trade with friends for species you hadn’t caught yet, and the drive to complete the collection.

“You shouldn’t do that”

Miyamoto went on to explain that if developers start with an existing popular game and try to build on it with the aim to make it a global success, the resulting game will be soulless, and that developers should instead start with an idea that personally means something to them, because when that idea eventually grows players will be able to relate to it on a more personal level.

“That’s the sort of thing I talk about at external game seminars,” he said. “Generally, everyone has a game they love, and they start thinking up new ideas based on the thought that ‘if I did this to it, it would be even more fun’, But I always tell them: ‘You shouldn’t do that.’

“I suggest starting instead from something like a ‘principle of gameplay’ that only you have noticed. This is standard practice at Nintendo – we don’t consider it to be anything special. If a game is remembered as a unique, entertaining experience, the more distinctive it is, the more deeply it gets imprinted in people’s minds.

“The reason Mario became so such a global success is likely because the gameplay centres on physical movement – it’s a game anyone can understand, regardless of country or culture. The same goes for Pokémon’s global success – the desire to collect and complete a set of charming characters is something people in any country can relate to.

“So, the reason Nintendo enjoys such strong global support is simply that we don’t start by asking: ‘What’s trending right now?’ Instead, we focus on who we’re actually doing this for. Who is it that’s putting up the money? I really dislike terms like ‘depreciation’ or ‘recouping costs.’ The people funding these projects are doing it to make a fortune, so why celebrate things like ‘we recouped our investment’ or short-term profits? To me, if you’ve burned through the talents of so many people just to achieve that, that feels like a massive failure.

“We’ve always focused on creating the best possible product to match the ‘fun gameplay’ we envision. I think that’s the only real difference. I might sound a bit arrogant saying this [laughs], but if you make things while constantly asking ‘will this make money right away?’ you can’t create anything truly unique or with broad appeal.”

He added: “The ideal relationship between us and the company is one where you get comments like ‘I’m so glad I asked you to do this – it took some time, but we made a huge profit.’ Ultimately, it all comes down to whether we can keep that going.

“After all, the most ‘local’ things – like an individual’s personal hobbies – are often the ones that resonate globally. Conversely, if you try to base your work on things that only seem to have broad appeal, you end up with something generic – something where you can’t tell who actually made it – and that kind of thing actually lacks global strength.

“That’s why, when people at the company ask me what to do, the only advice I can offer is: ‘You should turn your idea into a product in a way that best showcases the fact that you were the one who created it.”