Miyamoto Could Have Made Halo

***wraggster*** · May 7th, 2007, 22:29

via ign

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."

Shigeru MiyamotoThe 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.

**Elven6** · May 8th, 2007, 00:33

This guy is full of himself isn't he!

**Shadowblind** · May 8th, 2007, 00:38

Yes, I'd rather say this guy is quite a....well, moron. He "could" have made Halo. No, he couldn't. Unless he thought the EXACT same thoughts that the real creator of Halo did, no, he could not. Oh sure, I could have designed the Great Wall of China. I just CHOSE not to.

As for TP in the US, "ok" is an understatement. Everyone I know with a Wii has two games: Twilight Princess and Wii Sports.

**Cap'n 1time** · May 8th, 2007, 00:42

I think this is taken WAY out of context. I believe what Supreme Master Miyamoto is implying is that he doesnt want to make some generic game that has been done a thousand times. He wants originality.

Halo, while very cool, is not exactly a new concept where as most the games Miyamoto and the rest of genius designers of Nintendo try to do something new all the time... and generally it works too!

Love or hate nintendo there is NO denying that video games wouldnt be what they are today with out the man. I dont like how this article twists his words.

**Yobumtin** · May 8th, 2007, 00:46

I don't think he really said that in the best way though. Such a wise man would be expected to take a different approach.

**DimensionT** · May 8th, 2007, 01:29

I want to see a bloody as hell FPS for the Wii that uses Miis as characters. Online play would be shweet...

Originally Posted by Shadowblind

Yes, I'd rather say this guy is quite a....well, moron. He "could" have made Halo. No, he couldn't. Unless he thought the EXACT same thoughts that the real creator of Halo did, no, he could not. Oh sure, I could have designed the Great Wall of China. I just CHOSE not to.

This shows a little bit of ignorance, don't you think? Of course he couldn't make Halo pixel for pixel, that's not what he ment... But making a FPS with the same impact on the gaming world as Halo, highly possible.

He'd just rather make something orignal then rehash gameplay that's been done many times over.

Not that Halo's a bad game... But take away the pretty graphics, cool weapons and advanced AI... You'll see that it's all been done before.

**Junixx** · May 8th, 2007, 01:34

Yeh I agree with a couple of said posts above, he wants originality, not a generic game, Halo is good, not saying anything bad about it.

...On another note, I'm off to play Metroid Prime: Hunters