Nintendo to set the standard for the next generation of game controllers

The Nintendo 64 gamepad. The Wiimote. The Joy-Cons. When it comes to controllers, Nintendo has never shied away from devising wild and unique ideas for their devices. That's why it got rather interesting during the latest shareholder's meeting, where Nintendo was asked about their thoughts for the future of gaming controllers.





Looking at this year's E3, it seems like the mainstream for video games is the same as it has been for the past 30 years, namely, looking at the screen and playing with controller in hand. How do developers regard this, and do they think it will continue?


Nintendo's supervisor of business development, Shinya Takahashi, responded by saying Nintendo has been innovating how people play games, with titles like 1-2-Switch, and the Nintendo Labo VR kits.





We are always dreaming up new things. For example, for 1-2-Switch, the first game released for Nintendo Switch, we suggested that people play by looking at each other and not at the screen. And for VR, we thought about how we could change not just the controller but also the gameplay itself, and came up with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit. The software exhibited at this year's E3 just happened to be mostly the type that is played with controller in hand, looking at the screen. However, I think you can see from the software we've created that we are always trying out new ideas.


Shigeru Miyamoto then took the opportunity to reply, stating that Nintendo has set industry trends for decades, with the advent of the original D-pad and analog stick for the NES and N64 respectively. He also says that Nintendo is in the process of creating a controller that surpasses the current design of the Joy-Cons, and can be used with ease, making for something to set the standard for the next generation of systems.





Nintendo was the first to create the style of playing video games with a plus-shaped directional pad and additional buttons, which has now become the industry standard. It was also Nintendo that changed the original plus-shaped directional pad, which operated digitally in eight directions, into the first analog input device that moves freely in all directions for Nintendo 64. This, too, is now common. We are proud to have created a variety of user interfaces that have now become industry standards.

And, as of now, in terms of accuracy and reliability, I believe this style is the clear winner. At the same time, I also believe that we should quickly graduate from the current controller, and we are attempting all kinds of things. Our objective is to achieve an interface that surpasses the current controller, where what the player does is directly reflected on the screen, and the user can clearly feel the result. This has not been achieved yet. We have tried all kinds of motion controllers, but none seem to work for all people. As the company that knows the most about controllers, we have been striving to create a controller that can be used with ease, and that will become the standard for the next generation.