Shigeru Miyamoto’s comments have been unearthed, where he compares gamers’ appetites for hidden secrets and video games to pornography. In the mid to late 1980s, no one was more synonymous with creating good video games than Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto.
An interview was conducted with Miyamoto back in 1989 and published in Gamer Handbook. That interview has recently been translated by shmupulations. In the interview, Miyamoto discusses how much more open the idea of a video game becomes when you place it under the umbrella of pure entertainment.
“You could say that a great movie or a great book is a ‘game,’ too… but they are passive, whereas the computer alone is interactive. So, within the wider world of entertainment, you have this specific category of interactive entertainment, and video games are just one part of that,” he said.
Shigeru Miyamoto Compares Desire for Hidden Secrets in Games to Pornography
Further into the conversation, Miyamoto spoke about how pornography can sometimes elevate into the grotesque. He believed that the desire for secrets and games was reaching that level, saying that some of it wasn’t even measured by common sense.
“It’s just people getting bored and looking for stronger and stronger stimulation. We’ve hit a wall. When you’re at the point where you have no choice but to go ‘grotesque,’ you have to start thinking of new ways to use the medium,” he said.
Nintendo Continues to Innovate
Nintendo would find new ways to use the medium over the next 3 decades. From motion controls in the Nintendo Wii to the 2-in-1 gameplay of the Nintendo Switch, the developers continue to innovate. These days, Shigeru Miyamoto is more involved in expanding Nintendo’s core properties.
These expansions include movies and theme parks. The next major movie from Nintendo is Super Mario Galaxy. That will be released on April 1. The final trailer for the movie will be revealed on March 9 in a special Nintendo Direct presentation. Learn more about that here.
How do you feel about Miyamoto’s quotes from 1989? Do you think they’ve only continued to ring true as the years have gone on? Sound off in our official Discord server. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
