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E3: Nintendo's David Yarnton Interview
Wii DS Interview by Ellie Gibson
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Opportunities to interview executives have been thinner on the ground than usual at this year's E3. It seems everyone's too busy showing off their new motion-sensing control system / platform exclusives / pulse-measuring accessory / motion-sensing control system. Or perhaps they're just sick of us asking stupid questions.
At least good-natured Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton found the time to talk to us, just hours after his firm's E3 press conference wrapped up. Read on to find out what he reckons the hardcore made of it, whether there will be a Wii price cut this year and why he doesn't have a crown.
Eurogamer: How's E3 going for you?
David Yarnton: Apart from the fact my feet are sore already... One of the best ways to judge is when you're on the stand and you see people queuing up, but also you see them with big smiles on their faces while playing the games. So far, so good! We've been really happy with the response.
Eurogamer: What will be the Nintendo game of the show for hardcore gamers, do you think?
David Yarnton: I think there's something for everyone. One of the things that surprised me a lot was Wii Sports Resort; the number of people queuing up to play who you would say are more traditional gamers. So even gamers want to have fun. Hang on, that sounds a bit weird, doesn't it? Whatever your tastes are, we can offer something.
Eurogamer: There's always the question of who "wins" E3 - who has the best conference and so on. Who will come out on top this year?
David Yarnton: When you look at the Wii's installed base of more than 50 million units, DS with well over 100 million... We don't look at winning or losing as such, because we're competing against a lot of other kinds of entertainment. We want people to come and play games and enhance people's experience with our company. The consumer will be the judge.
Eurogamer: There's a feeling that there was wow factor to Sony and Microsoft's conferences, while Nintendo's was more muted. Do you think that's fair?
David Yarnton: Most of the stuff on our stand is here and now - not speculation. And we've been offering a lot of the product innovation other people are talking about for quite some time. So I don't really see it as wow factor - it's more someone trying to play catch-up. We've got product like the Vitality Sensor as an example of continuous innovation, and the Wii Fit Plus enhancements. People take some of these things for granted.
Eurogamer: Speaking of the Vitality Sensor, that certainly was a surprise. Have you had a chance to try it out at all?
David Yarnton: I've seen it in operation, but we're not talking about it today. As for surprise, when we launched Wii people were doing the same thing - going, 'What's this all about?' Luckily we were vindicated. It's the company's willingness to push boundaries other people don't even think about. We're just showing a taster, there's more to come in the future.
Eurogamer: Do you think Sony and Microsoft are innovating with their motion-sensing technologies, or are they just jumping on a bandwagon you set rolling?
David Yarnton: Nintendo's been around for quite some time and has quite a good understanding of its customers. We found people like to have feedback, such as vibration, when they're playing a game. We give them freedom and interaction, but also feedback.
Eurogamer: Have you seen any of Sony or Microsoft's motion-sensing stuff?
David Yarnton: We've had too much good product here to have time to see any of that. We're very happy with what we've got on our plate at the moment.
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insincere_dave
03/06/09 @ 12:10
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Good to see that not all games industry execs are completely devoid of humour / personality.
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. Great interview. Seemed to have rattle with all those motion questions and the games. Liked this part
Eurogamer: Some Wii owners have complained that your great first-party titles are too few and far between. In the meantime, they're left with nothing but a load of shovelware - piles of quickly churned out, cheaply made games designed to sell on the basis of the cover alone. David Yarnton: Are you having an interview with EA, Activision, Capcom? Are you going to ask them that question as well, suggesting the product they make for Wii is second-rate? Because I've seen some fantastic product out there. HE seemed to have been rattled. And BTW I have said its going to real tough for Nintendo soon. This E3 has verified my comments. They will need a new console or a huge price drop sooner than people think.
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most recently on 03/06/09 @ 13:12
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Well done, EG all the right questions, and you didn't let him off the hook.
I would have paid good money to see him squirming. The plain fact is that for the games audience who read this site will struggle to find 5 games they want for the wii this year, regardless of the amount of disposable income they would like to give Nintendo to keep them entertained. |
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Bremenacht
03/06/09 @ 12:21
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Great questions, rubbish answers.
Best answers: "David Yarnton: Who knows?" (Clue: Not Dave) "David Yarnton: The thing is, you can never predict anything with our company. Even if I said something it could be proved wrong in the future." (Translation: I haven't a clue.) |
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I think if you'd asked him a few more times, they would've started development just to stop you asking! Great interview Ellie! I was hoping you'd ask "of everything your competitors have presented this E3, what do you wish you'd been showing?" It's always fun watching them come up with an answer for that one. Either complete honesty or total lies.
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quantumsheep
03/06/09 @ 12:37
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I loved this bit:
Eurogamer: Is it Pilotwings? David Yarnton: You're a Pilotwings fan, are you? Eurogamer: Is it Pilotwings? Ellie, you come across a bit unhinged sometimes... (not a criticism!) :) |
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Wow... That was an awesome interview. I've never seen the execs asked the questions which reflect the whining of the internet community so directly and brazenly before :O
His answers aren't surprising though, and it's not his fault. If they're making Pikminwingfox Zero and they haven't announced it in their big keynote, and Shigeru isn't opening his gob, then you can guarantee he's simply not allowed to say. Letting something slip is not worth his job/career. All the companies do it, and they need to do it. If all Nintendo's games from this E3 were announced at the last E3 (with no difference to the release dates) then all the hype would've died by now and we'd be bitching that they've got nothing to show this year. I'd bet a lot of money they're working on big name titles now which will be announced and shown off next year. |
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@ LazyDan - its all well and good not mentioning things until realtively close to their release, but the real question is why are they so far from release, and what are people supposed to play in the mean time?
Nintendo are currently unable or unwilling to produce enough quality games throughout each year to satisfy the customers, and the third parties arn't doing well enough to pick up the slack. |
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kinky_mong
03/06/09 @ 12:59
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Fantastic interview! Good to see you pushed him close to breaking point with the continuous questioning.
Ellie is the new Paxman. "Is it Pilotwings?" is the new "Did you threaten to over rule him?". |
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[PR chap: "Just to butt in, the three guiding principles of our gaming service have always been 'simple, safe and free'. We don't see a reason why they should be changed at the moment, because people like it. People say it is complicated but it's complicated for a reason - to keep people safe."]
So then, it's not "simple, safe and free" then, is it? So the guiding principles can be updated to just "Safe and Free". Think of all the man hours that can be saved by not typing, saying and printing the word "simple" over the next few years. |
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andywilkie35
03/06/09 @ 13:31
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I'm not aware of too many complaints about [Friend Codes].
Haha that made me laugh - Nintendo unaware of complaints about the utterly terrible friends codes system, much like they're unaware of the complaints that they're not producing games for the hardcore. Where's my Pilotwings? |
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designerheadache
03/06/09 @ 14:01
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thats got to be the largest amount of side stepping i've seen in an interview for some time.
He must have gotten all the way to another state by the time the interview was over |
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Transmission89
03/06/09 @ 14:12
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That interview was epic. It's great to see that you didn't let him off the hook throughout. I was looking forward to the wii before it came out, i was looking forward to the potential it had. It seems even Nintendo have just given up making games and now just make lifestyle products.
Please tell me that interview was recorded, we want to see him squirm!! Much love to Ellie for that! |
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Eighthours
03/06/09 @ 14:33
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I'm not aware of too many complaints about [Friend Codes].
This bit reminded me of Gordon Brown at PMQs. :) |
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Salaminizer
03/06/09 @ 14:56
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But it seems like for every Boom Blox I have to play nine Hasbro Family Game Nights, Golden Balls, Carnival Sports Party Surfing Nightmare Fiascos...
wow, that sucks, I'm sorry for you, and it's because of stuff like this that I congratulate myself every day for being a gamer and not a gaming journalist.
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most recently on 03/06/09 @ 15:57
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@roz123
yes, you are. if you'd like to read Mr. Yarnton's standard answers to the standard questions of a regular interview, please check one of the 28 other news outlets that have interviewed since E3 started. but beware, the questions as well as the answers are extremely similar across all interviews. i for one like the fact that somebody puts the hard questions to them, of course he's never gonna answer them intentionally, but chances are he lets something slip. or makes his pr dude look like an ass, which is quite funny |
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Nintendo are currently unable or unwilling to produce enough quality games throughout each year to satisfy the customers, and the third parties arn't doing well enough to pick up the slack.
The weekly sales charts would strongly disagree with you, Wii/DS pretty much dominates week after week after week. |
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@roz123 : "am i the only person whos reading this thinking that its a wasted oppurtunity to find out something useful and instead just a load of questions that were obviously not going to be answered"
Nope.. i thought that too.. but this is the internets.. and she's female.. so all the forum nerds "love" her regardless. |
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Bremenacht
03/06/09 @ 19:38
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So, if you want replies other than the usual po-faced, dull, homogenised, bullshit-bingo, corporate bollocks, you must be an Ellie-loving forum nerd.
Yeah, right. |
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but they're never going to say anything useful that was not in the actual conference. they're programmable (any ngc fans remember david go-sen?) and never stray from the company line.
at best they just ignore what is said Eurogamer: Students liking Mario Kart? Does it? I almost failed my degree because of that game. I was Sorby Hall of Residence Mario Kart Champion 1996. David Yarnton: Well, there you go. So there's a big uptake, and it seems to work OK. makes sense? Eurogamer: Is it Pikmin? David Yarnton: Who knows? you should!! (guess it's a no then) PR chap: "Due to problems with the exchange rate over the last year, we raised the cost price. Whether retailers choose to pass that cost on to customers is up to them. We have no control over what they charge for a Wii. um . . . .sure you don't. best to just have a laugh with them in this context, i think.
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most recently on 03/06/09 @ 20:45
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Vertical Stand
03/06/09 @ 21:32
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I don't know, I have some misgivings about the interview style at times, unless the person is in tune with, and happy to go along wit the tongue in cheek nature it seems like a mistake to go about it this way, as it comes across as very awkward such as when David Yamton told Ellie to ask third parties direct about their titles.
For those taking it at face value as a good way to attack Nintendo, even if it was supposed to be a serious interview why would a UK head of Nintendo know anything about unannounced projects and even if he did why would he reveal them if higher ups didn't?
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 03/06/09 @ 22:33
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makeamazing
03/06/09 @ 22:19
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I think this interview style is perfect, the number of Press people who get the chance dont ask the right questions, yes some questions might be silly but we are all thinking of these questions :D
Questions like, Shovelware, what is nintendo doing next, can it compete if the high graphics machines get waggle, seriously good questions if you scratch the surface of some of the comments. |
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Nintendo is like a Rock Band, who has been touring for years, and decided to make Bon Jovi-songs instead. It sells bucketloads, but doesn't do well with their classic audiance. Now they expect everyone to be happy, because they are making some hardcore games. If they had invested more in de development capacity they wouldn't have had this problem.
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Ellie: So what do you think of your competitors new motion sensing products?
David: I like trees and clouds and getting wet - in the rain E: What do you say to people who claim Sony and MS had a better E3? D: Have you tried these donuts? They're delicious. E: What about the hardcore gamer that feels like Nintendo have abandoned them in recent years? d: bbeeeeebbbbbwww bbeeeeebbbbbwweeeeeeeeeeeee! |
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