Miyamoto: We've got 5 years' experience

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 June, 2009

Says he's not bothered by Natal etc.

Shigeru Miyamoto has responded to the announcements of Microsoft's Project Natal and Sony's motion controller by saying that new control schemes only work if you make compelling games with them.

"The interesting thing about [these announcements] is it takes a great deal of experience to be able to create full gameplay experiences that take advantage of motion control," he told the BBC.

"We've been experimenting with motion control for over five years now, and based on the announcements we've seen here at E3, it seems like the other two companies have really only been experimenting with this only very recently."

Miyamoto isn't worried, apparently, and believes that both announcements show that, "number one, they've looked at what we've done with Wii, and seen the value in that, and now they're moving in the same direction that we have already established."

Miyamoto's comments continue the fine E3 tradition of executives passively slagging off the competition. For example, Microsoft's John Schappert told Eurogamer last week that having to hold a controller is "a big barrier to being able to get people to enjoy interactive experiences".

Nintendo, however, can argue that Wii MotionPlus is out this Friday, with Wii Sports Resort following next month, which is rather more tangible than the tech demos shown off at E3 by its competitors.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (56) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • penhalion #1 3 years ago

    If they weren't bothered then surely there was no need to comment about the other two solutions at all.

    Looks like they are bothered then doesn't it. After all you get motion control with the power of a PS3 or 360. That's going to make anything on the Wii look like the last generation software that it is. Two identical games on say a Wii and a PS3 are going to look so radically different (in favour of the PS3) that it's actually going to be funny! Imagine Mad World for PS3 or 360. It will look like a true pencil drawing of an animated world compared to the harsh and difficult to navigate thing that was the Wii version. The EG comparison videos will be legend.

  • Jimbob89 #2 3 years ago

    Shigeru Miyamoto has responded to the announcements of Microsoft's Project Natal and Sony's motion controller by saying that new control schemes only work if you make compelling games with them.
    Now i have a Wii.....but i disagree that they've used the motion controller to make 'compelling games'.

  • Tonka #3 3 years ago

    Well, there you have it.

  • chubster2010 #4 3 years ago

    re. ' it seems like the other two companies have really only been experimenting with this only very recently."'

    That's not entirely true - Sony have a lot of experience with Eyetoy (as highlighted above), and they also demoed motion sensing technology at e3 in May 2005 (with the cups and water).

    ([link url=http://ww w.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3140617)
    ]http://ww w.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3140...[/link]

    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 10:36

  • Vice.Destroyer #5 3 years ago

    +1 Jimbob. +1.

  • Cid #6 3 years ago

    "If they weren't bothered then surely there was no need to comment about the other two solutions at all."

    He was asked...it's not like he made a point of saying "oh, and about Microsoft and Sony...!"

  • jack_klugman #7 3 years ago

    Now i have a Wii.....but i disagree that they've used the motion controller to make 'compelling games'.

    40 million people were compelled to buy Wii Sports. That's pretty compelling.

  • MORZTAN #8 3 years ago

    Right you are Tom.

  • Xerx3s #9 3 years ago

    He was so not bothered that he went to see it with his own eyes.

    Also, they have 5 years of experience. Says the guy that gave us Wii music. ¬_¬

  • Xerx3s #10 3 years ago

    "40 million people were compelled to buy Wii Sports. That's pretty compelling. "

    From a business pov yes. For gamers...not so much.

  • chubster2010 #11 3 years ago

    re '40 million people were compelled to buy Wii Sports.'?

    Or 40 million people were compelled to by a Wii...which came with a free copy of Wii Sports...

  • Genji #12 3 years ago

    Wii Sports is fantastic.

    If that opinion excludes me from being a "gamer", then "fuck you".

  • LazyDan #13 3 years ago

    Nintendo themselves have made compelling games using their motion sensing technology. People are confusing third party shovelware (which isn't Nintendo's fault or indeed, even a bad thing,) with first party Nintendo titles.

    Mario Kart Wii was pretty compelling - and gave the users a choice of motion or no motion.
    Excitetruck, Wii Sports, Metroid Prime 3... Any game where they've done it, they've done it well - as various reviews will attest to. The only exception being Wii Music?

    So to the bandwagoning internet moaners, shove it. Posting opinions based on baseless memes applied to a console ("Wii does not have good games";) does not make you clever, or correct. You still won't fit in on the internet and you smell (probably.)

    I could as well sit here and say the PS3 has no games other than knock-offs and is an expensive blu ray player, or say that the 360 is an unreliable piece of crap with an overpriced online system. I don't believe either of those statements, but I can guarantee a thread full of those comments where the news article even only slightly invites them.
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 11:10

  • McBradders #14 3 years ago

    Eyetoy never happened, I guess.

  • Xerx3s #15 3 years ago

    Genji: Fair enough for you. If it entertained you then I'm very happy for you.

  • Canyarion #16 3 years ago

    @chubster2010 ("Or 40 million people were compelled to by a Wii...which came with a free copy of Wii Sports... ";)

    Yeah right. People bought the Wii because the white color looks really good in their room. Or because they want to check the weather on it. Maybe they bought the Wii because they just had to make a Mii of themselves.
    Madness. Besides, Wii Sports wasn't bundled in Japan and it still sold 3.5 million copies there.

    @Jimbob89
    Why do you think MS and Sony will get ports of games like Mad World? How many good games do you think the new technologies will have? What companies are going to invest in it?
    We're 3 years into this generation. For motion control on the PS3 and 360, you have to pay almost as much as for a brand new Wii. Who's going to buy it? The hardcore gamers? I thought they hated motion control. The casual gamers? They're not going to pay double the price of a Wii just to have better graphics.
    The EG comparison videos will be 'legend'. The sales comparison videos will be even more legendary.

    This generation isn't going to change anymore. If anything, it's a nice chance for MS and Sony to get some motion control experience. They'll need that for the next gen.

  • TopKatt #17 3 years ago

    "number one, they've looked at what we've done with Wii, and seen the value in that, and now they're moving in the same direction that we have already established."

    /Shudders
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 11:36

  • Mark1412 #18 3 years ago

    Compelling like Wii Music?

  • Charlie_Miso #19 3 years ago

    No one saying that Nintendo are doomed yet?

  • Xerx3s #20 3 years ago

    Why should they be? They have made a very solid business choice.

  • oupe #21 3 years ago

    @Canyarion

    This generation isn't going to change anymore. If anything, it's a nice chance for MS and Sony to get some motion control experience. They'll need that for the next gen.

    That remains to be seen. 3rd party devs also have five years of experience with motion control. Although it's not very likely things could start to look ugly for nintendo wii in the future, Natal looks like it could be a very relevant piece of hardware. Combine this with the low price of Xbox360 and it's technical superiority (queue RROD jokes) and you might just have a winner. Finally, Sony has to be added to this equation as well.

    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 12:14

  • chubster2010 #22 3 years ago

    @ Canyarion
    'For motion control on the PS3 and 360, you have to pay almost as much as for a brand new Wii.'

    Neither Sony and MS have announced any price details yet. Or do you know something the rest of us don't?

  • Accordi0n #23 3 years ago

    Ignorance is bliss…

    Sony was the first to have success with motion controls on consoles, Eyetoy launched in 2003 and went on to be supported by many games.

    PS Eye features have made regular appearances at shows like E3, so this isnt soemthing new for Sony at all, they started it all.
    If the higher ups had listened to Phil Harrison the Wii might not have had chance to exist, Sony could have owned the motion control space long before.

  • JahB #24 3 years ago

    For motion control on the PS3 and 360, you have to pay almost as much as for a brand new Wii.

    what drugs are you on? i live in continental europe, a 360 arcade goes for 149 euros here, which is 100 less than a wii (that's 249 for you). so, let's say Natal costs about 100 euros (which is reasonable, about GBP 80 atm), so you could actually buy a proper console PLUS motion controls for about the same price as a wii

  • CaptianScarlet #25 3 years ago

    I think for the moment Nintendo don't have anything to worry about. Let's face it, nearly everything shown was prototype with some "tech demo" style "games". Neither of these are going to be out for a bit. Natal has no firm release date and Sony's offering is sometime in 2010 (that could mean anything up to Q4 2010). Both will have to be purchased independently of the console, although will most likely be bundled as part of a game costing about £80 quid. I just can't see anyone actually looking into buying any of these offerings unless they already own that console. This will stop a lot of potential "new" buyers bothering with these tech toys and that is exactly who these peripherals are being aimed at. Sony and Microsoft want to get a bigger piece of Nintendo's casual gamer market ( Please don't kid yourselves that these are aimed at you so called hardcore gamers cause they most certainly are not as they already have your cash from the consoles and games you already buy!!).

    However, I'd like to add that both look really interesting with Microsoft's offering just piping Sony's to the post in my book (but some people may have other opinions). Yet, I think that the only people that can defeat Nintendo's in the box offering are Nintendo themselves by not making sure they have engaging software to keep their masses entertained. That is what Nintendo and Miyamoto should be worrying about.

    Oh, and Just in case people bash me, the only console/hand held (from the major players) I don't have is the PSP which is crap :)
    Edited by 2 at 08/06/09 @ 13:17

  • MORZTAN #26 3 years ago

    What does EyeToy have to do with motion control? At least motion control in the sense of what the Wii have and what Sony showed at this E3?

    Edited by 2 at 08/06/09 @ 18:57

  • stevetuck #27 3 years ago

    Its gonna be atleast a year or so before these other motion controllers come out, And i doubt people who already own a wii are gonna be buying an 360 or a ps3 for a EA's Mr Motivator 34....

    I dont belive casual gamers will not buy another console for slightly better(tho im pretty sure even the wiimotes tech demos made it look better than it was) motion controlls for a wii sports/wii fit clone because lets face it... those two games are the only reason the wii sells

  • Alkeno #28 3 years ago

    Miyamoto is so right. That is why Wii Sports, one launch title of the Wii that comes bundled in most sku, is such a failure. They just didn't have 5 years experiencie in waggle controls.

    /stops being sarcastic.

  • Quak #29 3 years ago

    LazyDan, when people say that the Wii has no good games, they're exaggerating a point that has a basis in fact. The Wii does have some good games, but not many, and to emphasise their point people exaggerate to say that there are none.

    It's like saying that we don't get any sun in Britain. Of course we do. We get sun for roughly 12 hours in every 24, but the exaggerated claim is made to emphasise the point that we don't get much quality sun in relation to perhaps Southern France.

    I can only assume that you must know all this and that you are choosing to ignore it simply to be a dick.

  • Canyarion #30 3 years ago

    All this talk about Eye Toy. How much did that thing sell? I doubt it's more than 10 million copies.

    Here's what Nintendo did right:
    They integrated the technology in the console.
    They had a killer app to sell the technology.

    And I also think people like to hold something in their hands. Whatever it is, the Wii appealed more than the Eye Toy did.

    MS and Sony are trying to implement this halfway the generation. And so far they haven't shown killer software yet, but maybe it's on its way.

    About the price: You're right, we don't know the price yet. I thought I heard $200 for Natal, but I guess that was fake news. Like you said, it could go for $100.
    But you forgot about a Wii price cut. If Nintendo needs to, it can cut the price to $200, maybe $150.

    Don't get me wrong, I love to see Project Natal work. But I think I'll wait and see what the next gen brings, when stuff gets interesting.

  • rotmm #31 3 years ago

    He should have just said (taking Pachter's lead) that Sony are suffering from Wiinis Envy.

  • zedzee #32 3 years ago

    "We've been experimenting with motion control for over five years now..." and we've still got bugger all to show for it!

    What Mr Miyamoto is forgetting is the fact that both MS and Sony are bigger companies and they can potentially flood Nintendo's market with crap that will, at the very least, confuse the consumer enough to take their focussing eyes away from Nintendo.

    It's not necessarily a strategy to dominate this segment but more like to saturate it...And that might be enough to distract people from and dissipate Nintendo's uniqueness in this segment.

    And why not...Both Sony and Microsoft have done it before.

  • LazyDan #33 3 years ago

    @Quak

    Define 'many games.' Metacritic shows many good games on the Wii - a comparable amount of 80+ rated games exists between all three platforms. Likewise for the other consoles, or are you simply holding the Wii to a higher standard than the other two to support a baseless meme simply to be a dick?

  • mega7ech #34 3 years ago

    Yes Miyamoto, because theres so many compelling games on the Wii. No, sorry old chap, you've lost your touch, confirmed when I saw that the new Mario game was - wait for it - Super Mario Galaxy 2! 5 years experince? Think I'll wait another 5 years before looking at Nintendo again thanks...

  • urban #35 3 years ago

    lol, yes the most technically incompetent company is going to win a technological battle..

  • davisorle #36 3 years ago

    So many tards, from Miyamoto up to the most of the comments here.. There are motion CONTROLLERS and motion control. Natal has nothign to do with the freaking wand nor Wiimote nor eyetoy.. Wtf are you ppl even talking about here? Seriously, there is a sad factor of incapability to seperate the freaking obvious differences. What does motion controllers by both nintendo and sony have to do with voice, facial and body etc recognition? really for once more we are compairing a dick with a dildo here ... its just stupid lol. You kiddos add to the fun of a stupid reply from someone incapable to give a proper answer in an interview at BBC. At least from someone offical from Nintendo id expect a way more serious answer than that. Go ahead and try to talk about wand/MotionPlus. But when it comes to Natal which is just something completely different he should at least have an opinion other than be so deffensive about it. Too obvious the fact he had nothing better to say and make me doupt him being worried about Natal or not.

    Cheers :)

  • oerhoert #37 3 years ago

    <em>"The Wii does have some good games, but not many."</em>

    Y'see, this is exactly the kind of attitude that gets on my nerves. I own about 40 Wii games, of which I've had the time to finish more or less one. About half of those I'd describe as fantastic, the rest are mostly interesting and fun.

    Which is why "the Wii has few good games" seems like such a subjective conjecture. How many Wii games have you played? I've personally had a <em>lot</em> of brilliant fun with games that are not universally praised, such as Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, De Blob, Excite Truck, Kororinpa, Table Tennis, and so on. To <em>me</em>, De Blob is <em>just as good</em> as Crackdown, and Kororinpa a far better platform game than Mirror's Edge, although I loved both. To <em>me</em>, Tony Hawk and Excite Truck both trample Motorstorm, and I heard that Motorstorm is widely regarded as rather good.

    If you're stingy with game preferences, I can agree that the Wii is lacking in some areas. I wouldn't buy a Wii primarily to sate my FPS needs, for instance, or my racing sim whims, or as my primary RPG machine.

    But that goes both ways. I wouldn't buy a 360 to quell my desire for motion-controlled tennis or golf either (at least not yet). Wii Fit is the best "workout motivation" game I've ever seen, by a good margin--no equivalent to that on the other consoles. Xbox 360, as far as I know, also fail to offer point-and-clicky goodness like Sam & Max, Strongbad and Zack & Wiki.

    In short, all three consoles have their strengths and their weaknesses, and the Wii is <em>not</em> particularly short on good games. It just tends to have slightly different <em>kinds</em> of good games.
    Edited by 3 at 08/06/09 @ 16:51

  • mkreku #38 3 years ago

    I'm sure your five years experience in producing shovelware will be a tremendous asset against Natal, Miyamoto. Honest.

  • Collymilad #39 3 years ago

    Translation

    "We've had 5 years to actually figure out something decent we could do with the wiimote, and we still haven't"

    As for the argument regarding "good games" on Wii. Congrats, you like the pop music of the gaming world - lowest common denominator software, offensive to no-one (as in, easy and shallow) and so liable to sell well.

    You see it in every media, just means you like trash.
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 17:31

  • Mr.DNA #40 3 years ago

    LazyDan:

    Games that are worth buying for the Wii are few and far between. Compared to the other two consoles, there is a clear lack of quality for the system. This has been going on since the N64. First party Nintendo games tend to be belters, although you're lucky if you get one or two top-notch AAA First Party Wii titles a year. It was the same with the Gamecube. The occasional amazing first party title interspersed with months and years of dross.

  • smelly #41 3 years ago

    >Natal has nothign to do with the freaking wand nor Wiimote nor eyetoy.

    What is natal if it's not a souped up eyetoy?

  • smelly #42 3 years ago

    >you like the pop music of the gaming world - lowest common denominator software,
    >You see it in every media, just means you like trash.


    Are you talking about fps games like halo?

    you are arent you?

  • Mr.DNA #43 3 years ago

    He's talking about bog-standard Wii games.

  • smelly #44 3 years ago

    >He's talking about bog-standard Wii games.

    Nope - he said "lowest common demonitator" and mainstream "trash" stuff...

    If we're going lcd mainstream nonsense that the mainstream lap up.. that's fps games - and games like gta.. I see the mainstream audience as people who dont play games that often.. All the bar staff down my local pub know f-all about games, but they all get together to play the latest fps games online.


    See if you're comparing games to mainstream "pop" music and tv.. Well pop music and tv are average to bad products which sell shit loads based purely on their advertising and how they're picked up and promoted by the media. If you look at something like halo - which is the height of average gaming experience - but yet it sold shit loads due to major publicity and every piece of mainstream media surrounding it. GTA doesnt quite work in this formula - because it was highly publicised, but was actually good (erm, until gta4 which sucked balls).

    My point being, just because some snobby nerd on an internet forum doesnt like a game doesnt make it a bad piece of "pop" entertainment. As i've stated before, wii music (something you guys always pick on for this) was PERFECT for the age group it was aimed at and a great piece of entertainment (for that age group). Just because it wasnt aimed at teenagers (who prefer "pop" games with violence and guns), doesnt make it a bad form of entertainment - just one which isnt aimed at you.

    Going back to the tv analogy - Sesamee Street (ironically i dont know how to spell it) - isnt aimed at YOUR age group. But that doesnt make it a mainstream piece of pop rubbish. However, something like (cant think of a show to make my point here.. will come back and re-edit when i've had a think) is.
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 19:15

  • smelly #45 3 years ago

    >Seems a bit late to try to cash in on motion control.

    yeah.. personally im bored of it.. especially because all 3rd parties want to do is replace button presses (such as jump) with waggle.

    Thus making perfectly timed jumps impossible and RUINING a perfectly good game (de blob for example)

  • FogHeart #46 3 years ago

    Going back to the tv analogy - Sesamee Street (ironically i dont know how to spell it) - isnt aimed at YOUR age group.

    Well then go and watch it after a spliff.

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=1wxHeWaXa_I
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=1wxHeWaXa_I
    [/link]

    ONEtwothreefourfivesixseveneightNIIIIINETENNNNN!!!!!

  • oerhoert #47 3 years ago

    <em>"As for the argument regarding "good games" on Wii. Congrats, you like the pop music of the gaming world - lowest common denominator software, offensive to no-one (as in, easy and shallow) and so liable to sell well.

    You see it in every media, just means you like trash."</em>

    I sense an implicit assumption that quality in videogames in quantifiable and that they hence can be classified as objectively good or objectively "trash". If that's the case, I wholeheartedly disagree with you.

    Furthermore, it's a bit cheap to go ad hominem off the bat, innit?

    Whatever the case, though, you're wrong. I like all kinds of games, from Wii Sports to hardcore puzzle adventures and RPGs.
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/09 @ 20:57

  • man.the.king #48 3 years ago

    "Shigeru Miyamoto has responded to the announcements of Microsoft's Project Natal and Sony's motion controller by saying that new control schemes only work if you make compelling games with them. "

    Which are these "compelling" Nintendo games that use their new control scheme and have been released in the 2+ years since Wii came out?

  • Darkjinxter #49 3 years ago

    I'm more concerned that it seems the motion control 'experience' requires a room the size of an aircraft hangar, usually with a bit settee in the middle of it, which seat you, the smiling missus, and your two smiling teenage kids.
    You cant swing a cat in my house, let along cram four people into the lounge..and..sit 3 meters back from the telly, we'd be sat in the street.

  • Geordiemp #50 3 years ago

    How many of us (me included), bought a wii thinking it was true 1:1 and we could use as a golf swing simulator or a light saber, only to find out the limitations of the waggle ?

    Most Wii owners I know got it, got a few games, then got bored.

    Now, if a true fast 1:1 peripheral comes out that can do a golf swing for example (best example of a fast action), then it would take the masses.

  • mega7ech #51 3 years ago

    Lets just face facts, for saps and casuals the Wii's something new and different, for most long time gamers, the Wii's turned out to be a bag of kak. PS3 and 360 is where the proper games are for this gen at least, end of. Miyamoto can go waggle a cock!

  • oerhoert #52 3 years ago

    Oh, if you say so, it must be true. Waggle, waggle!

  • DarkOni #53 3 years ago

    Well the Wii needed WiiMotion+ to offer what was being "promised" by the early Techdemos, but it was the most innovative jump at that time.
    Wii owners may have had rather poor third party support (It`s simply great that developers thought the Wii would fail, when two years later Nintendo achieved numbers of Microsoft and Sony combined), but I think that this will change this year.

    As for Natal: I was pretty impressed by it at first, but the more I think about it, I wonder what it will be good for except minigames? I mean imagine a Shooter: "While I take cover behind the couch, you take that apple and throw it right at the TV. - Why should I do that? Can`t I just press A? - There are no buttons! It's funnier to throw random stuff and jump over your furniture!" /shudders
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 22:10

  • Rack #54 3 years ago

    We can pretty much discount anything before Motion+ since the Wiimote isn't capable of any more than recognising that it's moving. So all Nintendo really have is this is their second go at motion controls.

  • Nikanoru #55 3 years ago

    "since the Wiimote isn't capable of any more than recognising that it's moving."

    lol ohhh that must be why all those games like MP3 or Excite Truck or Monkey Ball or NMH can't actually be played, because that's all the Wiimote detects, movement or no movement. :( OH WAIT

    God all you tards are taking the piss.

  • mega7ech #56 3 years ago

    @chocadoodlepoo

    "I believe Sony had the 'eyetoy' long before Nintendo had motion control....Nintendo's arrogance will ultimately become their downfall!! As it has been with Sony!!! "

    Very true!