Looking at the gaming industry right now, it’s very clear who is “leading the way” for the future regarding quality games. Sony can put out great games, but it often overestimates what they can do and sometimes doesn’t put enough emphasis on the title that they should, thus saying they “underperformed” later on. As for Microsoft, they’re struggling to stay relevant in many senses, and developers are continually frustrated with some of the things they do. Then, there’s Nintendo, who, behind minds like Shigeru Miyamoto, have thrived for decades and have bounced back from every “down point” they find themselves in.
One of the reasons for this has to do with the continual quality of games they make, no matter what the situation is with its consoles. Even during eras like the GameCube and the Wii U, they were still cranking out incredible 1st party titles that made waves and became iconic. Fast forward to the Switch era, and they’ve pretty much never missed with a 1stparty title, especially when it’s not a remake or a remaster. They have an incredible lineup of 1st party games that have all crossed the one million sold mark, highlighting just how “in tune” with the IP they are in.
In an interview with Games Radar, ex-Nintendo designer Takaya Imamura revealed what he felt the reason for the company’s success was. He cited Shigeru Miyamoto specifically in this when he noted that he and the company are “uncompromising” when it comes to making a title:
“Generally speaking, he’s a really kind, hard working person, but when it comes to game design, he doesn’t accept compromise. So my impression was, this is what it takes to be number one at anything in the world.”
If you think of his words in full, he’s exactly right. Nintendo is legendary, and sometimes infamous, for how they’re always trying to push franchises forward instead of just keeping them stagnant. Look at Link, Mario, the Pikmin, and more for proof of that. Just in the last year all of them have had adventures that broke the bounds of previous titles and made fans excited for what might come next.
Or, how about earlier this year when Princess Peach got a solo game? Not to mention, Princess Zelda is finally about to be a protagonist in a game! Nintendo knows that they need to keep making quality titles, and they’re not afraid to try new things and take time to make them shine. Other companies could absolutely learn from them.
