Shigeru Miyamoto knows everything. Yup everything. Except he may be forced to eat his words in a few years time if digital distribution becomes the norm for video games. With the success of digital music on iTunes, an increasing number of online gamers and of course the PSP Go! being downloads only, Miyamoto could off track saying digital downloads are not the future:
“Personally, I’m one of those guys who, even if I have all the songs from iTunes, I want the CD as well. I feel more reassured with that physical media.” says Miyamoto.
Personally we would like to see both available to consumers, a download version and a retail version, so that customers can decide. There’s just something more exciting about having a shiny new game in your hand.
Shigsy continues, “Entertainment is something that will not just become digital. If I look at Wii MotionPlus, this is something that you’re not doing via digital distribution.” That’s true but am I missing something here? That’s hardware, you can’t download it! Maybe I’m being think or something was lost in translation.
“The thing for us is we really don’t see the future of video games being merely confined to digital distribution or moving solely or even to a majority of our products being distributed that way.”
It will be interesting to see how much more Nintendo will embrace digital distribution. Obviously WiiWare and DSiWare are a start but will their service become a fully blown entertainment hub like Xbox Live? Time will tell, but remember during the Gamecube era, Nintendo made a mistake by saying that there was no future in online gaming.
The semi-follow up to New Super Mario Bros. from the DS was shown for the first time at E3 and most were very excited about Mario’s latest 2D platformer. While we got to see Mario in action, all we got for the new Zelda game for Wii was a mention that it was still in development and a single piece of concept artwork.
However, Nintendo Power have recently sat down with Shigeru Miyamoto to shed a little more light on both games.
Head inside to read the Q&A and for footage of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
While talking at Nintendo’s E3 roundtable last week. Head designer and all-round super-human, Shigeru Miyamoto had some interesting tidbits abouyt two of Nintendo’s most saught after games, the new Zelda for Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
It is possible that the new Zelda could be a Wii MotionPlus compatible only game, like Ubisoft’s Red Steel 2.
“The goal at this point is that we would make Wii MotionPlus required in order to play Zelda. The bigger hurdle for us is not really whether people have a Wii MotionPlus or don’t have it, it’s whether or not the experience is one where people will think they want to have a Wii Motion Plus in order to experience it. There may be a group of people out there who look at people playing motion control games and have a hesitancy to try to play those because they’re worried that they might not look so cool, swinging a Wii remote around. But in watching people play New Super Mario Bros. Wii, even though it’s just a simple shaking motion, I’m watching people play [it] with a big grin on their face. So I’m hoping that we might be able to create a similar-feeling experience for Zelda.”
The BBC had a chance at E3 to ask Shigeru Miyamoto what he thought of the competition now Sony and Microsoft have both announced motion controls for their respective consoles.
More precisely Miyamoto was asked if Nintendo were“in danger of getting left behind by the competition” to which he laughed. Have a look around 3 mins 50 secs or read the transcript after the jump.
At Nintendo’s developer roundtable during E3 earlier this week, Shigeru Miyamoto showed some concept art from the upcoming new Zelda for the Wii. The image was supposed to remain un-shown to the public, however it has now found its way onto the Internet.
Rumours abound that the female figure in the foreground is a living incarnation of Link’s Mastersword and I have to agree that they could be onto something. Her cloak looks a similar shape to the swords guard and and the design on her front looks familiar. Also Link is not holding his sword in the concept drawing though he is his shield.
Whether this rumour has any truth to it will likely remain unknown for some time but we’re very keen to know more. Maybe Tokyo Game Show later in the year will reveal more details.
NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aime was pressed about what Retro Studios have been up to recently and if they will be showing anything at the expo.
“You know, the Retro folks are hard at work. We and they wanted to do something different than Metroid, to show their chops in a different area. More to come on that. We don’t have anything to reveal about Retro at this E3 but they are hard at work.”
Many suspect Retro to be involved in the development of a new Kid Icarus or Pilotwings game, though that is pure speculation. Reggie went on to clear up the release date of Super Mario Galaxy 2.
