informa
/
2 MIN READ
News

A rare look at the compassionate game design of Shigeru Miyamoto

The New Yorker's candid conversation with Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto offers a rare look at the legendary game maker's outlook on life and game design.

"I try to insure that nothing I make wastes the players’ time by having them do things that aren’t productive or creative."

- For Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto, designing engaging games starts with respecting the player experience. 

As noted in the opening paragraphs of The New Yorker's recently published interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, its not often that the elusive designer sits down for a candid conversation like the one captured in the story.

In it, Miyamoto shares a rare look at how moments with his family reflect what's important to him as a designer, offering fellow game makers a peek at how kindness, respect, and warmth inform the design of some of Nintendo's most iconic games.

Following his own experiences as a parent, Miyamoto muses on the designer's responsibility to create an engaging game without demanding too much of a person's life. For him, creating that experience boils down to designing to provoke a player's innate curiosity without taking advantage of it. 

"It’s kind of hard to build a game where the player can quit anytime. Human beings are driven by curiosity and interest. When we encounter something that inspires those emotions, it’s natural to become captivated," Miyamoto tells The New Yorker.

"That said, I try to insure that nothing I make wastes the players’ time by having them do things that aren’t productive or creative. I might eliminate the kinds of scenes they’ve seen in every other game, or throw out clichés, or work to reduce loading times. I don’t want to rob time from the player by introducing unnecessary rules and whatnot.

"The interesting thing about interactive media is that it allows the players to engage with a problem, conjure a solution, try out that solution, and then experience the results. Then they can go back to the thinking stage and start to plan out their next move. This process of trial and error builds the interactive world in their minds. This is the true canvas on which we design—not the screen. That’s something I always keep in mind when designing games."

Find the full interview on The New Yorker for more from Miyamoto on his leadership style, design considerations, and desire to foster kindness in the world.

Latest Jobs

Treyarch

Vancouver, BC, Canada
5.8.23
Producer

Bladework games

Remote (United States)
5.18.23
Senior Gameplay Engineer

University of Canterbury

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
5.17.23
Academic in Game Arts and Animation

Fred Rogers Productions

Hybrid (424 South 27th Street, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
5.19.23
Producer - Games & Websites
More Jobs   

CONNECT WITH US

Explore the
Advertise with
Follow us

Game Developer Job Board

Game Developer

@gamedevdotcom

Explore the

Game Developer Job Board

Browse open positions across the game industry or recruit new talent for your studio

Browse
Advertise with

Game Developer

Engage game professionals and drive sales using an array of Game Developer media solutions to meet your objectives.

Learn More
Follow us

@gamedevdotcom

Follow us @gamedevdotcom to stay up-to-date with the latest news & insider information about events & more