Nintendo’s Miyamoto Reflects on Rising Game Development Expenses – “What We Create Is More Important Than the Cost”

Shigeru Miyamoto, a key major figure at Nintendo, recently addressed the growing concern over rising development costs in a Q&A session with investors. He acknowledged that costs are increasing but emphasized that Nintendo prioritizes what it creates over how much it spends. “Our research and development expenses have been increasing each year. Since our scale of development has grown, a corresponding increase in costs is, in some respects, inevitable,” Miyamoto explained. Despite this, he stressed that creating unique and valuable experiences remains their main focus.

Miyamoto’s Focus: Quality Over Spending

Miyamoto clarified that Nintendo is committed to finding ideas worth pursuing, even if the process requires significant refinement. “What we create is more important than the amount spent on development. We continue refining our products until we are confident that we have created something that our consumers will be satisfied with,” he said. He added that smaller, efficient teams can still make great games without overspending.

How Nintendo Prioritizes Ideas Over Budget

In Miyamoto’s view, the cost of creating a game should not limit creativity. He believes it is crucial to nurture developers who are passionate about their ideas and allocate resources only when necessary. “Even in the case of video games, with the current technology, it is possible to create fun games with a small number of developers in a short period of time,” he noted.

“I Am Not a Genius”: Miyamoto’s Humble Approach

Miyamoto is well-known for his humble nature. When asked about his status as a “genius,” he firmly rejected the label. “You referred to me as a ‘genius,’ but I consider myself quite ordinary,” he said. He shared that new employees at Nintendo often find him “surprisingly normal” after meeting him. His approach is grounded in efficiency and simplicity, believing that making a game is about observing the world and assembling its elements creatively.

Efficient Game Design: Miyamoto’s Guide for New Hires

Miyamoto also revealed the advice he gives to new hires at Nintendo. He encourages them to think differently from the typical approach of simply upgrading existing games. “Game design is about observing the world around us and figuring out how to assemble those elements into an engaging video game,” he said.

Why Bigger Budgets Don’t Always Lead to Better Games

Miyamoto’s thoughts align with Nintendo’s approach to game development: bigger budgets don’t guarantee better ideas. Fellow executives Shinya Takahashi and Ko Shiota echoed this view. They pointed out that unique, small-scale titles can be more effective than spending vast amounts of money on large projects.

The Future of Nintendo: Innovation Without Excessive Spending

As Nintendo prepares for the launch of the Switch successor, the company’s focus remains on creativity and efficiency. Despite the increasing costs in the gaming industry, Miyamoto and his team believe in finding ways to deliver high-quality experiences without relying on massive budgets. This approach is part of what continues to set Nintendo apart in a rapidly changing industry.

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