Shigeru Miyamoto Keeps It Old School
Nintendo developer Shigeru Miyamoto recently criticized the free-to-play model adopted by many recent games, stating that companies should “deliver games at reasonable prices” instead.
Miyamoto also said that Nintendo is continuing to invest in its “fixed-cost model,” even though they haven’t been very successful with it thus far.
“We’re lucky to have such a giant market, so our thinking is, if we can deliver games at reasonable prices to as many people as possible, we will see big profits,” he said.
“I can’t say that our fixed-cost model has really been a success,” he added, speaking of the Super Maio Run model. “But we’re going to continue pushing it forward until it becomes entrenched. That way everyone can develop games in a comfortable environment. By focusing on bringing games to the widest range of people possible, we can continue boosting our mobile game business.”
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils Aimé previously stated that loot boxes have gotten a “bad rap.”
“What we believe at Nintendo is that a gameplay mechanic that offers the consumer something to buy that they’re not sure what’s inside can be interesting as long as that’s not the only way you can get those items,” he said. “And that’s where some developers have made some mistakes. For us, it’s one of many mechanics we can use to drive ongoing engagement in the game.”
According to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, the company plans to expand their mobile presence, and it will be interesting to see if microtransactions and loot boxes will play a part.
“It’s necessary for developers to learn to get along with” subscription-style services, Miyamoto said. “When seeking a partner for this, it’s important to find someone who understands the value of your software. Then customers will feel the value in your apps and software and develop a habit of paying money for them.”