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Miyamoto 'concerned' with violent video games
- October 21, 2008 13:50 PM PST
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Legendary Nintendo designer says he respects freedom of expression, but worries some developers use "excessive violence" as a publicity ploy.
Boxing isn't that violent (photo: Time)
"I don't want to curb freedom of expression, but I am concerned that many developers focus just on excessive violence in order to stimulate people's mind," Miyamoto told UK's Channel 4, in an interview published Monday. "I believe that there are more ways of grabbing players' attention than violence alone."
From a man who has spent his entire career making non-violent games, the statements come as no surprise. Other outspoken designers have made similar comments, suggesting that mature content should always have meaning.
"We need to eat in order to live, that's our first priority, Miyamoto added. "But entertainment and the enrichment of our souls must come in second place. Nintendo's mission is to improve and to take advantage of cheap technology to create reasonable and affordable entertainment."
Miyamoto, universally known as the "father of modern video games," began his career at Nintendo in 1977 as a staff artist. He is credited for inventing the modern day controller, for creating Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Wii Sports, and slew of others, and for saying, "A delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever."
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- Oct 21 2008 at 02:10:58:PM PST
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I think there should be a fair balances between the two. But one should not out wight of the other.
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control_freak wrote:
The gorier the the better.
Manhunt2 was one of the goriest games I've played... and also one of the most boring. Gore is awesome, but it won't make a bad game good.
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I do agree though that many games try to use gore to attract players. Soldier of Fortune anyone? That game was extremely gory, but it sucked wrinkly chode.
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He's right to an extent but he shouldn't single out violence any more than graphics, story or even sound for that matter. Anything that takes away from the core game-play in order to suffice the players experience should be shunned upon in the gaming world. I'm lookin' at you GTA.
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DeadlyWhispers wrote:
woah woah woah, what about super smash brothers? Isn't the whole point of that game to beat the shit out of each other? And what about having GTA on your system, isn't that pointless gore and violence? not only that, but drug dealing mini games as well. But i guess all along, Nintendo has been an advocator for drugs (magic mushrooms in EVERY mario game).
Super Smash Bros. isn't gory, in the least bit.
Also, Miyamoto can't speak for the entire Nintendo company.
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you mean manhunt 1, manhunt 2 sucked! toneman the first was wayyyyy better than the 2nd.
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OF COURSE excessive violence is a selling point....lets be honest, had Gears of War shipped "violence free" or with "T" rated violence....it wouldn't have been as popular, i can assure you of that. hell, up until Gears released and a long time there-after just about everytime someone mentioned the game you'd be hard-pressed to not read or hear about its gory chainsaw kills, head splatting curb stomps, and exploding bodies with bloody chunks all over the place. violence sells just like sex sells.
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