Nintendo godfather Shigeru Miyamoto has expressed “concern” over the growth of violence in videogames, adding that there are other ways to grab the attention of gamers.
In an interview with U.K. television station Channel 4, Miyamoto claimed that Nintendo’s “mission” was to provide an affordable form of entertainment, a goal which becomes considerably more relevant during times of economic turmoil. “We need to eat in order to live – that’s our first priority but entertainment and the enrichment of our souls must come in second place,” he said. “Nintendo’s mission is to improve and to take advantage of cheap technology to create reasonable and affordable entertainment. Our games are good value.”
But he also voiced concerns over the high levels of violence that have figured so prominently in many hit videogame releases. “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,” he said. “I believe that there are more ways of grabbing players’ attention than violence alone.”
The report claims that only six percent of all videogames sold in the U.K. are violent enough to warrant an 18+ rating, but Duncan Bell of T3 Magazine said in-game violence holds a very definite appeal for many gamers. “Men of all ages, really, sort of enjoy simulated violence, and that’s not likely to change in the near future,” he said.
Miyamoto, however, has been able to establish himself as one of the preeminent geniuses of videogaming by taking an entirely different and blood-free approach. Among his most popular creations are Donkey Kong, the Mario franchise, the Zelda RPG series, Nintendogs and Wii Fit – and not a single shotgun blast to the face among them.
