In another recent interview with Fortune, Shigeru Miyamoto and Shinya Takahashi once again talked about the Wii U’s struggle, and how people didn’t understand the concept behind the console, and about what they expect to do with the NX.
According to Mr. Miyamoto:
“I feel like people never really understood the concept behind Wii U and what we were trying to do. I think the assumption is we were trying to create a game machine and a tablet and really what we were trying to do was create a game system that gave you tablet-like functionality for controlling that system and give you two screens that would allow different people in the living room to play in different ways. Unfortunately, because tablets, at the time, were adding more and more functionality and becoming more and more prominent, this system and this approach didn’t mesh well with the period in which we released it.”
It seems like Miyamoto also regrets to some degree how the console won’t live up to its full potential:
“I still feel it was a very novel approach—and a very interesting idea.”
Nintendo’s next system will be the NX, which will be properly revealed sometime next year and, interestingly enough, it sounds like Shigeru Miyamoto hasn’t been heavily involved in its creation.
“I’ve pulled myself back out of some of the hardware section and I’m really focused on some of the software that I’m involved in—for example, the new Starfox game. Of course I am observing and looking at the hardware, but I am not actively participating and making decisions.”
Shinya Takahashi, from Nintendo’s Software Planning & Development Division, also vaguely commented on the NX. He said that Nintendo is trying to go for “that element that is really going to catch the attention of a large number of players again and get them excited.”
“For us, the next step is to think about what is going to be that element that is really going to catch the attention of a large number of players again and get them excited. We’re constantly thinking about this idea from the perspective of the players and the needs of the players in terms of what can we can do with our ability and our technology to capture that excitement and passion.”