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Spiegel Online interviews Iwata

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YenRug

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Translated from German using a couple of different websites, seems to have done a pretty reasonable job of it in total.

 

http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/technologie/0,1518,375121,00.html

 

TO THE PERSON

 

Satoru Iwata has been since May 2002 president of Nintendo. Born in the year 1959 in the Japanese Hokkaido, went it as a student to Tokyo and studied at the there institute of Technology information technology and the battle sport Ninjutsu. From the early eighties, it worked for Nintendo and was involved as a developer in games as well as "EarthBound" and the "Kirby" series.

 

16 September 2005

 

INTERVIEW WITH NINTENDO BOSS IWATA

 

“The people will find the controllers first times strangeâ€

 

Today the console manufacturer Nintendo presented the concept for its next product "revolution". In the Spiegel Online interview enterprise boss explains Satoru Iwata, why the new controller looks like a remote maintenance, why it considers the equipment revolutionary - and like one the competition to depend wants.

 

Speigel Online: Why does the world need a video game revolution?

 

Satoru Iwata: In the last 20 years video games developed themselves further rapidly, to a very sophisticated kind of maintenance. At the same time, and as result of it, becomes larger each year the gap between those, which play video games, and which, which do not do that. If we do not reduce this gap, will it very heavy for us to grow further.

 

Speigel Online: How is "revolution" to reduce this gap?

 

Iwata: We considered it necessary to change the configuration of the controller. For the moment the people must serve the controller for example with both hands, with the right and left hand at the same time and very fast - that is one of the largest hurdles for new Gamer.

 

Speigel Online: What is the main difference between new and another controller?

 

Iwata: The large difference is that the revolution controller with only one hand can be used and completely intuitively, if one is only able to seize and direct toward the television screen the thing with a hand. That is an experience, which humans world-wide, because they hold their remote maintenance in such a way. That must a large easement be, particularly for not Gamer that one knows directly, what one do must.

 

Speigel Online: Isn't it complex for normal players, who before already played Videogames to get accustomed to this first times strange equipment?

 

Iwata: Which existing plays concerns - which one will be able to play with the new controller well. We actually already offer the "Nunchaku" extension with a Joystick. We already tried and stated that that existing software titles can play and be steered even better, if one transfers them to this new hardware better than with the past Gamecube controller. Our play creators already made this experience. I know that the people will find the controller once strange only, because it is brand-new completely differently than conventional controllers. But I believe her this feeling only to a few minutes will have. As soon as they touch and use it, they are fast completely forgotten the controllers themselves.

 

Speigel Online: There will have to be plays, which are particularly suitable for this equipment. How will look?

 

Iwata: I think, hopping plays and fishing rod plays can one thereby well commercialize. I can judge that, because my experience says to me as a play developer. We try also experimental things in such a way to do approximately with the controller in the hand as if it is a model airplane, in order the same on the television screen to simulate. I believe, which is still another example, from which an actual play could become.

 

Speigel Online: As they said, you are an enterprise president with experience as play developers, which is unusual. Was your influence how large in the development of the controller?

 

Iwata: Because I have this experience, I understand, before which challenges developers to stand, and which for the development is necessary. I saw so many successes and failures that I believe to know, what is important, if one makes a program product. If I were one of these presidents, who do not have experience as developers or an engineer, perhaps I would have endorsed a rather linear advancement of the controller, how other president does.

 

Speigel Online: How do they want to bring other developers to use the controller in such a way how it that to introduce itself?

 

Iwata: With as singular equipment the independent developers will ask themselves naturally, as go that, how we can make plays for it, which function also on other platforms. Perhaps others worry themselves that we could not get support of the external developers, because they cannot make multi-platform plays, because our input mechanism so different is. I can reconstruct this fear. But as a function of it, which gives them for plays, which for control systems they offer, this equipment more intuitive and simpler gameplay. Simply, thus that they adapt the revolution controller for other plays, it gives it a giant potential that these plays become better than the versions on the other platforms.

 

Iwata: If we speak of the "Porting" possibilities, thus of transferring a play from a console to another - they do not have to make the play for it on new by reason. One needs only few people and little time for it. I know that, because we already tried out with Nintendo. Which we must make, us all key titles of independent developers are to regard and with specific suggestions come. We say "you have this certain software, assume we times, them use the revolution controller in such a way or so - thus you can make your play many greater than it before were.†We already began thereby. We take up contact with the manufacturers of key titles, and the more over the revolution the controllers learn, the more energetically and with the more self initiative co-operate them with Nintendo.

 

Speigel Online: What is the reason for the fact that you concentrate in such a way on the control system and not, how your competitors, on graphic quality or on-line offers?

 

Iwata: We differentiate between Gamern and not Gamern. We regard it as natural that Nintendo for the jetztigen Gamer does its best, in order to supply them with satisfying player driving. But the not Gamer, in Ernst, interests it not, as the new machine many colours can represent, or whether it will be on-lineable. The message, which we want to send are: Video games make fun, video games are something for they and around that possible to make, must we at least this barrier loose will, must we say: They can do that. They interests a seizing you nevertheless times on it. This controller gives the feeling to the people that you can touch it. They will want to touch it. Because it looks in such a way, as if it is to be touched easily, thus whether one can play easily thereby because the control is intuitive. It is to provoke it to play. This theory is it, which differentiates us from the others.

 

Speigel Online: Do you say to the people also "Gaming can be cheaper than with our competitors"?

 

Iwata: I think, we should prepare a dynamic price margin, from which the consumers can select. Dependent on the size and the volume of the project, we want perhaps different price range. For masterpieces like "putting OF Zelda" we will require perhaps as much as our competitors, but depending upon software we will use different prices.

 

Speigel Online: The other manufacturers set strongly on other contents such as music and films on their consoles. Is there place for a pure play console on the market at all still?

 

Iwata: First of all a play machine must be bought because of the attraction of the player driving. Reliably we become something possibly to it-give, which better their life a little makes, because of this or that one, because of others added than the player driving. Depending on, which ask company Sie, they are gotten there different answers, which one should still add. But above all we must humans an unusual and never since been experience offer, which they get with no other platform. And it must make fun. If we do not offer this kind of incentive for buying a Nintendo product it has little sense that we on auxiliary features, not Gaming feature for the console to work, then is with us. However the "Revolution" console has actually WiFi abilities, with which one can go into the Internet. In addition it will have a large internal Flash memory. These two elements offer a quantity potential. We will explore different possibilities of using these functions.

 

Speigel Online: Will it give a new Mario play for the start?

 

Iwata: I personally have [Mario inventors] Shigeru Miyamoto to give to do to arrange a new Mario play but he did not answer yet. Perhaps it gives the answer to this question sometime in an interview with you. I find anyhow, as Gamer that we need a new Mario play for the start.

 

Stephan Freundorfer placed the questions

YenRug Newbie

YenRug

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translate with better ENGLISH!

 

Try reading the bit at the start where it says it was translated using online translators, I don't know German, but this reads a lot better than most stuff that come out of these machines translations normally. Just apply a little logic when you're reading, if you can, you should be able to make some sense of it all.

Dragonsbane Newbie

Dragonsbane

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Well thank god I can read german. it made it more fluid and easier to read through that load of text.

 

The online translators are nice but you can never make out what the sentences mean because words are being put in the wrong place. With that I mean words are being translated directly without taking into account the meaning of the entire sentence.

 

If you really want it I could take a swipe atranslating it for you. It would take a little while though. (load of text......translating german to dutch and then dutch to english....in my head that is!!)

Konfucius Newbie

Konfucius

Posted
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Ok, so here's my translation. I think it still has some gramatical flaws but I hope it's understandable.

 

 

 

„People will at first have an odd feeling about the controller“

 

Today the console manufacturer Nintendo revealed the concept for his next product “Revolutionâ€. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata describes in the SPIEGEL-ONLINE-Interview, why the new Controller is shaped like a remote, why he sees the device as something revolutionary – and how they want to leave the competition behind.

 

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Why does the world need a video game - revolution?

 

Satoru Iwata: In the last 20 year videogames advanced rapidly to a very sophisticated form of entertainment. Simultaneously, and as a result of that, the gap between the ones who play video games and the ones who don’t play expands. If we don’t reduce this gap it will be very hard for us to grow further.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How shall the „Revolution“ reduce this gap?

 

Iwata: We considered it necessary to change the configuration of the controller. At the moment people have to operate the controller with both hands, with the right and left hand simultaneously and very fast – that’s one of the biggest obstacles for new gamers.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What is the main difference between the Revolution Controller and other controllers?

 

Iwata: The big difference is, that the Revolution-Controller can be used with one hand only and very intuitively, provided that you are capable of grasping it with one hand and pointing it towards the TV-screen. That is an experience people worldwide know because they hold their remote like this. That must be a big relief, especially for non-gamers, if you immediately know what you have to do.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Isn’t it time consuming for normal gamers, who have played videogames previously to get used to this – at first – strange device?

 

Iwata: Concerning up to now existing games – they will be perfectly playable with the new controller. In fact we already provide the “Nunchakuâ€-expansion with a joystick. We have already tried this and found out, that existing software titles are even better playable when ported to the new hardware than with the present Gamecube-Controller. Our game-creators made this experience. I know that people will have an odd feeling about the controller at first since it’s brand new and completely different from a traditional controller. But I believe that they will have this feeling only for a few minutes. As soon as they touch and use it, they’ll soon forget the controller itself.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: There have to be games that are specifically suited for this device. How will they look like?

 

Iwata: I think, jumping and fishing games can be commercialized very well with it. I can judge this because my experience as a games developer tells me this. We also try experimental thing like to behave with the controller in the hand as if it was a model plane to simulate the same thing on the TV screen. I believe that is another example that could become a real game.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: As you said you are a company president with experience as a games developer, what is very uncommon. How big was your influence on the development of the controller?

 

Iwata: Because I have this experience I understand what challenges developers have to face and what is necessary for the development. I have seen so many successes and failures, that I think I know what is important when you create a software product. If I was one of those presidents who have no experience as a developer or engineer, maybe I would have approved a more linear further development of the controller, like other Presidents do.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How will you convince other developers (alternative translation: twist other developers arms) to use the controller as you imagine it?

 

Iwata: With such a unique device the independent developers will of course ask themselves how does this work, how can we make games for it that also work on other platforms. Others may be concerned that we won’t get any support from external developers because our input mechanism is so different. I can understand this fear. But depending on what games and what control mechanism they offer, this device offers a more intuitive and simpler game play for them. Simply because they will adapt the Revolution Controllers for other games, provides a huge potential, that the games will be better than the versions on the other platforms.

 

 

(Second Page)

 

Iwata: Speaking about porting possibilities, transferring a game from one console to another – you don’t have to completely recreate the game. You only need a few people and a little amount of time. I know this because we have tried this at Nintendo already. What we have to do is looking at all key-titles of independent developers and providing specific suggestions. We say “You have this certain software, let us assume you use the Revolution-Controller like this or this – that way you can make your game more brilliant than it was before.†We already started this. We get in contact with developers of key-titles and the more they learn about the Revolution Controller the more energetically and with more self-initiative they work together with Nintendo.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What is the reason why you are concentrating on the control system and not – like your competition - on graphical quality or online offerings?

 

Iwata: We differentiate between gamers and non-gamers. We regard it as natural, that Nintendo is doing its best for the current gamers, to provide them with satisfying gaming experiences. But the non-gamers, to be honest, are not interested in how many colours the new machine can display or if it will support online play. The message we want to send is: Videogames are fun, videogames are something for you. And to make this possible we have to lose this barrier, we have to say: “You can do that. That interests you. Try to touch this.†This controller gives people the feeling that they can touch it. They will want to touch it. Because it looks as if it is easy to touch, as if it is easy to play games with it because the controls are intuitive. It shall provoke them to play. This theory is what distinguishes us from the others.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do you also tell the people “Gaming can be cheaper than with our competition�

 

Iwata: I think we should prepare a dynamical price range, from which the consumers can chose. Depending on the size and volume of the projects maybe we want different price-classes. For masterpieces like “The Legend of Zelda†maybe we will charge as much as our competition but depending on the Software we will apply different prices.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The other manufacturers are massively focusing on other content like music and movies on their consoles. Is there still space on the market for a pure videogame console?

 

Iwata: At first a gaming machine has to be bought for the attraction of the gaming experience. We will almost surely ad something that makes life easier because of this or that, because of other ingredients than the gaming experience. Depending on the company you ask you will get different answers of what should be added. But we have to provide an unusual and never before felt experience which they won’t get on any other platform. And it has to be fun. If we don’t offer this sort of attraction to buy a Nintendo product it makes little sense to work on additional features, non-gaming features for the console; it’s like this with us. But the Revolution has indeed WiFi capabilities to use the Internet. Furthermore it will have a big internal flash memory. Both these elements offer a huge potential. We will explore various possibilities of how to make use of these functions.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Will there be a new Mario game at launch?

 

I have asked Shigeru Miyamoto personally to create a new Mario game but he hasn’t answered yet. Maybe he will respond to this question sometimes in an interview with you. I think as a gamer that we need a new Mario game at launch.

 

 

The questions were asked by Stephan Freundorfer.

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