Lets Talk Nintendo.

Apparently, Nintendo has boarded the crazy train, and Shigeru Miyamoto is the conductor. I won’t re-hash descriptions of it since you can find those elsewhere, but he filed a patent last year that would basically turn games into movies. Forget about the technical aspects of what that patent entails. I want to talk about the idea itself. I agree with Jonathan Blow when he said, “The defining characteristic of a game is that you play it.” No shit. If you don’t play a game, then what the hell are you doing? What’s the point of paying hundreds of dollars on a console just so you can watch events unfold like a movie? A dvd is 10 bucks, and it doesn’t take a dozen hours to watch.

We all know Nintendo isn’t really about hardcore gamers anymore. This notion of just skipping around and watching a game is paramount to my argument that they’ve abandoned their roots. Yes, I’m aware that by encouraging non-gamers to pick up a console, they’re allowing the industry far more growth than would otherwise be possible. And by “the industry”, I mean Nintendo. Just look at their system. With so much of that growth already in place, what have you played on the Wii lately? Why do you own one?

I want you to know that question is not condescending. I’m genuine in my curiosity as to why anyone would want a Wii. What do you get out of it? Is buying the system worth the couple hours or so you’d get a loved one to play Wii Sports with you? Why not just watch a movie or play a board game with them?

I’ve heard people say that having a non-gamer participate in a hobby they love is worth the price of admission. The problem is, they’re not joining in your hobby, and they still can’t relate to the gaming lifestyle. That’s not the growth I want or care enough to participate in.

You either love games or you don’t, simple as that. And no dvd player masquerading as a gaming console will change that fact. The more Nintendo pushes me away, the less I care about what they have to contribute to the medium I love so much. If you own a Wii and are interested in what they’re doing, tell me why. Maybe you can change my mind about all this, but I won’t hold my breath.

Nintendo, Clint is talking to you.