Miyamoto: We're not 'soft on graphics'

by David Hinkle { Nov 10th 2008 at 3:31PM }

During a recent interview, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto was quick to stick up for Nintendo's latest console and its graphical capabilities. It's one of the most criticized points of the console, as you're well aware, but Miyamoto thinks it's more than capable of getting the job done, stating that "When it comes to specific points such as generating high definition graphics we might appear to be rather relaxed and soft on graphics," further adding "the fact of the matter is that Wii is capable enough to cater to the needs of these hardcore gamers in terms of gameplay content as well as the graphical content, so I really don't want people to be concerned about that kind of attitude."

When asked about a new version of Wii with HD, Miyamoto wanted everyone to know that Nintendo isn't behind the times. "the fact of the matter is that technology is evolving all the time and in Japan, for example in the year 2010 all the analogue broadcast will be stopped and shifted into the digital broadcasting. So many things are taking place and we are working in terms of the changes of the technologies all the time." So, Nintendo isn't totally out of touch, and we could see a HD version of Wii release, but will we? "I'm afraid we cannot confirm what we are doing today."

Of course, Miyamoto.

[Via CVG]

Tags: graphics, hd, high-definition, miyamoto, shigeru-miyamoto, wii-hd, wiihd

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Cesaria (GT: Cesaria360; PSN: Cesaria) @ Nov 10th 2008 3:49PM

Wii HD hardcore confirmed and stuff.

q00ber @ Nov 10th 2008 3:52PM

Ha ha. Respect to Miyamoto, but the way he talked about analog broadcasting switching to digital made it sound like Japan is spearheading this switch in front of the rest of the world.
Keeping pace indeed.

s256 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:07PM

That's a matter of perception.

Roto13 @ Nov 10th 2008 3:56PM

Games like Super Mario Galaxy and The Conduit looks amazing. It's just that a lot of developers are too lazy/cheap to put the time and effort into the graphics of their Wii games.

Metayoshi @ Nov 10th 2008 4:33PM

I think it's also partially Nintendo to blame for these third party developers trying to make bank on simple games. The top two selling games on Wii are Wii Sports and Wii Play, and Wii Fit comes up 4th behind Mario Kart Wii, so of course, developers want to ride on that success. Just look at how many Nintendogs wannabes and Brain Age wannabes there are on the DS.

Overall though, I'd have to agree that devs are pretty lazy these days.

SoulBlade @ Nov 10th 2008 5:05PM

I'd have to agree that neither of you really know what's involved in developing a video game.

Devs are rarely the lazy ones...

Roto13 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:07PM

I know enough to know the Wii is capable of better looking games than most 3rd party developers have been developing for it. Developing PS2 games with poorly-implemented waggle is lazy.

SoulBlade @ Nov 10th 2008 5:41PM

What about rushed?

raindog @ Nov 10th 2008 7:08PM

I haven't seen The Conduit on an HDTV, but I have seen Mario Galaxy on one and my god, the jaggies. Super Blurrio Sunshine looks a lot better in HD, in my opinion.

I think Okami on either the PS2 or Wii looks better than most actual HD games on the PS3 or 360, but that, like Super Mario Galaxy, is a matter of art direction, not graphical fidelity.

Hardy @ Nov 10th 2008 4:31PM

This is just a PR move.

No Nintendo's machine isn't a graphic powerhouse, but it can make some pretty games.

HD Wii? We could, I can't imagine Nintendo will scrap the system, I believe their going to extend it, or make a "lite" version that has upgrades, like a hard drive and HD support, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD better online support!

Drop the stupid friend codes already.

bug frawg @ Nov 10th 2008 4:39PM

Why would you want to wait until nintendo's next system for better online? the only problem related to hardware is lack of an ethernet port.(meaning only wired option is through usb)

Hardy @ Nov 10th 2008 5:13PM

Bug, I didn't say waiting till the next system for better online.

I said, most likely, or highly suggested by their marketing department, is just to keep the Wii going but with minor upgrade.

Better online support can be done with the current Wii, and hopefully, it will.
Unfortunately I doubt it'll happen. Though Nintendo knows current trends and what no, they've always been pretty anal about open online play.

I mean, COME ON...Animal Crossing would be so amazing if the city was just an online hub that had like 20 random people running around.

zeldazeppelin @ Nov 12th 2008 1:26AM

You know the Game Cube was more powerful then the Ps2 right?
As a matter of fact nintendo has almost always the the most powerful system or close to it.

Mr Khan @ Nov 10th 2008 4:47PM

It's the same damn question they ask him. Every day, a different way

Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Nov 10th 2008 5:36PM

Well, he doesn't say anything.

From my experience working in H/W companies, stuff on engineer's tables is often ahead of time. But little of it ever reaches shelves.

With Wii they obviously made a business decision. Seeing how PS2 platform performs (as business) now, Wii's choice of H/W wasn't that bad decision. But shift to digital pretty much says it all: N will need to have Wii HD by 2010, meaning that already next year - 2009 - it has to be sent to developers. (Unless they want to screw up everybody again: "Surprise! Here is Wjj!! On the shelves like tomorrow!!!" - like they did with MotionPlus.)

P.S. Amount of shovelware is astounding. Still it is kind of nice seeing long lists of Wii releases, which easily beat combined list of PS3 and 360 releases. Sum up Wii and DS releases, and they easily beat rest of console industry. If not quality-wise - then quantity-wise.

FYIan @ Nov 10th 2008 6:20PM

I hope they just hold out until the Wii2. I really don't want to see any hardware revisions to the Wii.

Making an HD Wii that isn't a Wii2 will not work. Making something display in HD means greatly increasing the graphical capabilities. If they made an HD Wii that was still supposed to be a Wii, then that's like asking developers to make games for the PS2 that still work on the PS1.

They just need to take a breath, reflect on what they've learned from the Wii, and use that knowledge to make a killer Wii 2 when the time comes.

That said, the Wii2 better have a PSN-style online system with user accounts instead of friend codes, a rethought-but-still-compatible-with-Wii1 wiimote that has full WM+ capability as well as some new revolutionary feature and that works with ANY backwards compatible games from any system, and decent sized built-in storage. I really don't even care if there's a huge update in processing power, but it would be nice to at least be where the 360 is now.

Daryl @ Nov 10th 2008 7:06PM

Good graphics can be created without the strongest hardware if you have good art.

Even a gamecube game can look good with the right art. It won't look photorealistic, but it will look good in a non-realistic fantasy way.

Abscissa @ Nov 10th 2008 7:13PM

Lookng at many of Nintendo's first and second party Wii games, I agree, Nintendo's not soft on graphics. Its the worthless third party Wii developers (and the performance-whore slackers at Epic) who are soft on Wii's graphics.

But, my interest level in HD: 0.

Derek B @ Nov 10th 2008 7:56PM

You also have to look at the "Big Picture" litterally. What % of households in the US or the World have HDTV. Mostlikely the % is small. Especially with the stress on the World economy, not to mention the US economy, those numbers aren't going to rise much anytime soon. So it really isn't a matter of HD graphics as it is in the developers pushing the system to its graphical limits, yet keeping gameplay top notch.

scissors125 @ Nov 10th 2008 9:01PM

I don't believe that good graphics mean realistic.

I think Nintendo's games have been beautiful lately

Apothekari @ Nov 10th 2008 11:11PM

Cue all the "I don't need great graphics to enjoy gaming!" arguments for the WII.
Cue long simmering rant,
The thing is, I'm not getting "great gaming" at all with the Wii since back in the spring.
It's ALL been tired ass PS2 ports and cheap plastic gimmick laden shit as far as the eye can see.
I was a gigantic fan of the Wii until I guess the last 4 months of crap games and shovelware, Nintendo better show me some good games soon or I'm selling the goddamn thing.
No flash update for the browser which really sucks at surfing the web now, Painfully slow and every 3rd thing you click on is an error message..
Online sucks,Mii implementation is completely useless,ALL the 3rd parties make their own "cutesy"dumbass avatars.
STILL no fix for the space issue, if you have one...Roll it the fuck out!!
What are you waiting for?!?!?!
The only reason I EVER turn on the Wii is to check email when all the computers in my home are tied up.
At this point I had a WAAAAAAY better experience with the Gamecube at it's 2 year mark than the Wii .
I'm getting REALLY REALLY sick of being ignored, Nintendo.
I know, how about NOT making another dumb control add on or speaker or whatever the hell you are doing,and make a GOOD FUN GAME that I as an ADULT Gamer would not be embarrassed to be seen playing and use the goddamn controller that CAME WITH the Wii and use it properly!
If you can't do that and give me an experience again like I got playing Mario Galaxy the first time you have utterly fucking failed and more so because you guys were in the lead by a mile and the only ones offering what most gamers "thought" they wanted.
But I'd wager there are a lot of Nintendo Wii owners like me out here that are growing more and more pissed by the day as these problems are ignored.
FIX IT!

Jake @ Nov 11th 2008 12:24AM

I actually kind of feel the same way. I'm tired of all the excuses Nintendo makes.

esposch @ Nov 11th 2008 1:10AM

In reply to your rant,
The next few months are looking GREAT!
Animales, the Conduit, Ghostbusters, Little King's Story, Mushroom Men, No more Heroes and not to mention Time Splitters 4.

The storage solution comes out about when those games do. It will enable direct boot of channels from SD cards.

Nintendo also stated that they will stop making so many peripherals.

However, as for the Internet channel, hopefully Twiizers pick up the slack.

Also, if you haven't picked up World of Goo for WiiWare (or PC) yet you do not deserve to live. It has a higher Metascore than every Wii game except Galaxy and its only $15.

~Esposch

PS: I love you Shiggy!

intro94 @ Nov 11th 2008 11:56AM

if you want mature games try:
cod waw
madworld
conduit
NMH 2(and 1 if you didnt try the first one)
Tales of Symphonia 2

lets face it.The least succesful console(even behind the xbox) of the past generation ,was the cube.Nobody wanted to make games for it.No exclusives.Nothing.The wii at least has more titles than the wii did per year.And ALL you have to do is search for the good titles.Dont just buy the first thing the seller offers you.