Nintendo is the only major console player that isn’t opening working on some kind of augmented or virtual reality headset and now we know why; Shigeru Miyamoto doesn’t fancy them.
In a recent Q&A with investors (via arstechnica), the man behind Mario threw barbs at the experiences offered by virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus.
The Nintendo creative director said he was unsure how companies planned to convince consumers to fork over their cash for the ‘dream like’ technology as a playable experience.
He said: “I got the general impression that they were showcasing not only the products for this year but also many products for next year or the year after and, because of that, introductions for many of their software titles were done visually, not with playable demos.
“Also, many demonstrations for virtual-reality devices have been conducted at recent trade shows, and at this year’s E3,
See also: Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive
Myamoto was also critical of the largely single-player focus of most VR experiences to date. Given Nintendo is so big on fun-for-all-the-family gaming, it’s easy to
see why he wouldn’t wouldn’t be so hot on the isolated nature of VR.
“The current software for these virtual reality devices cannot be played simultaneously by a number of people,” said Miyamoto.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Disney Interactive this week, when discussing its preference for Microsoft HoloLens’ AR and the potential for inclusive experiences, over the Oculus Rift VR.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.