Over the years, Nintendo has made a name for itself revolutionising and redefining the way we play. If it wasn't for this innovative and often risky approach, the video game industry might not have transformed into the digital entertainment juggernaut it is today.
During the same chat with IGN recently, the former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé explained how the company's innovative ways (that have contributed to the growth, popularity, and success of the video game industry in general over the years) stem from a simple mantra on a plaque located within the executive area of Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters.
There is a plaque in the Nintendo executive area in Kyoto that says in Japanese, ‘Create Something Unique.’ This has been Nintendo’s mantra for decades. Within the video game space, Nintendo has innovated so often… from hundreds of games, consoles, controllers and peripherals. Just about every element of modern gaming was started by Nintendo.
He further stated how "everyone" at Nintendo challenged themselves to create something unique:
This focus on innovation runs throughout Nintendo and into the disciplines of Sales, Marketing, Operations, even Finance. Everyone challenged themselves to Create Something Unique.
During the Switch generation, we've seen some of the most unique ideas from the company yet. Apart from the system itself, most recently Nintendo released Ring Fit Adventure – an action-RPG focused on exercise and bundled with what is essentially a unique take on a pilates ring.
What do you think of Nintendo's mantra? Does the company innovate enough? Tell us below.
[source au.ign.com]
Comments 30
They've certainly been trying to innovate and I think it shows. Nintendo is constantly trying to do things differently from everyone else, which is hit or miss at times.
Nintendo really needs to up their game in the online department.
I wish they would “innovate” some damn folders for Switch.
Face it, Microsoft and Sony will NEVER make something as original as Labo or Ring Fit. Nintendo is the king of defying expectations.
Reggie still speaks highly of Nintendo after leaving. What a gentleman and a great company.
Nintendo is always pushing the limits and trying new things. And I disagree that without Nintendo video games as we know them today might not be the same. There is no might, without Nintendo gaming as we know it would be totally different. A lot less creative for one, and some standards we all take for granted today would probably be different, or we wouldn't have them at all. I mean, what would gaming be today without D-pads?
I only wish their desire to innovate didn't sometimes get in the way of standard features that the overwhelming majority of gamers like sometimes. cough*folders,themes,messaging,localsavebackups,*cough
To Nintendo, "innovation" means introducing cardboard peripherals and workout equipment while excluding streamlined user communication and basic file management.
And here's another 10 New Mario Bros. games.
@PBandSmelly
Big companies tend to be risk adverse and prefer to stick with what works.
Nintendo has streaks of that as well.
But they also have an insane unbridled streak that loves to relentlessly innovate and throw whatever at the wall, to see what sticks.
Usually this works.
Honestly fanboyism aside , the videogaming industry would be a lot sadder, lot darker and worse place for everybody involved with out Nintendo.
It needs Nintendo to show that there is a different way and that all it takes is good games.
@jtmnm
I always felt Labo should have been plastic.
Cardboard can be very sturdy, but it feels low rent for the asking price.
Plastic would probably have been a better option.
@PBandSmelly Honestly, I'd say Kinect is right up there with either of those in terms of unique off the wall ideas.
@Franklin
But there’s a lot of variety in Mario games and Kirby games, which is unique because they are diverse properties. Super Mario Bros, the ORIGINAL Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros 2, and SMB3 are all quite different.
Same cast, different gameplay and a lot of innovation even in sequels that add more unique mechanics.
And yes I know SMB2 was originally Doki Doki Panic, but it did influence the change in style in Mario sequels.
@KitsuneNight with the current war on plastic? No I think it was wise to go the cardboard route. It’s easier to recycle.
@link3710 Kinect wasn’t innovative AT ALL. it’s basically a webcam bundled with motion tracking.
No, just about the only real XBOX innovation was the accessible controller.
And the only Sony innovation is the CD player, which they developed with Philips.
This focus on innovation runs throughout Nintendo and into the disciplines of Sales, Marketing, Operations, even Finance. Everyone challenged themselves to Create Something Unique.
OK, so what innovation did Reggie introduced at Nintendo?
Nintendo lives up to that mantra. I adore how they take chances.
Create something unique in sales, or finance?
Cooking the ol' books eh?
I don't believe it, numbers drive Nintendo more than never before. We all have witnessed how they have been focusing on more commercial games with very few changes and how other franchises are basically dead as today.
@BlueOcean In the last couple of years they have released... A portable games machine that can sit in a cradle and be played on the TV and has two removable controllers for multiplayer that can also snap together into a single controller for home play. Labo and Ring Fit Adventure which are unlike any previous releases by anyone. How are they not still trying to innovate?
@BionicDodo Yeah they tried Labo as a cheap Virtual Reality thing and now Ring Adventure like a Wii new attempt. Switch was also a mix of ideas (Wii+Wii U+Vita). I was thinking of all the Nintendo franchises that Nintendo doesn't want to invest in. Also, they focus too much on hardware and not so much on software and service.
@BlueOcean Labo was much more than "a cheap Virtual Reality thing". Only one pack has anything to do with VR. The others are about encouraging creativity and simple programming skills in children.
How would releasing new entries in franchises that Nintendo doesn't feel they have any new ideas for prove they are innovative? They tried something innovative with Star Fox and most people hated it. I'm not arguing whether always trying to be innovative is a good or bad thing (most agree that it was a bad thing with Star Fox), but you can't use your desire for new entries in old franchises as proof that they don't want to innovate anymore.
@sanderev
I dunno about that.
Plastic is more durable and less likely to break down, in the way cardboard would.
And even with recycling, cardboard stil eats up trees.
@BionicDodo
At least Nintendo can be bothered to try and innovate ( and fail )
most other companies don't even bother to do that.
Even Sony can't be arsed anymore.
@sanderev
Sony not innovating ?
That's just patently ludicrous.
Just the Walkman alone, which revolutionized the way people were able to listen to music, would cements Sony's place in history.
But Sony has done so much more
From the trinitron color screens, to U-matic to Betamax to hand held camcorders to hand held tv's to the 3.5 inch floppy disc and more.
But you don't have to take my word for it
https://gizmodo.com/sony-product-timeline-is-a-glorious-gadget-history-less-5245132
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/13/sony-successes-failures-inventions-walkman-music
https://www.fastcompany.com/company/sony
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/features/sonys-innovative-journey-camera-design-and-technology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6Hls0rCwbA
@BionicDodo I don't think you are getting my point. They don't want to rescue old franchises and make the game library more varied and appealing but they focus on the games that work commercially and make sequels, some of them either more conservative or casual, some copying other games (Breath of the Wild) but you are free to disagree. They also love to sell hardware and accessories and then stop supporting them.
@BlueOcean And I believe you are missing my point. I am not commenting on whether Nintendo's search for the next innovation is what I always want from them, nor did I say that all of their new releases are more innovative than a new release in some of their dormant franchises would be, I am merely stating that your complaint that they are not supporting more old franchises does not in any way show that they are not still constantly striving for innovation.
A while back Miyamoto stated that they hadn't made a new F-Zero because they didn't currently have any ideas to differentiate it from the last one. Lots of people said that they'd be happy with F-Zero GX HD, and I agree that would be great but, for better or worse, Nintendo releasing that wouldn't make them more innovative, which is all that this article is about and is what you stated you didn't believe.
@KitsuneNight amen brother
I'm still trying to figure out exactly what Reggie did other than be a charismatic spokesman who turned responding to questions with lengthy non-answers into an art form. As far as I know, he never designed any games or consoles like Miyomato or Iwata, and yet he's heralded as an icon of the gaming industry, and he seems like a pretty cool guy, but what did he actually do?
@BionicDodo Let's agree to disagree.
@sanderev And? I know how it works. You could reduce the Wii remote down to saying that it was just a couple of gyros thrown into a controller. Microsoft was still the first people to try using motion tracking in video games, something that was pretty much compeletely out of the blue at the time.
@PBandSmelly I feel rhythm games are great exercise. Shame samba de amigo on the Wii sucked with its 1.5 second delay for input.
Do admit the mantra helps with spinoffs and sequels. Super Mario party was a great idea, ready yeah 😊
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