AI is, for better or worse, one of the hot topics of 2024. It's bloomin' everywhere at the moment. Naturally, there's a lot of speculation on whether major video game companies will implement the technology into their work (and many, it seems, already have), but Nintendo fans will no doubt be delighted to hear that the Japanese firm may be steering its ship in a completely different direction.
In fact, famed creator Shigeru Miyamoto pretty much said as much during a recent interview with The New York Times (thanks, IGN). In discussing Nintendo's ongoing approach with game development, he mentioned AI as a key topic that the company is aware of, but perhaps not interested in pursuing (at least, not in the same way as its peers).
“It might seem like we are just going the opposite direction for the sake of going in the opposite direction, but it really is trying to find what makes Nintendo special. There is a lot of talk about A.I., for example. When that happens, everyone starts to go in the same direction, but that is where Nintendo would rather go in a different direction."
Nintendo has always strived to do things differently, of course; sometimes to great success, sometimes not, but one could never accuse the company of simply following current trends for the sake of making a quick buck.
Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, also mentioned AI during Nintendo's most recent annual shareholder meeting. He stated that the technology can certainly be used in creative ways, but he is nevertheless conscious of the potential issues with intellectual property rights. He echoed Miyamoto's sentiments in stating that the firm will "continue delivering value that is unique to Nintendo".