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A tangent, but this is one reason Nintendo is so successful; they know the characters sell, while at the same time understanding it’s not the characters but the

A tangent, but this is one reason Nintendo is so successful; they know the characters sell, while at the same time understanding it’s not the characters but the quality of the game and that really matters and brings customers back for more. That’s why they first experiment and develop a lot of game ideas looking for the most fun mechanics. Then after something is shaping up into a great game, they look at the IP catalogue and see what skin to put on top. Edit: In general, but not 100% of the time. The Zelda team is mostly consistently the Zelda team and does set out with intent to make the next Zelda game, for example.

gumby 6y ago
> A tangent, but this is one reason Nintendo is so successful; they know the characters sell, while at the same time understanding it’s not the characters but the quality of the game and that really matters and brings customers back for more. I think you undersell this comment: it’s far more than a tangent. Nintendo and Bandai the only companies I’ve worked with who I’ve Consistently heard the term “fun” discussed at the executive suite level, or a level below. Back in the Ken Kutaragi days at Playstation (SCEI in those days) this was true as well. Hasbro seems to value playfulness, but in my more limited experience The higher up the chain the less relevant it was. Could be that the execs took it as a given? Never came up in any AAA titles I talked with folks about at the companies (but big disclaimer: I never worked on one!) You don’t have to be Marvin Acme, but “fun” seems like a pretty basic value, while objectives like “engagement” I’d see as a consequence,not a primary goal. I think understanding this is what has made Nintendo so successful for decades, and has allowed them to survive flops.
- aikinai 6y ago
  Oh, I just meant a tangent in the discussion. It’s definitely critical to Nintendo’s success! Also, very interesting to hear your experience with the other companies.
blackrock 6y ago
I used to love reading those Nintendo Power magazines when I was a kid. I can't believe they actually got people to subscribe to it. Most likely, it was parents who bought a subscription for their kids. As a kid, I always marveled about video games. The wizardry behind it was always fascinating to me. And Nintendo elevated video games to an art form. Decades later, I finally built my own basic video game, and I finally unraveled the mysteries behind it all. It's like you finally saw the true structure of the The Matrix in its coded form. And you said to yourself, there is no spoon.

gumby 6y ago

> A tangent, but this is one reason Nintendo is so successful; they know the characters sell, while at the same time understanding it’s not the characters but the quality of the game and that really matters and brings customers back for more. I think you undersell this comment: it’s far more than a tangent. Nintendo and Bandai the only companies I’ve worked with who I’ve Consistently heard the term “fun” discussed at the executive suite level, or a level below. Back in the Ken Kutaragi days at Playstation (SCEI in those days) this was true as well. Hasbro seems to value playfulness, but in my more limited experience The higher up the chain the less relevant it was. Could be that the execs took it as a given? Never came up in any AAA titles I talked with folks about at the companies (but big disclaimer: I never worked on one!) You don’t have to be Marvin Acme, but “fun” seems like a pretty basic value, while objectives like “engagement” I’d see as a consequence,not a primary goal. I think understanding this is what has made Nintendo so successful for decades, and has allowed them to survive flops.

aikinai 6y ago
Oh, I just meant a tangent in the discussion. It’s definitely critical to Nintendo’s success! Also, very interesting to hear your experience with the other companies.

blackrock 6y ago

I used to love reading those Nintendo Power magazines when I was a kid. I can't believe they actually got people to subscribe to it. Most likely, it was parents who bought a subscription for their kids. As a kid, I always marveled about video games. The wizardry behind it was always fascinating to me. And Nintendo elevated video games to an art form. Decades later, I finally built my own basic video game, and I finally unraveled the mysteries behind it all. It's like you finally saw the true structure of the The Matrix in its coded form. And you said to yourself, there is no spoon.