Nintendo’s stance on AI made clear by Miyamoto

As a lifelong Nintendo enthusiast, I have always admired the company’s unique approach to gaming, and it seems that this tradition continues under the guidance of the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto. While other developers are diving headfirst into the world of AI, Nintendo is taking a step back, choosing instead to go “in a different direction.


According to renowned game developer Shigeru Miyamoto, while many games are adopting AI to some degree, Nintendo is choosing a unique path when it comes to implementing this new technology.

Miyamoto, known for creating beloved franchises such as Super Mario and Donkey Kong at Nintendo, aims to broaden the reach of the Japanese gaming giant beyond merely video games. In his new role as Executive Fellow, he plays a significant part in negotiating film projects for the company.

In a recent discussion about the Nintendo Museum and their upcoming AI technology in gaming, industry veteran Shigeru Miyamoto emphasized that while other companies in the gaming industry are embracing AI, Nintendo has chosen to go against the norm by not integrating it into their games. Miyamoto explained that this sets Nintendo apart from its contemporaries.

The company often breaks away from traditional patterns, particularly by avoiding the creation of highly realistic graphics and instead focusing on its classic, proven series with a nostalgic feel.

Nintendo’s stance on AI made clear by Miyamoto

Discussions surrounding Artificial Intelligence are abundant, it seems. However, when this occurs, there’s a tendency for everyone to follow the same path. Yet, as stated by Miyamoto to The New York Times, Nintendo prefers to take a separate route.

In a discussion held in July 2024, the company’s President, Shuntaro Furukawa, brought up the topic of generative AI, expressing concerns about potential challenges related to intellectual property rights.

In essence, while embracing new technologies, our focus remains on providing a distinct value that only Nintendo can offer, which goes beyond what technology can achieve on its own, according to Furukawa’s statement.

Nevertheless, he pointed out that similar AI technology has been employed for quite some time, particularly for controlling non-player characters (NPCs) in gaming scenarios representing adversaries.

The stance of the Japanese company differs significantly from that of innovators such as Ninja Theory and Ubisoft, who are actively integrating AI for NPC dialogue within their game productions. In the gaming sector, the use of Generative AI has become a prominent issue, especially since SAG-AFTRA is on strike due to an unresolved dispute between the union and video game companies over AI rights protection.

On September 24, 2024, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) declared its intention to focus on Riot Games’ League of Legends, following allegations that production company Formosa had been involved in union-avoidance tactics during a strike.

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2024-09-26 00:50