Takahashi – Switch production line improved, collaborations, Mario Odyssey’s innovation will be HD Rumble, much more
Le Monde published a new interview with Nintendo’s Shinya Takahashi today. Takahashi discussed Switch shortages and how the production line has now improved, possible future collaborations, how Super Mario Odyssey’s innovation will come from the use of HD Rumble, and more. Takahashi was even asked about the futures of Wave Race and 1080°.
We’ve rounded up the more notable comments from Takahashi below. Note that the responses were translated with Google, so it’s a bit rough around the edges. Still, you should be able to get a pretty decent idea as to what was said.
On Switch shortages…
I apologize for Switch’s shortage, which is unfortunately not our fault. But as our president announced a few days ago, we were able to improve our production line, which means that we will be able to deliver more consoles for the period that is opening up.
On how many games Nintendo can work on at the same time…
I can not answer precisely on a number, but what I can tell you is that we now have eleven production units, and each one is working on several projects at the same time.
On the claim that Nintendo’s workforce is small in comparison to a company like Ubisoft…
I do not think we’re so few. If we take only the employees of Nintendo who develop, yes, it is sure that there are fewer. But if we take into account all of the external studios, which are actually second-rate publishers, privileged partners, if you add them all up, I think we’re not far from the number of Ubisoft.
On how Zelda took four years and 300 people to develop…
Of course, Zelda is exceptional because it is very big, maybe even too big in terms of development. When we talk about three hundred people, it is not only the internal employees of Nintendo, but also all the partner studios who have helped to get this figure. So I do not think it’s a feat. This is something we can reiterate. But, in general, the Zelda games are always the biggest productions.
On whether the open world formula can be for games other than Zelda…
For us, the aim is not to make absolutely a game in this direction, but to propose an entertainment that is in affinity with the license to which it is connected. That is, if we have another license than Zelda and we have an idea that makes an open world relevant, of course we will not forbid it. But we are not going to redo a type of game just for the sake of redoing this type of game. There must be a coherence in the development. Besides, it takes time!
On whether Mario Odyssey has any technological innovations…
For this episode, innovation will come from elsewhere, it will come from the use of vibrations HD [the system of physical return in the joysticks of the Switch]. As you know, we have a certain pride in this technology, but we did not have many games to illustrate it. Mario Odyssey will, I think, be the true ambassador of his interest in a video game. You saw it with the counting of balls in 1-2 Switch , you will find the HD vibration used in a way also, or even more, spectacular in Mario Odyssey, for example when Mario drives a motorcycle or that it falls on plates made of metal. You will see, You will be surprised! And we also take advantage of motion recognition to launch the cap. There will be many subtleties. Its specificity is really that this game is going to be the first great ambassador of all that can propose the controllers of the Switch.
On Mario + Rabbids and whether Nintendo is more open to collaborations..
We have special relationships with Ubisoft, who are friends, long-time partners. But we do not forbid other collaborations with other publishers. Today, we may be more open to this kind of proposals. That will depend, of course, on the projects we will receive. If they provide a “plus” to the player, in this case, we will be delighted to collaborate .
On whether Wave Race and 1080° will show up again someday…
I did not really collaborate at 1080°, I just gave a hand! But it’s true that I was in charge of Wave Race 64 . There really is no reason to abandon the realistic games, but not as far as I’m going to prove that we are working on [laughs]. All I can tell you is that we have a lot of projects on Switch and we do not want to go in that direction.
On the thought that Nintendo doesn’t make many realistic games…
I did not have the impression, but it is true that by reflecting on it, following your remark, you are right [laughter, then long silence] . This does not mean that we have thrown realism to the nettles. If we have the opportunity to make a realistic and fun game, we will not refrain from doing so, I reassure you.
On third-party Switch games…
The basis of development today for a third-party publisher is to program the game on PC and then decline it on different platforms. Even we, Nintendo, realize our developments first on PC before adapting the game on our machines, so yes, we are aware of the process of creating third-party publishers.
