Peter Moleunex shares his thoughts on Switch and more, says it’s “really fantastic”

A couple of months ago, Famitsu conducted an interesting interview with Peter Molyneux. Best known as the creator of Fable, Molyneux and the team at 22cans brought The Trail: Frontier Challenge to Switch earlier this year.

During one part of the interview, he was asked about his honest impressions of the hardware. Molyneux said in response:

I think the hardware is really fantastic. Recently, the most interesting games released have been for the Switch. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a unique game that I really loved. And I think it’s great that the Switch is being supported by so many indie developers. This helps to secure the future for publishers and developers, and is also helping promote the development of innovative technologies.

Aside from general Switch talk, Famitsu also asked Molyneux about what it was like putting The Trail on Switch, possibility of a sequel, and more. We’ve translated those excerpts below.

Why did you chose to release The Trail for Switch?

I really love the Switch. I thought of The Trail originally as a game you could play while on holiday. At a time when console games are already polished and sophisticated, I think the idea of being able to play a game anywhere and at any time makes this game particularly appropriate for the Switch.

Was there anything you had to give particular attention to during the transition to Switch?

Molyneux: Mainly the controls. We were aiming to make the game playable either with the Joy-Con or the touch screen, making it so the player could switch between the two freely.

Did you have a definite plan for a sequel?

Molyneux: I think the potential for a sequel is pretty high. First with the mobile version and the updates to that, and then with redesigns aimed at PC and Switch users, we’ve already accomplished quite a lot. I’m always searching for new ways for gamers to experience games. Nobody knows what the future will bring! (Laughs)

Could you tell us a little bit about the development of the original game?

My original intention was to have lots of players exploring the same game world and then for everyone to be able to create a town community exactly how they wanted. But realizing this concept was difficult. Just having the server infrastructure so that everyone could share a game world posed a real problem.

Because from the beginning I had this image of the American Frontiersman, the art style was kind of already decided. The experience of a team creating a new game together is always amazing. The Trail is a simple game with a lot of hidden depth, and making it was a lot of fun.

The style of this game is a little different from the ones you’ve made up until now. How would you personally describe it?

It started life three years ago as a simple idea: with a huge world, how could we make a game that allowed players to satisfy their urge to explore and their curiosity?

I took the development staff hiking in the woods and on cliffs, and they translated those impressions of adventure and exploration into the game. After that, when we thought about the design of the game, the item management and player trading naturally became a component.

While visiting lots of different landscapes you can trade with other players, upgrading your own clothes and tools, making progress in the game until you are finally enable to become the ultimate adventurer.

Translation by provided by Corks on behalf of Nintendo Everything

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