Level-5 CEO argued with Nintendo of Europe over DS packaging
The latest Iwata Asks has been published on Nintendo’s website, this time allowing third-party developers for 3DS software to share their thoughts about the system. Akihiro Hino was featured in the latest column, and the Level-5 CEO brought an interesting piece along for the interview. According to Hino, he had a “battle” with Nintendo of Europe over the packaging for Professor Layton and the Curious Village. While Hino was hoping to highlight story elements, Nintendo’s boxart focused on the game’s logo.
Hino: That’s right. One other thing that made an impression on me was the European package. The packages for the Professor Layton series sold in Europe are different, different from the packages for all the other areas. The design was proposed by NOE, and is logo-centric. To be honest, I was against it at first, and we argued. Professor Layton and the Curious Village was sold as a fusion of puzzles and the story, so I told them I wanted the package to show the story, the way the Japanese package does. But NOE stuck to their guns and wouldn’t budge.
Iwata: If I remember right, the American package is similar to the Japanese package. But Europe challenged you, even though you, the creator, had turned down the idea.
Hino: They sure did. Nothing like that had ever happened in my dealings with Nintendo before, so I hadn’t expected it. But NOE was recommending that package because they’d determined that Europeans would accept it. Ultimately, then, we moved forward using the package they’d proposed; that said, it was hard to understand that decision, at least through my senses, so I really was taught a lesson this time. Thinking about it now, that package really was very good.
Iwata: I think that package and the advertising that was created locally were structured so that they popped the game right into the hearts of potential customers of the Professor Layton series. It’s probably because they were sure of that that they were so stubborn in their request, even when they knew that the person who’d created it was against it. So I think it was a really good thing that we worked together on the Professor Layton series and produced the result we did.
Hino: Yes. So, ever since then, whenever NOE proposes something new, my answer is always an immediate, “Yes, do, please!” (laughs)
Iwata: Even if it isn’t what you want, you’ll hear them out, you mean. (laughs)
