Nintendo reveals “uneasiness” over virtual reality

Virtual reality headsets are set to become one of the next big things in gaming over the next few years, with Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus already on their way to market. However, one company that won’t be joining the VR race any time soon is Nintendo. Despite having created the ill-fated Virtual Boy in the 1990s, the company’s Shigeru Miyamoto has recently expressed his doubts over where VR fits into modern gaming. 

“As game designers, we at Nintendo are interested in VR technology and what it can do, but at the same time what we’re trying to do with Wii U is to create games for everyone in the living room,” Miyamoto told Time Magazine. 

“We want the Wii U to be a game system that brings video gamers into the living room. […] When you think about what virtual reality is, which is one person putting on some goggles and playing by themselves kind of over in a corner, or maybe they go into a separate room and they spend all their time alone playing in that virtual reality, that’s in direct contrast with what it is we’re trying to achieve with Wii U. And so I have a little bit of uneasiness with whether or not that’s the best way for people to play.”

Miyamoto didn’t rule out the use of VR altogether, though, as he thinks there’s still a place for it in video game arcades or similar style attractions where one person is playing alone. He also felt the price of VR technology needs to be more cost-effective before the company can start thinking about bringing it to a mass-market product.

Nintendo of America’s Reggie Fils-Aime also shared Miyamoto’s concern about virtual reality when he spoke to the Associated Press earlier this week. “For us, it’s all about fun gameplay,” said Fils-Aime. “That’s what we want. We want a fun, compelling experience. Right now, the technology isn’t quite there yet, in our view. Certainly, it’s something we’re looking at. We look at a wide range of technologies. When it’s there and enables a fun experience, we’ll be there, too.”