Miyamoto: "Passive" enjoyment of games is "pathetic"

Nintendo's latest comments show internal attitudes have changed dramatically since the last generation.

"Passive" attitudes towards games are "pathetic," according to Nintendo game head Shigeru Miyamoto, speaking out in the latest edition of Edge (via CVG).

"[These are] the sort of people who, for example, might want to watch a movie. They might want to go to Disneyland," he said of casual gamers.

"Their attitude is, 'OK, I am the customer. You are supposed to entertain me.' It's kind of a passive attitude they're taking, and to me it's kind of a pathetic thing. They do not know how interesting it is if you move one step further and try to challenge yourself [with more advanced games]."

The comments mark a distinct shift in Miyamoto's attitudes towards casual players, a group considered a staple of modern Nintendo gaming. He explicitly added that Nintendo's current and future aspirations have reverted from those in previous generations.

"In the days of DS and Wii, Nintendo tried its best to expand the gaming population," he said.

"Fortunately, because of the spread of smart devices, people take games for granted now. It's a good thing for us, because we do not have to worry about making games something that are relevant to general people's daily lives."

Hyrule Warriors, a fighting game based on Nintendo characters, has recently proven successful at moving Wii U in Japan.

Wii U sales have troubled Nintendo ever since launch, with the machine only moving 510,000 units in the last quarter.