But political messages and "childish fun" don't have to be separate? Look at recent Disney movies.
Also Mother series.
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Reggie:Making politicl statemnts are for other people todo, we want people tohave fun
- Thread starter AcademicSaucer
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But political messages and "childish fun" don't have to be separate? Look at recent Disney movies.
Also Mother series.
I agree. uaishfusa
My point is just that...kids games do have messages and political positions.
Unknown?
Member
It's not worth it. Most people on GAF can't even respect someone else's opinion on politics, if you have differing views you get names thrown at you and personal attacks. Imagine if Nintendo didn't share the same views as most people here? There'd be petitions left and right and people crying murder. It's how political people are today, everyone else is intolerant except them.
tkscz
Member
But it's all opinion right? What one picks up from it politically/socially, someone else can see something different and someone might not see anything at all, or see it, and just not care or anything in between.
So why emphasize on it? I think when people say they don't want to see politics/social commentary in their games, they mean they don't want it emphasized or focused on, which I say is a good idea as it works for everyone. Those who want to see it/ talk about it can. Those who see it but don't care or don't see it don't have to.
For instance, those who choose to care about political ideas can have the argument is Peach being a princess who gets kidnap sexist, or is it done because she's a matriarch of an entire kingdom and that's the best way to take it over (knock over the king, win the game). Those who choose not to see it or don't care enough about it will choose just to play the game. Ignore the story, characters and lore for just the gameplay because the rest doesn't matter and doesn't have to matter, it was made up for fluff. Who cares what the creator thought when they made it.
So I like Reggie's answer, keeps it open for everyone to do their own thing.
As for that last sentence. It doesn't have to be considered "normal" for someone to ignore it. Could be that they see it as "this is fiction". Or that they don't agree with it, but can ignore it for the rest of the game, there can be many reasons why they don't see it, or don't care to talk about it.
"Everyone shut up, you're not worthy to have thoughts."
Come on man. Even if people say wrong things, sometimes you need to be wrong in order to be corrected.
Astral/H3X
Member
To add to this, Wind Waker had a surprising emotional impact during the Ganon fight for me.
Also, Bayonetta, and you could even say Wonderful 101, if we were at a technological point to predict and pre-empt crime etc.
That being said, possibly Bayonetta aside, I wouldn't consider ANY of these games to be "political".
That's great.
Still bugged that people making observations about the world around them becomes "political" to other people who don't like what they see.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
So a game that never released in the US in 2006, and one from 1998?
Bloodporne
Member
I actually laughed out loud in my office reading this, kudos.
RadioJoNES64
Banned
Are you telling me Triforce Heroes wasn't a political analysis on the flaws of Socialism?
Johnny9Alive
Banned
Boo Reggie, Boo. How dare you not want politics in video games. How else will writing majors straight out of college be able to validate their own degrees, because they aren't good enough to be in Hollywood.
We all know video games that are about "fun" are what makes video games a low brow genre.
We all know video games that are about "fun" are what makes video games a low brow genre.
It's a reference to a man saving a princess.
But people really pushing that tend to ignore Iwata giving speeches about there needing to be more female developers and games made by and for women...and then hiring lots of women, producing those games, selling them quite successfully to women...all before this was a hot topic in the community. But whatever. There's a princess! Nintendo is so behind the times!
BRocknRolla
Member
If that's what's going on here, I think that's a shame.
Should people stand up to injustices and social ills when they can? Yeah. If you're given a platform to reach a great deal of people, are you required to use it to give voice to that? Should we be requiring people fight every chance they get? Must your every action be political in motivation? I can't demand that of people. Commanding that someone take action against their will seems a dire place to find ourselves.
Jack Scofield
Member
Nintendo is the Jimmy Fallon of video games.
ViolentP
Member
How else is he going to fracture his userbase and lose out on millions?
what
Astral/H3X
Member
To respond to that, the game isn't political, but people are acting against it in a political fashion. IMO.
UnemployedVillain
Member
I named 2 games that I think did an especially good job, but sure, keep moving the goalposts until no one wants to deal with your nonsense claim
I think some people have lost it
TheGraykid
Member
The initial concept may have started out as coincidences but as graphics get better and they've gotten the opportunity to add more details, they pitched the characters designs in very specific direction.
I firmly believe that an artist can not explicitly intend to make political commentary and still do so. I think it's pretty much impossible to make a piece of art that replicates our world, and not make that political in some way.
And I think that we the audience engage with that social commentary on some level. Even if it's not on an explicit level.
Tyraniboah
Member
I'm not a "stick to sports" or "just make games and that's it" kind of guy. I think that telling people with a platform to stifle their collective voices and opinions is toxic in lieu of meaningful discussion for either side of an argument. I believe that mentality prevents people from learning to rationalize opposing viewpoints and that it most commonly is used to impede the progress of those that need the most help with speaking up, so I applaud creators, athletes, celebrities, and anybody with a platform choosing to speak up for the little guy or bringing about justice in a dire situation.
All that said, is anybody really surprised that this is the response from a company like Nintendo? I don't feel like their games often make social or political statements, unless something has flown over my head all these years. I'm not sure what other answer to expect from Nintendo.
All that said, is anybody really surprised that this is the response from a company like Nintendo? I don't feel like their games often make social or political statements, unless something has flown over my head all these years. I'm not sure what other answer to expect from Nintendo.
I don't think people have a real consensus on what "being political" means. I imagine Reggie means it in the sense of commenting on current issues
RumbleHumble
Banned
So Reggie, what are your thoughts on Purge Day? "Making political statements is for other people to do, we want people to have fun"
Hobbestetrician
Member
This statement is lot dumber than you think.
BRocknRolla
Member
Man, there are some bad posts in this thread. People not even trying to have a genuine argument.
What point do you think you're making? That it's a lot easier to make your point if you build a disengenuous strawman?
lord_of_flood
Member
Wow, people are really getting heated over what is essentially a nothingburger. Fantastic job, everyone.
Tip: the way the author interprets their work and the way the end user interprets it are allowed to be different. Both can be very valid viewpoints, but there's no reason to automatically impose one party's interpretation on the other.
Tip: the way the author interprets their work and the way the end user interprets it are allowed to be different. Both can be very valid viewpoints, but there's no reason to automatically impose one party's interpretation on the other.
JimJamJones
Member
UnemployedVillain
Member
///PATRIOT
Banned
Can somebody tell me, what language expressions are not a political statement?
MisterHero
Super Member
Settle it in Smash
Snkfanatic
Banned
What's wrong with that? I mean if you are not interested in that then fine but you make it sound like it's a bad thing.
this is a very stupid post. i'm glad nintendo is always putting fun first. playing a game that isn't fun is a chore.
e: like others have said, of course there are political statements in nintendo's games but it's in the background for the audience to read into if they want. politics is divisive, of course reggie isn't going to say something which might cost them sales as President of the Nintendo America but that doesn't make nintendo gamergate or whatever.
Super Mario Police Brutality
Super Mario Ethnic Cleansing
Mario + Rabbids vs Apartheid
UnemployedVillain
Member
I would have said staring and saying nothing, but even in today's political climate that has significance
Im_So_Pringles
Member
FFS gaf. Not everything has to be political. Take a chill pill. Nintendo just wants to make games.
I'd go a step further and narrow down "being political" as "being political in a way I like."
People aren't really asking for more games that challenge their views, they want more games that confirm them.
Good. The last thing I want in my Nintendo games is to be reminded of real-world politics. Whimsical escapism and fun, please.
And to those saying "Everything is political!" Well, sure, to a certain extent you can argue that you can read into every part of a creative work and find the basis of political views. But that ignores what is really meant by this question and answer, which is:
"When the average person plays this game, will they see a political subtext to the game?"
In the case of Far Cry 5 or Papers Please, this is the case. From the very start it's clear that they are making political statements. In Super Mario 3D World, on the other hand, 99.9% of people would say the game is entirely apolitical.
And to those saying "Everything is political!" Well, sure, to a certain extent you can argue that you can read into every part of a creative work and find the basis of political views. But that ignores what is really meant by this question and answer, which is:
"When the average person plays this game, will they see a political subtext to the game?"
In the case of Far Cry 5 or Papers Please, this is the case. From the very start it's clear that they are making political statements. In Super Mario 3D World, on the other hand, 99.9% of people would say the game is entirely apolitical.
First off, why are they asking Reggie about Far Cry 5?
Second, can people stop forcing other people to do whatever the hell they want? Nintendo want to make games about jumping plumbers and collectible monsters without focusing on a social/political message, just for fun, let them fucking do it?
Jesus.
Second, can people stop forcing other people to do whatever the hell they want? Nintendo want to make games about jumping plumbers and collectible monsters without focusing on a social/political message, just for fun, let them fucking do it?
Jesus.
Sad fact is that Reggie is likely GOP (just because a good 90% of people who make to the C-suite are), while Nintendo's leadership is probably big into the Liberal Democratic party of Japan (also right).
Though their games have done some progressive things over the years, they themselves are likely not.
Though their games have done some progressive things over the years, they themselves are likely not.
Incandenza
Banned
It's really incredible that this argument has to be re-made every single time a thread like this appears on GAF. It's like trying to have a discussion about space where the first 20 pages of every thread are spent arguing whether the Sun is the center of the solar system.
BRocknRolla
Member
You could argue BotW has a commentary on the nature of automated drone warfare.
Could say Windwaker gave Ganondorf a story in how being marginalized by the world can turn you into the villain.
I'd say that's what I'm reading into it though. I wouldn't attribute an overtime political stance from the creators on that though. Certainly not on Nintendo as a body.
Doesn't make it any less meaningful, but I just won't claim Nintendo was intentionally making a statement with it.