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[FrostuTheNinja]

Dogshit answer for a dogshit question.

Good for him.

 

[Ninjimbo]

I'm good with the answer. Keep it simple and just have fun with games. There's no need to do anything else with them.

 

[Kangi]

Why should that be? Sexual orientation isn't political

You may be surprised how many people feel otherwise.

 

[Kusagari]

He should have added "unless you're Mother fans."

 

[Smokey]

That's Nintendo

Pretty much.

 

[Gradon]

Didn't they say something similar when asked if they would include LGBT relationships into Tomodachi Life? 🤔

 

[DecoReturns]

What about Mayor Pauline?

 

[Calm Mind]

Fine by me. Not every modern videogame needs to be a discussion. Some people just want fun. Is that so wrong?

 

[PSqueak]

Are people seriously going to be upset about Nintendo saying this? Most of their games barely even have a story.

I think it's more about his wording, sounds like a coward "we ain't gonna mess with that" answer, ideally the answer would be more along the lines of "that's not the sort of story we want to tell in our games right now".

 

[voodew]

Yea, I don't play Yoshi's Wooly World for a social commentary on America's socioeconomic standing, so I'm fine with this.

 

[Zutrax]

Ugh, terrible answer.

Why? I agree with his statement. Nintendo will sometimes go out and make some sort of profound statement in their titles like the existential themes in Majoras Mask, but these are exceptions to their norm.

This isn't really their forte. They're more akin to making really compelling toys than they are artistic storytelling experiences. Which is fine, I love that approach because their games are basically for everyone.

I'd rather a non-answer than something that's really offensive or puts them in a bad light. It's not like they're asking someone who holds political office, he's employed by a video game company.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

That's exactly what I'd expect Nintendo to say

 

[Xiao Hu]

Gotta love capitalism and its innate spinelessness as well as lack of moral <3

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

 

[DNAbro]

lol. Ya'll want everything to be political so bad. You can barely get a narrative out of a Nintendo story and you want them to make some statements? Chill.

If I don't get a story out of Xenoblade I'm going to be pissed.

Certain games are obviously not a message and have nothing to say. Mario is one of them. It can still transmit a message but obviously that isn't the purpose.

 

[hanspampel]

I'm with him 100%. Why can't a company just focus on people having fun? There's so much bullshit in everyone's real life day-to-day, can't a company just focus on having fun and trying to bring a smile to people's faces?

No
pick a side!

/s

 

[Garrett Hawke]

I think there is a difference between making a statement and one being inferred by the user.

Every piece of art is influenced by the views of the people who made it. "Statements" aren't necessarily beating players about the head with an idea and don't even have to be intentional to be made.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

Most of Nintendo's RPG series are totally making ideological statements. That said, the majority of their massive games arent abiut anything so I have no issue with that answers. Nintendo's core franchises are about nothing more than fun without a narrative so he aint wrong.

 

[Dyle]

Reggie's not wrong and much of what makes Nintendo games so timeless is how they avoid making political statements, but they could still do more. Pixar fills their movies, Wall-E, Finding Nemo/Dory, with political/grander messages without losing the fun parts of their work. It would be great to see a Mario or Animal Crossing or maybe a Pikmin game take up the cause of environmentalism, for instance, which I could totally see them doing without fundamentally changing the tone of the games.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

I think it's more about his wording, sounds like a coward "we ain't gonna mess with that" answer, ideally the answer would be more along the lines of "that's not the sort of story we want to tell in our games right now".

He's not a creator nor does he speak for any of them. He gave a vague answer because the question literally has nothing to do with him.

 

[AmaterasuOkami076]

Not all games have to have a political agenda. It's not a "keep politics out of my videogames" it's just simply the fact that politics doesn't apply to absolutely everything. You can have a narratively simple, well designed game that doesn't go anywhere near politics. If that's what a company likes to make, what's wrong with that?

 

[PR_rambo]

It's not their responsibility to do so. Nothing wrong with the games that do, I have more than enjoyed my fair share of them. Doesn't mean everyone else has to.

 

[Springy]

I'm still bitter about their stance on same sex relationships

No political statements my ass

(not that Reggie is in any way qualified to answer this)

 

[ratcliffja]

He worded that very poorly. I'm fine with Nintendo not making political statements in their games, but that quote by Reggie implies that politically-themed games are inherently less fun. It would be better to say something like "At Nintendo, our stories tend to focus more on the world of fantasy and do not typically seek to send any sort of political message. Those sorts of games have a valuable place in this industry, but it's not an area in which we would like to focus."

 

[TheMoon]

Absolute dogshit. "We just want people to have fun! Keep politics out of video games!" is such a non-answer.

It's also not what he said.

 

[John Kowalski]

Well, i mean, on one hand there's the obvious response that making simple, broadly enjoyable products that are singularly minded and don't discriminate is a political thing to do, but as it seems given to how we make things like this easier to discuss, that's a perfectly ok point to make, there's a huge risk of people being unaware or disingenuous about the true nature of their works but Ninty sure is good at walking that thinnest of lines between hypocrisy and wilful ignorance.

 

[Rncewind]

Fine by me. Not every modern videogame needs to be a discussion. Some people just want fun. Is that so wrong?

so when i want gay option in todamachi life i am unfun person? intressting

Games are unfun when they for example promote tollerance too i guess

 

[Amir0x]

Mother 3 actually makes extremely strong and obvious political statements about society. You see it most obviously in the development of Tazmilly and later when the citizens move to New Pork City.

 

[7Th]

No matter how hard you try, everything has a meaning as it reflects the personality and values of its creator.

 

[psyfi]

but that in itself is a political statement

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Every piece of art is influenced by the views of the people who made it. "Statements" aren't necessarily beating players about the head with an idea and don't even have to be intentional to be made.

That doesn't mean it's making a statement. A user making inferences doesn't change the intentions of the developer. Does it change the interpretation? Yes, but not the intention.

Let's take the idea of making Twintelle black. Some people might see that as some nonsense forcing in of diversity, even if for the developers, it was probably because they just designed Twintelle as being black.

You might say Mario always saving Princess Peach is making a statement about gender roles, but for Nintendo, it's just some stupid fairy tale barebones plot that they've used for nearly every Mario game, because they literally don't care and need an excuse for him to explore and fight Bowser

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

They asked him about far cry? Shoulda asked about tomodachi life or something.

 

[PSqueak]

He's not a creator nor does he speak for any of them. He gave a vague answer because the question literally has nothing to do with him.

He didn't give a vague answer, he clearly took a side by stating that nintendo would never do political statements and being antagonistic of the idea of games being politically charged.

If he had said "right now that's not what nintendo wants to tell with it's games" he's saying the exact same "vague" answer without taking a position against the idea of videogames being political.

Also the answer he gave has him speaking for the creators at nintendo already.

 

[bobbychalkers]

Funny thing is Xenoblade X did a much better of incorporating social issues and themes than all these western games with their hamfisted, overbearing implementations.

I agree wholeheartedly, its core plot is muddy but a lot of the side quests touched a lot.

 

[maxcriden]

Reggie's not wrong and much of what makes Nintendo games so timeless is how they avoid making political statements, but they could still do more. Pixar fills their movies, Wall-E, Finding Nemo/Dory, with political/grander messages without losing the fun parts of their work. It would be great to see a Mario or Animal Crossing or maybe a Pikmin game take up the cause of environmentalism, for instance, which I could totally see them doing without fundamentally changing the tone of the games.

I agree with you, but I'd say the Pikmin games do have a message of environmentalism.

 

[Boss Man]

No matter how hard you try, everything has a meaning as it reflects the personality and values of its creator.

Not everything actively aims to push its creator's agendas, though.

 

[KingSnake]

This must be one of the poorest answers Reggie gave in a long time.

Not even his usual top spin, just poor.

 

[nynt9]

I mean, everything is a political statement, even an espoused lack of one. And their stance on LGBT representation (how NOA localization erased a trans character for example, or no homosexuality in miitomo (edit: I meant tomodachi life)) shows that they have grounds to cover.

Also they're one of the least environmentslly friendly gaming companies and don't they have a pretty bad CSR record? These are political too.

 

[xealo]

Absolute dogshit. "We just want people to have fun! Keep politics out of video games!" is such a non-answer.

He did not say "keep politics out of video games". He wasn't opposing the inclusion of concurrent political topics in video games, he just stated that it was not their intention to include topics asking political questions in their games.

 

[imBask]

He didn't give a vague answer, he clearly took a side by stating that nintendo would never do political statements and being antagonistic of the idea of games being politically charged.

If he had said "right now that not what nintendo wants to tell with it's games" he's saying the exact same "vague" answer without taking a position against the idea of videogames being political.

Also the answer he gave has him speaking for the creators at nintendo already.

you sure got a lot out of that 1 phrase Reggie said when asked about Far Cry 5, a game made by Ubisoft

 

[DNAbro]

That doesn't mean it's making a statement. A user making inferences doesn't change the intentions of the developer. Does it change the interpretation? Yes, but not the intention.

Let's take the idea of making Twintelle black. Some people might see that as some nonsense forcing in of diversity, even if for the developers, it was probably because they just designed Twintelle as being black.

You might say Mario always saving Princess Peach is making a statement about gender roles, but for Nintendo, it's just some stupid fairy tale barebones plot that they've used for nearly every Mario game, because they literally don't care and need an excuse for him to explore and fight Bowser

Maybe I'm incorrectly remembering this, but didn't one of the ARMS creators say they were trying actively to create a very diverse cast?

 

[PSqueak]

I mean, everything is a political statement, even an espoused lack of one. And their stance on LGBT representation (how NOA localization eraser a trans character for example, or no homosexuality in miitomo) shows that they have grounds to cover.

Also they're one of the least environmentslly friendly gaming companies and don't they have a pretty bad CSR record? These are political too.

Vivian?

you sure got a lot out of that 1 phrase Reggie said when asked about Far Cry 5, a game made by Ubisoft

”Making political statements are for other people to do," he said. ”We want people to smile and have fun when they play our games."

That's pretty clear him taking a stand against having political themes on games.

 

[XandBosch]

Isn't that part of the reason people like Nintendo? Their games are just games, and that's pretty much all there is to it. Why would he take some kind of political stance only to get blown up?

 

[RedAssedApe]

Reggie and David Cage should get together.

 

[Twig and Berries]

All art is inherently political but not all artists have to politicize their work. *shrugs*

 

[Calm Mind]

so when i want gay option in todamachi life i am unfun person? intressting

Games are unfun when they for example promote tollerance too i guess

I don't ever recall a players gender choice or sexual preference dictating gameplay or enjoyment of a game.

 

[13ruce]

He is right tho we don't need real life issues in video games

 

[random25]

That's why you don't ask those questions to game company employees. It will just become a toxic discussion on the internet.

 

[psychowave]

This is a pretty bad response.

 

[Gator86]

Are people seriously going to be upset about Nintendo saying this? Most of their games barely even have a story.

Bullshit. Dr. Mario was, if nothing else, an incredibly nuanced argument for single payer health care.

But seriously, saying something isn't political or "we don't want to politicize this" is 100% a political statement.