Iconic game designer Will Wright has described the Wii as more of a toy than a gaming console, and believes the system should be considered as such. Before you get your torches and pitchforks though, bear in mind that he doesn’t mean that as a bad thing.
“I think the Wii is a very unique platform, and that’s kind of its core value,” he explains. “That’s why it’s been so successful — because it’s pretty clearly different than the Xbox or the PlayStation. I think the Wii provides very fun experiences for the most part, but it’s kind of a different level of experience; it’s not like these 40-hour involved RPG games as much as it is like these fun toys to pick up and start playing in five minutes.
“And it’s really fun with a group of people sitting around… It really is more into what I would call the toy market, because most of the Wii games I’ve enjoyed felt more like toys than like games.”
Funnily enough, the Wii is starting to get quite a few involved RPGs and there are plenty of traditional games if you know where to look. I totally see what he’s saying though. The Wii is a gimmick and a toy, but that’s not a bad thing at all. It is, after all, why Nintendo is so effing rich right now.
Wii Belongs In Toy Market, Says Will Wright [Industry Gamers]
