Nintendo is trying to solve VR’s problems

VR appears to very much be an area of interest at Nintendo, but the company is some way off taking the plunge.

Speaking to investors, development boss Shigeru Miyamoto has said that the company is currently working on what it sees as two problems the technology presents – ensuring that shorter play sessions are rewarding while also attempting to make longer play sessions more bearable.

We are continuing our research, and looking into development with a mind to how our current core products are meant to be played for a relatively long period of time,” he explained. We are looking into the possibilities of providing an experience that gives value when played for a short time, and how to eliminate the concerns of long-duration use.

We are also looking into how to make sure that a parent doesn’t need to worry when their child puts on a VR device in their living room. At this year’s E3, I was on the show floor, and it did not feel like VR was that big of a topic. This could be because VR is not that much to look at for the spectator, even while it might be highly appreciated for the person actually experiencing it. It might also not be clear how the experience can be made into a product.

We are researching not just VR but AR and many other technologies. We have a range of core technology including 3D, and we are also considering the possibility of implementing these in our own hardware development. For VR in particular.”

Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima added: We continue to be interested [in VR] and we are continuing our research. We are well aware that other companies are developing games and game-related products using VR technologies, and that consumers are interested in all of this. I cannot say anything specific at this time, but understand that we also consider VR to be a promising technology, and we are conducting research with much interest.”