In an interview with Industry Gamers, Eiji Aonuma discusses his wish to work on a non-Zelda title. Makes sense, Aonuma has been with the franchise since Ocarina of Time.
Industry Gamers: Speaking of the personal side, do you wish at times that you could work on something other than Zelda? You’ve been sort of the go-to guy for the Zelda franchise for a long time now. Do you have a creative desire to maybe work on a brand new Nintendo franchise?
Eiji Aonuma: Yeah, the truth of it is I always want to work on something new. It just turns out that as I’m coming up with these ideas along the way, I realize, “Y’know, this could really work on a Zelda game.” And it sort filters back into it and in the end, we come back into another Zelda project. So in some ways, it’s a bit of a challenge for me personally that Zelda ends up becoming this pool of my ideas and it keeps absorbing the ideas I have and they get integrated back into Zelda games. But that’s just sort of the way it’s flown for me.
My wish would be for Nintendo to give Aonuma the creative freedom that is given to Miyamoto. If Miyamoto can create Wii Music as a side project, I think it’s only fair Aonuma be given similar privileges. Perhaps then Aonuma will create a new IP for Nintendo.
When asked about his thoughts on the seeming decline in the Japanese gaming industry, Aonuma had this to say:
Eiji Aonuma: My initial reaction is that I don’t feel like I’ve been involved in the game industry. I don’t have the kind of sense constantly lurking over me. It feels more like I’ve been part of a company that tries to make interesting and entertaining things. When we find something that brings out that curiosity in ourselves and other people, we just continue to develop and iterate on it and make different things. So I think that…there’s a lot to still be discovered and innovated and iterated on. So no, I don’t think in general, that it’s fair to say that things are over. When I hear Mr. Inafune making those kinds of comments, it makes me think that maybe he’s just a little tired. [laughs]
Interesting viewpoint on Nintendo’s place in the Japanese gaming market. If every company thought about video games like the people at Nintendo, perhaps there would be less bald space-marines and more innovation. Either that or every game would require some sort of plastic accesory. I’m looking at you balance board that’s hiding under my TV stand!
