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[Kumiko Nikaido]

More from Tomonobu Itagaki in the September 04' issue of Play magazine:

Play: Are there any games or developers you particularly admire?

Itagaki: "Of course, there are other games I like to play, but I would not say I could not do a better job. Because I know I could do a better job of making any game that is out there. Personally, I like Pikmin 2. Again, if I were asked to do Pikmin 3, I could do a better job than Nintendo. But then if I do that, I can't just play for my personal enjoyment anymore. I want to have enough games outside of my own that I can enjoy playing without any distractions."

He's on a roll!

 

[cvxfreak]

...

I like Itagi, but I can't see him doing a game like Pikmin 3. O_O

 

[fse]

Pikmin with boobs.
.f_elz

 

[Oni Link 666]

Pikmin with boobs.
.f_elz

LOL. You beat me to it.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Itagaki > Miyamoto . . .








. . .BWAHAHAHAHA!

 

[ToyMachine228]

That is a stupid thing to say. Disrespectful not only to Miyamoto, but just plain dumb. Anyone can say that, but you know that you can't do it, and that you won't do it. So you don't say it.

 

[Alcibiades]

I think he's just being his cocky self, and doesn't mean any disrespect, especially since he said he liked Pikmin since the first installment (he mentioned it in an interview a while back)...

 

[Wario64]

Zone of the Enders...maybe

Pikmin....what??

 

[ToyMachine228]

Yeah he said that Pikmin was one of his favorite games of all time I think...Or of the generation or something. But it's still a stupid statement. Good game designers always make their sequels better by expanding upon the original.

 

[Kuroyume]

Boobs yeah and ugh... combos?

 

[ironichaos]

Nintendo should let him give it a try. Nintendo could benefit from building a relationship with Tecmo.

 

[Tellaerin]

That is a stupid thing to say. Disrespectful not only to Miyamoto, but just plain dumb. Anyone can say that, but you know that you can't do it, and that you won't do it. So you don't say it.

I see no reason why Itagaki couldn't do it. He obviously believes that, too, and I don't think he's terribly concerned with what you (or anyone else) claims to 'know' about his ability. He's certainly shown enough potential as a designer that I wouldn't count him out.

Displays of false humility aren't respectful, and they're painful to watch besides. I'd much rather see a guy who believes in himself the way Itagaki does actually speak his mind, rather than making simpering 'respectful' statements to the gaming press about how he can never hope to compete with the genius of the great and mighty Miyamoto (or Yu Suzuki or whoever). Maybe one day he'll get it into his head to tackle the RPG genre...

 

[Dan]

It's one thing to name a specific game he could do better, but this...

Because I know I could do a better job of making any game that is out there.

Wow... arrogant much? That's just far and away crazy talk.

 

[ToyMachine228]

Anyone could do a better job, given the time, and assets. I mean, everyone plays a game, and thinks...Oh man, this game would be so much cooler if...And then if you could do this...So anyone, can think about how to improve a game. And Itagaki is a man, who could probably do it too. But I still think it's just a pointless thing to say. I'm sure Shinji Mikami could think of countless ways to "make a better" Mario game or something.

 

[Gattsu25]

you know....I really can't stand the guy...but he makes many good games (DOA) and a few great ones (Ninja Gaiden)...his games also seem to be getting better....while I'm not convinced that he could do Pikmin 3 better, I don't doubt that he could make a respectable Pikmin-like game and would actually like to see him branch out into developing for more genres...besides, he actually takes part in the development of the games that he gets praised for

 

[Catchpenny]

Displays of false humility aren't respectful, and they're painful to watch besides. I'd much rather see a guy who believes in himself the way Itagaki does actually speak his mind, rather than making simpering 'respectful' statements to the gaming press about how he can never hope to compete with the genius of the great and mighty Miyamoto (or Yu Suzuki or whoever).

It's not an either/or situation.

Itagaki seems pretty cool and I think he's usually hilarious. Comments like this are just stupid, though. It would be stupid even if he had the pedigree to back it up, which he doesn't.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

"And if i were asked to make a Dead or Alive 4...i'd say no after i stopped laughing bitches!"

 

[DDayton]

I think it's the "could make any game better" part that irks me. While I'm not one to enjoy false humility, it does seem a bit twitty to say that you could make ANY game better than those who are currently making it. Everyone has some limitations, you know...

 

[bjork]

Itagaki makes games?

Does Itagaki do anything besides give loaded interviews?

 

[ge-man]

I wouldn't mind seeing him expand. I bet he'll have something interesting waiting for the DS.

As for the comment, I'm torn by it. I don't think he mean disrespect--I haven't seen an industry person pimp Pikmin as much as he has. I think the comment is more about him wanting show that he's more than a one trick horse and if the oppurtunity arose he would meet the challenge.

The problem I do have is his deliver. His comments have little tact. That's what rubs people wrong.

 

[Claus]

Ahaha, what an ass.

 

[impirius]

I would love to unlock all of the different leaf designs for my Pikmin

 

[Warm Machine]

This guy has got to realize one thing...to come up with the idea in the first place is a hell of a lot harder than to improve on something that already exists.

 

[Alcibiades]

I wouldn't mind seeing him expand. I bet he'll have something interesting waiting for the DS.

As for the comment, I'm torn by it. I don't think he mean disrespect--I haven't seen an industry person pimp Pikmin as much as he has. I think the comment is more about him wanting show that he's more than a one trick horse and if the oppurtunity arose he would meet the challenge.

The problem I do have is his deliver. His comments have little tact. That's what rubs people wrong.

actually, it seems almost like an reactionary talking-away remark more than an actual challenge or desire (not that it hasn't crossed his mind, or countless other gamers, how they'd implement stuff into a Pikmin 3), and was just funnying around, not meaning it in a serious way...

 

[Celicar]

Who is Itagaki? He sounds Asian.

 

[Justin Bailey]

People like Itagaki, Mikami, and Yamauchi know their stuff when it comes to what they do, but you really can't take anything they say in interviews seriously. They're just characters, that's all.

 

[Senretsu]

Wow, that Olimario has some nice, bouncy,


........antennas!

 

[FortNinety]

Hey Kenji Eno... you've got competition.

(not that Eno ever said anythint like this, but Itagaki is becoming just like him in the sense that he just says on outlandish thing after another after another in interviews)

 

[Mrbob]

I agree with Itagaki.

Hopefully we can have another thread dedicated to one more Itagaki quote, from the same interview, instead of putting them all together in one thread.

 

[Black Deatha]

Damn, Ninja Gaiden was great and all, but shit, this guys full of himself, Tommorow morning Miyamoto should punch him in the back of the head while he's drinking his coffie.

~Black Deatha

 

[Socreges]

He really does have a ridiculous ego. Pikmin 3 is, at this point, no more than ideas, yet he says he'd do it better.

Itagaki: "Of course, there are other games I like to play, but I would not say I could not do a better job. Because I know I could do a better job of making any game that is out there. Personally, I like Pikmin 2. Again, if I were asked to do Pikmin 3, I could do a better job than Nintendo. But then if I do that, I can't just play for my personal enjoyment anymore. I want to have enough games outside of my own that I can enjoy playing without any distractions."

Of course I can bench 250lbs. I just don't want to.

 

[Kiriku]

Hahahaha...this really made my morning. Has he even made a game somewhat similar to the Pikmin series before?

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I really don't see what the problem is. Itagaki seems like an extremely honest-sounding guy. It's nice to read his replies in any interview. The guy shoots from the hip and is confident about his ability. And I guess that may be the real problem...lots and lots of people really just like the happy-happy joy-joy shit that almost never sounds fully honest and normal-humanoid-like. As long as something is said that you agree with it's respectful and cool...or something. Anyway, Itagaki rules.

 

[Kiriku]

I really don't see what the problem is. Itagaki seems like an extremely honest-sounding guy. It's nice to read his replies in any interview. The guy shoots from the hip and is confident about his ability. And I guess that may be the real problem...lots and lots of people really just like the happy-happy joy-joy shit that almost never sounds fully honest and normal-humanoid-like. As long as something is said that you agree with it's respectful and cool...or something. Anyway, Itagaki rules.

Well, it would be more acceptable if he said something in the lines of "if I was asked to do Pikmin 3, I think I could do a better job than Nintendo."

 

[Alcibiades]

Well, it would be more acceptable if he said something in the lines of "if I was asked to do Pikmin 3, I think I could do a better job than Nintendo."

IMO, that sounds even more pompous, like he's asking for the opportunity to get asked, wheras with the cocky attitude, people would have reason to dismiss the comments as "he's dreamin" or "that's a joke, he's just excited about his favorite game", rather than, "man, he really wants it, but we can't offer it to him" or AKWARD SILENCE...

 

[Trevelyon]

Heh! Itagaki would pimp Pikmin 3 out with all the mad effects! bump-mapping, light-mapping, acne scar-mapping..... the works.

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

He's figured this out, you can't blame him. He's pontificating to his newly found audience hanging off his every word. Lets take an innocuous statement and twist it into something brash and arrogant, then everybody will pay attention to Itagaki. And they all play into Itakagi's hands.
He could be a cornerstone of Microsoft's mastercastle and now he speaks of Nintendo? Tsk. Tsk. Itagaki. Tsk. Tsk.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Why does he have to be so verbose? So he won't 'insult,' threaten, or otherwise irritate Nintendo/Pikmin fans? No one should have to be so ridiculously careful when talking about what he/she thinks he/she can and or cannot do. Clearly, to me, he is speaking his mind. And, that, is the ultimate point of an interview with someone...to get them to be honest and informative...while still hopefully being entertaining...or, at least, interesting.

 

[Socreges]

I really don't see what the problem is. Itagaki seems like an extremely honest-sounding guy. It's nice to read his replies in any interview. The guy shoots from the hip and is confident about his ability. And I guess that may be the real problem...lots and lots of people really just like the happy-happy joy-joy shit that almost never sounds fully honest and normal-humanoid-like. As long as something is said that you agree with it's respectful and cool...or something. Anyway, Itagaki rules.

Why does he have to be so verbose? So he won't 'insult,' threaten, or otherwise irritate Nintendo/Pikmin fans? No one should have to be so ridiculously careful when talking about what he/she thinks he/she can and or cannot do. Clearly, to me, he is speaking his mind. And, that, is the ultimate point of an interview with someone...to get them to be honest and informative...while still hopefully being entertaining...or, at least, interesting.

If that was case, it wouldn't be so amusingly arrogant. But he doesn't even know what Nintendo is capable of with Pikmin 3, yet he's said that he'd do it better. And for apparently his favourite series [outside his own games].

Listen, you've got to resist the tempting transition from 'fan' to 'apologist'. It's a fine line, I know.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Well, I think it really comes down to how attached, emotionally or otherwise, people are to the subjects in question. I don't really care, but find his interviews entertaining and refreshingly honest in an 'off-the-record' kind of way. Nothing strikes me as highly controversial or abnormally arrogant in his replies. My opinion.

 

[Kiriku]

IMO, that sounds even more pompous, like he's asking for the opportunity to get asked, wheras with the cocky attitude, people would have reason to dismiss the comments as "he's dreamin" or "that's a joke, he's just excited about his favorite game", rather than, "man, he really wants it, but we can't offer it to him" or AKWARD SILENCE...

Well, the thing is...I don't SEE it as joke, or that he's just excited...or that he's dreaming. Because I think he truly believes what he's saying.

No one should have to be so ridiculously careful when talking about what he/she thinks he/she can and or cannot do.

It's just that he's so tactless. I don't see someone being "ridiculously careful" when saying "I think". He's putting it like a fact, not as an opinion. You could add "believe" instead of "think", but to just say "I can" is a bit too much IMO.

 

[Socreges]

Well, I think it really comes down to how attached, emotionally or otherwise, people are to the subjects in question. I don't really care, but find his interviews entertaining and refreshingly honest in an 'off-the-record' kind of way. Nothing strikes me as highly controversial or abnormally arrogant in his replies. My opinion.

Abnormally arrogant? No. Unusually arrogant? Absolutely. If he had said that about Jak 3, I'd say the exact same thing. My perspective has nothing to do with attachment, though perhaps yours does.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

It's just that he's so tactless. I don't see someone being "ridiculously careful" when saying "I think". He's putting it like a fact, not as an opinion. You could add "believe" instead of "think", but to just say "I can" is a bit too much IMO.

He set it up as a hypothetical situation. Why should he have to be so careful in his speech or litter his post with IMO everywhere. I've said the same thing about lots of games I've played...'I could do better than these guys!!' I think anyone has said that. However, once it's published anywhere, you've got to be very, very careful apparently.

 

[SantaC]

Why does he have to be so verbose? So he won't 'insult,' threaten, or otherwise irritate Nintendo/Pikmin fans? No one should have to be so ridiculously careful when talking about what he/she thinks he/she can and or cannot do. Clearly, to me, he is speaking his mind. And, that, is the ultimate point of an interview with someone...to get them to be honest and informative...while still hopefully being entertaining...or, at least, interesting.

I remember the xbox fans going nuts when someone dubbed Killzone the halo killer.

 

[ourumov]

Please stop the fun...Or the next GA reporter that goes to E3 will pay for it...

 

[Deku Tree]

Please stop the fun...Or the next GA reporter that goes to E3 will pay for it...

Are you saying Itagaki is a GAFFER?

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I remember the xbox fans going nuts when someone dubbed Killzone the halo killer.

Well, I suppose the difference here is that this is a comparison of two real products. Pikmin 3 isn't real.

 

[AniHawk]

Well, I suppose the difference here is that this is a comparison of two real products.

And that someone is being mean to Halo 2.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

?

 

[Prine]

Thats my boy!

Easily the most interesting developer out there. We need more people like him