7 pictures of Nintendo's gaming boss being the happiest person at E3 2014
Nintendo had a solid E3 2014, thanks in part to the reveal of The Legend of Zelda for Wii U. But as always, the show breeds pessimism from gamers unhappy with the way things are going. Well, we know one person who certainly wasn't having a s**t time in LA; boss of Nintendo EAD Shigeru Miyamoto.
I was a bit dismayed at the negative reaction from many readers over my trends of E3 2014 piece, in which I was massively optimistic about the show and the year ahead for gaming because, well, this is my hobby and I love it dearly.
So imagine how much my heart warmed when I saw Nintendo's legend Miyamoto grinning like a lunatic at almost every opportunity; from photos on the show floor to beaming like the Cheshire Cat while being asked mundane questions during interviews.
He's a man-child, and embodies that little part inside of every gamer that triggers whenever we absorb fun from play. This industry was created to entertain and create enjoyment; two things that get lost in all the format war bitching, the hostile barbs towards fans of rival franchises, and the groans coming from those who now seem incapable of deriving any pleasure from the format.
To those who still get a fuzzy feeling when a game gets under their skin, just know that I'm right there with you.
Now here's Miyamoto getting right into the spirit of why these games exist in the first place:
Look at that smile. All he's doing is tilting his Wii U GamePad while playing Project Giant Robot, a game he's making and by all accounts should be sick of seeing by now as its creator. But nope, he's just a big giggling toddler digging in the sandbox of life. Show us the way Miyamoto. Show us the way.
We found this photo via Reddit user Hoof--hearted, and it's just lovely. Miyamoto is basically Peter Pan, a boy who will never grow up, seen here playing games with a group of kids Nintendo invited to E3 2014. It's a bit of a marketing ploy but who cares? It's a nice gesture. And they met the guy who invented Mario Bros.
This image came from a Nintendo Treehouse clip. He's smiling after being asked if there's any strategies players on the E3 2014 show floor should know when playing Project Giant Robot. I've practically heard that same question asked by countless journalists at countless press events, and I've never seen a developer react with such glee. Look at him.
Yeah it's another PR photo opp posted on Reddit, but who cares, really? Those kids are loving it, Takashi Tezuka is loving it and Miyamoto is loving it. This is seriously nice to see. I guarantee that not every game developer looks this full of life and joy after a few days presenting at E3. It's a gauntlet, and Miyamoto's passed it with flying colours. Not bad for a 61-year-old.
More smiles at the Treehouse showcase. I get that answering the same questions asked by about a thousand journalists in a matter of days must be soul-destroying for developers, but here's Miyamoto, working it like a pro. He's probably just been asked what he wants for lunch or something, but still, he laughs.
"See that kids? I made that." Somehow I get the idea that in Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters, everyone works on the tenth floor and once the working day is done all the staff take the stairs or elevator down to the lobby. I like to think that Miyamoto has a slide from his office that exits above a bouncy castle filled with bunny rabbits. Also; all the rabbits are wearing mini Mario caps.
Well done Miyamoto. The pessimism that comes with this industry can often cut like a knife, but your enduring optimism and playful nature keeps remind us why we started playing games to begin with. Cheers mate.