Nintendo Switch VR Mode: Exec Expresses Concern Over Virtual Reality

It’s already been more than two years since Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto expressed his uneasiness when thinking of virtual reality as the next trend in the gaming community. Today, nothing much has changed for the “Legend of Zelda” creator. He still thinks of this virtual technology as something that goes against the established setup of enjoying video games with fellow gamers.

In a recent interview with Time that mostly focused on the upcoming Nintendo Switch console, Miyamoto has once again voiced out his concern with virtual reality. “When I see people play virtual reality, it makes me worry, just as for example if a parent were to see their kid playing virtual reality, it would probably make them worry,” he said.

Miyamoto’s new statement is not that different from the sentiment he shared with Time in June 2014. At the time, the renowned video game creator said virtual reality is the opposite of what they were working for with the company’s Wii U console.

“When you think about what virtual reality is, which is one person putting on some goggles and playing by themselves kind of over in a corner, or maybe they go into a separate room and they spend all their time alone playing in that virtual reality, that's in direct contrast with what it is we're trying to achieve with Wii U.” Miyamoto was quoted as saying back then. “And so I have a little bit of uneasiness with whether or not that's the best way for people to play.”

Though the video game designer and producer was not really keen on exploring virtual reality, he already admitted back then that Nintendo was interested in the technology. So it does not come as a surprise that the Nintendo Switch will have support for VR mode per a leaked patent, as first reported by Business Insider.

The 64-year-old exec has now admitted that some problems he saw in virtual reality have already been addressed or are currently being addressed. “In terms of being together online in virtual reality, I think a lot of the problems have been solved or are starting to be solved. This is something that we're looking into, too,” he said.

Nevertheless, Myamoto expressed that there is another issue with virtual reality technology, and it’s the challenge of creating short but substantial gaming experience. “Another issue and challenge that I think everybody faces is how to create an experience that's both short enough while also fully fleshed out in virtual reality,” he said.