The launch of Super Mario Odyssey is a new opportunity to learn what Nintendo has in mind for the life cycle of Switch and the management of its most popular IP. In that sense, Reggie Fils-Aime spoke about the particular characteristics of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.
In an interview conducted by TIME, Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, spoke about the features that account for the reimagination of 2 of his most important franchises and that were reflected in his titles for Nintendo Switch.
The president of Nintendo of America first talked about Zelda: Breath of the Wild, considering what, in his opinion, is the element that surprised the players: “I think what you highlight with Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey is certainly that the way those games have reimagined the intellectual property (IP) is different. I would say that Breath of the Wild is a dramatic departure from the conventions of a Zelda game. And the producer Mr. [Eiji] Aonuma said three years ago that was his vision. The fact that you could go anywhere [and] attack quests and shrines in any order you want, that was his vision.”
On the other hand, Reggie Fils-Aime talked about Super Mario Odyssey: “We have had other sandbox experiences for Mario in the past: Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. What’s different here is the breadth of kingdoms, the Cappy mechanic, and so yes a departure, but maybe not as radical. But with the mentality of creating an experience that the player says, ‘Wow, I’ve never done that before with a Mario game.'”
Finally, the director of Nintendo concluded saying that this is the strategy that has given success to the company and, therefore, this is the one that will dictate the development and management of the games of its most important franchises: “That’s what we try to do. Whether it’s with a Metroid experience or a Donkey Kong experience, we’re constantly looking to push the envelope on the IP versus doing sequential small iterations with a particular franchise.”
