Interviews// Yasuhiro Wada, creator of Harvest Moon

SPOnG: The storyline in the PSP game seems to focus on the question of ‘why’ the main character is farming in the first place – can you tell us more?

Yasuhiro Wada: In Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon the main theme of the story is the character looking for an identity for himself, because it turns out this character is not human, he is an AI - a robot. It’s kind of like the story of Pinocchio you understand? He’s not a real human, but by doing lots of things and communicating with the people around he slowly feels more human and the people around him think of him and treat him also like a human.


SPOnG: Sounds like Blade Runner.

Yasuhiro Wada: Ha! Yes!


SPOnG: Can you tell us any details on the plans for a forthcoming Wii version of Harvest Moon?

Yasuhiro Wada: Yes, it’s due for release in Japan this coming June. It can be fully controlled by either the Wii Remote and Nunchuck motion-control or via more traditional button controls – whichever you prefer. The Wii version of the game has a special emphasis on family life.


SPOnG: Looking to the future - what about bringing together DS and Wii?

Yasuhiro Wada: [sharp intake of breath] It’s going to be difficult I think, it’s something I’m thinking about at the moment for sure. I’m thinking about how a partial version of a home console game can be played on the handheld – then brought back onto home console – so the home console is the main place to play, but some parts can be played on handheld to be exported back to the main home console… that’s what we’re looking to implement… it’s something that is still two or three years down the line.


SPOnG: You said earlier that the software industry is becoming more high-risk – do you think that the market for your type of game is becoming more crowded? With games like Viva Pinata on 360 and Nintendo’s own Animal Crossing and so on?

Yasuhiro Wada: No. The market for these types of game is not too crowded, it’s expanding. Also, Animal Crossing and Viva Pinata and Harvest Moon are often seen as being similar – the atmospherics are similar, yes, but the main points, the core gameplay elements, of each game is quite different. So, each attracts a certain type of gamer into the game – which I think also encourages the market for this type of ‘genre’ of game to continue to grow.


SPOnG: So, it’s fair to say you feel Nintendo’s ‘disruptive’ strategy with DS and now with Wii has been pretty successful?

Yasuhiro Wada: I think DS has been a clear success yes, of course. But in Japan, nobody knows the future of Wii right now – whether it’s going to continue to grow or not.

But DS was a genuine revolutionary idea – a very brave and very good decision which Nintendo took there – it will hopefully encourage more successes and it should also encourage different types of games … big, expensive projects as well as smaller, maybe more experimental games… You can compare it with the world of movies – you need low-budget movies made by small groups of people to keep things interesting.


SPOnG: Final question, you have said that Wii’s future is still uncertain. What three things would you advise Nintendo to do to ensure that Wii is a continuing success?

Yasuhiro Wada: [laughs] Me?


SPOnG: Yes!

Yasuhiro Wada: It’s very difficult. Wii cannot really compete against PS3 or 360, which is why Wii’s main competitor right now is DS. They are competing on the same level. So, Nintendo has to work harder to make Wii’s own market, as opposed to competing against DS’s market. This would be my first piece of advice to Nintendo.

Wii Sports is the only game that can be ONLY played on Wii, not on any other console. So future games plans such as Brain Training on Wii or that type of thing – I don’t think this is such a great idea – as these games are already being played and are very popular on DS… they are not specific to the Wii.

The third piece of advice I would give them would be to reduce the price of the DS! [compared to price of Wii] That’s my main bit of advice. I think they can do it. The made a decision on pricing and they went for a higher price. If they want to reduce the price they can.


SPOnG: And I’m sure they will. At some point! Thanks for your time.

Yasuhiro Wada: No problem, thank you.