Shadow of the Colossus Creator Says Games Don’t Need To Rely on New Mechanics Anymore

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"The age of gameplay mechanics had already passed"

Story Highlight
  • The creator of Shadow of the Colossus said that games no longer require new mechanics. 
  • He thinks video games should no longer opt for new and innovative mechanics. 
  • However, not every game can get away with it; for gameplay to be fun, innovation may be necessary.

This goes without saying that gameplay matters the most in any game. Nintendo games thrive on gameplay alone, as let’s be real, almost all of the games launched on the handheld aren’t graphically superior. 

While gameplay is definitely essential, new mechanics aren’t. Gameplay for being fun doesn’t actually need to have a dozen new mechanics, as apparently that era is gone. The Shadow of the Colossus creator seems to agree with this, as he said games don’t need to rely on new mechanics

Why it matters: Developers attempt to introduce new elements to a game, which is not a bad thing, but incorporating too many new mechanics may not mesh well with the existing ones. However, innovation is always welcome. 

FromSoftware Games
Innovation Is Pretty Important In Video Games

Fumito Ueda praised the game “To a T,” which is a puzzle adventure game developed by Uvula, an indie studio founded by Takashi. Back when the game’s trailer was released, Ueda asked Takashi, “How do you play this game?” Takashi replied by saying it doesn’t feature any special mechanics, to which Ueda replied, “That’s great.”

Looking back at the time Ueda made that statement, he further explained what he truly meant. 

While I don’t know why I replied with ‘That’s great’ back then, I was most likely thinking – The age of gameplay mechanics had already passed. I guess this is not the age to release new devices or offer new mechanics with each and every new game.

Ueda further explained that mechanics don’t need to be new or innovative. He thinks the game’s art and story are there to build the experience, which is a fair take, but not everyone will necessarily agree with it, as innovation is pretty important. 

Some sequels can probably get away with not using new mechanics, but there must be innovation every time. How do you think the world will react if there is no new mechanic or innovation in the upcoming biggest release in the history of gaming, GTA 6?

What do you think about the statement by Shadow of the Colossus’s creator? Do you believe his words have weight? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or join the official Tech4Gamers forums for discussion

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