Yu Suzuki Believes Games Can Influence Change

by Tamer Asfahani

Legendary video game creator, and director of Shenmue, Yu Suzuki, believes games can help educate us in the wider issues of the world.

Asked by Checkpoint Magazine; and referencing climate change, nationalism and fake news, whether games could help us understand our world and the troubles we face, Suzuki said it could help, but is dependent on who is making them.

“With Shenmue, for example, it can make people understand Japanese language and culture. And Japanese people can also put it in English and learn English. And that kind of stuff can really help when you travel around. You can express a lot in games.”

In the last 10 years there has been a big shift in not just the global mindset, but also the way the Japanese game developers and publishers have been infiltrating western audiences.

Publisher acquisitions are probably the best examples here, such as Square Enix, Bandai Namco to name a few.

Asked whether it had been easier to get more traditionally Japanese games out to the wider markets, especially in the west, and how they’ve been received is a good indication of how these very culturally focused games have been received. But different cultures consume games on different devices, and Suzuki believes there is something to be said about gaming on relevant gaming platforms.

“I think it’s a good thing that a lot more people can play them. It’s true then that they can know more about Japanese culture. The thing is, I think the mobile gaming is too strong right now, personally I think it’s more healthy to have many different platforms and not just mobile gaming. I think it might be a bit of a problem in Japan right now. I really think smartphones are a great thing, but if you’re only using that (to play games) then it’s a bit sad.”

Yu Suzuki is the mastermind behind games such as Out Run, After Burner, Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter as well as the Shenmue series.

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1 comment

Muslimbacconator July 16, 2020 - 0308

People play games to escape reality. If you bring reality to the games, enjoy your drastic shift in sales. In the downward direction.

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