Innovation is the big thing in gaming right now, and the focus form innovation in recent years has been VR. When it comes to Nintendo however, they are clearly looking elsewhere as seen by Nintendo Labo, an idea that seemed ridiculous at first but has quickly shown itself to have so much potential.
VR has been a gamble for many companies due to issues such as high cost of entry and the health issues associated (epilepsy and photo sensitivity included). This is not even mentioning the lack of innovative games, which has held VR back considerably. While some success has been had, t it has been on a case to case basis, and VR l has not been able to successfully break into the mainstream of gaming. Labo on the other hand, while low tech compared to VR, has been a success so far for a key reason. Labo allows the imagination to create more experiences rather than be fed these experiences.
Labo inspires creativity among youth, while also providing a gaming experience and much more. Users have created numerous designs with Lab and have used it in ways the developers could not have foreseen. This has led many adults to also be interested in the product as well, due to the unique play opportunities this affords. Schools are also taking notice, especially in the UK, and are even considering adding it to the curriculum in some way. Nintendo has never followed the same path as other companies, so it makes sense that while VR has become a buzzword for many others, Nintendo themselves has looked elsewhere and found success in doing so.
Nintendo has managed to create an alternative gaming method that brings excitement again, while also innovating on a gameplay experience. Rather than an artificial immersion into a game, Nintendo Labo truly makes you part of the game, with integration that is dependent on what you decide. This is the key to its success, it is more than just going outside the box, but showing people that gaming still has areas that have not yet been thought of. People laughed off Labo initially, and yet it seems Nintendo has come out ahead in the innovation game this time.
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The above was the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of Real Otaku Gamer or its Staff