Iwata Asks: Sin and Punishment 2- creating a game that pleases series fans, but isn't too tough for new gamers, Iwata's surprise at Nintendo's request for higher difficulty, and Iwata's compliment to Treasure

This is a snippet from the final section of the Iwata Asks feature on Sin and Punishment 2, which features…

Satoru Iwata – President of Nintendo
Shingo Matsushita – Software Planning & Development Team
Yurie Hattori – Software Planning & Development Team
Hitoshi Yamagami – Software Planning & Development Team
Masato Maegawa – CEO of Treasure Corporation
Atsutomo Nakagawa – Director of Treasure Corporation
Yasushi Suzuki – Art Director

Hattori: I first pushed for basic things like how they should properly make a tutorial and how they should make the difficulty so that beginners could play as well. However, as I began to get involved in the development, I began to feel that the difficulty shouldn’t just be lowered.

Iwata: You felt that if you did such a thing, the game would be ruined.

Hattori: Yes. And there were fans of the previous game and many fans of Treasure who feel that that way is how the game should be, and I felt that I shouldn’t ever rattle such a fanbase.

Iwata: In the first place, shooting games are considered to be the easy route of video games and so many people would play it, but it’s also the genre in which the archetypal game is one where many people get weeded out -– rather, one where the number of players decreases [the further you get into the game].

Iwata: …I’m surprised with what was said just now. Nintendo actually told Treasure, “Make it harder.” If it weren’t for “Creator’s Voice,” I would never have known. …I have associated with teams with many different personalities before … but I still feel that the most unique of them all is Treasure (laughs).