Topic: BBC to air documentary on Nintendo

[Gahiggidy]

Part of a series called "Outrageous Fortunes" which is investigating some of the world's biggest brand name companies.

Outrageous Fortunes: Nintendo

Mon 12 Apr at 21:00 on BBC Three Tue 13 Apr at 01:00 on BBC Three

Nintendo is the Japanese company that took over the world with the help of the most famous videogame star of all-time, Super Mario. It’s the story of how mesmerising characters and graphics, created by genius Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto, provided hours of magic for kids around the globe - and huge profits for company owner Hiroshi Yamauchi.  

   Against Nintendo’s wishes, presenter Libby Potter visits Mr Yamauchi’s daughter Yoko and son-in-law Minoru Arakawa in their mansion in Hawaii. Minoru tells Libby what it was like to run Nintendo America in the boom years under the demanding eye of Nintendo boss Mr Yamauchi.

In Japan, Libby traces Nintendo’s roots and gains an interview with Nintendo’s super star designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the man responsible for creating Nintendo’s most popular titles: Mario, Pokemon and Zelda. Despite this he remains on a salary and cycles to work in the morning whilst Mr Yamauchi sits on top of a $1.4 billion fortune. Libby asks him why he forfeited his entitlement to game royalties and what the future holds for the once mighty Nintendo?

But there’s another side to the tale. This Outrageous Fortunes episode will show evidence that Nintendo knew that some of its games could trigger epileptic seizures in some children - and chose not to remove the provocative sections from the games. The company has testified in court that they have no way of knowing which games might be more inclined to trigger seizures in susceptible children but we speak to a whistleblower who tells a very different story. The programme also explains how an American judge found the company in contempt of court twice for not disclosing information during a case brought against Nintendo by the family of a boy who suffered a seizure.  

   The video game industry, unlike television, is not governed by regulations concerning the number or rate of flashing images in a game. Outrageous Fortunes tests a number of Nintendo games according to the television industry’s standards and discovers that even some of the current releases would fail the guidelines set out by the Independent Television Commission.  

Libby then visits Howard Lincoln, the lawyer who became chairman of Nintendo America and handled their many legal battles. Lincoln now runs the Seattle Mariners, a baseball team bought with Mr Yamauchi’s money but never graced with his presence. Libby goes to meet him and has some tough questions on just how safe he thinks Nintendo games are and the measures used to reduce risk.  

It’s a fascinating story that takes presenter Libby Potter on a journey ranging from Birmingham to Hawaii, Soho to Tokyo and across the USA.

[dafunkk12]

Damn, even if I can find a brit to record it for me, I'd still have to put up with damned PAL-NTSC incompatibilities.

[Shift Key]

Wait? They're going after Nintendo for the epileptic seizures problem too? That's rich. How about we drag Atari to court because I got hurt by the corner of a 2600 while we're at it?

I really wish I could find out that side of the story, because it really contradicts what Nintendo are saying about this problem, such as the warning labels and their funding and research of epilectic seizures.

Can anyone find a transcript of this? Will there even be a transcript somewhere?

[slacker]

Looks like epileptic seizures is the next big thing.  Anyways, this program has witch hunt written all over it.  I can already tell by the tone and style set by that news piece.  It will portray Nintendo as this big corporation hell bent on milking the world's youth, raking in tons of money, and finally, not paying its employee a fair share of the profit.  On top of that, the program will probably say that Nintendo don't care if their games causes seizure.  Of course I could be wrong.

On another note, I think companies should not be made liable for epileptic seizures cause by games because they don't know the health conditions that gamers have.  To be found liable or implied that they are liable is ridiculous.  A warning isn't enough?  Soon, we will have games that don't have fancy flashing effects such as lightning, explosions, etc .  This whole thing is making me pissed.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Judging by the show's synopsis,  it is clear the show is designed to infuriate the crowds with half-truths.  Come on, what television program that uses the phrase "at what price" ISN'T out to make corporations look bad?  Libby places Nintendo with the likes of Walmart, Disney and De Beers, for crying out loud!  I expect this show to be the epitome of editorial finesse.

As for the top-secret information, I suspect it is merely Nintendo's recent anti-seizure measures used against the company as proof that Nintendo knew all along.  The show will probably also claim that doctors have known about light-induced seizures for a while, so naturally Nintendo should have made the extra effort at the expense of game quality.

I mean no disrespect to those who have suffered from video game-related seizures, but compared to the mass-scale exploitation of peoples practiced by other prominent corporations, the possibility of Nintendo shrugging off epilepsy doesn't seem like too big of a deal.

Now, if the program is out to make Nintendo look as though it mistreats its employees, I fully expect a barrage of contradictory feedback from NOA employees.  Especially with recent economic strains, demanding many hours of employees is pretty much standard practice in the software industry.  Even so, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts "long hours with little pay" will crop up in this episode.
 

[DrZoidberg]

no mention of Saturo Iwata? interesting... or not. also,

Quote
Lincoln now runs the Seattle Mariners, a baseball team bought with Mr Yamauchi’s money but never graced with his presence.

lollin'

[Ian Sane]

Man, Nintendo can't catch a break.  They're NOT the market leader yet they still get all the negative stuff like lawsuits and bad press that comes with being the leader but none of the good stuff like high sales and market share.  Why doesn't Sony get some of this bad stuff.  Nintendo needs to strive to be number one again practically just to make all this sh!t that people living in the 80s are shoveling on them worthwhile.

As for the epilepsy thing if there's a warning on the game you have no sympathy from me if you get a seizure playing it.  Sacrificing game quality for epilepsy sufferers is like making all roller coasters flat and slow to accomodate people with bad hearts.  It's STUPID.  I'm allergic to cut grass yet you don't see me asking the entire world to pave their lawns.  If you have a problem it's selfish to expect the entire world to make a sacrifice just to accomodate you.  People who are missing arms can't even play videogames.  Should we change all controllers just for them?

[ib2kool4u912]

hmmmmm, the tongue controller? You might have something there.....

[kennyb27]

This is just another example of the "It's not me, let me blame someone with lots of money" kind of society that we sadly have to live in.  If only people would use common sense.  What do they think the warnings are there for anyway.

[Guitar Smasher]

Quote
Originally posted by: PGC NewsBot
Part of a series called "Outrageous Fortunes" which is investigating some of the world's biggest brand name companies.

In Japan, Libby traces Nintendo’s roots and gains an interview with Nintendo’s super star designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the man responsible for creating Nintendo’s most popular titles: Mario, Pokemon and Zelda.

You hear that?  Miyamoto created Pokemon.

[Joey]

I think they need to do more research. How difficult could it possibly be to find out who really created that game? If they can't get something as simple as that right I think they are going to make a lot more mistakes.

EDIT: Just for fun I decided to see how long it would take to find the information. It took about 5 seconds on Google just using the term pokemon's creator and clicking on the first result.  

[Deguello]

What I find strange is of the 3 big platform publishers today, Nintendo has the most prominent warning about epilepsy.  A warning is even printed on the back of the box.  Both Microsoft and Sony warn about epilepsy too, but on the first page of their manuals, you know, AFTER you open it.  And if that gets them off the hook, then Nintendo should also get off the hook, because they have bigger warnings about more things than just epilepsy.  Motion Sickness, Electric Shock, hell even "Laser" damage.

[nickmitch]

If Microsoft is owned by the richest man in the world then why doesn't anyone please sue them?!? Besides this thing can't be all bad. It might even get good publicity for Nintendo. But hey, I'm just being optomistic.

[mouse_clicker]

Deguello: Most PS2 and XBox games don't even have a little precautions booklet in the game cases- I know none of MY PS2 games did. And as you said, they certainly don't have warnings on the outside of the box. Nintendo, on the other hand, requires every game to have a warning about seizures on the outside of the box and to have a precautions booklet inside the case with a detailed explanation about how videogames can cause seizures if you're photosensitive. Nintendo is only being attacked because their name is almost synomous with "videogames" (although I thought that impression would have worn off over the last 8 years). It's similar to how Nintendo was included in the lawsuit the families of the Columbine victims took out on videogame companies, despite the fact that none of Nintendo's games are very violent at all- in fact, I believe Super Smash Bros. Melee was the first 1st party Nintendo game to get above an E rating.  

[Djunknown]

Alright, here's your undeniable proof that the media is hell-bent on destroying Nintendo anyway it can! Is there bounty on the company's head or something?

Question for our European gamers: Do Gamecube games have a little black pamphlet explicitly telling you that you may experience epliptic seizures and such?

This reeks of socialism if you ask me.  Has the BBC gone so far left?

Whatever...

[Jstbcool]

Someone from Britain should write BBC a suggestion to investigate the other companies and see how much worse they are. This just sounds like a witch hunt for no good reason and anyone with half a brain will know better than to listen to it.

[ThePerm]

poor yamauchi..he was all set  to see his team as they were gonna visit..and then there was a terror alert..and they stayed here...poor yamauchi...

[WackerJr]

In response to the person that asked about European gamers having that little balck booklet: yes we do!

I'm from the UK and I've got it in every game, whether published by Nintendo or not. I'm guessing it's the same as yours, containing:
~Warning - Seizures;
~Caution - Brightness of tv screen;
~Warning - Repetitive motion injuries;
~Warning - Electric shock;
~Caution - Motion sickness;
~Caution - Projection tv use;
~Game disc precautions / Maintenance.

Plus, it contains all this info in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Danish. Suomi (sorry I don't know which language that is!), and Norwegian!

I don't see any warnings on the back of the box, although it does say specifically to make sure you read the instruction book before use!

[JB]

The epilepsy warnings with Nintendo games in Europe date all the way back to the original Game Boy. I'll see if I can try to  record the program with my DVD-recorder.  

[Aussie Ben PGC]

Quote
It’s a fascinating story that takes presenter Libby Potter on a journey ranging from Birmingham to Hawaii, Soho to Tokyo and across the USA.

They forgot the word "fictional".

Honest to God, I don't understand this constant desire of people's to blame video games for their problems.  I had a seizure from playing Yoshi's Island for far too long (who can blame me, though -- that game was awesome), but it's never once occured to me to blame Nintendo for it.  The manuals clearly say, multiple times that you should be careful when playing video games, even if there isn't a history of epilepsy in your family.  Take a break every hour, stop if you feel sick and listen to the signals your body is giving you.  It's all in there, folks.  There's no reason for you to blame Nintendo, because they're telling you straight out to be careful.  Like anything else, video games should be enjoyed in moderation.  I've been seeing these warnings in my Nintendo games since the original Game Boy, possibly even since the NES.  There's a seperate booklet called a precautions booklet, for God's sake!  Who says that Nintendo's being irresponsible?  They're the only company that seems to actively warn people to be careful!

I always get reminded of that Christmas episode of South Park:  "I'm sorry children, but we have to take down the Christmas Lights.  Apparently they offend the epileptics."

[KDR_11k]

If they complain about labour conditions, smack 'em. The video game industry is KNOWN for its inhuman work practices. I think the part of Ion Storm that was responsible for... errr... guilty of Daikatana didn't have those practices and we all know how that ended.

Why are the media against video games? They are afraid! They are cornered and losing against the behemoth that is the videogame industry. RIAA, MPAA, broadcasters, ... all complaining about falling profits while the videogame industry continues to grow. I'm willing to bet EA could buy some of Hollywood's larger labels. More and more movie directors want to make video games. Videogame tie-ins are becoming almost as important as the movie itself. They have all reason to be afraid.

[JB]

Hmm, the BBC seems to have taken the Nintendo documetary off of the schedule. It has been replaced by a documentary about Bacardi, according to the online BBC 3 schedule. The dates on the Outrageous Fortunes website say the Bacardi and Disney documentaries are on at the same date and time as the Nintendo documentary is supposed to be. I'm still going to record it, just to see what's on.

[JB]

I have just been watching the program and the first 40 minutes of it have been exclusively about Bacardi. Looking at the website again, it looks like it won't be on until next week.

[WackerJr]

I missed when it was supposed to be on. Did they actually show the Nintendo documentary in the end?

[Shift Key]

Berto's trying to get it from a friend in the UK. Look for it on GCA soon.