Shinji Mikami: If Players Prefer Watching Over Playing, the Game Isn’t Up to Par

Japanese comedian Hidetaka Kano recently shared insights from a conversation with the renowned ex-Capcom director Shinji Mikami, known for his work on both Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4. Mikami expressed a strong opinion about game streaming, suggesting that if viewers are merely “satisfied” after watching a complete playthrough, then the game itself may not be all that great.

During a TV interview on June 18, Kano asked Mikami about his thoughts on players streaming his games, voicing concerns that this practice could spoil the experience for those who haven’t played yet. Mikami’s response was clear: “If viewers watch a playthrough of a game all the way to the end and are satisfied with just that, then it was only that good of a game. Our job is to make games that leave people wanting to clear them with their own hands, even if they’ve watched someone else do it, so keep streaming.”

Interestingly, Mikami’s perspective isn’t unique. Kano noted that Yuji Horii, the creator of the Dragon Quest series, echoed similar sentiments during a separate discussion.

While the views of Mikami and Horii are thought-provoking, a broader trend emerges regarding the perception of live-streaming in Japan. Many publishers, developers, and players seem to hold a somewhat negative stance toward platforms like Twitch. For instance, last month, developer Mages announced it would not allow anyone to stream its latest visual novel, Steins;Gate Re:Boot. Additionally, in 2023, a 53-year-old man in Japan received a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of approximately $6,400 for uploading a full playthrough of its predecessor, Steins;Gate: My Darling’s Embrace.