By The developer behind Space Invaders, the iconic arcade game focused on taking down alien UFOs, believes that game creation “must be driven by creativity first” during a time when teams are more compelled than ever to “adhere to the sales department.”
During an interview with Time Extension, Tomohiro Nishikado of Space Invaders reminisced about a period in the gaming industry where much of his work “moved into mass production once finalized,” facing considerably less bureaucracy than today.
“I consider myself very fortunate about that,” he expressed. “My methodology involved conceiving a game independently and developing it autonomously. There were no supervisors altering concepts or any authoritative interruptions. I believe it’s crucial for innovative individuals and developers to attempt creating something independently first, then assess its enjoyment factor.”
This approach shifted rapidly as the gaming market expanded and studios grew. “The creation process at Taito gradually evolved, and we, the game designers, were increasingly urged to heed the sales team’s input, which proposed new title ideas they believed would be lucrative,” he elaborated. “As a result, we began game development along those lines. Personally, I do not consider this the ideal process. Creators should initially create a game independently, which can then develop into a wider project. This conviction has guided my entire career.”
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