GDC: My games aren't art, says ICO man

ICO creator Fumito Ueda has said he's not trying to create games which are works of art - whatever the critics might say.

Ueda was speaking during a panel discussion at the Game Developers Conference, as reported by Gamasutra. He didn't reveal anything concrete about his current project but did say, "My team and I are making a game which is close to art - that's what people say.

"Personally I don't think that way. We're making a game to entertain people. Sometimes my personality and my team's might be reflected on the game, and it might look like art, but it is a game to entertain people. That kind of feedback is welcome but it's not what I'm trying to achieve."

No More Heroes creator Goichi Suda - otherwise known as Suda51 - was also on the panel, and also had something to say on the subject. "I pay attention to art. In making entertainment, if we try to achieve art, that would be difficult. But people in the art field play games and are impressed. As Mr. Ueda said, we create games and then people think it's art," he said.

"The power of games is different because we put light onto the display, which is beautiful, right? Videogames have a power to make other artists become jealous."

Suda said he gets his inspiration from films, TV and other games, as well as art. But perhaps his best ideas come from a different place: "Being alone is very important. I go to the bathroom and then I try to poop and I'll come up with a good idea."

As for Ueda: "First I come up with an idea of what kind of game I want to create... These are not necessarily games that can really be created on game consoles. We have to think about how we need to change it to come to life," he said.

"Rather than improving it, perhaps we are taking away from the original. Sometimes... Something better than we imagined can be created. That's actually the most serendipitious happening in what I'm creating right now."

Fine yes fine but what ARE you creating right now, sir? "Well, let's see. It might be similar to the past, probably... I'm struggling. The essence of the game is close to ICO." Right, thanks for that. "I can't talk about this anymore. Don't ask any more questions, please!" Fine.

So there you have it - the next game from ICO creator Fumito Ueda will be a bit like ICO, and will be released at some point.