Game Informer recently sat down with Splatoon 2 producer Hisashi Nogami, where he discussed a topic that has been a source of laughter for Splatoon 2 fans, especially during Splatfests. Pearl and Marina have made remarks that seem to break the fourth wall, as if they’re aware that they’re in a video game. Game Informer brought this to Nogami’s attention. Here’s what Nogami said:
Oh, that’s a really difficult question. I think that if you play Splatfests, you’ll occasionally see them say things that may put their position somewhere in the middle of Splatoon and our world in the references that they’re making. They also fulfill this role of discussing what stages are upcoming and the news, but when it comes to Splatfest, we wanted to make the Off the Hook characters something that’s a bit closer to reality, as Splatfests are events that expand beyond the boundaries of the game and occasionally tie elements of our world into Splatoon.
So it just might be that during those moments of Splatfest, they may have an occasional inkling that they are characters in some sort of a virtual space in the world of a video game. When it comes to the Splatfests, there is this Japanese idea of a Matsuri, which is a Japanese-style festival. In Japan, those Matsuri festivals usually have some kind of a female shaman, who is kind of the leader of the festival in Japanese tradition. These characters – whether it’s Callie and Marie or Pearl and Marina – take on those roles in the Splatfests as well.
It might just be that in these special events that are Splatfests, the characters leading the Splatfests may come into contact with consciousness greater than their own! [Laughs] It might just be that they’re speaking words that aren’t even their own.
There was a reason I screenshotted Marina saying “after all we’re all just in a simulation and free will is a lie.” Followed by both of them staying silent with “. . .”
They are becoming self aware!
Marina knows for sure.
That’s…. unexpectedly deep…
Back when I did webcomics I always treated it like my characters were aware of the fourth wall, but it was super taboo in their world for them to acknowledge it. Maybe it’s the same for Marina and Pearl?
Game within a game.
That’s really cool. I’ve always been a fan of characters in shows, movies and video games being self-aware. I don’t know, I’ve always found it fascinating how creative people can be with this trope.
According to this, for that brief moment Marina was talking about “free will is a lie”, Marina was possessed by a higher being before the duo go into complete silence.
what if we are in a simulation as well? So It would be a simulation inside another simulation. :O
Oh you kids and your splatoon characters lol…