Motioncore 011-magazine E3 Anime-Expo Comic-Con Siggraph

Think the Nintendo Wii dramatically altered gaming as we know it? Think again.

Game animator and Internet radio station CEO, Jay "Mouse" Vales, believes “things like the Wii, the Move and especially the Kinect aren't going to revolutionize gaming. It's going to revolutionize TV." Vales believes that with all the technology currently available, we're about not at all far away from motion and voice controlled TVs.

Vales, 36, spoke to us between interviews with Japanese animation talent during the Anime Expo press junket in Los Angeles. Having working in the gaming industry for over 5 years as well as  regularly updating Radio1337.com, the Orange County native was no shrinking violet. He waxed poetic under the fluorescent haze of a basement meeting room of the Westin Bonaventure hotel downtown. He shared his observations on all manner of things relating to Anime and gaming.

011-Magazine: On which games have you worked?

Vales: World of Warcraft, The Golden Compass, Grand Chase, Grand Theft Auto 4

What makes for  a good video game company?

Vales: If you're not running a tight ship then people will leave. There's definitely a balance between keeping your employees happy and getting to the bottom line.

What do you think of casual games like Farmville? Don't you think gamers look down on them?

Vales: Well nobody wants to make a Hannah Montana game but it sells like hot cakes.

Casual gaming right now...It's the in thing right now.  It's a different demographic. It's the Wii demographic really, when it comes down to it. EA is even tapping into it with their Sim's...some of the games now only cater to middle aged women. There's definitely a big market for that.

Why work on a game you don't like?

Vales: Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do in order to be in the (gaming) industry.

How did you go from working on The Golden Compass to Grand Theft Auto 4?

Vales: Knew somebody that knew somebody. Connections.

Do you think being an outgoing kinda guy helped?

Vales: No, I'm a hermit

Really?!

Vales: I'm kidding. I'm totally kidding.

Yes you have to have an element of sociability in order for you to get where you need to go in the industry. That's part of the reason why I do my website  because that allows me to go to places nobody else goes to, allows me to talk to people nobody else talks to like at E3 I talked to Dan Teasdale. He's like the lead designer for all the Rock Band games. I love Rock Band...that guy's amazing, he knows his stuff.

Do you see yourself transitioning out of gaming?

Vales: I like to work in games. I like to play to my skill set...I believe I have strong talents when it comes to sociability and gaming and my artwork and if I can combine that into a station or a website where I can kind of report on things like that. I think that works out...to use all my talents in one area.

Because you don't really use your sociability much when you're working on a project doing 3D animation. You only talk to people that you're next to. You're just like, "Hi. That's a cool little toy you have on your desk there." That's pretty much it.

Where do you see the gaming industry going and how will social media affect it?

Vales: There's always going to be a little niche for people since it (social media) has already created so much of an impact. Like how many people still wanna play Pac Man? There's always a niche. Right now people are going through this huge 3D phase, right? ...In future you're going to see television with a little camera where you swing your hand left to right to go through channels and then swing your hand up and down to do volume...it's so not too far away.