In a thought-provoking 1989 interview for Gamer Handbook, game design legend Shigeru Miyamoto discussed video games as a unique form of interactive entertainment. He noted that while a great film or book might be considered a “game,” their passive nature differs significantly from the interactive experience offered by computers.
Miyamoto made a striking comparison, likening players’ quest to find secrets in games to the search for increasingly intense stimuli, drawing a parallel to pornography. He articulated a viewpoint that as people grow bored, they constantly seek stronger forms of stimulation, suggesting that when traditional entertainment reaches a “grotesque” point, new avenues for interactive engagement become essential, with video games being a prime example.
This philosophy has visibly guided Nintendo’s approach to innovation. The company has consistently pursued novel interactive experiences, from the groundbreaking motion controls introduced with the Wii to the versatile hybrid gameplay of the Switch. Today, Miyamoto continues to shape Nintendo’s future, focusing on expanding its core franchises beyond gaming, into realms such as films and theme parks, constantly pushing the boundaries of how audiences interact with their beloved characters and worlds.