Interface[s] Montréal

duration: 18:53

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About this demo-conference

[In English]

« With the wii, the focus is on the player, not on the screen. »

The wii has reinvented the way we think about video games. What can we do with the free space that’s external to the screen ? Our attention is no longer totally focused on the game, but also includes a focus on the player. As the numberof television screens multiply in our homes, the wii is reuniting the family in the living room. In addition to offering pleasure for our eyes, it offers pleasure for the body. From now on, it will be necessary to be conscious of how our body is positioned in space vis-a-vis the screen. This kinesthetic dimension breaks the habit of players not paying attention to their physical environment. So, now game designers must take into account the movement of the body in space in ways they have never before considered. Thus, the wii offers a much more 'sensual’ experience of playing games.

Bart Simon – Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University