Video games part 1: toward a personalized gaming experience

Modern society exists in the midst of the attention economy. Disposable time is limited, and content consumption styles have become increasingly fragmented. Some users consume information from videos efficiently at double speed, while others repeatedly watch long-form vlogs or gameplay videos, demonstrating deep engagement with specific content.

Content creators and entertainment companies aim not merely to produce content that is briefly “consumed,” but to create entertainment IP that remains embedded in people’s memories. Video games, the central theme of this article, are no exception.

In recent years, large-scale video games featuring visual realism comparable to that of films have sometimes been offered as free-to-play experiences. Moreover, it has become increasingly common for games to receive continuous updates after launch, incorporating feedback from players and communities.

Looking back at the global history of interactive video games makes it clear that Japan, as a leading game-producing country, has consistently influenced the medium worldwide. This three-part Video Games series explores the brief history of video games while examining their potential, domestic market trends, and the recent indie game boom alongside the ecosystems that support game developers.

Japan as a Video Game Powerhouse

Since the release of the world’s first home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey, in the United States in 1972, hardware evolution has progressed relentlessly. More recently, in 2025, the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 was released, once again revitalizing the market.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has also been a pioneer in the consumer gaming market. From the current PlayStation 5 to the PS VR series and the former PSP line, Sony has expanded immersive experiences and driven industry-wide innovation.

Before the current dominance of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft became established, Japan’s console hardware market was characterized by intense competition. Beginning with the Family Computer in 1983, the market saw a rapid succession of devices: Sega’s Sega Mark III (1985) and Mega Drive (1988), NEC’s PC Engine (1987), Nintendo’s Game Boy (1989) and Super Famicom (1990), followed by Sony’s entry with the first original PlayStation (1994).

Competition intensified around the turn of the millennium. Subsequent developments included the handheld gaming boom driven by the Nintendo DS and PSP (2004), the expansion of casual gaming audiences with the Wii, and continued advances in resolution and functionality. From the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (2014), the arrival of the VR era with PlayStation VR (2016), the launch of the Nintendo Switch (2017), the PlayStation 5 (2020).

Japanese companies have played a central role in the evolution of video games as a medium.

From Entertainment to an Integrated Media Platform

The widespread adoption of relatively expensive gaming hardware has always been driven by compelling software. Intellectual properties such as Super *Mario Bros.* and Donkey Kong, born during the Famicom era in 1983, remain globally popular more than 40 years later.

Franchises like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Resident Evil have also grown into long-term global brands.

The Legend of Zelda series, which began with its original title in the 1980s, was re-evaluated during the Nintendo Switch era with Breath of the Wild, further accelerating its global momentum. A film adaptation, the first in the series, is scheduled for release in 2027, signaling Nintendo’s increasing involvement in the visual expansion of its own IP.

This trend toward IP development and multimedia expansion is closely linked to advances in console performance, particularly the rise of photorealistic visual expression.

In the past, technical limitations meant that adapting low-resolution game characters into films or animation required significant reinterpretation by third parties, often resulting in discrepancies that disappointed fans.

Today, however, game graphics have reached a level comparable to film and animation quality, enabling more seamless cross-media adaptations.

In addition, game companies themselves have grown in scale and expanded into publishing and other non-development businesses, further strengthening their role as comprehensive media enterprises.

Interactivity and the Personalization of Immersive Experiences

When people become deeply absorbed in an activity, they often experience a psychological state of fulfillment known as “flow.” In modern society, where attention is constantly under threat, interactivity has become a powerful tool for drawing users in and sustaining immersion. Compared to film or animation, video games offer an unparalleled degree of freedom and agency.

The pursuit of interactivity has advanced significantly across hardware, software, and peripherals. The Nintendo Switch series maintains its hybrid nature as both a handheld and home console while delivering intuitive and highly responsive controls. The latest PlayStation systems adjust controller feedback dynamically in response to in-game conditions, using tactile sensations to enhance immersion.

Peripheral devices, including VR-compatible hardware, further strengthen interactivity by placing users directly into virtual environments where actions are reflected in real time.

On the software side, game design increasingly leverages these hardware capabilities. Critically acclaimed titles such as Astro’s Playroom place controller functionality at the core of the gameplay experience.

Looking ahead, AI agents integrated into gaming systems may enable experiences that go beyond simple multi-ending narratives, offering deeply branched stories and outcomes tailored to individual players.

By learning and analyzing players’ behavior and play history, future games may dynamically adjust elements such as difficulty, pacing, or even the intensity of horror or tension. Through such personalization, video games are likely to evolve into even more immersive, flexible, and stimulating forms of entertainment, and ultimately, into one of the most powerful media experiences available.

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