Push. Play: An Examination of the Gameplay Button

At the center of the video game experience is the interface. Before a player grabs the first powerup or meets the first obstacle, the would-be-adventurer must accept the limitations of the encounter. Only the controller can lead to action in the game space. A life in motion must be reduced to input. Modern games have developed a great deal since their early days as quarterseeking cabinets. However, despite their graphical, dramatical, and technical development, one of the defining features of the video game basically remains unchanged. This essay reveals the importance of the ever-present button while examining the limitations of its current embodiment.