Variety – Will Wright speaks on the ‘entertainment designer’ at Siggraph 2009

In his Siggraph day-two keynote address, “Spore” creator Will Wright laid out the beginnings of a “unified theory of entertainment” and challenged the gathering to look toward a future where different forms of entertainment are created by a single “entertainment designer.””Imagine we had a group of people who designed houses and that’s all they did, and another group of people who design skyscrapers, and another group of people who design factories — but we did not have the concept of the architect. In entertainment, it kind of feels that way. We have filmmakers over here, game designers over there. Musicians down here.”

He said “mood management theory” gives a hint at how entertainment works at the deepest level.

Viewers choose what to watch or listen to alter their mood, often in ways they aren’t conscious of. “Basically enjoying this content is causing certain brain states to occur, releasing certain hormones, endorphins and neurotransmitters in their brain. So in some sense we are drug dealers,” said Wright, getting a big laugh from his audience.

Once again, Will does another fine job at grabbing my attention and then totally confusing me as he continues to speak.  I just nod my head up and down and agree with whatever he says in the end.  😛

Check out the rest of the article – Spore spouts ‘unified theory’ at confab