Nintendo Game Director Shigeru Miyamoto Thinks Too Much Video Games Not A 'Very Good Idea'

Legendary Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto of "Super Mario," "The Legend of Zelda" and "Donkey Kong" fame believes becoming too immersed in the medium may not be a good idea.

"I don't think it's bad. But only doing video games, I don't think is a very good idea," the 70-year-old Nintendo game director said via an interpreter during an NPR interview when asked whether or not playing too much of video games would be bad for adults or children.

Miyamoto believes it is important for both video game developers and players "to get a lot of different life experiences" for them to "be able to fully enjoy the whole experience."

"I always say, if it's really nice outside, you should go play outside. And I tell that to people who want to be game designers as well, you know? If it's a nice day, you know, go experience outside, because really, I think there's an important factor that it's your personal experience," the game designer said.

Personal experiences can link with the experiences that someone can have through video games, according to Miyamoto.

"[T]hat's when the joy, the fun factor, really explodes exponentially," he explained.

Miyamoto once told the Japanese magazine Weekly Play News that he spent up to 10 hours a day playing games at Nintendo's headquarters.

Gaming has been linked to stress injuries, obesity and vision problems, among other things, according to a piece released on the website of Harvard Medical School's publishing house.

Addiction to the medium has also been associated with psychological problems.

Gaming disorder, which the World Health Organization (WHO) included in the 11th revision of its International Classification of Diseases, is "characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences."

However, the consumption of video games is still considered a fun and entertaining pastime that also provides a way for people to interact with each other as they work together toward achieving common goals.

"Our society suffers from an epidemic of loneliness, and gaming can be a vehicle to connect with others, including otherwise difficult-to-connect-with people in your life, such as kids, grandkids, or ... with autistic children, who can have challenges with traditional modes of communication," the Harvard piece read.

Moderation is key in gaming, like with many other activities that have potential pros and cons, and most of the harms that can come from gaming can be avoided by limiting the number of hours spent playing, added the piece.