Jenova Chen Quotes

Powerful Jenova Chen for Daily Growth

About Jenova Chen

Jenova Chen, a visionary figure in the gaming industry, was born on September 18, 1977, in Taipei, Taiwan. His journey into game development began as a means to cope with homesickness during his college years at the National Taiwan University of Arts. This emotional connection between games and personal experiences would become a defining aspect of his work. Chen's first significant foray into gaming was with the creation of 'Flower', released in 2009, while he was working at thatgamecompany (tGC), a studio he co-founded in 2006. 'Flower' emphasized exploration and emotion over traditional game mechanics, earning critical acclaim for its unique approach. One of Chen's most influential games is 'Journey', released in 2012. This masterpiece combined the aesthetics of abstract art with an engaging narrative that allowed players to experience a profound emotional journey without dialogue or explicit storytelling. 'Journey' won numerous awards, including the Game of the Year award at the 2013 BAFTA Games Awards. In 2015, Chen left tGC and started Mountain Sheep, where he is currently working on new projects that continue to explore the emotional potential of video games. His work has been deeply influenced by the concept of 'flow' in human experiences, as proposed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and he aims to create games that can induce this state of heightened focus and enjoyment. Chen's impact on the gaming industry lies not only in his innovative game designs but also in his commitment to creating emotionally resonant experiences that transcend traditional gameplay. His work serves as a testament to the potential of video games as a medium for storytelling, exploration, and human connection.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Games are a kind of dream, and dreams can inspire us."

This quote emphasizes that games, much like dreams, have the power to evoke our imagination, spark creativity, and inspire us. They transport us to different worlds, allow us to explore new ideas, and challenge our problem-solving abilities. Just as dreams can influence our thoughts and feelings, games can ignite our passion, provoke deep contemplation, and shape our perspectives on life.


"My goal is not just to make games, but to plant seeds for emotions."

Jenova Chen's quote indicates his artistic intention behind game creation. Rather than merely creating interactive entertainment, he aims to create experiences that elicit emotional responses within players. His goal is to touch the hearts and minds of those who engage with his games, not just providing simple amusement but fostering profound feelings and memories that resonate long after the game has been played. Essentially, he's using games as a medium to plant seeds of emotion in the players' consciousness.


"The best stories are those that players create themselves by exploring the game world and experiencing its events."

Jenova Chen's quote emphasizes the importance of creating games where players can actively engage and shape their own narratives through exploration and interaction with the game world. The value lies in fostering an environment that empowers players to immerse themselves, allowing them to forge unique experiences and stories that are personally meaningful. This approach encourages a deeper emotional connection between the player and the game, often resulting in more engaging and memorable gaming experiences.


"Art is about emotions, not techniques."

This quote emphasizes that art's primary purpose is to evoke and communicate emotions rather than simply demonstrating technical proficiency. Jenova Chen suggests that successful art resonates deeply with the audience by tapping into shared human experiences and feelings, transcending mere aesthetic or superficial appreciation. In essence, great art moves us.


"Creativity comes from the subconscious mind, which is like a deep ocean full of mysteries."

This quote suggests that creativity originates in our subconscious mind, which is likened to an unfathomable ocean filled with unknowns and secrets. It implies that the source of creativity lies within us, in the depths of our inner selves where our thoughts, feelings, and memories are stored beyond our conscious awareness. This perspective encourages exploration of our unconscious mind, inviting curiosity and allowing us to tap into our creative potential by delving deeper into ourselves, much like exploring the mysteries of the deep ocean.


In the free-to-play industry, the most money-making games are often coming from making people fighting against each other and really hating each other and wanting to revenge, so they spend more money to dominate.

- Jenova Chen

Other, Making, Wanting, Hating

Each game we make, we like to introduce an emotion that is rarely experienced by gamers in the console game industry.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Emotion, Like, Console

Language is very deceiving. In certain languages, there is certain vocabulary that doesn't exist in other languages. It totally changes how people feel about things.

- Jenova Chen

Other, Very, Languages, Deceiving

If you can imagine the delight of visiting a theme park where lasting memories are made, we envision 'Sky' will sometimes feel like that.

- Jenova Chen

Sky, Imagine, Visiting, Envision

When I read a good story, I often start thinking, 'Should I live my life according to what this character chooses and values?' It makes me think. I feel like I grew up to be a more mature person while thinking about character development in these fictional situations.

- Jenova Chen

My Life, Mature, Good Story, Fictional

I would say 'Flower' had a story. It is told through the environment.

- Jenova Chen

Environment, Through, Would, Flower

The focus of 'Flower' is emotion and to make you feel peaceful.

- Jenova Chen

Focus, Emotion, Feel, Flower

If a game is meant to be played by everybody, it deserves to be on multiple platforms so everybody can play it.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Play, Meant, Platforms

With 'Journey,' we created an emotional arc for two different scenarios. So, if you play alone, it's a good game. You have what we think is a complete emotional arc. You will feel, I guess, a sense of transformation in the single-player. Because it's a hero's journey.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Play, Feel, Arc

Designing a game can be like a Japanese garden. It's not what you put in but how much you take away.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Away, Like, Garden

'Cloud' and 'Flower' are very much egocentric about my own expression. 'Flow' is more utilitarian, and 'Journey' is more about collaboration between various creative voices in the team.

- Jenova Chen

Journey, Expression, Very, Utilitarian

A strong story can move me to tears, and it doesn't matter whether it's a science-fiction or fantasy world. It's about what happens to a person, the choices they make. That's what's interesting.

- Jenova Chen

Strong, Tears, Move, Science-Fiction

When I was a teenager, I felt my life was constrained by rules, school, my parents. I wanted to feel like I was empowered and different; that's why superheroes, comics, manga, and video games filled my needs. When I got older, I realized power is not free; it comes with responsibility.

- Jenova Chen

My Life, Feel, Comics, Superheroes

We try really hard to avoid those conventional experiences, these adrenaline rush, anger, competition, violence. We intentionally avoid that. We try to create a game that's serene and tranquil and filled with love.

- Jenova Chen

Love, Competition, Game, Tranquil

I grew up with games. It changed my life. It changed my social relationships with my friends. It defined my childhood. It's something I really cherished.

- Jenova Chen

Childhood, My Life, Social, Defined

A teenager can find lots of games, but that's not necessarily true for adults over 30. As you get older, you desire more intellectual, emotional experiences. If you look at film, there's many different genres. No matter how old you are, you can find the type of movie you like. That's a sign of a mature medium.

- Jenova Chen

Emotional Experiences, Different Genres

Look at the genres women like: a romantic comedy game doesn't exist. Few examples of a documentary game exist. What is the equivalent of a real drama game? They don't exist. Emotion with that complexity for a more mature, older audience are necessary to make medium-like video games healthy so it can be highly respected like the film industry.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Complexity, Equivalent, Film Industry

I was not grown up in the U.S., nor in Japan. In order to create a video game that people around the globe can enjoy and relate to, I can't draw things deeply rooted in the local culture that I'm not familiar with. That's why we are not doing games about football or samurai.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Doing, Japan, Video Game

'Journey' was very much inspired by Joseph Campbell's work for 'The Hero's Journey,' but, from among his works, I like 'The Power of Myth' best.

- Jenova Chen

Journey, Very, Works, Campbell

It's stressful when you run a company.

- Jenova Chen

Run, Company, You, Stressful

Seeing games become more of a young person thing, I feel like a toy I grew up with has been left behind. I don't want to. I want this thing to be respected by adults. I want this thing to be growing with me. It's important to have games that could be more nuanced and reflective of the real world and relevant to adults.

- Jenova Chen

Young, Behind, Been, Respected

I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.

- Jenova Chen

Thought, Some, Always, Monastery

Our goal is always to make games that can move people, that are designed for everybody so the whole family should be able to play it together, and that bring people together and really move them in a way.

- Jenova Chen

Play, Always, Move, Designed

When I designed 'Flower' I was thinking about making it a positive, almost like a self-healing experience. It's like therapy.

- Jenova Chen

Making, Like, Almost, Designed

I think that our language, culture, age, fortune, property, and our fame is all a facade. In the end, we're all the same.

- Jenova Chen

Think, Fortune, I Think, In The End

'Journey' is a way for us to explore the crossing, the intersection of our lives between each other.

- Jenova Chen

Journey, Explore, Other, Intersection

'Flower' is about the sublime.

- Jenova Chen

Flower, About, Sublime

I feel, as a game maker, we are responsible to make content that stretch the ruling structure and emotions so that everyone can enjoy.

- Jenova Chen

Game, Emotions, Everyone, Structure

I grew up in Shanghai, a big urban city.

- Jenova Chen

City, Big, Urban, Shanghai

I was very impressed with the scope and scale and impact that came from originally one person making 'Minecraft.' It's inspiring for me to think how our team can do more with less.

- Jenova Chen

Think, Making, Very, Scope

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